A knock on the door interrupted my thoughts. "Camille?" Delilah's voice.
"Come in."
She peeked around the door, giving me a faint grin when she saw us curled up together. "We have visitors. Several of them. I think you'd all better come down before we end up with a magical brawl on our hands."
Oops, that didn't sound good.
"Right there," I said, climbing over Smoky. He traced a finger down my thigh as I slid over his lap, and I felt a tug from my nipples down to the tips of my toes. I caught my breath.
"Later," he mouthed as Morio reached across to place his hand on my leg next to Smoky's. Oh yeah, they'd had "the talk."
Delilah withdrew as Smoky and Morio threw back the covers and climbed out of bed. We dressed quickly. Feeling unaccountably shy, I avoided their gaze—or any other portion of their anatomy—and then we all clattered down the stairs. Actually, Morio and Smoky clattered. I inched my way down, aching with every step, until Smoky noticed.
He marched back up the steps and tossed me over his shoulder without further ado. I started to protest but then, sensing that this would get me downstairs with the least amount of pain, gave in without a fight.
As we hit the hallway, he put me down. I smoothed my dress, and we walked into the living room.
Iris was serving tea all around to our guests. Our guests being Queen Asteria, Rozurial, Titania, and Morgaine. The four of them were spread out on the sofa and love seat. There was no sign of Arturo or Mordred.
"Cripes. We've got enough firepower sitting in our living room to decimate the state." I looked around for someplace to sit.
Smoky dropped into the recliner, and I sat on his lap. Morio squatted by the side of the chair. Delilah was sitting on the ottoman, looking weary and tired. Chase was nowhere in sight. Menolly had gone to bed, of course. I looked around for Maggie, but Iris caught my eye and shook her head.
As she handed me tea and a scone, she whispered, "Best remain silent on some things…"
I nodded and bit into the scone. After a moment, Queen Asteria rose. "Delilah has been telling us what happened to the seal. You could not hold it?"
I swallowed hastily and slurped my tea, wanting nothing more than a huge vat of caffeine in which to bathe my senses. "Two humans and one half-Fae cannot take down two demons and a djinn. Not unless one of us is a superhero. And none of us are that."
She nodded. "Of course. Forgive me. I'm just heartsick about this. I know you all did your best. Even you, young beast," she said, looking at Smoky.
"Please, have you any news of Trillian?" Impulsively, I shoved my cup into Smoky's hand and found myself kneeling at the Elfin Queen's feet. "Anything? At all?"
The furrow in her brow deepened, and she shook her head. "Would that I could say yes, my child, but no. No, there is no news. His soul statue is still whole, as is that of your father's, but nothing has been seen nor heard from them. I'm afraid it's only a matter of time—"
"Don't say that!" I jumped up. "What are you doing to find him?"
She sighed. "War is rough, girl, and there are many losses in every skirmish. We cannot spare men to search for one missing man… or even two. We need the information they carry, so I've sent out rescue teams, but don't get your hopes up. There's little else I can do."
So Smoky was right. The elves weren't going to help, beyond the most superficial of efforts.
"Well, I'm going to do something. I'm binding myself to Smoky and Morio in the Soul Symbiont ritual. Since no one else will go looking for Trillian, we'll do it our own way. I'm bound to Trillian, and though the oath between us is from a different ritual, it should hold true for our purposes."
Delilah gasped and stared at me. "You're what?"
"Don't try to stop me," I warned her, shaking my head. "I'm going through with it. We've faced too many losses already. I refuse to lose Trillian."
She pressed her lips together and murmured a faint assent.
"There's no guarantee that will work—" Queen Asteria started to say, but Titania cleared her throat.
"Let her try. She's loyal to her men. Can you say that of most of our kind? We have other matters to discuss, such as the demons possessing the spirit seal, this Vanzir you spoke of, and the return of the Fae Courts."
Queen Asteria frowned. "As to the spirit seal, there's nothing we can do now but go in search of the fourth. And this time, we must find it first and hold onto it. As to this Vanzir, I know little except that Demonkin are treacherous, and I wouldn't be quick to place trust in one, no matter how changed he says he is."
