Night's End

Chapter 17

One gate to go, one last leg of the journey and perhaps, the nightmare would be over. The chamber beyond where we’d found the paralaxium sloped up, quickly becoming a narrow tube. Reminiscent of a lava tube, it was ragged and rough on all sides and circular in shape. We could only go one abreast here. Check took the lead, then Hunter and Grieve after him. I came next, then after me: the Snow Hag, Lannan, Fearless, and the other guards.

The going was harder than crossing the frozen surface in the large cavern. Going uphill was always more of a chore, and the rocks in the tunnel were jagged, thrusting up from the floor as well as from the sides and ceiling. While we weren’t dealing with stalagmites or stalactites, we were facing rubble large as our fists and boulders that had tumbled down the passage from whatever ledge or chamber to which we were heading.

I glanced back at the Snow Hag, wondering if—with her short stature—she was having a rough go at it, but she appeared to be moving along smoothly. She caught my eye and winked at me, then touched her nose with a crafty grin. I was beginning to like her more and more, and it occurred to me that, once this was over and if we prevailed, she would make a fine ambassador between the Wilding Fae and my Court.

After another ten minutes of increasingly steep climbing, I asked, “Can you see anything ahead?”

A moment later, Grieve called over his shoulder, “We are nearing an opening. I expect it’s the last gate, so we’d best be prepared for whatever barrier Myst has erected. Unfortunately, it’s hard to wield a weapon and manage this climb at the same time.”

He was right. We were no longer even hiking, the grade had grown so steep. In fact, we were nearly at a fifty-degree incline and were forced to use our hands to help us scramble up. The rocks cut into my palms, but gloves would have made the surface too slick. As I pushed yet further, my left foot caught hold of some loose rock and slid out from under me. While I wasn’t in danger of falling, I pressed myself against the path until my heart stopped racing, and then moved on, hoping the pebbles hadn’t rained down on the others.

“It is a bit of a climb, one would think, but nothing a queen and her company cannot scale.” The Snow Hag’s words echoed from behind me, making me smile.

“Encouragement is always welcome, from friends and allies alike.” I glanced over my shoulder, grinning.

“Almost up top!” Check called back. “I don’t see anything at this point, nothing barring the way. I’m going to stick my sword through the opening first, however. Stop climbing for now.”

We pressed against the side of the tube, and I welcomed the chance to rest. Who knew what we’d be facing once we were through that opening, and after a tough climb, I didn’t want to be thoroughly winded. While we’d managed to pass through the barrier with the paralaxium, thanks to the Snow Hag, I had my doubts we’d come through the final gate without a fight. Or at least, damage. It might not be a sentient guardian, knowing Myst. It might be a trap.

I waited, but there was no word or sound that Check was engaged in a fight. Whatever was up there apparently was either biding its time, or had somehow managed to miss all our commotion. Again, guardians tended to activate only within a certain radius, so we might have still been outside its range, but that didn’t mean that it didn’t know we were here.

“Nothing. I’m going up. Be prepared.” Check’s voice echoed down, and then, at the sound of him scrambling through, I held my breath.

Please be okay. Please don’t get ambushed. The guard had wormed his way into my heart, and over the years, I had the feeling our friendship would grow. I wanted him there to protect me as time went on. I’d come to trust him, and that was more than I could say of most people I knew.

A moment later, we heard the welcome sound of his voice. “Come on up.”

Again, we began to move, and in another moment, Grieve disappeared through the opening, then turned to lend me a hand. I took it, and he pulled me through the mouth of the tunnel, then returned to help the Snow Hag.

I rolled away from the hole, scrambling to my feet as I pulled out my dagger and looked around. We were on a ledge, all right, next to the entry into the passage out of which we’d just come. Behind me, past the tunnel’s mouth, was the opening into a cavern. Another few feet in the other direction led to the ledge’s end. I cautiously sidled over to the edge to find myself staring down into a dizzying drop into the blackness below.

