Night World : Witchlight Chapter 18

The mobilize to Charlotte passed in a blur. All Keller could int give up was hanging on while Nissa did n spikely of the wildest driving shed ever experienced. They went offroad for a considerably deal of the way.It was unrivalled minute to midnight when they squealed into a parking lot in battle depend of a long, low building. Go in, go in Nissa give tongue to, slamming to a stop in front of a set of picture doors.Keller and Galen and Winnie and Iliana ran.They burst into a large populate that showmed very brightly lit. A sea of chairs with bodies academic session in them swam in front of Kellers eye. Then she focused on a platform at the front.Come on, she verbalize tersely.There were a number of concourse sitting at a send back on the platform, facing the auditory sense unsloped equivalent any ordinary instrument panel, with glass of water and microphonesin front of them. b arly Keller recognized about of the passel as she got closer, and they were anything however ordinary.That little dumpling-shaped woman with the turn of events smell was commence Cybele. contract of both the beldamees, hardly as grannie Harman had been Crone. With Grandma Harman dead, she was the witches leader.The tall girl with the lovely f tuckerures and the cafe au lait skin who sat beside her was Aradia. The ruse Maiden of the beguilees mentioned in the prophecies.And that regal-looking man with the flamboyant hair and beard, sitting by the queenlike woman with flashing green eyesThey could only be the leaders of the early abode of the shapeshifters.Galens baffle and father.There were others, excessively, all-important(a) people from Circle Daybreak, tho Keller didnt charter season to focus on them. arrest Cybele was on her feet and speaking. She must have been a little short-sighted, because she didnt appear to see Keller and the others glide path up on the side. Her voice was decelerate and c formerlyrned.Im fearful that since its now past midnight-Keller glanced at her watch. Its only midnight now stick Cybele looked up, startled, over her glasses. Every head on the panel dark. And every compositors case in the consultation was suddenly fixed on Kellers group.A low murmur like the humming of bees began, besides it swelled very readily to something like a muted roar. slew were pointing openly as Keller ran up the travel to the stage.She glanced back at the others and realize why. They were a handsome sad-looking bunch. Every one of them was waterlogged and ragged. Winnies strawberry-blond hair was dark red with family on one side. Galens sweater was in shreds. And she herself was filthy from the tunnel and all the crap shed encountered in the illumination.Only Diana looked reasonably clean, and that was plausibly because the glow unbroken you from focusing too closely.Mother Cybele gave a little yell of joy that sounded quite young, and she dropped the index separate shed been safekeeping. A radia stood up, her beautiful blank eyes sullen toward them, her entire face shining with joy. Galens pargonnts looked modification startled and relieved. unless some guy c open in a dark character grabbed Kellers arm as she reached the top of the steps.Who argon you supposed to be? he tell.Keller agitate him off and stood with her hair swirling around her. Were the people whore bringing you the hazardous Power, she give tongue to. She spotted Nissa just coming in the door and beckoned to her. And were in like manner the ones who killed the dragon.The big room fell so silent that you could have perceive a stem clip drop.Well, actually, she killed the dragon, Keller say, pointing to Diana.Aradia said in a hushed voice, The Witch Child. Shes have sex to us.Iliana walked slowly up onto the stage and stood straight. I didnt kill it alone(predicate), she said. Everybody helped, and especially Keller and Galen.Galens fathers golden eyebrows went up, and Galens mother grippe d her husbands arm. Keller glanced sideways at Galen and saw that he was blushing.They fought it and fought it until they were both almost dead. yet accordingly, when I used the blue fire, they got split up again.She said it so simply, speaking to Mother Cybele alone, or so it seemed. She didnt look in the to the lowest degree self-conscious, or in the least arrogant.I suppose shes used to having everybody looking at her, Keller purpose.Mother Cybele actually clasped her little loopy hands together and shut her eyes. When she loose them again, they were shining with rupture.But all she said was, Welcome, my child. Grandma Harmans last words were for you. She hoped you would adventure 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 orangeness fire. But when she started talking- She shook her curly head. I dont spot where she got all that stu ff round Hecate.It just came to me, Iliana said. I dont know. It was as if somebody was face it to me, and I was just ingeminate it.But who could have said it? Keller aspect. Who else but somebody who was there the first time, when the dragons were project to sleep? Who else but Hecate Witch-Queen herself?Even though shed been dead thirty thousand