A shiver raced up my spine, but it was a good one. My grandfather had stories to tell me. The thought that I might spend years to come curled up by a fire with him, learning about our people while the winter raged outside our Barrow, sounded positively delightful.
“You know the story of how Myst and Geoffrey plotted to seize control of the Unseelie Fae and the vampires by working together?”
I nodded. “When she found out she was more powerful than he, she double-crossed him and killed most of his men. That’s what started the war between the true vampires and the Vampiric Fae, right Lannan?”
Lannan grunted but pushed a few steps closer. “Yes, that’s right. Both of the fools were mad, if you ask me. But then, it takes a madman to think he can be so wanton and fly in the face of established order. The Crimson Court only kept Geoffrey around after that incident because he was more dangerous to let go. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer, and all of that folderol. I think, too, there may have been some sort of misguided loyalty in letting him remain alive, but it was not our place to speak up. Even my sister doesn’t understand the reasoning of our Queen at times. It’s not up to us to question her motives, however. We are to simply obey.”
Check pointed out a root in the floor, and I skirted it, in turn pointing it out to Hunter and Lannan.
Hunter lithely hopped over it. “Well, after communications broke down and Myst and Geoffrey had established their feud, Myst went into hiding. She knew she wasn’t powerful enough yet to take on more than the handful of vampires she already had. So she and her fellow companions, all of whom she had turned, first returned to the Fae Barrows, but nobody knew what to do with them there. They retreated into the wilds. I believe it was about that time that the Shadow Hunter nature began to exert itself, and they were exiled from the Fae communities for good.”
“So it was sink or swim for her.” I tried to imagine what she might have felt—alone with just her few companions, disowned by her people and knowing the vampires were out to get her. No wonder she’d gone a little nuts.
“Don’t feel too sorry for her. Myst was power hungry before she was turned, and the transformation only left her more so. She went into hiding and began ordering her people to kidnap whatever Fae they happened across. They started turning them to increase their forces, but it didn’t always work right.”
“So they started abducting Fae . . . but what about children? I know they can breed.” What I wanted to ask, but wasn’t quite ready to, was When was I born?
“Around that time, one of the women found out she was pregnant and the baby was born vicious, changed—more powerful than the parents themselves. That was when they realized they could still reproduce, and so began to build their community through forced breeding. Because of the cerulean cast to the children’s skin, Myst named her realm the Indigo Court, and firmly punished anybody who tried to go up against her. I gather she was gifted with a knack for torture, and her people began to fear her.”
Enforced breeding, kidnapping, anything for survival. “Did Myst anticipate being where she’s at now? Did she always look to ruling the world?”
Hunter gave me a sad smile. “Don’t dictators always anticipate wielding great power? I don’t think she thought it would be in this manner, but yes, I think she always wanted to rule the world. She had kidnapped a couple shamans first thing, from her people. While I’m not sure how, she forced them to develop rituals to transfer more power to her. Somewhere along the line, she ended up with power over the winter weather, and over spiders, and she became Queen Myst, of the Indigo Court.”
I wondered if she’d killed them, to absorb their power. Or maybe, turned and obeying her, they’d been willing to help her grow and evolve.
“In some ways, I have to admit I admire Myst.” I didn’t want to say the words aloud, but it felt like they should be said, as an acknowledgment to my enemy’s strength. Never underestimate your opponent, and always remember how strong they are.
“Why? Because she was your mother?” Hunter wasn’t being a smart ass. He was asking a real question.
“No. I mean, yes, she was my mother . . . but no, that’s not why I admire her. She took a situation that had gone terribly wrong and turned it to her advantage. She didn’t give in; she stood up and took charge. She’s a survivor, and she does whatever she needs to in order to see her people thrive. It may be some real freaky-assed crap she pulls, but she has goals, and she’s following her dream.”
Lannan snorted. “Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should.”
I glanced over my shoulder at him. He grinned. “True enough. But what can I say? The woman is ambitious. Just because I admit that, doesn’t mean I won’t do my best to destroy her.”
“Good to know.” He started to say more but then stopped, pointing ahead.
I turned. There, in front of us, stood a door. Most likely it would lead us to the first guardian. Meaning the first adversary. And all guardians of all heartstones were set to fight to the death.
Taking a deep breath, I turned and motioned to Check. “Everybody at the ready. Weapons at hand, please. Expect trouble on the other side, if this follows the usual pattern of things. Check, once we’re ready, open the door, and let’s see what we’re facing.”
As Check reached for the handle, I clutched my dagger, the hilt solidly implanted in the palm of my hand. We might find a monster on the other side, or a ghost, or a riddle or . . . who knew what?
Check opened the door, quickly to take whatever might be on the other side by surprise. And there, in the middle of the archway, blocking our path, was the first guardian at the gate. We were facing a gigantic snow weaver, and the eight-legged freak looked overly delighted to see us.
Chapter 16
The snow weaver made no move to attack, but waited, blocking the entry. We were facing Myst’s first guardian, which meant we were on the right track to finding her heartstone. But considering it was a guardian, the snow weaver was bound to be more powerful and magical than its kin.
Check jumped back out of reach as the rest of us took a step back.
“Lovely. Just lovely.” I tapped my dagger against my hand, trying to figure out our best approach. “Watch your ears, guys. And eyes. The snow weavers are deadly, and they can charm the hell out of you. There won’t be any reasoning with it. It’s either My way or the highway.”
As we shifted into a semicircle around the door, the spider’s crafty gaze followed us, taking in every movement. Most guardians seemed to be able to talk, so I thought about engaging it, but the fact that snow weavers were versed in luring in their victims meant a conversation wasn’t all that appetizing of a thought. At least not from my side of the fence.
Ulean, what do you suggest?
This one is cunning and wily. I sense a great hunger, and she cannot let you pass; therefore, you must fight her. Be watchful for her magic. The siren song is deep within her, and I think you may have a difficult battle on your hands if you let her speak.
Great. A female? They tend to be more deadly than the males.
Always the way, Cicely. Always the way.
I turned to Check. “We fight, but if she begins to speak, we have to silence her.” Before we could move, however, a faint whisper of song sprang up, and the first few bars instantly plunged me into a deep sadness, filling me with regret. The music shifted then, ever slightly, and promised hope if only I’d reach out and embrace the singer. I struggled against the desire to move forward, all too aware that this was the snow weaver’s trap. She really was a siren.