Night Myst Part 2

"That's because she didn't. You know it. Rhiannon knows it. I know it. The only people deluding themselves are the cops. So, tell me, what does a day runner do?"

He blushed. "I run errands for Geoffrey and his wife that they can't do during the day. Pick up dry cleaning, personal shopping, mail off stuff at the post office, things like that."

"They pay well?" I knew I was being nosy but it didn't hurt to find out my options. Marta might have left me her business, but I doubted it brought much in the way of money.

"Eh-not bad. I get benefits, which helps." He caught Rhiannon around the waist with one arm and she rested her head on his shoulder. It was obvious they'd been going out for a while-they seemed so comfortable together. "And benefits will be important over the next few years."

Blushing, she swatted him off. "I haven't set the date yet, and until we find my mother, I can't even think about it. So shoo, pest."

Staring at the pair, I noticed then that Rhiannon was wearing a thin silver band on the right fourth finger of her hand. It had a diamond in it-minuscule, but a diamond nonetheless.

"You two are getting married?"

She smiled softly. "We're engaged to be engaged. But yeah, Leo is the one. We've been dating for three years now. Cicely, can we go look for Heather? It's getting colder out there and if she's caught somewhere . . ."

"Yeah. She could die of hypothermia. Bring a blanket, just in case we find her." Blankets were bulky but better safe than sorry.

I slipped out onto the back porch. Down the steps, a narrow stone path led into the backyard where the kitchen garden and herb gardens sprawled. There was no lack for privacy, that was for sure.

I was about to call out Heather's name, but then realized that it was ridiculous to hope she'd answer. I started walking the perimeter of the land toward the forest, leaving a trail of footprints in the fresh snow. I motioned for Leo and Rhiannon to head the other way.

Maybe my aunt had fallen and hurt herself. Maybe she'd hit her head on a rock and had knocked herself out. Maybe Maybe . . . a flash of snow lightning-a phenomenon that happened around the Pacific Northwest now and then-illuminated the sky, directly over the wood. I stared at the flickering light as the thunder hit, slamming through the air like a sledgehammer. . . . a flash of snow lightning-a phenomenon that happened around the Pacific Northwest now and then-illuminated the sky, directly over the wood. I stared at the flickering light as the thunder hit, slamming through the air like a sledgehammer.

If Heather's around, please, blow me in her direction, I thought.

A gust sprang up, chilling me through, pushing me toward the northeast. Right toward the forest. s.h.i.t. Four members of the Society were dead. Five members were missing. s.h.i.t. Four members of the Society were dead. Five members were missing.

I headed toward the wood, first reluctantly, then my fear broke through and I set off, jogging across the lawn. As I neared the tree line I heard shouts behind me and looked over my shoulder to see Rhiannon and Leo following. I skidded to a halt and turned, waiting for them.

"You think she's in there?" Rhiannon said.

"The wind led me here." I glanced over my shoulder at the dark path that beckoned. At that moment, a figure came racing out, dark and spindly on two legs, with a bloated belly and long, jointed arms.

"What the f.u.c.k?"

The creature went straight for my throat and I stumbled back, clawing at it as it wrapped unnaturally strong arms around my neck. I smashed the palm of my hand into its nose, but it tightened its grip and everything began to go fuzzy. The next thing I knew, an owl swept out of the trees, savaging my attacker with its talons. As the bird spiraled up to get a better vantage, Leo jumped in, beating the creature off of me while Rhiannon tugged me away by one arm.

I scrambled to my feet, rubbing my throat as the thing let out a screech and backed off, hissing before it turned to disappear in the foliage.

"c.r.a.p and double c.r.a.p. What the h.e.l.l was that?" As I stared at the departing silhouette, I thought, Shadow, it reminds me of a thin, nasty shadow. Shadow, it reminds me of a thin, nasty shadow. And the owl-where had the owl come from? Owls were nocturnal, but this one had been on full alert. The owls banding my arms stirred. Startled, I stared down at my sleeves, but the sensation stopped. And the owl-where had the owl come from? Owls were nocturnal, but this one had been on full alert. The owls banding my arms stirred. Startled, I stared down at my sleeves, but the sensation stopped.

