And sitting there, basking in the sunlight, my Kitten could only agree.
THAT NIGHT WE gathered around the kitchen table. Everybody was there—all of our wonderful, goofy, extended family. Iris and Hanna had covered the table with a feast, and we reminisced over the past few years, nobody wanting to mention that tomorrow, everything would be different. We avoided talking about Shadow Wing, and in the space of a few hours, we held a wonderful wake for the life we had been leading.
Menolly and Delilah and I stayed up late, gathering in the living room to watch movies and play with Maggie. Everybody else gracefully found an excuse to leave us on our own. Without a word, Menolly turned on the Jerry Springer show and I brought out the Cheetos.
As the night wore on, Maggie fell asleep in my arms and I handed her gently to Menolly, who was sitting in the rocking chair. As she gently rocked our calico wonder, we all fell into a comfortable silence, watching an old science fiction movie, cheering as Patricia Neal faced down Gort. We chimed in when she stopped the robot from wreaking havoc with Klaatu barada nikto, and then cheered as Klaatu gave his final speech. “Your choice is simple: join us and live in peace, or pursue your present course and face obliteration. We shall be waiting for your answer. The decision rests with you.”
Menolly quietly tiptoed into Hanna’s room and put Maggie in her crib, then returned. “I wish we could face Shadow Wing and tell him the same thing.”
“We could, but I don’t know if he’ll listen.” I yawned and stretched. It was two a.m. “I suppose it’s time for bed. Menolly, what are you doing?”
“I carried all our boxes out to the porch earlier tonight. Nerissa and I will be leaving in a few minutes. We’re moving into Roman’s house now.”
At our looks, she shrugged. “There’s no use putting it off. You’ll be gone tomorrow. We’ll be out at Talamh Lonrach Oll for your coronation tomorrow night. Aeval even invited Roman.”
Delilah was starting to tear up. I felt the tears welling, but pushed them down as hard as I could. There was no use making this even more difficult than it was.
“Then, I suppose…this is it. I’m going upstairs now to bed. Delilah, you should, too. Menolly…” I paused. “Be happy.”
She nodded, her face rigid. She hated crying because her tears always came out as blood and stained her clothes. “You too, Camille. And Kitten…we’ll see you tomorrow night.”
At that moment, Nerissa appeared in the doorway. “They’re here to take our boxes.”
I kissed Menolly on the forehead, then embraced Nerissa. Delilah followed suit, though tears raced down her cheeks. Without another word, I turned away and raced up the stairs, unable to stand another moment.
Smoky, Trillian, and Morio were there, waiting. Trillian opened his arms and I slid into them, weeping. Morio slid in behind me, and Smoky snuggled up on the other side. He was carrying the kittens, and he tumbled them into my lap. Misty pounced on the bed as well, and we rested in silence, the kittens falling asleep as I stroked their fur. An hour wore away, with my beloved husbands simply holding me, brushing my hair, massaging my hands and feet.
Finally, Morio gently disengaged the kittens from my lap and tumbled them back in their playpen, as Trillian helped me undress. Then, with Smoky on one side, Morio on the other, and Trillian resting behind him, I fell asleep in our communal bed, safe in the protection of the men who loved me most in the world.
THE NEXT NIGHT, I stood naked and alone by the edge of the lake out at Talamh Lonrach Oll. My tears of the past few days were dried, and all I wore was the Keraastar Diamond and the two tattoos that marked me as the High Priestess of the Moon Mother. We were headed toward the dark moon, the time of her power that was my power, and I could feel her riding on my shoulders. This was her will, and I would always bend my knee at her hem.
The land was rife with members of the Sovereign Fae Nation, but here—on this night—the only ones with me at the lake were Aeval, Titania, and Myrddin. The coronation would come at just past midnight, but first, I had to pass through the fire that would turn me into the Queen of Dusk And Twilight.
The echoing calls of owls filled the air, and a murder of crows circled overhead, watching. The trees sang an incessant litany cloaked in the wind, their boughs creaking and shaking. Overhead, the sky was clear and the night was slowly gaining on us.
I had disrobed by the side of the lake and now, I waited as Aeval and Titania approached me. Aeval carried a silver chalice, and Titania, a flask of glowing oil. They motioned for me to take my place on a square stone in front of them. As I did, my feet began to tingle and I realized it wasn’t any ordinary boulder, but rife with the magic of the land. Pinprick needles raced up my legs, tickling me and burning at the same time.