I call on the magic that attempts to leave this place,

You will answer my call to give aid to this race.

You will gather at the veil and pull it wide,

You will not allow it to falter or to hide.

I call you, I gather you, to do my will,

I shape you and form you for the veil, be still.

No other can release you from my care,

It’s only my desire you’re allowed to bear.

Mona turned to the Pixie King, “Give me your hand.”

Ainsel regarded her warily.

“Oh, for goodness sake man, I’m not going to cut it off. The spell requires your blood, a sacrifice, like any good spell.”

He slowly lifted his hand to her and she snatched it. She reached into her cloak and pulled out a knife, and in one smooth motion ran it across is palm. Mona tipped his hand over and let the blood drip to the forest floor. The air around them grew thick with magic and Ainsel’s eyes widened briefly at the ripple he saw appear as if a seam had been cut into the universe. He hated to give her the satisfaction of seeing his relief, but he couldn’t help the wonder that he knew was painted on his face...

“There,” she said, smugly. “I have opened your veil permanently. I have upheld my end of the deal.”

The king wrestled inside with his anger, but also knew that if he did not help her she could destroy him and his race.

“What is it you need?” He finally asked.

She smiled triumphantly as she began to tell him. “The contact who is supposed to help me open the veil to the underworld has, so far, not delivered. I believe he might be planning to betray me. And, since you were so good at tracking down the dogs for me,” she shrugged nonchalantly. “I figured you could handle this with no problem.”

“Who is this contact?”

Again, Mona strived to look bored and indifferent as she picked inexistent lent from her clothes.

“Cypher,” she had barely gotten the word out when the Pixie King choked.

She looked up to see his eyes were saucers and his breathing had become shallow.

“Y-y-you, want me to capture the warlock king?” He stuttered out.

Mona nodded as she stood. Ainsel took a step back as he looked up at her, his mind still reeling over the information she had just dropped on him like a ton of bricks. His shoulders felt heavy with the weight of her request.

“He will never expect you,” she mounted her steed and looked down at the little king. “I don’t know how long it will be until he shows himself to me, but you need to have him in your sights and be ready to take him down if I need you to.”

Ainsel raised his hand to halt her. “How am I supposed to take the warlock king out exactly?”

Mona shrugged. “Be creative.” And, before he could respond she was galloping off into theforest, the trees swallowing up her retreat leaving nothing behind, but the slight disturbance of the foliage she passed.

Ainsel stood there in shock, unable to process what had just happened. Desdemona had opened the veil to their world, a veil that was unstable and had been closing and opening on its own. He knew it was just a matter of time before it closed for good. Mona had sought out his help with the wolves and in return, she was to keep their veil open. Originally, she had not kept up her end of the deal and he figured that she never would. But now, she needed him again. He didn’t trust her, not as far as he could throw her. He would carry out this task she had given him, and he would be watching over his shoulder for the inevitable knife that she would eventually plunge into his back.

Q

Alston, highest member of the Fae council stood at the opening of the veil from their realm to the human. Nissa, Gwen, and Dain were with him. The Great Luna told them that Mona had blocked Peri from crossing, but not that they couldn’t get through.

He held the moon stone in his hand and the weight of the responsibility that came with it settled over him like a heavy blanket. The packs had not been united in millennia. They were too volatile to bring together, and that was exactly what they were going to do. They were going to cross the veil into the human realm, and call every pack the Great Luna had created. It would be the largest gathering of super natural beings in their history.

“Alston,” he heard his name spoken softly behind him from Gwen. He turned back to look at her.

“Shall we go?” She asked.

Alston let out a deep breath and as he stepped through the veil, his voice reverberated over each of them. “So be it.”

They stepped out of the Veil into cold, crisp air and a canopy of tall, ancient trees towered over them. Night had fallen in the human realm and where there should have been stars in the sky, only dark clouds could be seen. The ground crunched beneath their feet from the light frost that had accumulated and the leaves of the plants shimmered like diamonds from the frozen droplets.

Walking slowly, further away from the Veil, they each turned to face one another in a circle. Alston pulled the moon stone from his pocket where he had slipped it when they'd crossed the Veil. He looked down at the small, seemingly insignificant rock, and shook his head. This stone was about to change the course of history.

He looked up to the faces of his kin, their eyes filled with determination, but shadowed by doubt. He leaned down, laid the stone on the ground in the middle of their circle, and then joined them again.

“We must wait for the moon to reveal itself from the clouds. The Great Luna indicated this night would be a full moon.” His words seem to reverberate into the night and they each turned their faces up one by one.