Ulean, what's going on?

I don't know. But that creature was out for your blood. Be cautious, Cicely-this woodland is not what it once was.

"I don't know," Leo said. "I've never seen anything like it."

"Fae?" Rhiannon asked.

"I have no idea," I murmured. "Whatever it is, it's horribly strong. I don't think it expected you guys to help me. And the owl startled it."

Rhiannon turned to the forest, staring mutely at the trees. After a moment, she let out a long breath. "Do you think my mother came this way?"

Leo swallowed hard. "Maybe Heather went searching for my sister." He turned to me. "Elise, my sister, is one of the members of the Thirteen Moons Society. She vanished a few months ago."

"Somehow, I don't think Heather went in the forest to look for her," I said softly. "What about the Society? Can they help us?"

"Only Rupert, Tyne, and LeAnn are left, now that Heather's vanished," Rhiannon said. "With Marta dead, and Heather missing, I guess we could go to LeAnn."

"LeAnn has a new baby," Leo said. "We can't ask her her to risk-" to risk-"

But he was cut off when Rhiannon's head dropped back.

"She's here . . ." Her voice sounded far away, as if she were speaking through a tunnel, and her eyes glazed over with a white sheen.

"What is it? What do you see?" I let go of her hand and stepped back, motioning for Leo to give her some s.p.a.ce. "Rhiannon, can you hear me?"

"That's what my sister looked like whenever she went into trance. She was a seer." Leo circled around behind her. "If she falls, I'll catch her."

"I hope she's okay. Rhiannon, can you hear me? Where are you?" If she didn't answer in another moment, I was going to shake her out of it. A trance as deep as the one she was in could suck a person under so far they'd never resurface. But then, her throat rattled and she opened her mouth. The voice that came out was ancient and keening, to where it might shatter like gla.s.s.

"The Indigo Court has risen. The Hunt has begun. All of my enemies, tremble with desire, and let your hearts fear."

Rhiannon crumpled into Leo's arms and he braced her up as she began to regain consciousness.

I stared at the forest. What the h.e.l.l was the Indigo Court? As the breeze stirred the fern fronds near my feet, scattering snow from their leaves, something sparkling from beneath one of the maidenhair ferns caught my attention. Quietly, I knelt down to pick it up. A crescent moon necklace in white gold, and on the back, one engraved word: Heather. Heather.

Another look at the snow-shrouded ground showed droplets of blood near where the necklace had rested. I knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that whatever was hiding in these woods had kidnapped my aunt. The question wasn't Where was she Where was she, but Was she alive Was she alive?

I squatted on my heels beside the blood, fingering the leaves around it. The snow was compact, new snow hadn't managed to cover it yet, and I found several footprints. They were the right size and shape for my aunt's boots.

"What is it?" Leo knelt beside me.

I glanced over my shoulder. "Trouble. That's what." I stood up, wiping my hands on my jeans. Rhiannon was standing on her own, looking pale but composed. "You okay?"

She nodded. "What just happened?"

"You fell into a trance," Leo said. "I recognized the signs. What the h.e.l.l is the Indigo Court? And what's the Hunt?"

"I don't know." I looked at my cousin. "Do you remember anything you said? Any images that might have been running through your mind when you were channeling whoever that was?"

Rhiannon rubbed the back of her hand across her forehead, squinting in concentration. "I think . . . I remember seeing something. But I'm not sure what to make of it. I was standing in a forest that was bathed in dark blue. The silhouettes of the trees were silver and barren . . . surreal. Real, but yet, not quite. And there were nets . . . webs? . . . stretching through the branches."

Just where had she been?

"Anything else?"

"Yes," she said softly. "A woman was standing there. A tall, thin woman. Her arms reminded me of a spider's legs, all jointy and spindly. She was dressed in a diaphanous gown. The woman stretched out her arms and a cloud of sparkling mist rose from her body."

