The Silver Mist: A Wild Hunt Novel, Book 6 Read online

  As he sipped his mead, Herne said, “I’ve actually seen them fight at both Midwinter and Midsummer. It’s…impressive. I would never want to tangle with the Lords of the Seasons.”

  “Are they Luo’henkah?” I asked.

  He shook his head. “Not exactly, but close to it. At least they’re good about giving over when their half of the year is done.”

  We filled our plates, talking about everything except the Tuathan Brotherhood. For the evening, we wanted to forget the struggles we were facing.

  After we finished dinner, with Mr. Rumblebutt getting his own special treats, we carried dessert into the living room, where we exchanged gifts in a flurry of unwrapping and laughter. Since we hadn’t really had much time to shop, most of the gifts were trinkets, friend-to-friend gifts just to acknowledge the season.

  But Herne held out a package to me. “Here, love.”

  I stared at the small box. I had given him a framed picture of us, not sure what to get someone who could have just about anything he wanted.

  As I tore open the paper, I realized everyone was watching. Blushing, I lifted the velvet box out of the wrapping and opened it. Inside the jewelry box was a polished ring made out of what appeared to be bone. I glanced up at him, asking a silent question.

  “I had that made from a sliver of one of my tines,” he said quietly. “Let’s just call it a promise ring?”

  “This came from your own antler?” I slid the ring on the third finger of my right hand. It fit perfectly. “It’s beautiful.”

  “I wanted you to have something that marks you as my own. Do you like it?” He looked so worried that I leaned over and gave him a slow kiss.

  “I love it. And yes, a promise ring is perfect.”

  As we settled down to finish our desserts, Herne’s phone beeped. He glanced at it, then slowly straightened.

  “I hate to interrupt this, but Ember, turn on the TV, please.”

  I slowly picked up the remote and turned on the television. There was a breaking news report going on and, dreading what we were about to hear, I turned up the volume.

  The reporter was in midsentence. “—This afternoon, by a split vote of three to two, the United Coalition has suspended the Fae Courts from taking part in the governance of the nation until the Tuathan Brotherhood has been disbanded and brought to justice. The Shifter Alliance, the Human League, and the Cryptozoid Association voted in favor of the suspension. The Vampire Nation and Fae Courts voted against. This comes on the heels of a manifesto published on the internet two hours ago by the Tuathan Brotherhood threatening continued violence until the Cryptozoid Alliance is removed from the United Coalition. We have reached out to Queen Saílle and Queen Névé, but neither Court has made a statement yet—”

  Herne motioned for me to turn off the television. We all sat silent, waiting.

  He shook his head. “I’m afraid that our vacation’s just been cut short. Come Monday, we head back into the office and get to work on finding out all we can about Nuanda and who the hell he is.” He held out his arm and I slid into the seat beside him. He kissed the top of my head. “I’m sorry, I know we planned to take a week or two off, but we can’t.”

  “We also have to find out who the hell leaked the info about Rafé to the Tuathan Brotherhood,” I murmured.

  We went back to our desserts, but the evening wore away with a shadow hanging over it, and all I could think of was that we were facing an uphill battle. But at least we were facing it together. And on the longest night of the year, in the darkness and shadow, that felt like the strongest light we could have to hold onto.

  I WOKE into my dreaming state, standing on an open field as I stared up into the night sky. Through the darkness, a flaming arrow soared through the air. It sailed in an arc, directly toward me, but I made no move to dodge it. The arrow came to land at my feet, and I saw that it was made of gold, and the fire clinging to it was burning pure and clear.

  In the distance, the sun began to rise over the horizon, and as it crested above the mountains, the silhouette of a man rose up against the sky, spear in hand, ready for battle, and behind him stretched an army fed on anger and discontent.

  I leaned down to pull the arrow out of the ground and it turned into a sword dripping with moss. The figure in the distance stiffened as the sword reverberated in my hand, and as I stood, a horn sounded. He was coming, and I turned, knowing that my sword waited to meet him in battle.

  IF YOU ENJOYED this book and haven’t read the first five, check out THE SILVER STAG, OAK & THORNS, IRON BONES, A SHADOW OF CROWS, and THE HALLOWED HUNT. Preorder Book 7 now—WITCHING HOUR (An Ante-Fae Adventure) for a glimpse of Raven’s world. There will be more to come after that.

  I also invite you to visit Fury’s world. In a gritty, post-apocalyptic Seattle, Fury is a minor goddess, in charge of eliminating the Abominations who come off the World Tree. Book 1-5 are available now in the Fury Unbound Series : FURY RISING, FURY’S MAGIC, FURY AWAKENED, FURY CALLING, and FURY’S MANTLE.