"That's why we're not," Iris said. "There is a ritual I learned from the shamans of the Northlands to bind demons into servitude. None but the most powerful can resist it. Vanzir has agreed to go through with it and bind himself to the girls and me. Menolly and I had a little talk with him last night. We'll take care of this on the night of the waxing moon. If he breaks the oath, he'll die a horrendously painful death on the spot."
"Speaking of which, where is he?" I asked, looking around. We couldn't just let him walk around free.
"Remember the holding pen at the Wayfarer, where we were going to put that rogue vampire?" Delilah grinned.
I frowned, then nodded. Apparently, the OIA had outfitted the Wayfarer with a pen that could hold minor demons. "Yeah. So he's there?"
"Locked in, tight as a drum. Can't use magic, can't summon anybody or anything. He'll be fine for now." Iris handed me a cookie. "Eat. You're starving."
She was right. I scarfed down the cookie. "Well, with that out of the way…" I turned to Titania and Morgaine. "You're both in one piece, I see. What happened after you left?"
Queen Asteria let out a huff. "What happened is madness. You must have been daft to do as they asked you to last night." She was clearly Not Happy.
"Grandmother Coyote decreed it. Not even the royalty of Fae nor elves may go up against the Hags of Fate," Titania said, staring at her. "We have been long distanced from one another, but you are still the prim, stuffy woman you always were. Don't you understand? Times have changed, the world has changed, and we will adapt with it."
"You think I don't see the necessity for change? Why else would I be working with King Vodox, or pledge Elqaneve's lot in with that of Svartalfheim?" Queen Asteria started to stand, and I had a sudden vision of the elderly elf starting a brawl. She'd whup butt if she did.
I jumped up. "Please, no more fighting! I can't stand this anymore. I've had it up to here with fights and bloodshed and war and battle. Just tell us what happened, and if somebody doesn't like it, well, tough shit! Do you understand? All of you! My sisters and I are the ones standing on the front lines in this battle, and we're doing the best we can."
Suddenly aware that I'd been screaming in the face of a thousands-year-old Elfin Queen, and an equally ancient Fae Queen, I took a little step back. From behind me, I heard Smoky snort, and then he broke out in laughter.
"That's my Witchling," he said. "You tell them, girl."
I whirled. "And you, quit stirring the pot, you overgrown lizard. No matter how good you are in bed, or how good… you smell… or… oh, just shut up!" Everybody was gaping at me. I cleared my throat and sat down on his lap again. "I've been under a lot of stress lately," I said weakly.
"So it seems," Titania said, but she was smiling. "To make a long and complex negotiation short, the Courts of Fae have risen again, thanks to your help. Only there are three Courts now, rather than two."
"Three?" I blinked. Delilah and Iris looked equally confused.
"Three," Morgaine said. "Things can never be as they were, that we know and accept. So from now on, rather than a morning and evening court, rather than a summer and winter court, we have established the Court of the Three Queens. Titania will rule over the Court of the Mother—the Seelie Court of the Day, with all it's brilliance."
"Aeval will resume her throne as Unseelie Queen, the Court of the Crone, the Crown of Night," Titania said. "And Morgaine, though not our equal, will rule over the Court of Twilight, the bridge between the Seelie and Unseelie realms, as the Maiden of Dusk. She will be the emissary between the mortal world and the world of Fae."
"There is another matter," Queen Asteria said. "This Benjamin—I am taking him with me. I've set my scholars to researching the ancient texts. Benjamin, as well as your Tom Lane, both have parts to play in the future battles against the demons. If you find other humans bearing the spirit seals, or who've been affected by them—humans who are not Supernaturals of any sort—then bring them to me. More, I cannot tell you at this time."
"My Tom… my sweet Tarn Lin," Titania sighed, looking sad and nostalgic. "But better he's gone from me now. I have too much to think about, with the reemergence of my Court."
