Stark

Stark thought it was pretty impressive that Thanatos kept her shock to a minimum as Aphrodite, with some help from Damien, explained everything to the High Priestess, beginning with Zoey's entrance to the House of Night, going through the discovery of the red fledglings, Kalona's rising, their slow realization of the depth of Neferet's evil, and finally finishing up with the conversation she'd had with Stevie Rae on the phone.

At the story's conclusion, Thanatos stood and walked over to stare down at Zoey's body. When the High Priestess finally spoke, it seemed she was talking to Z more than to them.

"So from the beginning this has been a battle between Light and Darkness, only until now it has been fought mostly in the physical realm."

"Light and Darkness? It sounds like you're using those two words as titles," said Damien.

"Very astute of you, young fledgling," Thanatos said.

"That's what Stevie Rae was doing, too. Using Darkness like a title," Aphrodite said.

"Titles? Like they're two people?" Jack asked.

"Not people - that's too limiting. Think of them more as immortals who are so powerful that they can manipulate energy to such an extent that spirit can be made tangible," Thanatos said.

"You mean like Nyx is Light and Kalona, or at least what he represents, is Darkness?" Damien said.

"It is more accurate to say that Nyx is allied with Light. The same can be said for Kalona and Darkness."

"Okay, I'm not Miss Perfect Schoolgirl, but I'm smart, and I actually did pay attention in class. Most of the time. I haven't heard of any of this stuff," Aphrodite said.

"Neither have I," Damien said.

"And that's saying something, 'cause Damien is definitely Miss Perfect Schoolgirl," said Erin.

"Totally," said Shaunee.

Thanatos sighed and turned from Zoey to face the rest of the room. "Yes, well, it is an ancient belief that I don't think was ever fully accepted by our society, or at least the Priestesses of our society."

"Why? What's wrong with it?" Aphrodite asked.

"It was based on struggle and violence and the clash of the raw powers of good and evil."

Aphrodite snorted, "You mean guy stuff."

Thanatos's brows lifted. "I do."

"Hang on. What's so guy-stuff-like about believing in good fighting evil?" Stark said.

"It's more than a simple belief that there is good and that it should fight the evil in the world. It's a personification of Light and Darkness at their most elemental level, as forces that are so absorbed with themselves that one cannot exist without the other though they constantly try to consume one another."

Thanatos sighed again at the blank looks the kids were giving her. "One of the earliest representations of Light and Darkness was of Light being a massive black bull and Darkness being an enormous white bull."

"Huh? Shouldn't the white be Light and the black be Darkness?" Jack asked.

"One would think so, but it is thus that they were represented in our ancient scrolls. It was written that each creature, Light and Darkness, carried something for which the other would always long. Think of the bulls, swollen with the power they wield, meeting in eternal combat, each struggling to get something from the other it could never attain without destroying itself. I saw a depiction of their battle once when I was a young High Priestess, and I've never forgotten how raw and violent it was - disturbingly so. The

bulls' horns were locked. Their powerful bodies strained to reach the other, blood spewed, nostrils flared. It was a deadlock that was frightening in its intensity - the painting itself seemed to vibrate with power."

"Masculine power," Darius said. "I've seen that depiction, too, when I was in training to become a Warrior. It decorated the cover of some of the ancient journals written by great Warriors from our past."

"Masculine power. I can see why the vamp leaders let that bull stuff fade away," Erin said.

"Seriously, Twin." Shaunee nodded. "Too much guy power when vamps are mostly about girl power."

"But our belief system isn't about female power suppressing male power. It's about a healthy balance between the two," Darius said.

"No, Warrior, the truth is our belief system is not supposed to be about female power suppressing male power; but as with Light and Darkness, it is an eternal struggle to find a balance between the two without one destroying the other. Think of the images of Nyx that we see about us every day, with their feminine beauty and appeal. Contrast that to an imagining of the raw power unleashed in the form of two great, battling, male creatures. Do you see how a world trying to contain both would be in conflict, and thus one must be suppressed in order to allow the other to thrive?"