  If you prefer a lighter-hearted but still steamy paranormal romance, meet the wild and magical residents of Bedlam in my Bewitching Bedlam Series. Fun-loving witch Maddy Gallowglass, her smoking-hot vampire lover Aegis, and their crazed cjinn Bubba (part djinn, all cat) rock it out in Bedlam, a magical town on a mystical island. BLOOD MUSIC, BEWITCHING BEDLAM, MAUDLIN’S MAYHEM, SIREN’S SONG, WITCHES WILD, CASTING CURSES, BLOOD VENGEANCE, TIGER TAILS, and Bubba’s origin story THE WISH FACTOR are all available.

  For a dark, gritty, steamy series, try my world of The Indigo Court , where the long winter has come, and the Vampiric Fae are on the rise. The series is complete with NIGHT MYST, NIGHT VEIL, NIGHT SEEKER, NIGHT VISION, NIGHT’S END, and NIGHT SHIVERS.

  If you like cozies with teeth, try my Chintz ‘n China paranormal mysteries. The series is complete with: GHOST OF A CHANCE, LEGEND OF THE JADE DRAGON, MURDER UNDER A MYSTIC MOON, A HARVEST OF BONES, ONE HEX OF A WEDDING, and a wrap-up novella: HOLIDAY SPIRITS.

  The last Otherworld book—BLOOD BONDS—is available now.

  For all of my work, both published and upcoming releases, see the Biography at the end of this book, or check out my website at Galenorn.com and be sure and sign up for my newsletter to receive news about all my new releases.

  CAST OF CHARACTERS

  The Wild Hunt & Family:

  Angel Jackson: Ember’s best friend, a human empath, Angel is the newest member of the Wild Hunt. A whiz in both the office and the kitchen, and loyal to the core, Angel is an integral part of Ember’s life, and a vital member of the team.

  Charlie Darren: A vampire who was turned at nineteen. Math major, baker, and all-around gofer.

  Ember Kearney: Caught between the world of Light and Dark Fae, and pledged to Morgana, goddess of the Fae and the Sea, Ember Kearney was born with the mark of the Silver Stag. Rejected by both her bloodlines, she now works for the Wild Hunt as an investigator.

  Herne the Hunter: Herne is the son of the Lord of the Hunt, Cernunnos, and Morgana, goddess of the Fae and the Sea. A demigod—given his mother’s mortal beginnings—he’s a lusty, protective god and one hell of a good boss. Owner of the Wild Hunt Agency, he helps keep the squabbles between the world of Light and Dark Fae from spilling over into the mortal realms.

  Talia: A harpy who long ago lost her powers, Talia is a top-notch researcher for the agency, and a longtime friend of Herne.

  Viktor: Viktor is half-ogre, half-human. Rejected by his father’s people (the ogres), he came to work for Herne some decades back.

  Yutani: A coyote shifter who is dogged by the spirit of the Great Coyote, his father. Yutani was driven out of his village over two hundred years before. He walks in the shadow of the trickster, and is the IT specialist for the company.

  The Gods, the Luo’henkah, the Elemental Spirits, & Their Courts:

  Brighid: Goddess of Healing, Inspiration, and Smithery. The Lady of the Fiery Arrows, “Exalted One.”

  The Cailleach: One of the Luo’henkah, t
he heart and spirit of winter.

  Cerridwen: Goddess of the Cauldron of Rebirth. Dark harvest mother goddess.

  Cernunnos: Lord of the Hunt, god of the Forest and King Stag of the Woods. Together with Morgana, Cernunnos originated the Wild Hunt and negotiated the covenant treaty with both the Light and the Dark Fae. Herne’s father.

  Coyote (also: Great Coyote): Native American trickster spirit/god.

  Danu: Mother of the Pantheon. Leader of the Tuatha de Dannan.

  Ferosyn: Chief healer in Cernunnos’s Court

  Herne: (see The Wild Hunt)

  Isella: One of the Luo’henkah. The Daughter of Ice (daughter of the Cailleach).

  Kuippana (also: Kipa): Lord of the Wolves. Elemental forest spirit; Herne’s distant cousin. Trickster.

  Morgana: Goddess of the Fae and the Sea, she was originally human but Cernunnos lifted her to deityhood. She agreed to watch over the Fae who did not return across the Great Sea. Torn by her loyalty to her people and her loyalty to Cernunnos, she at times finds herself conflicted about the Wild Hunt. Herne’s mother.

  The Morrígan: Goddess of Death and Phantoms. Goddess of the battlefield.

  The Fae Courts:

  Navane: The court of the Light Fae, both across the Great Sea and on the eastside of Seattle, the latter ruled by Névé.

