Lucian stood beside Peri, his hand wrapped around hers. She recognized that something had shifted in their relationship since the battle at the Keep. She finally felt like they were equal partners. It wasn’t his fault that there had been a schism. It had been her. Peri had operated for so long on her own that she hadn’t known how to rely on someone else or to be considerate of another’s feelings. But Lucian had slowly been teaching her through his patient example. Yet it took the death of precious friends for her to finally understand.
“We’re all a work in progress, my love,”Lucian said through their bond.“Give yourself some grace. Especially now.”
She took a deep breath before letting her eyes roam over the crowd. There were many faces she recognized, faces that had been with them over the past week in both battles. But new faces were present as well. They stood with their respective races and stared up at her.
“As Jennifer of the Romania pack has said, we have dealt the Order a great blow. But, they have managed to wound us grievously as well. If you are in this room, I imagine it is because you have heard of the deaths of the Romania pack alphas, as well as the warlock king. There were other deaths as well, and they will be so named and recognized at the celebration of life ceremony. But this must be done at the ordered time.
“The Great Luna has issued a command, one that I imagine will have great consequences if not followed. Her words are as follows: ‘On the eve of the first Blood Moon, I will be at the birthplace of Fane Lupei, on the battlefield where his sire won his greatest victory. It will be there that I will pass Vasile and Alina’s rule to Fane and Jacquelyn Lupei. It is also where the Romania pack and those who loved the slain can say their goodbyes.
“‘As my ambassador, you are also to make sure all those gathered in the sprite realmandtheir people are present at the Blood Moon ceremony.’”
The room erupted with noise as the peopled who filled it expressed their shock at the declaration.
“Silence!” Fane’s voice filled the great hall. Peri felt the power of his wolf move through the room as the alpha blood that had always been there, but now seemed to be stronger, flowed out of him. The wolves immediately bowed their heads, and every mouth snapped shut as gazes jumped back to the platform. “Let Perizada finish.”
“The Great Luna also said all of those who have not chosen the darkness are to be there. They need to know the truth. They are either for me or they are against me. It’s time they understand what they are fighting for.” This time Peri’s words were met with complete silence. But the silence didn’t last long. The doors at the back of the hall flew open. Those near the doors moved aside, and Peri was able to see who had entered.
The rest of her council, the high fae, had arrived. Their robes glowed with magic as the fae appeared to glide across the ground as if floating on air. The crowd continued to part for them. Disir and Dain looked especially fierce, though Gwen’s face was set in a severe scowl, and rage simmered in her grey eyes. Nissa was already there, having been with the Romania pack the entire week. Peri could feel Nissa’s power and glanced over to where Nissa stood. The fae woman was walking toward the council and then fell in line beside them. Peri could feel her power joining with theirs and felt the heat on her skin as her own magic brightened.
Behind them, four djinns followed. Power radiated off of them. These were the djinn elders. Peri had not seen them in more than a thousand years. And behind them, Thadrick strode in with Jezebel at his right and Jareth at his left. The power coming off of the oldest djinn was practically vibrating the walls. This was not the eccentric supernatural she’d found living like a recluse in a dilapidated house. This was a powerful supernatural, perhaps the most powerful of them all, herself included. Unfortunately, his magic was not something that could be unleashed on their behalf. They had been made historians for a reason. A power that great had to be contained because even using it for good would lead to a horrible tragedy.
Peri’s gaze jumped past the new group when she felt another rush of power, this one filled with multiple forms. Lilly, queen of the warlocks, walked through the doors with four guards, two on either side. She was dressed in a flowing black dress, with a black robe draped over her shoulders. The hood was pulled up so that only her face was visible. Peri was surprised to see that Lilly’s eyes were no longer that of a human’s or sprite’s. They were the yellow that had been her king’s, with the cat-like slits in the center. She strode in with confidence, her chin raised slightly, but Peri didn’t miss the trembling in her hands as she gripped the robe on either side of her.
When the new group reached the platform, Peri stepped back and motioned for them to come up. The two councils, Thad, Jezebel, and Jareth joined her and Lucian in the center and formed a semicircle that faced the great hall.
Fane and Jacque joined the group, moving in beside Lucian. Peri noticed that Slate was no longer in Jacque’s arms. Peri leaned back to see where the new prince was and saw that Gavril and Rachel had at some point come up on the side of the platform, and Gavril was now holding Slate.Good choice of protector.
When Lilly reached them,she motioned for her guards to stay on the main floor. As she ascended the stairs, she gazed at Jacque. She walked straight to her daughter and enveloped her in a tight embrace. Peri was close enough to hear the interaction as mother and daughter were reunited.
“I’m so sorry, Mom,” Jacque said, her voice wavering with emotion.
“I am, too. But I am so thankful you and Slate are safe,” Lilly said. She pulled back and looked at Fane. “Fane…” Tears welled up in her eyes as she spoke. “There are no words I can offer. As your mother-in-law, you have my love. As the warlock queen, you have the warlocks as allies, always.”
Fane bowed his head, lowering it below Lilly’s, which was an incredible gesture of respect for an alpha wolf. He was honoring the mother of his mate and the queen who’d lost her mate. “As you have mine,” Fane said as he rose back up.
Lilly pressed a kiss to Jacque’s forehead and then took a spot beside her. “I want to see my grandson later, if that’s okay with the new alphas?”
Jacque smiled. “Absolutely.”
The group seemed to recognize that the reunion was complete, and everyone once again looked around the semicircle.
Disir, high fae and father to Talia, one of the fallen fae, spoke first. “Fane and Jacquelyn, the fae council offers our sincerest condolences. And to you, as well, Queen Lilly.
“We have come because, unfortunately, it took the death of two council members' offspring, one being my own, to make us realize that we can no longer simply offer limited support when needed. It is time the full might of the fae cross over the veil.” He paused and looked at Peri. “The Great Luna has visited us and told us what she said to you, Peri. We have already sent warriors out across the realms to gather the faithful to the appointed place.”
“Thank you,” Peri said. Relief washed over her. That was at least one thing off her plate.
Disir nodded. “We have let you fight alone for far too long, Perizada, and for that, we apologize.”
Peri held up her hand. “There is no apology needed. We have been called to our own tasks. I’ve been doing what the Great Luna asked of me. Not always with the grace that she probably wanted,” she admitted. “But, we do the best we can, and when it’s not enough, we do better.”
“Agreed,” Disir said.
“I am sorry for your loss, Disir and Dain,” Peri said, looking at both of them. “Talia and Vale fought bravely, and though I wish it hadn’t happened, they died doing something worth dying for. It doesn’t ease the pain in any way. I know. But I hope that it offers some tiny measure of peace.”
Both high fae bowed their heads slightly but neither spoke, and Peri could tell it was because their emotions were too raw. Like nerves exposed, even the slightest movement caused incredible pain.
Thadrick was the next to speak. He stepped forward and motioned to the djinn elders. “Myself, Jareth, and the djinn counsel”—he motioned to the four—“Synica, Clarion, Myron, and Rouse,”—each bowed their heads as he named them—“too, offer our sincerest condolences to those who have lost loved ones. We have had our own tragedy and feel the same pain of your loss as well. Our betrayal has come from within. Unfortunately, the traitor has escaped into the human realm. I was already going to join the fight against the Order before this happened, but, as you know, I am the main history keeper for our people, and recent history has reached me.” He paused and seemed to have to collect himself. It was a side of Thadrick Peri had never seen. “The traitor, who murdered one of our elders, has joined the Order. They now have a djinn on their side.”