Caves within caves within caverns.

The ledge on which we stood was a good ten feet wide, as rock strewn and harsh as the climb had been. It was solid though—cut into the side of whatever mountain it was the Barrow was buttressed against. Here, in this realm, we were far away from the Golden Wood within this Barrow. I had no idea what realm or plane we’d entered, but then again, within the Barrows time and space were all mutable. At times, with all the realms jostling for position, the whole thing reminded me of a giant game of Tetris.

Wandering over to Check’s side, I gazed into the mouth of the cave and gasped. “It’s beautiful in there.”

“Yes, Your Majesty, it is at that.”

Within the cavern were thousands of tiny lights—blue and pink, purple and luminescent white. The lights twinkled, like Christmas lights, flashing in an array of patterns too hard to follow, but that registered as having some symmetry. The cavern was abuzz, but from where the sound emanated, I didn’t know.

“Incredible. What are they?”

The Snow Hag joined me. “One might think one was in the realm of the night sky rather than the heart of the unholy terror. But beauty can be deadly and is often an illusion.”

I nodded, captivated by the brilliant lights. About to ask what we should do next, once again the reality that everything was up to me hit home. I was in charge. I was the Queen, and it would forever be this way. I might ask advice, I might seek counsel, but from now on, people turned to me instead of me turning to others. A knot formed in my stomach and, overwhelmed, I could only gaze at the lights.

Then, fingers entwined with mine, and I looked down to see that the Snow Hag had taken my hand in hers. The feel of her skin—so alien and yet so solid—against mine, gave me comfort in a way I had never before felt. She was solid as the ice, solid as the rocks beneath our feet, and yet there was an ethereal cloud around her that reached out to cushion me.

She squeezed, just lightly, but the energy that raced from her fingers through mine was immense, and it recharged me, strengthening me as I dropped my head back, letting it flow through my body.

“One might think a queen needs no counsel, but truth is, a queen often needs the most support even as she supports the world that rests upon her shoulders. One might find a friend in the most unlikely of people.”

Tears sprang to my eyes, and, impulsively, I crouched beside her, resting on my heels. “One might value friendship more than gold. One might say a thank-you, as long as that thank-you is not taken as a bargain nor a debt.”

“Neither bargain nor debt.” And then the Snow Hag reached out with her long, jointed fingers, and stroked my hair. “Neither bargain, nor debt seals a queen to one of the Wilding Fae. No, simply friendship. And understanding.”

“Your Highness—look!” Check’s shout startled me out of my thoughts, and I smiled at the Snow Hag before standing again. She squeezed my hand once more, then let go, and I ran over to Check’s side.

“What is it?”

“We are all topside now, but look—in the tunnel.”

I glanced down into the passage through which we’d come. Below, I caught sight of a glistening shimmer, and I could hear the rush of water. The passage was filling up, and it seemed to be . . . could it be?

“Is the water freezing as it rises? Turning to ice?”

“I think so. There’s no way back. We have to go forward now. What are your commands, Your Majesty?” He waited, sword point down on the stone floor.

I considered our options. We had to move on, but the fact that there were no obvious obstacles to entering the cavern with the lights made me nervous. It felt like a trap, and it probably was.

“Search the outside of the entrance to the cavern, please. Look for anything that might indicate a trap or a snare.”

Check called over his men and they scoured the edges of the cavern’s entrance. A few minutes later, he shook his head. “We can’t find anything, Your Majesty.”

That pretty much took care of that. There was nothing to keep us from going through. One last look at the tunnel through which we’d come showed that it was packed full of ice, no longer usable. But at least no one would be coming through after us.

“Check, you and Mort take the front. Hunter and Grieve next. I will come after, between Lannan and Fearless, then the Snow Hag and the other guards in back of us.”

And so we formed our marching order and, without further wait, Check and Mort crossed through into the cavern of lights.

