Kalona's Fall (House of Night Novellas #4)(23)

“Kalona of the Silver Wings! You must hear me. In my dreams you are changed. You are filled with anger and despair. You know only violence and hatred. You have lost your way.”

“I know my way. It lies there.” He pointed at the cave. “And then there.” He gestured up, in the direction L’ota had disappeared.

The Shaman’s lined face looked sad. His voice lost its strength, and Kalona realized that the man must be very old indeed. “If Darkness follows you from that pit, I am bound by my power dreams and the oath I have sworn to my people to sacrifice to stop it.”

“Nothing is following me except you, a mad Fey, and some misguided black birds. Go home, Shaman. Take your woman to your bed. She will help clear your dreams.”

The old man began to shuffle his feet in a rhythm that had become familiar to Kalona. “Choose wisely, Winged One. The destiny of many changes with your fate.” Chanting in time with his dance, the Shaman finally moved off into the prairie.

Kalona shook his head and waved away more smoke, sending it wafting toward where the birds perched above the cave, making them croak at him in irritation. “At least we are in agreement about this noxious smudging,” he muttered at the birds. “The Shaman is a pest.” Silently he thought about recent events. How was he going to explain what had happened to L’ota to Nyx? And how would he not get blamed for it?

“Why do I feel Erebus doesn’t have these kinds of problems?” Ducking his head, Kalona entered the cave.

The inside of the cave opened so that Kalona could stand easily. There was no light within, and though the immortal could see through darkness, the pit made him shiver. He paused, studying the high, rocky sides, looking for evidence of crystals. Seeing none, Kalona turned his attention to the depths of the cave.

Something glittered just beyond the reach of his vision.

Though he did not like the feeling of confinement the cave gave him, Kalona moved forward. “Just get the Shaman-be-damned jewels and get out.” His voice echoed eerily around him, giving him pause.

Into that pause words coursed powerfully through his mind.

Welcome, Kalona, son of the moon, warrior and lover of Nyx. I wondered how long it would take you to come to me.

“Who is there?” Kalona called, reaching up to conjure his spear.

But Kalona’s hand remained empty. His spear did not appear.

A rumble of mocking laughter battered through his mind. You will find there is no magick of the Divine here. Here there is a different kind of power.

“What are you?” Kalona asked, bracing himself for an attack.

I have been called by many names, and will be called countless more throughout eternity. I am feeling magnanimous today, Kalona. Call me whatever you will. From the depths of the cave, an enormous bull emerged. Its head was so huge that its horns grazed the far-off ceiling, causing a rain of stalactites. The creature’s breath was putrid; its coat was the color of a corpse.

Kalona gagged and backed away from it. “Are you the evil of which the Shaman spoke?”

Yes and no. The Shaman’s viewpoint is so limiting.

“I will leave you now, but I warn you, if you follow me I will battle you,” Kalona said.

Oh, I do hope you and I will battle often, but not today, Kalona. Today I offer you two gifts and ask only one thing in return.

“I want nothing from you.”

You do not want your final test to be victorious? You do not want to spend eternity as Nyx’s valued warrior, her true and only love?

“What do you know of those things?”

I know all and more. I am more ancient than your Goddess. More ancient than this earth. I have always existed, and I will exist eternally. Where there is Light, there, too, must be Darkness. Without loss there can be no gain. Without pain, how do we know pleasure? Do not pretend you do not understand me. You are not as naïve as your sun-kissed brother. How do you like sharing Nyx with him?

“You go too far, bull!” Kalona turned to leave, but the words that roiled through his mind stopped him.

Cease trying to give Spirit to that which is dead. You do not need to create a new being to please Nyx. You only need to improve one that already exists. That will complete your test and gain you the Otherworld. Though once there, you will spend an eternity sharing your Goddess with another—unless you can offer her more than Erebus.

“I already offer Nyx more than Erebus! I love her beyond what he is capable!”

I approve of your anger, but it will not win the Goddess. Your anger will drive her into your brother’s embrace. It already has.

“No. I control my anger.”

The bull’s laughter battered him again. You will get better at lying, but you will not get better at controlling your anger. You will have no outlet for it except to hurl it at golden Erebus, and even at Nyx herself. That will cause your Goddess to turn her face from you forever.

“I will not lose her,” Kalona said between gritted teeth.

No, you will not if you are valuable to her, and if you have a release for your anger. I can give you both things. I ask only one thing in return, and it is mutually beneficial to us both.

“You may not have my spirit, bull.”

I do not want your spirit, Kalona. I simply want entrance to the Otherworld.

The bull’s words shocked Kalona silent.

Ah, I see I must explain myself. The Energy that created the Otherworld is as ancient as I, thus it is as powerful as I am, and it is well protected. I can sometimes seep into the shadows of the Otherworld, but never for long. To truly enter there, I must be invited.