Aphrodite snorted, "That's not so hard to imagine. I can't imagine the uptight High Council wanting anything to do with something as messy as two giant guy bulls and any beliefs they represent."

"She means except for you," Stark said, frowning at Aphrodite and sending her a "you're not helping"

look.

Thanatos smiled. "No, Aphrodite is correct. The Council has changed over the centuries, especially over the past four I have existed. It used to be a vital force, in its own way very elemental and rather barbaric in its power. But in modern times it has become . . ." The High Priestess hesitated, searching for the correct word.

"Civilized," Aphrodite said. "It's super civilized."

"It is," Thanatos said.

Aphrodite's blue eyes widened. "And being too civilized isn't necessarily a good thing, especially when you're dealing with two bulls ramming against each other and taking out anything that stands between them."

"Zoey's awfully close to Light," Damien said softly.

"Close enough to get gored by Darkness," Stark said. "Especially if Darkness has been sent to be sure she doesn't ever reach the Light again."

The room went silent while everyone's eyes went to Zoey, lying silent and pale against the very civilized cream-colored satin linens.

It was within the silence that the realization came to Stark, and with the instincts of a Warrior guarding his High Priestess, he knew he had found the right path.

"Then finding out how to protect Zoey isn't about ignoring the past. It's about looking deeper into the past than anyone today would think to do," Stark said, excitement raising his voice.

"And it's about embracing and understanding the raw power that is unleashed by the struggle between Light and Darkness," Thanatos said.

"But where the hell do we find out about that?" Aphrodite said, brushing her hair back from her face in frustration. "The beliefs we need have died out - you said that yourself, Thanatos."

"Perhaps not everywhere," Darius said, sitting up straighter, his eyes sharp and intelligent as his gaze met Stark's. "If you want to find ancient and barbaric beliefs you have to go to a place formed by an ancient and barbaric past. A place that is essentially cut off from today's civilization."

The answer jolted through Stark. "I have to go to the Isle."

"Exactly," Darius said.

"What the hell are you two talking about?" Aphrodite said.

"They speak of the place where Warriors were first trained by Sgiach."

"Sgiach? Who is that?" Damien asked.

"It is the ancient title for the Warrior who was called The Great Taker of Heads," Darius said.

"Sgiach was as raw and barbaric as it gets as a Warrior," Stark said.

"Okay, this is all well and good, but we need him to be alive today and not just an old story Warriors know, 'cause I'm pretty sure if Stark can't travel to the Otherworld, he also can't travel to the past,"

Aphrodite said.

"She, " Darius corrected.

"She?" Aphrodite's face was a question mark.

"Sgiach was a female Warrior, a vampyre of amazing powers," Stark said.

"And those 'old stories,' my beauty, also say that there will always be a Sgiach." Darius gave Aphrodite an indulgent smile. "She lives on the Isle of Women at the House of Night there."

"There's an Isle of Women House of Night?" Erin said.

"Why don't we know about that?" Shaunee said. "Do you know about that?" she asked Damien.

He shook his head. "Never heard of it."

"That's because you're not Warriors," Darius said. "The Isle of Women is also known as the Isle of Skye."

"Skye, like in Scotland?" Damien said.

"Yes. It is there that the very first vampyre Warriors were trained," Darius said.

"But not anymore, right?" Damien said, looking from Darius to Stark. "I mean, Warrior training goes on at all the Houses of Night. Like Dragon Lankford trains a bunch of Warriors who come from all over, and he's definitely not in Scotland."

"You are correct, Damien. In the modern world the training of Warriors takes place at the House of Night schools throughout the world," Thanatos said. "Around the turn of the nineteenth century, the High Council decided that would a more convenient way of doing things."

"More convenient and more civilized, I bet," Aphrodite said.

"You, too, are correct, Prophetess," Thanatos said.

"That's it, then. I take Zoey to the Isle of Women and Sgiach," Stark said.

"And then what?" Aphrodite asked.

"Then I get uncivilized so that I can figure out how to fight my way into the Otherworld without dying, and, once I'm there, I do whatever I have to do to bring Zoey back to us."