Sparkling lights, twinkling lights, lights everywhere, like the most decorated garden during Christmas. Like the brilliance of a faerie-tale scene. The cavern was not large, but it was mesmerizing. For a moment I stood, gazing up at the illuminated ceiling. Just what the lights were, I didn’t know, but they were everywhere, like a thousand gleaming sparks in the black of night, and they made me want to just stand there, watching in wonder.

As we moved toward the center of the cavern, I could see an opening on the other side. But I had to wonder: Was Myst’s heartstone hidden in here, beneath the shower of light? Or was it beyond, through the opposite door?

Ulean, do you sense the—

Cicely, run—run! Now!

I froze at her cry, but then stumbled forward as the lights suddenly surged off the walls and ceiling and began swooping down on us. What the hell?

“Your Majesty—run!” Fearless grabbed for me, but the lights swept down on him, and he was on the ground, rolling and screaming. I turned, meaning to go to him, but then someone grabbed my arm and dragged me forward. It was Lannan, and we were heading for the opposite exit.

The men were shouting now, but I could barely see anything in the swirl of lights that dipped and swarmed. I struggled against Lannan, desperate to find Grieve, but he was too strong.

“Grieve! Grieve! Where are you?”

A scream startled me, and I jerked my head to the side. One of the guards was being stung to death, swelling up like a balloon everywhere the lights stabbed into him.

“Grieve!” Frantically, I screamed for my love, but he was nowhere in sight.

Lannan let out a shout. “I have Cicely! Save yourselves!”

He pulled me through the door, with the lights still swarming after us. One managed to land on my shoulder before I could make it through and sent a shockwave of pain through my body, like the worst sting in the world. I spasmed, screaming in shock, and Lannan scooped me up and swung me over his shoulder, leaping through the door. The second we were out of the cave, the lights stopped trying to follow us.

Lannan set me down, and I slid to the floor, moaning. Just that one sting had nearly incapacitated me. I thought of the men still in there and let out another moan.

“Grieve—Hunter? Are they . . .”

“I will try to find them.” Lannan knelt beside me, tipping my face up. “Will you be all right for a moment?”

“Yes, I’m all right. Just a little system shock. Please, see if they made it through?” I didn’t care if I had to get down on my knees and beg. If he could find my men, I’d kiss his feet.

He patted my shoulder, and then was off again. As he plunged back into the cavern, now a vortex of swirling lights, I gingerly pushed myself to my feet, leaning against the wall for support.

Cicely? Are you all right?

Ulean, yes. . . . I will be. Grieve—Hunter? Do you know where they are?

No, but I cannot leave you unguarded. Lannan is looking, is he not?

Yes. What are those things?

I don’t know—it seems they might be some sort of stinging insect. They are deadly, I’m afraid. I know at least two of your guards fell. They don’t seem to be able to harm the vampires though, so maybe there’s hope that Lannan’s men are able to guard some of your men.

I pray so.

As I began to look around, trying to see through the shadows cast by the lights from the other chamber, I realized I was in another corridor. I searched my pockets and found a tiny flashlight. Bringing it out, I flicked it on and turned back to the cavern where the insects still swarmed. I couldn’t make out what was going on, other than the hypnotic swirl of the lights. I placed my hand over my stomach and summoned my wolf.

Grieve, if you can hear me, if you can feel me, let me know. Let me know if you live. Where are you, my love? Are you alive?

But there was no answer, only the continuous swirl of motion. As I watched, waiting and praying for Lannan to return with good news, a sound caught my attention. It was from the corridor beyond. A gust of cold wind blew past, but it wasn’t stirred by Ulean. I heard a faint laughter.

No. . . . I know that laugh. Please, not now. Not here like this. Ulean, can you find out if it’s who I think it is?

A beat. Then another. And then . . .

Myst is here. She’s waiting for you. Do you want me to go up ahead?

My blood froze. Myst was waiting for me. If I sent Ulean, she might be able to disrupt her or banish her.

No. You must stay behind me. I have to go. If I don’t take the offense, she will. Better I make the first move than struggle for defense. I have to go. I have to face her.

