Dave Gross - Mistress of the Night

"Selune answers your prayers so that you know her power and never forget that she's there for you. She answers your prayers so that one day you will come back to her."

Velsinore's hands slid to one end of the rod and she swept it out in a wide, flat arc. Feena ducked down and let it hum over her head. Thrusting her weight against the cauldron, she sent the huge pot screeching across the floor. Velsinore gasped and stumbled back. The iron rod went flying from her hands to ring against a distant wall.

Feena darted out. Velsinore had already recovered her balance and stood ready for her. They crouched, circling each other like animals.

"Here's a question for you, Velsinore," Feena said. "If the Sharrans are suddenly your friends and allies, what's going to happen to you when they attack Moonshadow Hall?"

"They won't attack. They're too weak, and Bolan is a coward."

"Bolan doesn't lead them any more in anything but name," Feena reminded her. "Variance does and if she's been manipulating us, she's been manipulating them."

Velsinore's face flushed red. "You're lying," she spat.

"You've deluded yourself." Feena stopped and took a slow step back from Velsinore. "Come back to Selune. You're wrong, but we all mistakes. Find your faith again and-"

"I'm not the one who's wrong and I haven't lost my faith! I never left Selune, you mangy dog!" Her eyes flashed and the fingers of one hand curled into a sign. "By the Moonmaiden's light," she howled, "let your hidden spirit be revealed!"

When Mother Dhauna had spoken the prayer, Feena had been caught off guard by the attack of a beloved friendbut she had been facing a friend. As silver light shot out from between Velsinore's fingers, Feena threw herself away across the floor. Face grim, Velsinore swept the light to follow her. On a long counter, polished pieces of silver plate had been laid out in preparation for a feast that would never happen. Feena hurled herself into the shadow of the counter just as distant shouts of alarm and confusion came echoing through the corridors and into the kitchen.

"… dark mist! There's a cloud of dark mist on the west side of the temple!"

"Take positions. Get the novices to safety. Someone summon the guard!"

"There's still a crowd outside the gates!"

"Do you hear that, Velsinore?" Feena shouted over the top of the counter. "That's your friends coming. That's the Sharrans attacking!"

"Focus, Feena," Velsinore replied. "You've never had focus. The Sharrans aren't fighting me right now. You are."

The bright moonbeam of Velsinore's spell wavered overhead as she slid closer to the counter. Feena watched the shadows dance and drew a deep breath.

"Moonmaiden guide me," she murmured.

She leaped to her feet. Moonlight washed over her, stirring the wolf within and trying to force her body to transform. Teeth clenched, she fought back the transformation as she snatched up a big silver platter from the counter and held it up like a shield.

Reflected moonlight flashed back at Velsinore.

Magic intended to affect a lycanthrope had no effect on her, but the sudden reflection of light was dazzling. Velsinore's free hand shot up to block it and she glanced away out of instinct. In that brief moment, Feena jumped up on the counter and leaped at her with an angry shout.

"Selune!"

Velsinore gasped and tried to duck, but she wasn't fast enough. Feena's arm caught her around the chest. The two priestesses slammed to the floor, locked in struggle. Moonlight winked out. Feena managed to get an arm around Velsinore's neck in a chokehold, but Velsinore slid her arms free. One hand scrabbled for her medallion. Feena growled and snatched at it.

Too late. Velsinore's fingers closed.

"May Selune's touch turn against you!" she gasped with her last breath.

Her arm snapped up, slapping the hard metal of the medallion against Feena's neck just at her shoulder.

Feena screamed as pain split her flesh. Under her robe, she could feel wounds opening, gushing blood. The magic tore into her, sinking deep into her flesh. Something ripped inside her chest. Her grip on Velsinore loosened. The traitorous priestess started to slip free.

Feena clenched her teeth and tightened her hold, clawing with her other hand for a new grasp on Velsinore's head.

"By my faith and for Mother Dhauna," she gasped, "Bright Lady of the Night give strength to my arms!"

The prayer hadn't even left her mouth before Selune's power descended on her. For just a moment, it seemed that she was whole and uninjured. Magic thundered in her muscles. With a wild cry, she jerked them tight.

Velsinore's head wrenched around and her neck snapped with a loud crack. Her body shuddered once, then went limp.

Heresy died.

Feena clutched a dead weight in her arms. She pushed Velsinore away. The effort sent new pain ripping through her. Feena choked and toppled onto her back. Velsinore's final twisted curse had done something awful inside her. A cough wracked her and she could feel warm blood spatter across her lips. The borrowed strength of the goddess was already slipping away. Like a dream in the distance, she could hear the frightened shouts of Moonshadow Halland a sudden fierce cry: the charge of Shar's cult.

Moonshadow Hall needed her, if not as High Moonmistress, then at least as a warrior. She tried to move her arm, to reach for Selune's medallion. She tried to force the words of a prayerBright Lady of the Night, lay your touch upon me! out of her throat.

Her arm didn't move. Her prayer drowned in blood. ran through streets that seemed darker than he had ever known them. Was it just his imagination or was it some foul magic of Variance's? Did Shar's gaze rest upon Yhaunn? He could almost believe it did. He could almost believe he had brought disaster down on the entire city.

Sweat streamed from his forehead, catching in his eyebrows and dripping into his eyes. It poured down his back. His shirt was plastered to his skin. His breath came in huge, thick gasps. It felt as though his chest was ready to rip itself apart; cramps cut into his sides. Anyone who glimpsed him must have thought he'd gone mad.

He didn't dare to stop or even to slow down. Variance had studied him, and his family, too well. The attack of the shadow mastiffs on the Stiltways would be too much for the city guard to handle, especially combined with an attack on Moonshadow Hall. Faced with a threat to the city, Strasus Thingoleir wouldn't even hesitate before throwing himself and his entire family into the fight.

It didn't seem possible for his knotted guts to twist any tighter, but Keph could feel them clench with the hollow, watery feeling of new fear. The wizards of Fourstaves House would save many lives in the Stiltways. He knew that. They would drive the black dogs backbut not without risk to themselves. A vision of monstrous Rax flitted through Keph's mind. If Strasus, Dagnalla, Malia, Krin, or Roderio was hurt or killed because of what he'd caused

But he couldn't leave Jarull in Variance's grasp either. His family had a chance at least. They were powerful. They had magic. Jarull was already a prisoner, mad and tortured solely because Variance had needed something to hold over Keph's head.

He choked and tried to run a little faster. You idiot, he cursed himself, you stupid, stupid idiot!

The first deadly howls drifted over Yhaunn from the Stiltways as Keph tore around a corner and sprinted across the small courtyard toward Fourstaves House. The three stone dogs at the door growled and bristled at his sudden approachKeph didn't think he had ever been so happy to see them. Compared to the shadow mastiffs, they were like puppies! He thrust his hands out for them to smell, but kept moving, reaching for the door before the guardians had fully taken his scent. One of them snapped at him. Keph froze, his chest heaving.