Page 103 of Ulune's Daughter

In front of the castle stand hundreds of still forms, their furry ears pricked, huge shoulders blocking out the stone behind them.

They lift their heads as one. A clear, pure note rises from hundreds of throats.

Rachel tugs me backward and the vision collapses.

I reach for it, tears rushing hot to my eyes and spilling down my cheeks.

“Kells, no,” Rachel cries.

“Bu-but, it’s?—”

“You’re not rushing blindly into Faery,” she says firmly. “Where even is that? I’ve never seen that castle before.”

I drop to my knees, crouching, trying to think. I reach for my Element to anchor me, bring order to my whirlwind thoughts.

The night breeze rises. Grows teeth.

“Get back to Teddy’s cave,” I growl at Rachel, Darwin, and his sisters.

“Kells—” Rachel begins.

“Back to the cave! Now!”

She runs from me.

I stand and throw my arms wide, calling the toothed breeze, keeping it away from my friends. It swirls around me, sinks its teeth deep into my flesh. My blood streams and eddies around me. The breeze stops biting. Warmth drapes me, rustling around me. When I raise my arms, huge black wings flap.

I lift off the path and shoot skyward.

Hours later, I land on the path to Teddy’s cave, the raven cloak settling around me. Lightning flashes through the clouds overhead. It strikes in the woods close by, releasing the scent of burning yew and smokeberry.

With a flick of my claws, I smother the fire before it can spread.

Rachel, Darwin, and Charlie wait for me at the mouth of the cave. When I walk toward them, Rachel opens her arms and starts forward. I hold up my hand. The cloak of raven feathers rustles around me.

“I don’t think hugs are a good idea right now, Rach.”

“Your, whatever it was, set Teddy off,” Charlie says. His deep voice is laced with worry. Worry I caused. “She’s having Braxton-Hicks. Probably not the best time?—”

I nod. I wasn’t planning on going back into the cave. I’m just saying goodbye.

“I’ll make myself scarce for a while,” I say. Rachel starts shaking her head but I wave her into silence. “Rach, you know I’m doing the right thing. Whatever’s going on with me—and I haven’t one fucking clue what it is—is throwing off a lot of power. I don’t want to cause Teddy to go into labor prematurely. And I sure as fuck do not want to open some pocket dimension into an unknown part of Faery right next to her hearth-room. I’m going to stay at Bevvy for the foreseeable future. If you need me, just call. I’ll be here in a heartbeat.”

Charlie leaves the shadow of the cave and strides toward me. Despite me backing up a step, he throws his arms around me and hugs me hard.

“That’s from Teddy,” he tells me. “She’s furious we won’t let her out of the cave. She’s worried about you. Call her tomorrow.”

I hug him back. “I will. I’m sorry if I scared you all?—”

“Don’t apologize,” he insists. “And don’t disappear. We all care about you. If you needus, call. Teddy will skin us if we stay away just because something spooky’s going on with you.”

“That was spooky, wasn’t it?” I step back and rub my forehead, my claws trailing over my skin. “I don’t even know where I’ve been. I just ... flew. For hours. And I’m not even tired. I’ve never flown like that before. With ... wings.”

Charlie nods. “Really fucking spooky. Still is.” He nods at me, still draped in the cloak that I didn’t summon and have no idea how to get rid of. “Gabe’s going to come see you once he’s calmed Teddy down. See if he can help sort out what’s going on with you. Teddy says he’s expendable since he’s fulfilled his procreative duties, but, you know, we kind of like him so try to send him back to us in one piece.”

I shake my head at him. “I’d never hurt Gabe and tell him he’s relieved of duty. Carrie and Jane are both Air-witches. They’ll help me figure this out.”

Charlie pats my shoulder. “Okay, I’ll tell him. He might still come, if just to escape Teddy’s nagging, but keep us in the loop. We’re not kicking you out, Kells. We’re just?—”

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