Surely, not alone! What about your men? What about backup?

There may not be any backup! For all we know, they might all be dead. If I wait here, she might release the light creatures from being trapped in the cavern. Then it would be over before it began. I have to go, Ulean.

Then I will be by your side, Cicely.

And with that I began to creep through the corridor, Ulean behind me. I was sweating cold bullets. This was about the worst scenario I could imagine—facing Myst, not having her heartstone as collateral, not having my men beside me. She had all the toys, and I was going in unarmed.

I thought about pulling out my dagger, but then decided the fuck with it. A blade against her? Might as well tickle her fancy. No, I had two things to my advantage. One: I could turn into an owl and fly away if need be. And two: I could control the winds.

Sucking in a deep breath, I began to run. No need giving her any more time to prepare, and she knew I was coming. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be here. Something must have warned her. The guardian we killed, perhaps, or the disruption when we banished the paralaxium to its home realm. Or maybe this had been her plan all along.

The passage abruptly ended, opening out into yet another chamber. But this chamber had a large opening to the outside world. From where I stood, I could see what looked like an incredibly steep drop-off into the forest below.

And to one side, on a throne of bone and crystal, sat Myst.

Myst, queen of the Indigo Court. Myst, the mother of the Vampiric Fae. Myst, the woman who had long ago been my mother. She was tall and thin and mesmerizing with her terrible beauty. Spindly, and yet stronger than the reeds that will not break in the wind, she stood. Her hair cascaded over her shoulders in jet locks, with crystals of silver running through them. Her dress was gossamer silk, deep indigo embroidered with sparkling silver threads, and her skin—a pale alabaster with a cerulean tint. Her eyes were, like all of the Shadow Hunters, pools of ink scattered with stars. And sitting beside her, glittering on a pedestal that was no doubt rigged to high heaven, was a shimmering stone. Her heartstone. I could feel the pulse of its heartbeat from here.

She simply waited, watching as I skidded to a halt near her. I braced myself, but she did nothing. Said nothing. Just smiled a cunning smile.

After a moment, I steeled myself and stepped forward.

“And so we meet again. This time it is not Lainule’s heartstone up for grabs.” The last time I’d faced Myst was in a desperate race to recover Lainule’s heartstone before Myst could destroy it. I had won, but not by much, and though I had driven Myst away, it had only been temporary.

“Welcome to my lair, Cherish. Of course you remember the Barrow. And of course, you figured out that my heartstone would be here. When my first guardian fell, I knew that you were here. So I came, quickly, to wait for you. You did not disappoint me, daughter of mine.” Her voice was throaty and rich, with a hint of madness behind the laugh.

“I’m not Cherish. Not anymore. That was long ago, far away—in a different time. I’m no longer your daughter, but Queen of the Court of Snow and Ice. And you are an upstart who has disrupted the balance.”

I thought about making a dodge for the heartstone, but that would be suicide. It didn’t take a degree in rocket science to know that she’d snatch me up if I got within arm’s reach. But we couldn’t stand here talking. One of us had to make the first move.

“Cicely!”

Gasping, I whirled to see Grieve stumbling into the cavern. He looked dazed, but he was on his feet. Behind him, Lannan was helping Check, and behind him, the Snow Hag. Whether anybody else had escaped, I couldn’t tell.

“My disloyal lover—how good to see you again. Perhaps you’d like a taste of my gratitude?” And with that Myst was on her feet and she held up her hand. A pale beam shot forth, hitting Grieve in the chest, and he went down, screaming as convulsions racked his body.

“No!” I threw myself at the Queen, body-slamming against her. Startled, she broke off her attack and turned on me. She let out a low hiss as she laid her hands on me. I screamed as her nails dug deep, burning where they penetrated my flesh. Leaning down, I bit her, deep, sinking my teeth into her hand.