"Huh," said Aphrodite. "That actually doesn't sound like a bad idea."

"If Stark is allowed to enter the Isle," Darius said.

"It's a House of Night. Why wouldn't they let Stark come in?" Damien said.

"It's a House of Night like none other," Thanatos said. "The High Council's decision to move the training of the Sons of Erebus from Skye and spread them out among the Houses of Night worldwide was a decision that was the culmination of many, many years of tension and unease between the reigning Sgiach and the High Council."

"You make her sound like a queen," Jack said.

"In a way she is - a queen whose subjects were Warriors," Thanatos said.

"A queen in charge of the Sons of Erebus? I know the vamp High Council wouldn't like that, not unless Queen Sgiach was part of the High Council, too," Aphrodite said.

"Sgiach is a Warrior," Thanatos said. "And Warriors are not allowed on the High Council."

"But Sgiach is a woman. She should be able to be voted onto the Council," Damien said.

"No," Darius said. "No Warrior can sit on the Council. That is vampyre law."

"And that probably pissed off Sgiach," Aphrodite said. "I know it'd piss me off. She should be able to sit on the High Council."

Thanatos bowed her head in acknowledgment. "I agree with you, Prophetess, but many did not. When the training of the Sons of Erebus Warriors was taken from her, Sgiach withdrew to the Isle of Skye. She spoke to no one about her intention, but she didn't need to. We all felt her anger. We also felt the

protective circle she cast around her Isle." Thanatos's eyes were filled with the shadows of memories of the past. "No one had experienced its like since the mighty vampyre Cleopatra cast a protective circle around her beloved Alexandria."

"No one enters the Isle of Women without the permission of Sgiach," Darius said.

"If they attempt to do so - they die," Thanatos said.

"Well, how do I get permission to enter the Isle?" Stark asked.

There was a long, awkward silence, and then Thanatos said, "Therein lies the first of your problems.

Since Sgiach cast her protective circle, no outsider has been given permission to enter her Isle."

"I'll get permission," Stark said firmly.

"How are you going to do that, Warrior?" Thanatos asked.

Stark blew out a long breath, and said, "I know how I'm not going to do it. I'm not going to be civilized.

And right now that's about all I know."

"Hang on," Damien said. "Thanatos, Darius, you both know things about Sgiach and this ancient barbaric religion. So, where did you learn it?"

"I've always liked to read." Darius shrugged. "So I was drawn to the old scrolls at the House of Night where I studied the blade. In my off time, I read."

"Dangerous and sexy. That's an excellent combination," Aphrodite purred, snuggling into him.

"Okay, we'll all barf later," Erin said.

"Yeah, right now, stop interrupting," Shaunee said.

"What about your knowledge of the bulls and Sgiach?" Damien asked Thanatos, giving the Twins and Aphrodite "be quiet" looks.

"From ancient texts here in the palace archives. When I first became a High Priestess, I spent many hours studying here by myself. I had to; I had no mentor," Thanatos said.

"No mentor? That'd be hard," Stark said.

"Apparently our world only needs one High Priestess at a time who has been gifted with an affinity for death," Thanatos said with a wry smile.

"That's a sucky job description," Jack said, and then clamped his hand over his mouth, and squeaked,

"Sorry!"

Thanatos's smile widened. "I take no offense at your words, child. To be allied with Death is not an easy career path."

"But because of that, and because Darius is a reading Warrior, we have something to go by," Damien said.

"What are you thinking?" Aphrodite said.

"I'm thinking that I'm really good at one thing - and that's studying."

Aphrodite's blue eyes widened. "So we just need to point you to something to study."

"The archives. You need access to the palace archives," Thanatos said, already heading toward the door. "I'll speak with Duantia."

"Excellent. I'll get ready to study," Damien said.

"I'll help," Jack said.

"Nerd herd, as much as I hate it, it looks like we're all gonna get ready to study."

Stark watched Thanatos go. He vaguely registered that the rest of the kids were excited that they had somewhere to focus their energy, but his gaze went back to Zoey's pale face.