  TirNaNog: The court of the Dark Fae, both across the Great Sea and on the eastside of Seattle, the latter ruled by Saílle.

  The Ante-Fae:

  Creatures predating the Fae. The wellspring from which all Fae descended. Unique beings who rule their own realms. All Ante-Fae are dangerous, but some are more deadly than others.

  Apollo: The Golden Boy. Vixen’s boy toy. Weaver of Wings. Dancer.

  Blackthorn, the King of Thorns: Ruler of the blackthorn trees and all thorn-bearing plants. Cunning and wily, he feeds on pain and desire.

  Raven, the Daughter of Bones (also: Raven BoneTalker): A bone witch, Raven is young, as far as the Ante-Fae go, and she works with the dead. She’s also a fortune teller, and a necromancer.

  Straff: Blackthorn’s son, who suffers from a wasting disease requiring him to feed off others’ life energies and blood.

  Vixen: The Mistress/Master of Mayhem. Gender-fluid Ante-Fae who owns the Burlesque A Go-Go nightclub.

  The Vulture Sisters: Triplet sisters, predatory.

  The Force Majeure:

  A group of legendary magicians, sorcerers, and witches. They are not human, but magic-born. There are twenty-one at any given time and the only way into the group is to be hand chosen, and the only exit from the group is death.

  Merlin: Morgana’s father. Magician of ancient Celtic fame.

  Taliesin: The first Celtic bard. Son of Cerridwen, originally a servant who underwent magical transformation and finally was reborn through Cerridwen as the first bard.

  Ranna: Powerful sorceress. Elatha’s mistress.

  Rasputin: The Russian sorcerer and mystic.

  Väinämöinen: The most famous Finnish bard.

  Friends, Family, & Enemies:

  Aoife: A priestess of Morgana who guards the Seattle portal to the goddess’s realm.

  Celia: Yutani’s aunt.

  Danielle: Herne’s daughter, born to an Amazon named Myrna.

  DJ Jackson: Angel’s little half-brother, DJ is half Wulfine—wolf shifter. He now lives with a foster family for his own protection.

  Erica: A Dark Fae police officer, friend of Viktor’s.

  Elatha: Fomorian King; enemy of the Fae race.

  Ginty McClintlock: A dwarf. Owner of Ginty’s Waystation Bar & Grill.

  Marilee: A priestess of Morgana, Ember’s mentor. Possibly Human—unknown.

  Myrna: An Amazon who had a fling with Herne many years back, resulting in their daughter Danielle.

  Rafé Forrester: Brother to Ulstair, Raven’s late fiancé; Angel’s boyfriend. Actor/Fast-food worker. Dark Fae.

  Sheila: Viktor’s girlfriend. A kitchen witch; one of the magic-born. Geology teacher who volunteers at the Chapel Hill Homeless Shelter.

  PLAYLIST

  I often write to music, and THE SILVER MIST was no exception. Here’s the playlist I used for this book.

  AJ Roach: Devil May Dance

  Air: Napalm Love; Playground Love

  Android Lust: Here and Now

  Arch Leaves: Nowhere to Go

  The Black Angels: Half Believing; Comanche Moon; Always Maybe; You’re Mine; Manipulation; Phosphene Dream; Death March; Young Men Dead

  Black Mountain: Queens Will Play

  Bobbie Gentry: Ode To Billie Joe

  Bon Jovi: Wanted Dead Or Alive

  Brandon & Derek Fiechter: Will-O’-Wisps; Black Wolf’s Inn; Fairy Magic

  Broken Bells: The Ghost Inside

  Buffalo Springfield: For What It’s Worth

  Celtic Woman: The Butterfly; The Voice; Scarborough Fair

  Cher: The Beat Goes On

  The Chieftains: Dunmore Lassies

  Clannad: Newgrange

  Cobra Verde: Play with Fire

  Colin Foulke: Emergence

  Crazy Town: Butterfly

  Cream: Sunshine of Your Love; Strange Brew; I Feel Free

  Creedence Clearwater Revival: Run Through the Jungle

  Crosby, Stills & Nash: Guinnevere

  Damh the Bard: Silent Moon; The Cauldron Born; Tomb of the King; Obsession; Cloak of Feathers; Lady in Black; Taliesin’s Song; The Wheel; Noon of the Solstice

  David Bowie: Golden Years; Sister Midnight

  Dizzi: Dizzi Jig; Dance of the Unicorns

  Eastern Sun: Beautiful Being (Original Edit)

  Eivør: Trøllbundin

  Faun: Hymn to Pan; Oyneng Yar; The Market Song; Punagra; Cernunnos; Rad; Sieben

  Flight of the Hawk: Bones

  Gabrielle Roth: The Calling; Raven; Mother Night

  Gordon Lightfoot: The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald

  The Gospel Whiskey Runners: Muddy Waters

  Gotye: Hearts A Mess; Somebody That I Used To Know

  Gypsy: Magick; Medicine Song; Morgaine

  Gypsy Soul: Who?