“Bitch!” She let go and slammed me back. I went flying against the wall, landing to slide to the ground. Grieve was on his feet, and he lunged at her as I scrambled up again. She managed to grab hold of him and wrapped her jointed fingers around his throat. He gasped, struggling as she tightened her grasp.

“Leave him alone!” I frantically looked for something to attack her with—I knew my dagger wouldn’t make much of a dent, and then I saw it. On the ground beside her. She’d dropped an obsidian blade when she stood. I darted forward and grabbed it up.

The obsidian blades were like crystal meth to the Shadow Hunters, fueling their destructive urges, and that tendency was still there, buried within my soul. As my fingers closed around the hilt, a shiver of arousal ran through me, and I came up, laughing. Here was power—the power of the stone to bite and claw and suck the life out of my opponents. The power of the blade to sever through muscle and bone. The power to destroy, to rend and tear and maim.

“Taste this, you cunt.” I lunged toward her and sank the blade into her arm, twisting it as hard as I could. The joy as her blood began to pour escalated, and all I could think about was making her hurt, making her scream, feeling her bones break under my pressure.

Myst spun around, but she held on to Grieve. I let out a growl—he was turning blue, an unnatural blue, and I knew she was killing him. My only thought was to take her down, to save the man who was mine.

“You’re playing the wrong hand, Myst.” I jumped back, letting go of the blade. There was only one weapon I had strong enough to destroy her. As the fury took over, I closed my eyes, lowered my head, and then, I began to raise the winds.

Come to me, my winds; come to me, heart of the storm. Be part of me, sweep through me, take me in and devour me. Embrace me with your power. I give myself to you. Lift me up and carry me forth.

And then, two words: Gale Force.

With a howl, the winds stirred. And then they swept in, down on me. The noise was deafening as they caught me up, sweeping me aloft on a crest of air.

I rode the storm that swirled below me as it formed into a vortex. Hurricane. Tornado. Cyclone. Whatever the name, it swirled into the chamber, and anything not nailed down began to blow over the side. The mad joy of the winds began to overtake me. This power was stronger than any blade, any desire, any hope or fear or dream. I wanted to ride the storm into the open, to mow through the forests, to uproot trees, and to blow the roofs off the houses.

But first, there was Myst. And she met me play for play. She towered into the chamber, icicles shooting out like lightning bolts to crash against the ground. Grieve was still in her grasp, though she was holding him like a ragdoll now, but whether she was aware she still held him, I couldn’t tell.

“You are done. Your time is done. Your reign is done. It’s my time now, and I reclaim the long winter from you.” I threw a gust of wind barreling at her, and it struck her in the chest, knocking her back.

She shook it off, but it had hit, and hit hard. “Contrary. Oh daughter, you should never have returned.” And with her free hand, she shot what looked like a bolt of lightning at me, only it was forked ice, and it raced toward my heart.

I swept to the side and watched as it impacted against the wall, shattering as it did so, rocking the cavern.

“I will destroy you for good, and then I will take your land, and despoil everything you hold most precious, like I did your aunt Heather.”

That was all I needed to spur me on.

Caught in the pure joy of the storm, the power of the winds surged through my veins as I raged toward her, streaking like a twister, spinning madly as I fell on her. She was in my grasp as my winds shook her ice.

And then I had her throat between my hands. I called the storm to strengthen me, and began to spin, holding her by her neck. Her body stretched out as we whirled, our speed so dizzying that everything around us became a blur of motion. She let go of Grieve in order to claw at my hands, but I held fast, and my hatred and anger fueled my storm.

And then I let go, sending her flying, and she crashed into the wall. As she fell limply to the floor, I struggled to rein in the storm, but it had me in its grasp and wouldn’t let go. Caught by the heart of the wind, I fought for control, but my mind was slipping, and I phased in and out, unable to focus.

Then, below, I caught a glimpse of Myst crawling across the floor. Grieve was lying near the edge of the drop-off, and as she approached him, I suddenly realized she meant to push him over the edge.