years.Its time for everything thats sleeping to wake back up again.Keller realized that she was regarding a stochasticity from the herd. At first, she thought that they were muttering in disbelief again, or maybe in annoyance at these people who were stand on the stage and chattering.Then it got louder and louder, and she realized it was applause.People were clapping and cheering and whistling. It was utter off the ceiling and walls. And just when Keller thought it couldnt possibly get any louder, a new beat would come and judge her wrong.It took a long time for Mother Cybele to get them all quieted d consume. Then she turned t o Keller and said formally, So youve comp permited your missionary station?Keller realized that it was a cue. And in the thick of the dizzy happiness shed been feeling, something twisted in her heart.She kept it from showing 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 whence he looked straight egress at the audience with unseeing eyes.Mother Cybele looked toward Iliana. To take her hand, Keller supposed, and roast it with Galens. But Iliana was holding some verbalise conversation with Aradia.When she finally turned around, Iliana said, 1 want Keller to do it. Shes the one obligated for all this.Keller blinked. Her throat was so swollen, it was insufferable to swallow again. But she wouldnt have thought it of Iliana. Really, it seemed so pointlessly cruel to win her do it.But maybe she doesnt understand. Thats it, she doesnt realize, Keller thought. She let out a careful, shaky trace and said, Okay.She reached for Dianas hand-And felt a stab in her palm.She looked humble, astonished. Iliana had a knife in that hand, a perfectly serviceable little knife. She had diagonal Keller with it, and Keller was bleeding. In fact, Iliana seemed to be bleeding, too.Sorry, Iliana hissed. Ick, I nauseate railway line.Then, grabbing Kellers hand again, she faced the audience and increase it up high.There she said. Now were blood babes. And shes already been like a sister to me, because she saved my life over and over. And if thats non correct comme il faut for an alliance in the midst of 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 i ncredulous. Are you saying that you wont bind my son?Im saying that she ought to marry your son- or promise to him, or whatever they want. Shes the one hes in love with. And I dont see why you should make him miserable for his self-colored life just because you want the shapeshifters bind to the witches. Keller and I are tied together, and we endlessly allow for be. And Galen, too. wherefore cant that be enough?A sound was starting from the concourse again. Kellers heart seemed to soar on it. But she was still 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 sweep Keller right into Galens arms.Sometime later, in the middle of a lot of clasp and kissing, Keller whispered to Iliana, Are you sure?Td better be sure, dont you return? Or Galens loss to be pretty upset.Iliana-Tm sure, Iliana whispered. She squeezed Keller. I unfeignedly 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 and so I knew, you know? The cardinal of you were meant to be. So Im sure.A leopard? Galens mother said, shaking out her topaz-colored hair. Why, near, thats wonderful. Your great-great-grandmother was a leopard.You gave up being a bird for me, Keller whispered in his ear.I think I could set to like running, he murmured, and took the materialize 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 render and block out the echo of the wild celebration around her, but it wasnt doing much good.Because I honestly dont t hink its funny, Dianas mother said. The baby is just exquisite hes been in his bed all night. Why would you think he wasnt?Well, maam, its hard to formulateAnd now hes awake, and hes liberation to start crying-well, hes not crying. But now he wants to eat the phone AlexA voice on the other end squealed and said distinctly, Kee-keeYeah, its Kee-kee, Keller said, startled. Um, Im buoyant youre okay, kid. And, see, I didnt go bye-bye aft(prenominal) 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 comminutedly did the dragon say? Mother Cybele asked anxiously. Although she looked like a big descend and her eyes were forever kind, there was a firmness about her plump chin up 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 will 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 relax 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 treasure them from the Night 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 so 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 take 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 trust on others for your happiness, but dont stop loving, either, because the n youll end up empty and alone instead 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 spilled over. Im going to burn the other one, she said.And I love you. Kiss me.He grinned. Yes, Boss.And he did. ane from the land of kings long forget One from the hearth which still holds the prompt One from the Day World where two eyes are watching One from the twilight to be one with the dark..