Back at Pride House, there was a buffet that Adam had arranged.She’d sneaked in earlier and been both aghast and amused at the quantity of food that had been ordered for the crowd.She supposed it was appropriate for a gathering that numbered in the dozens, as well as considering they were feeding predators, still, she never seen as much food.That was with her background, too.
There was no music either, no soft, dulcet tones of a violin dancing through the air.Only the hushed whispers of the crowd.It was a somber occasion, and she felt the collective’s sorrow for those who had passed.That sense of heartbreak touched her on a level she believed belonged to her Lioness.
The beast didn’t understand, was confused more than anything, but it mourned and hurt with its brethren.In a way, that got to her like nothing else could.
As she waited, she kept her gaze glued to her mates.It was completely by chance that she caught Ryan in the act of tilting his head back to stare at the moon.She wasn’t sure what he was looking for, but he seemed to find it because he nodded to himself, then sought out her gaze in the crowd.Not that she was too difficult to find considering there was a huge bonfire beside her and she was on her lonesome.
A soft smile curved his lips, and with a gentle encouragement that touched as well as amused her, he nodded at her.
“Let’s get this show under way then,” she whispered to herself, then cleared her throat and in a voice that boomed across the clearing, to such an extent it surprised even her because she didn’t realize she could project so well, she declared, “Brothers, sisters, we are gathered here today to guide those we loved into The Mother’s care.We beseech her to greet them and embrace them.We plead with her to see that their spirits will not lie fallow, and that they will be born again to enjoy the bountiful gifts of the world she has granted us.
“Here before me I have tokens for her favor.May she accept each of these with the equanimity of a deity who knows and sees all.May she see that these tokens are measures of how our beloved deceased have been measured by their kin.”
The words were solemn, and she imbued them with all the power she was capable of.
These bastards could accuse her of many things, but not doing their dead proud wasn’t going to be one of them.
As her words came to an end, the women in the crowd curtsied and the men bowed at the hip.She waited for them to all stand once more, then declared, “Andrew Wilkinson.May your soul rest in peace until The Mother grants you another life.Another chance to make this world a better place in her name.May you breathe the same air as we breathe now, may the blood roaring through our veins roll through yours at some point in the future.Know that you are loved, that your spirit was cherished by your family.And in your stead, I, your Luna, bequeath this gift to our Mother.”
With shaky hands, she reached for the painting.It was large.Her arm span, in fact.But it wasn’t heavy, and she carefully placed it against the funeral pyre.
Thankful that Ryan had arranged her toga earlier, and that her misadventures with bushes and branches hadn’t overly disturbed the folds, she returned to the table grateful that bending over hadn’t induced the fabric to fall to her feet.But now was not the time for that, her thoughts should be on the ceremony — but who didn’t fear suddenly being naked in front of a crowd?
“Samuel Davies.May your soul rest in peace until The Mother grants you another life.Another chance to make this world a better place in her name.May you breathe the same air as we breathe now, may the blood roaring through our veins roll through yours at some point in the future.Know that you are loved, that your spirit was cherished by your family.And in your stead, I, your Luna, bequeath this gift to our Mother.”
For him, she placed the book of poetry against the pyre, and she did so for the remaining members of the Pride that had passed.Not stopping until each of their families’ gifts to The Mother in the deceased’s stead were resting against the base of the bonfire, her words intoned before each token was placed just so.
From deep within the crowd, light suddenly struck from amid the darkness.There was no other illumination save that of the full moon, which wasn’t at its peak yet, so the sudden brightness had everyone’s eyes narrowing in response.Though no word was spoken, a path opened up for the torch bearer to pass through effortlessly.
It was a man she didn’t recognize, a man whose name she didn’t know, but he bowed respectfully at her, his eyes free from the malice she’d seen in some of the other guests’ gazes tonight, and holding out his hand, he passed over the torch.
Once it was in her arms, she declared, “Mother may this light guide you towards our offering.May you see a sacrifice we gift freely unto you, and may you hear our pledge as well as our plea.”
With that, she pressed the flame to the bonfire beside her.Within seconds, it roared in a tumultuous rage.Ryan had informed her that she had to withstand the heat for a count of five seconds, then she could move away.It was with no small relief that she did so, escaping the sweltering heat of the fire but maintaining her gaze on the licking flames.
In silence, they listened to the flickering and sputtering of the pyre.No one uttered a word, no one’s gaze moved away from the bonfire.They silently witnessed the sacrifices being burned, and despite herself, she found herself touched by the ritual.
When her mates had told her about it, she’d thought it quaint, had enjoyed and been pleased by the symbolism inherent in the ritual.But now, as she watched the loving items being burned to dust, she felt tears prickle her eyes that were nothing to do with the smarting caused by the smoke emitted from the fire.
She hadn’t known the men, would never know them, and at that moment, she mourned.Her Lioness mourned, and unable to help herself, she raised a shaky hand and wiped at the moisture that flowed freely from her eyes.
For once in her life, she felt a part of the collective, their mutual grief affecting her like nothing else could.
Chapter 14
To say he was proud was an understatement.Not only had his mate composed herself in such a way that nobody among the snobs here could question the rightness of her leading them at Ryan’s side, but her grief in that moment was poignant.He wasn’t sure how she did it, but she projected that grief onto them.
Trip had to wonder if it was a talent unique to the Pantera, because he’d never seen or felt anything like it in his many years of living.
Though a part of him wondered what else she was capable of, he was too wrapped up in the emotions she inspired in him.And he wasn’t talking about the grief she was projecting either.
The day had yet to pass without him feeling grateful for her.A man could feel gratitude to The Mother having received his mate at long last, but this was different.This was so many leagues beyond acceptance that he wasn’t sure how to explain it.That, unfortunately, was something he was well aware of as just that morning when Claudia had called him, he’d been shockingly illiterate.
To say that he’d fumbled with his words in no way described how hard he found it to try to explain the situation he found himself in.
When Marc and he had moved here after meeting Ryan, he’d come across Claudia at a Wiccan ceremony.Back then, he’d been interested in the craft, and had taken interest in the practices.The attraction between them had been mutual, and something they both enjoyed on many occasions.
But the truth was, with Ryan finalizing the Triad, it had changed many aspects of his life.Suddenly, there was an awareness that their mate might be around the corner.He didn’t know why, but The Mother worked in mysterious ways, and a Triad set always met first, then they found their mate.That was the way of it.
