Kalona's Fall (House of Night Novellas #4)(30)
“So your Goddess has spoke, and so mote it be!” Mother Earth cried, enlivened again as the Fey formed a circle around her and began to dance in celebration.
Nyx wiped away a tear, and then took Kalona and Erebus by the hand. “Let us leave her now, happy and surrounded by those who bring her such joy,” she said softly, guiding them into the darkness of the grassy prairie. When they were out of sight of Mother Earth, Nyx let loose their hands and said, “Follow me.” The Goddess lifted her hand and a slender silver thread appeared, as if the moon had lent her a beam of light. She grasped it and smiled at the winged immortals who were studying her with twin looks of apprehension. “Don’t worry. If you know the way, the journey is not far. And I will show you the way, so that ever after you will never be far from me.” Then the glittering ribbon went taut, lifting the Goddess into the night sky. Kalona and Erebus unfurled their wings together, and took to the sky after her.
* * *
Nyx didn’t let loose the glittering silver thread until, out of the complete blackness that exists between realms, a patch of hard-packed earth suddenly appeared. She stepped on it and turned to face Kalona and Erebus.
“Is it a piece of Mother Earth here?” Erebus asked, bending to touch the ground that looked so very much like the red dirt from the tall grass prairie.
“There’s more of it in there,” Kalona said, pointing at a seemingly endless grove that stretched before them.
“No, there is nothing of Mother Earth here,” Nyx said. “Though you will see many sights that will remind you of her.”
Nyx thought Kalona looked relieved. Erebus only looked curious. “What is that tree?” he asked, starting to walk forward toward it.
Nyx stepped before him, blocking his way. Both immortals were now looking at her curiously.
“That tree has many names in the mortal realm, Yggdrasil, Abellio, and the Hanging Tree are but three of many reflections of its Old Magick. Here, I call it the Wishing Tree, as I have filled it with ribbons of Divine Energy in which I have woven wishes and dreams, joy and love. It stands at the entrance to my realm, the Otherworld. I intend to share my realm with both of you, but before I allow you entrance I ask each of you to make me one promise—that no matter what the eternity to come brings, you will never again speak of the events of this night. My daughter, and those who come after her, must never know that they were mistakes created because of superstition and madness. Do you agree?”
“I do, and you have my promise,” Kalona said.
“As do I. You have my promise as well, kind, loving Goddess,” Erebus said.
“Then I gladly bid you enter the Otherworld, and wish that together we will all blessed be!”
* * *
Mother Earth left the Fey to their endless dancing. She had one last task to perform before she could sleep, but first she approached the body of the Shaman. She knelt beside him and closed his sightless eyes; then she waved her hands over his body, and the rich earth of the prairie parted, gently making an opening in which to cradle the old man.
“You did well, just as I asked. I know it broke your heart to follow my edict and sacrifice the maiden, but by doing so you have given Kalona his only chance at redemption, for he has, indeed, been tainted by Darkness. Nyx does not see it, but I see it as clearly as did you. You did as I commanded. Now I will keep my word to you, old one.” Mother Earth touched his forehead, and drew from within him the glowing orb that held his eternal spirit.
Come to me, mighty beast of the grass sea!
An enormous bison trotted up to Mother Earth. The muscles of his wide chest rippled as he bowed before her, his muzzle resting by her knee. She stroked his thick pelt, murmuring her appreciation of his majesty. Then she completed her promise by saying:
Joined for a lifetime you and he shall be!
She pressed the spirit glob against the bison’s forehead, and it disappeared within the beast. Mother Earth smiled up at him. “Go, old one made young! Roam the prairie and have a long, fertile life.”
With a snort, the bison obeyed her, and as he trotted away he kicked the air in a joyous dance of freedom.
11.
THOUGH IT WOULD CREATE A WOUND WITHIN HER THAT WOULD ACHE FOR ETERNITY, NYX KNEW KALONA MUST BE STOPPED …
And so the eons passed. At first, all was well in the Otherworld. The Goddess was no longer alone. She had warrior and lover, playmate and friend. Nyx thrived, and thus did the Otherworld.
Nyx’s children, created by Mother Earth before she retreated to sleep within herself, thrived as well, though both immortals had been right. Many were not strong enough to survive the Change, but those who did were the best of humanity—the bravest and strongest, the brightest and most talented. In solidarity, they named themselves vampyre, the children of Nyx, and they evolved a society that honored women as Goddess, and valued men for their roles of warrior and lover, playmate and friend. Nyx was so well pleased by her children that she sometimes passed along gifts to them based on the five elements over which her friend had granted her dominion. But no matter how much they pleased her, or how many times Nyx granted the vampyres gifts, the Goddess made quite certain that she did not meddle too often in their lives. Mother Earth had taught her a valuable lesson. Love cannot thrive if it is too closely controlled. Nyx vowed that she would not control her beloved children, that they would always have free will, whether they chose to use that freedom wisely or not.
P.C. Cast, Kristin C's Books
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- P.C. Cast, Kristin C
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- Lenobia's Vow (House of Night Novellas #2)
- Dragon's Oath (House of Night Novellas #1)
- Redeemed (House of Night #12)
- Revealed (House of Night #11)
- Hidden (House of Night #10)
- Destined (House of Night #9)