She smiled and ran her hand over the burled surface of the wood. “A gift. From Aeval. I still don’t know how to use it, but I thought I’d bring it along. It will make hiking easier, in any matter.”
“Enough said.” I didn’t have to ask any more. The Queen of Darkness was to be Camille’s new mistress, and it seemed she intended for her new acolyte to return in one piece.
Two men stood beside Camille—Smoky, one of Camille’s three husbands, and Rozurial, an incubus. Smoky’s hair coiled with a life of its own, surrounding him like a cloud of spun silver, and he stood more than two feet taller than me. Smoky was a dragon—half silver, half white, and pale as milk on a snowy morning. He’d come down from the Dragon Reaches high above the Northlands untold years ago, leaving his homeland to reside Earthside. Rozurial had dark curly hair, and he’d searched the Northlands from one side to the other, looking for the crazed vampire who had destroyed his family, the same one who had turned Camille’s sister Menolly. Rozurial knew the land like the back of his hand.
Smoky knelt beside me and took my hand, bringing it up to press gently to his forehead. “Lady Iris,” he said, his eyes whirling, a glacial pool of hoarfrost and ice. “We will do whatever we can to protect you on your journey. The Northlands are a dangerous place but you know this better than anyone. You are part of my wife’s extended family; therefore you are my sister. Whatever I can do to help, if it is within my power, I will do.”
My hand seemed so small in his—we Talon-haltijas were, like all types of sprites, tiny. I was barely a smidge over four feet tall, petite though sturdy. I gazed at his hand and then curled my fingers around his, squeezing them tight.
Rozurial joined him. “The only thing that can drag me back to the Northlands is to help a good friend. You’re one of the best. Even if you won’t date me.” He gave me a twinkling smile, but concern lurked behind the mask of humor.
I grinned at him. Roz would never change, and for that I loved him. “I won’t date you because I’m already dating Bruce. And you . . . you’re a heartbreaker.”
“Not my fault, just my nature,” he pleaded.
I turned to Camille, whose lips bowed in a gentle smile. She let out a long sigh. “If we’re going, we’d better get a move on. It will be freezing in Otherworld, and we need to portal jump to the Northlands before nightfall.”
I steeled myself.
You know it is time . . . The words tickled my thoughts, sliding over my doubts and fears like cool comfort on a hot summer night.
Yes, my Lady, I know . . . I cannot avoid this any longer. But please, guard over us, and whatever happens to me, watch that the others return to fight against the demons. I am taking them into danger.
But Undutar’s voice was soothing, and for the thousandth time I was grateful she hadn’t forsaken me when the temple Elders had.
They go with you willingly, my Priestess. Come now. Return to the lands of your power. Return to me. Free Vikkommin’s spirit, break the curse upon you, and clear your name so you will be able to marry and have children.
I stared at Grandmother Coyote’s portal. We were standing in the middle of a snow-shrouded wood, in the Belles-Faire district of Seattle, a few miles from home. But we were about to travel through the veil, to Otherworld, the land of Camille’s birth. From there we would journey to the Northlands, the world I’d left behind so long ago, when I’d been branded a murderer, stripped of my strongest powers, and cast out of the order of Undutar, the Goddess of the Mist and Snow.
I sucked in a deep breath and turned to the three of them. “I’m ready.” As we stepped through the portal, the world shifted. There was no turning back.
WE EMERGED FROM the portal near the mounds surrounding the Elfin city of Elqaneve. Great, snow-covered grass barrows served as the ancient tombs of elfin lords and heroes, the site where horrific battles had been waged and won or lost, long past in the mists of time.
We arrived in the midst of a snowstorm—the seasons in Otherworld matched those back home. By the looks of things, the snow had already fallen thick and fast. On a positive note, Otherworld had escaped the global warming that was affecting Earthside. The air over here was also cleaner than the air back home, and a soft flow of magic replaced the constant hum of electricity.
Nearby, a family of elves readied themselves for a jump somewhere—Dahnsburg, according to the sign they were standing next to—and I stared at them, thinking that it was no different from a family holiday vacation back in Seattle, except they were traveling via portal rather than airplane.
“What do we do first?” Camille asked.
“We meet up with the Great Winter Wolf Spirit. He’s agreed to help me.”
Actually, Howl and I had struck a bargain, is what we’d done. He would help me, if I worked to help his Earthside wolfen children. I’d joined Wolf Whistle—a new organization in Seattle dedicated to spreading the return of the wolves across the United States and protecting them from slaughter—and I was pouring time and energy into the group. That seemed enough to satisfy him.
“I’m glad I caught you.”
Turning, I was surprised to see Trenyth standing there. Queen Asteria’s adviser, the elf was kind and regal and fair. It seemed that trouble always followed close on his heels.
“Trenyth—what are you doing here? We didn’t tell anybody we were coming.”
He gave a genteel bow. “I’ve come to escort you to your meeting.”
Camille glanced at me, a question in her eyes. I shook my head slightly. I hadn’t let him know we were on the way, so he must have found out through some other means. We waited until we were in the carriage headed toward the inn on the other side of the Elfin city, before Camille turned to the adviser.
“How did you know we were coming?”
I knew she wanted to ask how her father was—they were on the outs—but she didn’t, and I decided not to broach the subject. Trenyth seemed startled. He paused, then gave a sideways glance at Rozurial, who cleared his throat.
I turned to Roz. “What did you do?”
He hemmed and hawed for a moment, then gave a little shrug. “Well, I figured the elves should know what we’re doing. Just in case . . .” With a sideways glance back at me, he smiled and I realized he thought I’d be mad at him. Which wasn’t far off.
“Rozurial is right on one thing.” I sighed, then looked over at Trenyth. “We’re heading into danger. Some of the creatures in the Northlands could rip us to shreds without the least exertion. And my end goal . . . is dangerous as well. I suppose somebody had to know over here. Just in case we don’t check back in, would you let them know back home?”
Trenyth tried to keep his voice light, but his eyes were somber. “Of course, Lady Iris. But you must come through this alive and in one piece. The war against the demons is too dangerous for any of you to die.”
Smoky punched Roz in the arm, and not all that gently. “Good thinking, though I hate to admit it. But next time, I’ll take care of the worrying.”
“Easy, Dragon-Boy. I am not after your woman. She has three husbands, and there’s no room for me.” Roz arched one eyebrow, but now he was teasing and the tension slipped away. Though they had actually gone tooth and claw at one point, they were friends now. For the most part.
Camille shook her head. “No use arguing. They’d gang up on us.”
Feeling outnumbered—and loved—I laughed. “Not a problem, as long as we don’t miss our appointment with Howl. I’m not upset he spilled the beans.”
But inside, I was pissed at Roz for sticking his nose in where I hadn’t asked him to. I didn’t want anybody else knowing about this. The last thing I needed was for Asteria, the Elfin Queen, to look at me with a question in her heart. I had enough of those myself.