Rhiannon hugged herself. "She looked at me, and when she smiled, her teeth were sharp, like tiny needles. She had black eyes-like a vampire's-except there was a swirl of stars in them. Her hair was long and black, and she wore a silver circlet on her head. When she saw me, she crooked her finger and said, 'Join us.' And the horrible thing is . . . I wanted to. I wanted to go to her."

I stared at her. "I don't like the direction this is taking."

"What's that?" Rhiannon pointed to my hand.

I glanced down. For a moment, I'd forgotten that I was holding Aunt Heather's necklace. I silently handed it over to her.

"This is my mother's necklace," she said softly. "Where did you find it?"

"By the fern." I shook my head, warning her back. "There's blood there. Not much but . . . I think . . ."

"They've got her." Leo winced. "Just like Elise. Whoever's doing this, they're systematically getting rid of the Society. Which means all the magic-born around here may be in danger. But why?"

"They aren't just taking the magic-born. People from all walks of life are disappearing." Rhiannon frowned. "Heather was keeping tabs on the disappearances. The strange thing is, the cops haven't been doing anything-they keep hemming and hawing, stalling. I'd think they were in on it but . . . that sounds outrageous. Maybe they're being influenced, though."

"Which means at best, they may ignore us. At worst, they may hinder us. What do you guys think? Should we head into the forest? Look for Heather?" I stared at the trees, knowing in my gut that we wouldn't find any sign of my aunt. Whatever-whoever-had her, wouldn't leave us a trail of breadcrumbs. And we might encounter more of the creatures like the one that had attacked me.

Rhiannon stared up at the treetops, a single tear running down her cheek. "There's nothing we can do for her right now. If we go looking for trouble, we're bound to find it, and we aren't prepared. We'd better talk this through before charging off on a rescue mission. Find out what my vision meant, if we can. See if LeAnn will help us. You need to meet with the lawyer. Maybe Marta had something among her supplies that will help us."

Leo nodded and put his arm around her shoulder, kissing her gently on the cheek as they turned back to the house. I paused.

"I'll catch up. I'm going to send out the word for Grieve first." When they gave me a worried look, I rea.s.sured them. "I'll be careful. I promise."

Leo shrugged, leading Rhiannon toward the house. I turned back to the wood and took one step onto the path, feeling the hush descend the moment I crossed the border.

I closed my eyes, praying that the creep-show Fae who had attacked me was long gone. After a moment, I caught the scent of a pa.s.sing breeze and focused on tapping into the slipstream. For a moment, everything seemed normal and then, the next thing I knew, something yanked me onto the breeze and I went hurtling through the woods at a breakneck speed, like an otter caught in the roaring current of a powerful river.

The trees, the undergrowth, the path were all a blur as I sped along, buffeted like a leaf in the wind. I tried to disentangle myself from the current, but found myself wrestling with something holding me tight. And then I caught sight of a face, carved in ice, captured in a haze of mist. A snow Elemental, with concave eyes and a crazed laugh on its lips.

Let me go. Please let me go . . .

The lace-winged creature tightened its grip, squeezing me so hard I thought a rib might break. Then, with another laugh, it let go and I tumbled toward the ground, flailing as I went. We'd been high in the canopy-I was going to break my neck. But as I careened toward the forest floor, my fall slowed and, like a feather, I drifted back down and . . .

. . . back into my body.

Blinking, I looked around. I was right where I'd been standing when the Elemental caught me up.

You mustn't stay here. That one is old, and I can't fight his strength. This is his territory. If he took you body as well as soul, I couldn't stop him. Ulean's whisper cloaked me like velvet fog. Ulean's whisper cloaked me like velvet fog.

Shivering, not understanding what had just happened, I cautiously forced a thought into the next wisp of breeze floating past. Grieve, Chatter. We need you. My aunt has disappeared. Something in the woods took her. Please, help us. Grieve, Chatter. We need you. My aunt has disappeared. Something in the woods took her. Please, help us.

When there was no answer, I turned and hurried back to the house. I didn't have to look back to know that the owl was watching me from high in one of the cedars as I raced across the lawn.

Chapter 4.

A quick call to LeAnn proved our fears.

