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With so ue, and the veil separating Otherworld fro it would be before everything iain
When Otherworld had split off during the Great Divide, the yawning chasm in the astral plane had eventually created an unnatural tension that kept stretching, pulling at the edges of the veil But the spirit seals had kept everything neat and tidy and divided Until now
"What do you think will happen if the worlds coain? From what Aeval has told me, it was a cataclys, unnatural weather in the areas least hit by the ripping of the fabric of space and tilanced over at Delilah "I think I’, and if it’s inevitable, if the spirit seals fail, then what does the future hold for both of our worlds? There are so many more people now Thousands could die"
She pressed her lips together and stared at the"I don’t know," she said after a moment "We can speculate all ant and on’t knoe couesson’t know until it happens If it happens Earthside is already crowdedcan you iine the mess if all the people back home were dumped into this space? And ill happen to the landscape? I just can’t ihtly pulled on the reins to slow the horse down We were alht, of course How can we possibly envision what it would be like? We can guess, but tooto drive me nuts Anyway, here we arethe Court Barrows"
The palace was beautiful, but less ostentatious than anything back in Otherworld Nestled beneath a giant barrow mound, the palace held three courts--one for Aeval, one for Titania, and one for Morgaine The grass over thefirs around the palace stood sentinel, watching over the land
During the spring, the barrow e, sweeping ferns, and at the center of each barrow--atop the central point--stood an oak tree They were growing faster than any north of Faerie
As we pulled up close to the guards stationed in front of the Court of Darkness, I sucked in a deep breath Within a week, I’d be pledged to this land, pledged to Aeval And my father would forever disownflakes that lightly kissed y "The Moon Mother wills itand I ahter"
"What?" Delilah glanced over atfor e"
"Well, worry about that when it co as a Death Maiden, you can face it as a priestess Even though it aine"
And with a grin, she shot a snowball at me
The snow hit me square in the face and broke me out of my reflection I snorted, then dashed it away and headed for the entryway She was right We had work to do Now Chase was depending on us And that was as close to ing in depression as I was going to let o have tea with a Fae Queen" I motioned to her and she fell in beside me as we entered the Court of the Three Queens
Chapter 4
The inner halls of the palace were earthy, re their way through the walls and sparkling crystals jutting through the soil The dirt was so compact and smoothed over that it looked like Venetian plaster, and the chaht that ht have been white, filled with sparkles that danced like electric synapses
Members of the court--probably servants--quietly passed by, so notebooks and clipboards One, in an odd juxtaposition, rushed by, a short sword in one hand, a net-book in the other I wondered just how they were powering it and if it had Wi-Fi But everything all fit, soence of the Earthside Fae into huuards "We need to speak with Queen Aeval"
He raised his eyebrows, but kinked his finger and motioned for us to follow him "I assu to want to hear e have to say I’o and this is my sister Delilah If you could announce us"
We followed him down the hall, turned left, and entered a sled with the scent of white roses and bayberry and wintergreen A small potted tree sat in the corner, covered with reen, and yellow
A true Yule tree, I thought, as in of the tradition We took our seats on an upholstered bench covered in a swirling paisley A print of a Monet hung on the wall over our heads, and on the opposite wall, a tribal uard said, and disappeared through the door to the left I stood up and took a closer look at theThe base ood, with crystals and dried flowers adorning it Beautiful, alrounded I could iers itched and I realized it had been a good two or three years since I’d thought about the hobbies I’d left at hoer of the family; Delilah had her stable of aniardens--first by necessity and then out of love--pottering around with plants, coround itself
To be a Moon Witch meant you had to come to a connection with the Great Mother first--for the Earth and Moon were sisters and connected
"I envy Iris," I said, turning to Delilah "I h the forest and listen to the trees I y practically jumps off the branches and liently asleep, waiting to wake up again"
Delilah gave et out in the woods around our house I go running a lot--I know you aren’t into that, but we could take a walk every day together Maybe in the evenings, after Menolly wakes up, the three of us could just ht of a quiet walk down to Birchwater Pond sounded like heaven "As long as we’re not dragged away to fight deht here if they don’t co at her watch "I’ainst her shoulder, letting my eyes close "I’m so tired," I whispered "The Northlands were so coldand then having to iI can barely keepup onwoke o in now Aeval will see you"