  The Hang Drum Project: Shaken Oak; St.Chartier

  Hedningarna: Ukkonen; Juopolle Joutunut

  The Hu: Wolf Totem; Yuve Yuve Yu

  Huldrelokkk: Trolldans

  Ian Melrose & Kerstin Blodig: Kråka

  Jeannie C. Riley: Harper Valley PTA

  Jessica Bates: The Hanging Tree

  Jethro Tull: Jack Frost & the Hooded Crow; Down at the End of Your Road; Jack-A-Lynn; Motoreyes; Rhythm in Gold; Overhang; Witch’s Promise; Mountain Men; Acres Wild; Moths; Journeyman; Heavy Horses; Weathercock; North Sea Oil; Something’s On the Move; Old Ghosts; Dun Ringill

  Led Zeppelin: Ramble On; The Battle of Evermore; Stairway to Heaven; When the Levee Breaks; Kashmir

  Leonard Cohen: The Future; You Want it Darker

  Libana: The Earth is Our Mother; Ancient Mother; Round and Round

  Linda Perhacs: Delicious

  Lorde: Yellow Flicker Beat; Royals

  Loreena McKennitt: The Mummers’ Dance; All Souls Night

  Low with Tom and Andy: Half Light

  Marconi Union: First Light; Alone Together; Flying (In Crimson Skies); Time Lapse; On Reflection; Broken Colours; We Travel; Weightless; Weightless, Pt. 2; Weightless, Pt. 3; Weightless, Pt. 4; Weightless, Pt. 5; Weightless, Pt. 6

  Matt Corby: Breathe

  Motherdrum: Big Stomp; Ceremony; Instant Success

  Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds: Red Right Hand

  Nirvana: Come As You Are; Lake of Fire; Something in the Way; Heart Shaped Box; Plateau

  PJ Harvey: Let England Shake; The Glorious Land; The Words That Maketh Murder; The Colour of the Earth

  Rachel Diggs: Hands of Time

  Robin Schulz: Sugar

  Rolling Stones: Gimme Shelter; 19th Nervous Breakdown; Lady Jane; Sympathy For the Devil; Miss You

  Ruth Barrett: Faeries Love Song

  J. Tucker: Hymn to Herne

&
nbsp; Sharon Knight: Ravaged Ruins; Bewitched; 13 Knots; Let the Waters Rise; Star of the Sea; Siren Moon; Mother of the World; Berrywood Grove

  Shriekback: Dust and a Shadow; Underwaterboys; This Big Hush; The King in the Tree; And The Rain

  Snow Patrol: The Lightning Strike: What If This Storm Ends; Life Boats; If There’s a Rocket, Tie Me To It

  Spiral Dance: Boys of Bedlam; Tarry Trousers; Burning Times; Rise Up

  Steeleye Span: The Fox; Blackleg Miner; Cam Ye O’er Frae France

  Steppenwolf: Don’t Step on the Grass, Sam; Magic Carpet Ride; Jupiter’s Child

  Strawberry Alarm Clock: Incense and Peppermint

  Sweet Talk Radio: We All Fall Down

  Tempest: Buffalo Jump; Raggle Taggle Gypsy; Mad Tom of Bedlam; Queen of Argyll; Nottamun Town; Black Jack Davy

  Todd Alan: We Are the Walking Breath; Spirit of the Wind

  Tom Petty: Mary Jane’s Last Dance

  Traffic: Rainmaker; The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys

  Tuatha Dea: Wisp of A Thing (Part 1); The Hum and the Shiver; Long Black Curl; Irish Handfasting; Tuatha De Danaan

  Warchild: Ash

  Wendy Rule: Let the Wind Blow; Elemental Chant; The Circle Song; The Wolf Sky

  Woodland: Blood of the Moon; The Grove; Witch’s Cross; First Melt; The Dragon; Secrets Told; The Dragon; Under the Snow; Golden Raven’s Eye

  Zero 7: In the Waiting Line

  The Zombies: Time of the Season

  BIOGRAPHY

  New York Times, Publishers Weekly, and USA Today bestselling author Yasmine Galenorn writes urban fantasy and paranormal romance, and is the author of over sixty books, including the Wild Hunt Series, the Fury Unbound Series, the Bewitching Bedlam Series, the Indigo Court Series, and the Otherworld Series, among others. She’s also written nonfiction metaphysical books. She is the 2011 Career Achievement Award Winner in Urban Fantasy, given by RT Magazine.