Stark looked like about a zillion pounds had been lifted off his back. “It’s good to hear you say that.”
I stopped and faced him. “I would have told you that before, but I thought you already knew it.”
“I guess I did. In here.” Stark touched the spot over his heart. “But my ears needed to hear it.”
I stepped into his arms and pressed my face against his neck. “I trust you. Always,” I repeated.
“Thank you, my lady,” he whispered as his strong arms held me close.
I stepped back and smiled at him. Suddenly Kalona seemed very distant as Stark filled up my here and now. “We’ll figure out all this stuff, and through it all we’ll be together—a Warrior and his lady.”
“That’s what I want,” he said firmly. “And to hell with everything else.”
“Yep. To hell with everyone and everything else.” I refused to think about Kalona. He was a maybe—a big, scary, confusing maybe. Stark was a for-sure. I took his hand and, pulling him with me… always with me… toward the Hummer, said, “Come on, Warrior, let’s go to Italy.”
CHAPTER 32
Zoey
“Venice is seven hours ahead of us,” Lenobia explained. She’d met us outside the VIP security checkpoint. “When you land, it’ll be late afternoon there. Try to sleep as much as you can on the plane. The High Council will convene just after dusk, and you’ll be expected to be there and be alert.”
“How’s Stark going to handle the sun?” I asked.
“I’ve apprised the High Council of Stark’s needs. They have assured me Stark will be shielded from the sun. You should know they are quite anxious to meet him and extremely curious about this new kind of vampyre.”
“Curious as in wanting to study me like a lab rat?” Stark said.
“We will not let that happen,” Darius said.
“I think you should keep in mind that the High Council is comprised of seven of the wisest and most ancient High Priestesses alive today. They do not behave inhumanly, nor are they rash,” Lenobia said.
“So they’re all kinda like Shekinah?” Jack asked.
“Shekinah was the Vampyre High Priestess, so she was unique, but each council member is elected by the body of vampyres for the position. The position is theirs for fifty years, and then a new member is elected. No member can hold the office consecutively. The council members are from all over the world, and they are known for their wisdom.”
“Which means they should be smart enough not to fall for Kalona and Neferet,” I said.
“It’s not smarts we have to worry about,” Aphrodite said. “It’s choice. There’re lots of smart vampyres at our House of Night who stood by and let Kalona and Neferet run over them.”
“Aphrodite’s point is valid,” Damien said.
“So we need to be prepared for anything,” Darius said.
“My thoughts exactly,” Stark agreed.
Lenobia nodded solemnly. “Remember the outcome of this could change the world as we know it.”
“Well, shit. No pressure there,” Aphrodite said.
Lenobia shot her a sharp look, but didn’t say anything to her. Instead she surprised me by looking at Jack. “I believe you should remain here,” she told him.
“Oh, no way! I go where Damien goes,” Jack said.
“Where Damien is going is dangerous,” Lenobia said.
“Then I’m double going with him!”
“I think he should go,” I said. “He’s part of this. Plus,” I continued, following my instincts and knowing by the sense of rightness inside me that I was voicing something Nyx wanted everyone to hear, “Jack has an affinity.”
“What? I do?”
I smiled at him. “I think you do. Your affinity is for the magick of the modern world—technology.”
Damien grinned. “It’s true! Jack understands anything audiovisual or computer. I just thought he was a tech genius, but really he’s a tech genius goddess squared.”
“Ohmigod! How cool is that?” Jack said.
“Then you’re right, Zoey. Jack should go with you. Nyx gifted him for a purpose, and that purpose could very well be of great use to you.”
“Yeah, and also—” I was getting around to telling her about our other traveler, when Heath jogged up to us, book bag over his shoulder.
“Your consort goes, too?” Lenobia finished for me, with one brow raised at Heath.
“Damn right!” Heath said, putting his arm around me. “You never know when Zo might need to bite me.”
“Okay, Heath, yeah, everyone understands that.” I could feel my cheeks getting warm and I purposely kept my gaze from meeting Stark’s.
“As a High Priestess’s consort, you will be allowed in the Council Chamber,” Lenobia told Heath. “But you will not be able to speak.”
“There’re a lot of rules about how to act in the Council Chamber, aren’t there?” Damien said.
My stomach felt even sicker. “Rules?”
“There are,” Lenobia said. “It’s an ancient system designed to prevent chaos, yet to give speakers a fair hearing. You must follow the rules, or you will be escorted from the Chamber.”
“But I don’t know the rules!”
“That is why my friend, Erce, Horse Mistress for San Clemente Island, will meet you at the airport. She will take you to your rooms on the island and brief you on Council etiquette.”
“I can’t say anything?”
“Are you impaired?” Aphrodite asked Heath. “That’s what Lenobia just told you.”
“I’m not sure you’ll be allowed within the Council Chamber at all,” Lenobia told Aphrodite.
“What? But I’m…” Her words sputtered out. The truth was that, technically, Aphrodite was a human. An abnormal human, but still.
“Erce is requesting that you be present,” Lenobia continued. “We shall see if they admit you or not.”
“Why don’t you guys go get on the plane? I gotta talk to Lenobia for a second.”
“You depart out of gate twenty-six,” Lenobia said. “Blessed be, and may Nyx stay close to you.”
“Blessed be!” everyone said, and they headed for the twisty security line.
“How’re the hurt fledglings?” I asked.
“Much improved. Thank you for what you did for them,” she said.
I shook off her thanks. “I’m just glad they’re better. What about Dragon?”
“Deep in mourning.”
“I’m so sorry,” I said.
“Defeat Kalona. Stop Neferet. That will help Dragon.”
I ignored the skittering of panic inside me and changed the subject. “What are you going to do about the red fledglings?”
“I’ve considered that, and what I believe we should do is to honor the will of their High Priestess. I’ll speak with Stevie Rae when I return to the school and we’ll decide what she believes is best for her people.”
It felt funny to hear Lenobia call Stevie Rae a High Priestess, but good funny. “You need to know that there are more red fledglings than just the ones with Stevie Rae.”
Lenobia nodded. “Darius has informed me.”
“What are you going to do about them?”
“As with the others, that decision should include Stevie Rae. It’s a difficult situation. We don’t even know exactly what it is they’ve become—or haven’t become.” Lenobia put her hand on my shoulder. “Zoey, you must not allow what might be happening here to distract you. Focus on Kalona and Neferet and the High Council. Trust that I’ll take care of our House of Night.”
I sighed. “Okay, I will. Or at least I’ll try.”
She smiled. “I’ve informed the High Council that we consider you our High Priestess.”
I felt a little jolt of shock. “Seriously?”
“Seriously. You are, Zoey. You’ve earned it. And you’re connected to Nyx in a way no other fledgling or vampyre has ever been. Keep following the Goddess and make us proud,” she said.
“I’ll try my best.”
“And that is all we ask of you. Blessed be, Zoey Redbird.”
“Blessed be,” I said. Then I followed my gang to gate twenty-six, trying not to think too much about the fact that a High Priestess of Nyx had no business dreaming of her Goddess’s ex-Warrior.