"I can't help you," she said over the speakerphone. "I wish I could but I have my baby to think of. I'm sorry, but I've resigned from what there is left of the local Society. It's over, Rhiannon. Your mother, along with Elise and the others, they're probably dead. I suggest you get the h.e.l.l out of Dodge while you can. By tomorrow, my family will be two hundred miles away, and safe." She hung up without even saying good-bye.

"That's it." Rhiannon dropped onto the sofa. "Tyne is Marta's grandson-he might help us but I don't have any clue of where he is. And Rupert wasn't at home when I called him. Oh man, I'm tired."

"Let me make some tea for us." I found my way around the kitchen, glad Leo was here to help. Rhiannon's slip into trance freaked me out and whoever the h.e.l.l the Indigo Court was, I didn't want them mucking inside my cousin's head.

When the tea finished steeping, I carried the tray to the living room and sat near the window, steaming cup in hand as I stared out at the woodland.

"What are you thinking?" Rhiannon sipped her tea, and some of the tension fell away from her face.

"I'm thinking I need to get my a.s.s back out there to find Grieve."

"I'm sorry, Cicely. This isn't fair. You just got home this morning, you haven't even had a chance to unpack."

"Not a problem. I'm used to living out of my car. And when Krystal was alive, we were always on the run. This is nothing compared to nights when we were trying to get out of this city or that before the goons she hooked up with found us to collect on her drug debts."

Memories of dark nights spent running through back alleys, trying to get to the freeway so we could hitch another ride to another city, flooded my mind. I'd learned early how to cage rides, and more than once Ulean had protected me from the rapists and serial killers who prowled the highways.

"I can't begin to understand the life she put you through," Rhiannon said. "Heather wanted to bring you back more than once, but every time she talked to Krystal, she'd get off the phone crying because your mother was such a basket case and wouldn't let you come home. And by the time you did . . ."

"I felt obligated to go back to help my mother. She trained me well with guilt. I wanted to stay every time I came home for a visit. h.e.l.l, I know Heather did everything she could short of kidnapping me. But I'm here, now. That's what counts."

I set down my teacup and shrugged back into my jacket. "Call the lawyer and make an appointment for me later today, if possible. Tomorrow, if not. I'm going in search of Grieve. If I'm not back in an hour, come to the edge of the wood and call my name, but whatever you do, don't step inside."

Leo nodded. "Got it. And Cicely-be careful. Your cousin needs you."

"You're really going out there?" Rhiannon pushed herself to her feet.

"Yeah. I'll be careful," I said, zipping up my jacket.

"Do you have a pair of gloves I could wear? I didn't count on snow."

Rhiannon handed me a leather pair of gloves and a scarf. "Bundle up, it's cold out there. And please, be careful. I don't want to lose you, too."

Before I headed outside, I ran upstairs and grabbed my switchblade. Highly illegal to carry but I didn't give a d.a.m.n. I'd learned early that protecting myself was worth getting ragged on by the police if they caught me. As I stepped out onto the porch, Rhiannon was on the phone, talking to the lawyer.

The snow had let up, the clouds parting just enough to show the moon rising, full and round in the afternoon sky. The air was ripe with the tang of ozone that presaged a hard winter storm.

I crossed the yard. When I was little, Rhiannon and I weren't supposed to go into the ravine alone, but we always found a way to sneak off without being caught. I suspected my aunt always knew, but she never said anything.

The glade didn't have an official name. Huge, it sprawled for a good twenty miles, winding its way through the foothills of the western Cascades that bordered the back end of New Forest, Washington.

Grieve had called the thicket the Golden Wood Golden Wood but I thought of it as spider heaven. In spring, summer, and fall, golden and white orb weavers hung thick in the copse, spinning their webs from tree branch to bush to giant fern, a thick lacy net for catching flies and mosquitoes and the occasional dragonfly. but I thought of it as spider heaven. In spring, summer, and fall, golden and white orb weavers hung thick in the copse, spinning their webs from tree branch to bush to giant fern, a thick lacy net for catching flies and mosquitoes and the occasional dragonfly.