“By the goddess,” Meredith whispered.“Look!”
Silas narrowed his eyes on the spot where Meredith discretely pointed but couldn’t see anything.Astrial stepped forward and removed one of the larger pieces of scorched wood.He gasped in disbelief.Under it was a small foot, the size of a human in the fourth or fifth year of life.Its skin was ash-colored but it was alive, kicking forward with a jerky movement.
The crowd closed in, the celestials clearing off more of the firewood.
“No way,” he whispered.
“You didn’t know?”Julius appeared beside him.“Celestial fae are made of stardust.Energy.They don’t reproduce like shifters or humans.Not even like vampires.”
A hand appeared in the ash, and then Astrial helped a little girl step out of the steaming wood, her bright blond hair seeming to glow in the darkness.Her knees wobbled as she stepped forward, delicate and naked, two gossamer wings unraveling from her back.
Another fae, this one with bright red skin and a dress that looked like white fog, approached the girl.“I name this child Luna and claim her as my own.”
“Do any oppose this union?”the black woman asked.
No one said a word.
“Then I pronounce you mother and child.Take your daughter home.”
“Th-that’s her?”Silas asked Julius.
“Reincarnated.”Julius rested his hands inside his pockets.“Someday she may remember you, if only as a distant dream.”
“Wow,” Meredith whispered.
“Indeed.”Julius flashed her a little fang.“A vampire’s end is far from as pretty or as functional.It’s why we guard our lives above all else.”
“That explains some things.”Silas scratched behind his ear.“Why are you here, Julius?”
“To pay my respects.”
“And?”
Julius’s face turned hard and cold as marble.“I can see my attempts at civility are lost on you.”He tipped his head toward Meredith.“It’s been a sincere pleasure.Good night.”
In the blink of an eye, he was gone.
“I probably could have handled that better,” Silas said.“Not used to a vampire being cordial.”
“You knew him?”Meredith asked.
“His name is Julius.”Silas was about to explain how he knew Julius when Ryker appeared in front of him.
“Congratulations on ending the dragon fae and Alex.It’s a strong man who can face Panaal and remain among the living,” the demon said.
“Thanks, Ryker.”The guy still made his skin crawl.
“What became of the book?”
“It’s gone for good.Swallowed into the depths of hell,” Silas said.“Why?Are you hoping to dig it up?”
Ryker’s eyes flashed red.“The Book of Flesh and Boneis one relic I’m pleased to hear was destroyed.”
“You didn’t want to add that one to your collection?”Silas asked.
“Actually, I was wondering if you could give Jason a message for me.”
“Sure.What?”
