Lee stalked back to his tree and tried not to see anything.
I let Sarah work her magic on my hair. In the distance, I heard music being played. The festival was starting. The bonfires would be lit and the dancing would begin. It was almost time for me to play the goddess. I’d seen how many wolves were counting on us and I hoped I was enough for them.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
“God, you look so beautiful, Z.” Daniel held my hand as we walked from the tent toward the east field where the festival of Litha was in full party mode. It had been a distant music when I dressed in my bedroom, but now it was starting to sound like a roar. I was grateful for the strong feel of Daniel’s hand in mine.
“I look like a virgin sacrifice.” Between the gauzy, white dress, the garland in my hair, and my freshly scrubbed face, I looked younger than my years. I also looked much more innocent than I had ever been.
“I wish…” he started wistfully.
“What?” I asked because the look on his face was so sad. I wanted to wipe away that sorrow.
“I just wish we’d had a better wedding, that’s all,” he admitted quietly, looking straight forward.
I squeezed his hand. Our wedding had been a covert thing. I hadn’t known I was married until someone—a nasty old demon—had pointed it out. It was also an old wound that had healed for me, and I didn’t want to reopen it. “It was fine, Danny. If I recall there was more honeymoon than wedding, but it worked out. I’m still wearing the ring.”
Daniel stared down at my left hand, his eyes widening as he took in the ring. “Z, baby, you can’t wear that to this ritual. It wouldn’t be right.”
“Dev told me to.” Dev had been casual about it. “He said it was the only jewelry I was allowed to wear.” He didn’t know about the navel ring, but I suspected he would be all right with it.
Danny stopped and some unnamed emotion crossed his face. He shook his head and continued down the path. “That sounds like him. He’s a good friend. Listen, Z. He’s really nervous about this.”
“Dev has performance anxiety?” Dev had never had a problem performing, ever. Dev could perform drunk, stoned, or injured. Whatever a person could be, Dev could probably keep an erection through it.
Daniel laughed at that thought. “He’s not worried about the sex, baby. He’s worried about the magic. This is a big deal to him. Though he’s mortal, if he proves he can do this, the Fae will treat him as a true fertility god because of the ascension. You’re not afraid of the ascension, are you?”
I remembered the word ascension being mentioned in all the stuff Ingrid had said. I wasn’t sure why I was supposed to be afraid of it. “I’m fine, Danny.”
“Because you should know I’ve checked everything out. Dev will always be in control. That’s the way it works. If it works. We’re hopeful and that’s why he’s got so much pressure on him. If he can handle this magic then his place as a high priest is more than just a name thing. They’ll have to respect him if manages to do this.”
“Is that why Declan has to be here?” I asked because I was still waiting for a good explanation on why I had to get my freak on with Declan Quinn watching.
“Yes,” Daniel replied acerbically. “I swear, Z. Did you listen to a word Ingrid said to you? She explained everything. If I know Ingrid, she explained it in great detail. Declan is there as a royal witness. If he gives his consent, then you will be respected as the one woman who can bring out Dev’s magic. You’ll be his goddess.”
“So I have to bring his magic out?” I asked, for the first time really nervous about something other than the public nature of this thing. The truth was I really hadn’t listened to Ingrid. I’d been planning a hijacking, and it had kind of crowded out everything else. Now I wished I’d skipped the stupid heist altogether and listened better in class.
“You have to bring his passion out,” Daniel corrected. “The passion brings out the magic. He’s just worried about the magic and his control of it. He might not show it or admit it, but he wants his brother’s respect. He wants Padric’s respect. The more aroused he is, the stronger the magic is going to be, and the more likely his ascension is. From the looks of it, you really need to turn him on.”
Daniel was referring to the massive crowd that filled the field. Couples were everywhere as we approached Padric, who was waiting for me at the edge of the gathering. The night was lit up by enormous bonfires. In the distance, I could see the hill and the altar above it. Dev was waiting at the bottom of the hill, but I could see Declan was putting the finishing touches on the altar. Padric would take me to Dev and then take his place beside Declan as witnesses.
“Wow.” It was a lot of people and a lot of formal ceremony. They would all be watching. I was having some performance anxiety of my own.
“You can do it, Z,” Daniel said encouragingly, a grin on his lips and his dimples on display. “I happen to have great faith in your ability to turn a man on. Well, at least two specific men.”
We reached Padric, who looked regal in his white pants and flowy white shirt.
Daniel pulled me back at the last moment. He took my face in his hands and he was suddenly serious. “I love you, Zoey Donovan. I would never allow you to do this with another man. I only allow this because he belongs to me, too. Don’t think this lessens my possessiveness or makes you any less my wife.”
I searched his face, trying to understand. “I know, Danny. I didn’t think it did. I love you, too.”
Daniel smiled a secret little grin. “I’m looking forward to after the ritual, baby. I’ll leave the two of you alone for this, but I intend to share the rest of the night with you. Don’t let him completely tire you out because I have plans for you. I’ll see that Neil has different arrangements.”
Daniel kissed me one last time, gave Padric a forbidding look, and turned back toward our tent.
“That vampire is very unpleasant,” Padric said, watching him walk away. He was probably remembering the thrashing Daniel had given him. His face softened as he threaded my arm through his. “You, on the other hand, look quite lovely.”
“Not too short?” I pushed my bare feet forward and they peeked out of the hem of my gown. I was completely without the armor of stilettos.
He looked down at me with a regal smile. He towered over me. “You are that. It can’t be helped, I suppose. You make a beautiful goddess despite the height disadvantage. I think Devinshea will find a way to make it work.”
“He always does.” The crowd became less noisy as we began to walk through and they cleared a path. They watched respectfully as we walked the full length of the field. I noticed the children were missing. This was an adults-only evening.
“Zoey, I would ask you a favor,” Padric began. “Devinshea is determined to treat you with great love and respect on this night. He believes you deserve tenderness and love.”
I shot Padric a look that told him I didn’t see the problem with that.
“I worry Dev’s magic will require more than tenderness,” the guard confided. “He’s never attempted anything as big as this gathering. He would never have thought to attempt it when he was in the sithein. He is a different man now. He’s surer of himself and more powerful, but I worry. If he fails, he will not get another chance. He will always be a priest, but he will be considered a lesser thing, Zoey. I would not see him fail. If it comes to it, I expect you to do what needs to be done, whether he likes it or not. He might say he doesn’t need Declan’s approval, but I assure you, he desires it greatly.”