Queen Asteria sighed. "And so, yes, there are three Earthside Courts of Fae. And whether it be for good or ill, we'll have to see. But if Grandmother Coyote wills it, there's not much we can do."
She stood, and for the first time since we'd known her, she looked old. "Since I am responsible for Trillian's disappearance, I leave Rozurial in your service, to aid you as much as he can." She headed for the door, Titania and Morgaine in her wake.
At the door, she turned back to look at me. "Feddrah-Dahns will be returning with me. He was hurt sorely, but he will live. He asked me to give you this for your friend. The one looking to have a child." She handed me a small pouch in which rested assorted herbs and stones.
"What's this? For Lindsey?" I took it and tucked it away in my purse.
"A charm to help her. He said it should work within three months' time."
I choked up then. The unicorn had gotten under my skin, and I fretted that we'd lose touch. He'd been a gentle reminder of the grace and beauty of my home world. As if she could sense my sorrow, Queen Asteria patted my hand.
"Feddrah-Dahns sends you his love and bids to meet you again. He places his trust in you that you will use his gift wisely. As do we all."
I looked into her ancient eyes. They were filled with love and compassion. "I'll do my best to be worthy of his gift… and his friendship," I whispered, tearing up.
"He knows how hard you're trying here. As do we all." And with that, she swept out the door, the two Fae Queens behind her.
Chapter Twenty-nine
Two nights later, when Chase could make it and when we'd recovered from the worst of the beatings we'd received, we gathered at Birchwater Pond. The moon was nearing a crescent, and she sang to me through my veins, promising me that I was making the right choice.
Morio was there, in his full kimono, dressed in red and gold, sword displayed at his side. Smoky wore his long white trench over a gold and blue vest, a pale blue button shirt, and a pair of white, tight jeans. Both had their hair unbound, and the pale sliver of the Moon Mother embraced them in her silvery light. She was not yet at waxing, but close.
Delilah and Menolly stood beside me. Delilah was wearing her golden gown she'd worn at Solstice, and Menolly, her black. I was dressed in silver. The silver of the Moon Mother, the silver of Smoky's dragon heritage, the silver of Morio's sword, the silver of Trillian's hair.
Delilah and Menolly had wanted me to wear Mother's wedding dress, but it didn't feel right, even if it had fit me. Mother bound herself to one man. I could never follow her path in love. It just wasn't my way.
Chase and Zachary stood to one side, Rozurial, to the other. Chase held Maggie. Iris was standing on a dais near the pond, and she held a chain forged of silver and a crystal wand that I'd never seen before.
"Are you sure about this? This is a bond deeper than marriage, you know," Delilah said. "You go through with this ritual, and you belong to those two forever—bound through all of time with their souls."
I gazed at the two men who were waiting for me. Two men who loved me. Smoky wanted me all to himself, but he was willing to give up that dream, to bind himself to me and one of my lovers, so that we could search out a man to whom I'd long ago pledged my heart. Morio was offering to bind himself to me out of love and loyalty. And he, too, cared about Trillian. I could sense the concern emanating from him.
And I… I loved both of them so much that I couldn't even explain it. For me, love had swelled to include three men, all different and yet, I was meant to be with all of them. Each provided a part of the whole that I needed.
Forever? I whispered. So it would seem, came the answer.
"I already belong to you. You're my sisters. My family. And that family expanded to include Iris, and Maggie, too. And now, my family grows again. And who better to choose for my husbands than a fox demon and a dragon? Can't ask for much more protection than that."
"But forever? To be bound forever?" Delilah seemed torn.
"Better that than always wondering if I could have saved Trillian." I glanced down the path. "We have to find him. He's like a mirror of myself. My heart says we will, but I can't do it on my own. And maybe… maybe if I find Trillian, I can find Father, too."
Delilah started to protest again, but Menolly shook her head. "We all make choices, Kitten. We all decide on one path over another. You can't stand at the fork in the road forever." She looked meaningfully over to where Chase and Zachary stood in an uneasy truce. "Sometimes, when your playmates won't play together, you have to choose."