“No! Grieve!” I fought with the storm, bucking the winds.

At that moment, a streak raced across the cavern floor. It was Lannan. He glanced up at me, then—with his golden hair glistening in the dim light—he pushed Grieve out of the way to safety. Myst managed to snare Lannan’s ankle, and, slowly, like a tree toppling, she yanked on his leg and he fell, landing half over the edge. He slowly slid forward, the only hold keeping him in the cavern that of Myst’s grasp.

“Lannan—no. Myst, stop this!” With one last push, I shrugged off the madness and dove, landing hard on the floor. I scrambled forward, ignoring the pain in my side, toward Myst. She was holding Lannan by one ankle as he dangled over the deep ravine.

“You love him, don’t you? You love this vampire as much as you love your Wounded King.” The words cackled out of her throat.

Then, before I could say or do anything, Lannan shifted, dragging Myst forward with him. Startled, she turned to see what he was doing, and before she could let go, he jerked again and they both plunged over the side, into the darkness below.

“Lannan . . . no, Lannan!” I crept forward, peering over the edge, but in the darkness I could see nothing. They were gone. As I turned, Check was staring at me, wounded but alive. He met my gaze and gave me a soft, sad smile.

I dragged myself over to the pedestal by the throne. Myst’s heartstone still glowed, though its light was fainter, and the beat, a pale sound. I pulled out my dagger and touched the edge of the stone plinth in which Myst’s heartstone was embedded.

Nothing happened so I took the chance. It was now or never, while she was weak. I began to pry the stone out of its bed, and after a moment, with a sucking sound, it popped free.

I wrapped my hand in my cloak, to cover my skin, and cautiously picked up the glowing stone. Here it was. Myst’s essence, trapped so long ago and so carefully hidden. I was holding the heart of terror, the heart of the unnatural winter. Ragnarök come to rule, in the form of a beautiful woman with cravings for power not destined to belong to her.

By destroying this stone, I would be destroying the woman who had once been my mother. I had loved her, and then I met Grieve, and that love turned to hatred. I had loved her, and she had turned on me. We had betrayed each other throughout time, until now. And it was time to end it. Time to break the cycle. Time to put to right all the damage that Geoffrey and Myst had engendered.

I looked up to find Grieve standing there, holding himself upright by the throne. Check struggled to his feet, and then, the others straggled in. The Snow Hag. Hunter. Fearless. Mort had survived. Lannan’s other vampires.

But the rest of our men were gone. Kaylin was gone, back to the Court of Dreams. And when this was done, Luna would be offered up on the plate of her own sacrifice. Lainule and Wrath had been forced to leave. We had lost Heather, Anadey, Rex, Leo. So many of the townspeople. All sacrificed to Myst’s thirst.

It felt like I should say something. This was a pivotal moment in our history. An enemy thousands of years old . . . And we had come to her end. But there were no words.

In silence, I placed the heartstone on the ground and raised my dagger.

Ulean, will this kill her? Will my dagger do the trick?

Oh, my dear Cicely, how can you still ask me questions? You are the Queen of Snow and Ice. Trust in your power. Trust in your intuition. Trust in yourself.

Thank you. Thank you for being with me. For staying till the end. You mean more to me than anyone.

I have your back. Till the day that you die, I will stay with you.

Lannan . . . is he dead? Do you know?

I can’t give you an answer. I don’t know. Maybe . . . maybe he lives. Vampires are resilient.

I suppose . . . it’s time. I watched Krystal kill herself. I lost one mother already. I helped kill Heather after Myst turned her. I saved Lainule’s life but lost her in the process. And now . . . now I’m killing the only other mother I’ve ever known.

Sometimes, life sucks.

Yeah, sometimes, it does.

I raised my dagger high above the heartstone and plunged it down. As the blade met the stone, it fractured slowly, a web of cracks spreading across the stone, and then—with one last shove, I let out a shout, and the stone shattered into pieces, the shards flying. And Myst’s light went out. Forever.