Night World : Witchlight Chapter 18

The ride to Charlotte passed in a blur. All Keller could remember was suspension on while Nissa did some of the wildest driving shed ever experienced. They went offroad for a commodity deal of the way.It was one minute to midnight when they squealed into a parking lot in front of a long, low building. Go in, go in Nissa utter, slamming to a stop in front of a set of double introductions.Keller and Galen and Winnie and Iliana ran.They destroy into a large room that app spindlemed very brightly lit. A ocean of chairs with bodies sitting in them swam in front of Kellers eyes. Then she focused on a platform at the front.Come on, she say tersely.T here(predicate) were a number of great deal sitting at a table on the platform, facing the audience fair(a) similar any ordinary panel, with spectacles of water and microphonesin front of them. save Keller recognized some of the hatful as she got closer, and they were anything provided ordinary.That atomic dumpling-shaped woman wi th the round smell was let Cybele. fret of all(prenominal) the Witches, except as Grandma Harman had been Crone. With Grandma Harman dead, she was the delightes leader.The tallish girl with the discernly features and the cafe au lait skin who sat beside her was Aradia. The finesse Maiden of the Witches mentioned in the prophecies.And that regal-looking man with the golden hair and beard, sitting by the queenly woman with flashing green eyesThey could only be the leaders of the First House of the shapeshifters.Galens cause and father.There were others, too, important passel from Circle Daybreak, only when Keller didnt rush time to focus on them. fetch down Cybele was on her feet and speaking. She must have been a secondary short-sighted, because she didnt appear to look out Keller and the others coming up on the side. Her voice was slow and concerned.Im shocked that since its instantly past midnight-Keller glanced at her watch. Its just midnight nowMother Cybele lo oked up, startled, over her glasses. each head on the panel false. And every strikingness in the audience was suddenly fixed on Kellers group.A low murmur homogeneous the humming of bees began, except it swelled very quickly to something corresponding a muted roar. People were pointing openly as Keller ran up the steps to the stage.She glanced impale at the others and realized why. They were a pretty sad-looking bunch. Every one of them was squashy and ragged. Winnies strawberry-blond hair was dark red with blood on one side. Galens jumper was in shreds. And she herself was filthy from the tunnel and all the dirt shed encountered in the illumination. but Diana looked reasonably clean, and that was probably because the glow kept you from focusing too closely.Mother Cybele gave a little cry of joy that sounded quite young, and she dropped the index cards shed been holding. Aradia stood up, her beautiful blank eyes turned toward them, her full(a) face hopeful with joy. Gale ns parents looked extremely startled and relieved. tho some guy in a dark suit grabbed Kellers arm as she reached the top of the steps.Who are you conjectural to be? he said.Keller shook him off and stood with her hair swirling around her. Were the people whore bringing you the Wild Power, she said. She spotted Nissa just coming in the door and beckoned to her. And were also the ones who killed the dragon.The big room fell so silent that you could have heard a typography clip drop.Well, actually, she killed the dragon, Keller said, pointing to Diana.Aradia said in a hushed voice, The Witch Child. Shes come to us.Iliana walked slowly up onto the stage and stood straight. I didnt kill it alone, she said. Everybody helped, and especially Keller and Galen.Galens fathers golden eyebrows went up, and Galens mother gripped her husbands arm. Keller glanced sideways at Galen and truism that he was blushing.They fought it and fought it until they were both almost dead. only when then, whe n I used the muddied fire, they got better again.She said it so simply, speaking to Mother Cybele alone, or so it seemed. She didnt look in the least self-conscious, or in the least arrogant.I suppose shes used to having everybody looking at her, Keller judgement.Mother Cybele actually clasped her little soft hands together and shut her eyes. When she opened them again, they were shining with tears. tho all she said was, Welcome, my child. Grandma Harmans last words were for you. She hoped you would find your power.She did, Keller said. Winnie helped her.I didnt help her do that, Winnie said candidly. What she did back there and what she said. I just tried to show her how to use the orange fire. moreover when she started talking- She shook her curled head. I dont know where she got all that stuff ab erupt Hecate.It just came to me, Iliana said. I dont know. It was as if somebody was saying it to me, and I was just repeating it. exactly who could have said it? Keller thought. Who else but somebody who was there the first time, when the dragons were gift to sleep? Who else but Hecate Witch-Queen herself?Even though shed been dead thirty yard years.Its time for everything thats sleeping to wake back up again.Keller realized that she was approximate knocked out(p) a noise from the crowd. At first, she thought that they were muttering in uncertainty again, or maybe in annoyance at these people who were stand up on the stage and chattering.Then it got louder and louder, and she realized it was applause.People were clapping and cheerful and whistling. It was echoing off the ceiling and walls. And just when Keller thought it couldnt possibly get any louder, a new wave would come and prove her wrong.It took a long time for Mother Cybele to get them all quieted down. Then she turned to Keller and said formally, So youve completed your mission?Keller realized that it was a cue. And in the midst of the dizzy happiness shed been feeling, something twisted in her content.She kept it from viewing on her face. She kept herself standing erect.Yes, she said to Mother Cybele. Ive brought the Witch Child. She swallowed hard.And here is the son of the First House of the shapeshifters, Galens father said. He stepped over to Galen and took his hand. His face was stern but glowing with pride.Galens face was pale but set. He looked at Keller-for just one moment. And then he looked straight out at the audience with unseeing eyes.Mother Cybele looked toward Iliana. To take her hand, Keller supposed, and join it with Galens. But Iliana was holding some whispered conference with Aradia.When she finally turned around, Iliana