And I'll get ready to ally myself with death.

Zoey

Nothing seemed right.

It wasn't like I didn't know where I was. I mean, I knew I was in the Otherworld but not dead, and that I was with Heath, who definitely was dead.

Goddess! It was so weird that it was becoming more and more normal to think of Heath as DEAD.

Anyway, besides that, stuff just wasn't right.

At this moment I was curled up with Heath. We were spooning like an old married couple at the base of a tree on a mossy mattress made by the joining of ancient roots in a roughly bedlike oval. I should have been majorly comfortable. The moss was definitely soft, and it really did seem like Heath was alive. I could see him, hear him, touch him - he even smelled like Heath. I should be able to relax and just be with him.

So why, I wondered as I stared at a gaggle of dancing blue-winged butterflies, am I so restless and generally "out of sorts" as Grandma would say?

Grandma . . .

I did miss her. Her absence was like a mild toothache. Sometimes the feeling went away, but I knew it was there, and it would come back - probably worse.

She must really be worried about me. And sad. Thinking of how sad Grandma would be was hard, and my mind skirted away from it quickly.

I couldn't keep lying there. I moved away from Heath, careful not to wake him up.

Then I started to pace.

That helped. Well, it seemed to for a little while. I walked back and forth, back and forth, making sure I could see Heath. He did look cute while he slept.

I wished I could sleep.

I couldn't, though. If I rested - if I closed my eyes - it was like I lost pieces of myself. But how could that be? How could I be losing myself? It reminded me a little of the time I had strep throat and such a high fever that I had a super weird dream where I kept spinning around and around until pieces of my body started to fly off me.

I shivered. Why was that so easy to remember when a bunch of other stuff in my head was so foggy?

Goddess, I was really tired.

Distracted, I kinda tripped over one of the pretty white rocks that jutted up out of the grass and moss, and caught myself from falling by throwing up a hand and grabbing the side of the closest tree.

That's why I saw it. My hand. My arm. It didn't look right. I stopped and stared, and I swear my skin rippled, like in one of those gross horror movies where nasty stuff gets under an almost naked girl's flesh and crawls around, making her -

"No!" I wiped frantically at my arm. "No! Stop!"

"Zo, babe, what's wrong?"

"Heath, Heath - look." I held my arm out for him to see. "It's like a horror movie."

Heath's gaze went from my arm to my face. "Uh, Zo, what's like a horror movie?"

"My arm! My skin! It's moving." I flailed at him.

His smile didn't hide the worry on his face. He reached out and slowly ran his hand down my arm.

When he got to my hand, he threaded his fingers with mine.

"There's nothing wrong with your arm, babe," he said.

"You really don't think so?"

"Really, seriously, I don't think so. Hey, what's going on with you?"

I opened up my mouth to tell him that I thought I was losing myself - that bits of myself were floating away - when something caught my eye at the edge of the tree line. Something dark.

"Heath, I don't like that," I told him, pointing a shaking hand at the spot of shadows.

The breeze stirred the wide green leaves of the trees that seemed suddenly not as thick and sheltering as they had moments ago, and the scent came to me, sickening and ripe, like three-day-old roadkill. I felt Heath's body jerk, and knew I wasn't imagining it.

Then the shadows out there stirred, and I was sure I heard wings.

"Oh, no," I whispered.

Heath's hand tightened on mine. "Come on. We need to get farther inside here."

I felt frozen and numb all at the same time. "Why? How can trees save us from whatever that is?"

Heath took my chin in his hand and made me look at him. "Zo, can't you feel it? This place, this grove, is good , purely good. Babe, can't you feel your Goddess in here?"

The tears that filled my eyes made him all blurry. "No," I said softly, as if I could barely form the words.

"I can't feel my Goddess at all."

He pulled me into his arms and hugged me tight. "Don't worry, Zo. I can feel her, so it'll be okay. I promise." Then, while I was still cradled by one of his arms, Heath guided me deeper into Nyx's grove as my tears overflowed and fell wet and hot down my cold cheeks.