said, 1 take Keller to do it. Shes the one responsible for all this.Keller blinked. Her throat was so swollen, it was impossible to swallow again. But she wouldnt have thought it of Iliana. Really, it seemed so pointlessly cruel to make her do it.But maybe she doesnt understand. Thats it, she doesnt realize, Keller thought. She let out a careful, shaky breath and said, Okay.She reached for Dianas hand-And felt a stab in her palm.She looked down, astonished. Iliana had a knife in that hand, a perfectly serviceable little knife. She had cut Keller with it, and Keller was bleeding. In fact, Iliana seemed to be bleeding, too.Sorry, Iliana hissed. Ick, I hate blood.Then, grabbing Kellers hand again, she face up the audience and raised it up high.There she said. Now were blood sisters. And shes already been like a sister to me, because she saved my life over and over. And if thats not just enough for an alliance between the witches and the shapeshifters, I dont know what is.The entire audience gaped at her. Mother Cybele blinked rapidly. are you saying Galens father looked incredulous. Are you saying that you wont marry my son?Im saying that she ought to marry your son- or squall to him, or whatever they want. Shes the one hes in sleep together with. And I dont see why you should make him miserable for his whol e life just because you want the shapeshifters tied to the witches. Keller and I are tied together, and we always lead be. And Galen, too. why cant that be enough?A sound was starting from the crowd again. Kellers heart seemed to soar on it. But she was legato staring at Iliana, afraid to believe.But what if the witches dont agree to it? Galens father said feebly.Iliana stamped her foot She actually did.Tm the Witch Child. Theyd better listen to me. I didnt go through all of this for nothing.Then the crowd was thundering applause even louder than before, and the wave seemed to spoil Keller right into Galens arms.Sometime later, in the middle of a lot of petting and kissing, Keller whispered to Iliana, Are you sure?Td better be sure, dont you think back? Or Galens deprivation to be pretty upset.Iliana-Tm sure, Iliana whispered. She squeezed Keller. I really do care about him. I guess Im sort of in love with him, too. But I saw. I saw his face in the clearing when he thought you were dead. And I heard the way he said your name. And then I knew, you know? The two of you were meant to be. So Im sure.A leopard? Galens mother said, shaking out her topaz-colored hair. Why, dear, thats wonderful. Your great-great-grandmother was a leopard.You gave up being a hoot for me, Keller whispered in his ear.I think I could learn to like running, he murmured, and took the chance to touch his lips to her cheek.No, maam, Im really sorry I woke you up, Keller said. Yes, maam, I do know how late it is. She strained to hear the voice on the other end of the phone. She had a finger in her ear to try and block out the noise of the wild celebration around her, but it wasnt doing much good.Because I honestly dont think its funny, Dianas mother said. The baby is just fine hes been in his bed all night. Why would you think he wasnt?Well, maam, its hard to explainAnd now hes awake, and hes going to start crying-well, hes not crying. But now he wants to eat the phone AlexA voice on t he other end squealed and said distinctly, Kee-keeYeah, its Kee-kee, Keller said, startled. Um, Im glad youre okay, kid. And, see, I didnt go so long after all. So you may think youre pretty smart,but you still have something to learn about precognition, hotshot. Right? Keller added, You know I thought for a minute once that you might be the Wild Power. But I guess youre just a good old-fashioned witch baby.Diana, who was passing by, gave her a very strange look. Keller, are you having a conversation with my baby brother?What exactly did the dragon say? Mother Cybele asked anxiously. Although she looked like a big dove and her eyes were always kind, there was a firmness about her plump chin that Keller liked.I asked who woke him up. And he said-Keller reached for the exact words-he said, Someone youll never know. A witch who isnt a witch. We made our own alliance.A witch who isnt a witch, Mother Cybele repeated.Aradias face was sober. I wonder who that could be. And where they are now.Mother Cybele said quietly, Time leave tell.The police are already inside, Nissa said, holding the cell phone to her ear as she talked to Keller. I guess the kids at the party called them when they saw a panther. Theyve found the family Mr. and Ms. Ashton-Hughes and Jaime and Brett. Theyre taking them to the hospital.She snapped the phone shut. Wed better send some witches to the hospital. But as long as theyre alive, they have a pretty good chance, dont you think? After all, weve got a Wild Power with healing fire. Now, cant you unroll and try to enjoy yourself?It was two days later. Keller was sitting in a sunny alcove in the safe house where Hiana and Galen and the others had been brought to protect them from the dark World. And to give them a chance to recover.It was nice to be still for a while. To sit and read and think. And it was even nicer to be able to do it with Galen around.He came in the door quietly-he always moved cat-quietly now. She smiled at him. He looked s o wonderfully dear with his golden hair and fairytale looks and leopard-green eyes.I wrote you a poem, he said, sitting down beside her. Well, no, thats not true. I kind of steal what your mother wrote and made it into something. I dont know what. But I think maybe its what she really meant to say, after all.Keller blinked at him, then looked down at the piece of paper he gave her.People die so love them every day. Beauty fades so look before its gone. Love changes but not the love you give. And if you love, youll never be alone.Actually, I was going to say, And you will always be alone so dont rely on others for your happiness, but dont stop loving, either, because then youll end up empty and alone preferably of alone and strong and able to give without worrying aboutwhat youre going to get back. But that was kind of long, and it didnt scan, he said.Keller stared down at the paper blindly.Im sorry, he said. If you dont like it-Keller threw her arms around him, and her tears spille d over. Im going to bite the other one, she said.And I love you. Kiss me.He grinned. Yes, Boss.And he did. oneness from the land of kings long forgotten One from the hearth which still holds the effervesce One from the Day World where two eyes are ceremonial One from the twilight to be one with the dark..