the Thirteen Kingdoms,” Ursula called out to silence the cheering crowd, “I have no wish to observe formalities tonight. My sisters and I have gathered here, in our childhood home, together with our families, to celebrate the Feast of Moranu and Her crystalline moon. We welcome you all—regardless of age, wealth or station—to celebrate with us. Danu confers her bright sword to allow us to gather in justice and peace.” She glanced to Ami.
“And Glorianna bestows her unconditional love,” Queen Amelia declared in her angelic voice, “so that we may set aside old hurts and past conflicts, to gather with joy.”
“But tonight belongs to Moranu,” Ursula continued, “so I yield to her avatar, Queen Andromeda of Annfwn.”
This time, Rhyian cheered with real enthusiasm, and Lena thought Andi noticed, picking her son out of the crowd and giving him a grateful smile as she took point position at the front of the balcony. Unlike her sister, she didn’t silence the crowd, but waited in quiet for them to settle. The magic that had been shimmering darkly around her began to expand, flowing outward, the black mist shooting with sparks of light no longer tightly contained, but billowing as it grew.
“Moranu is the goddess of night,” she intoned in a quiet voice, the crowd falling to a hush to better hear. “The goddess of the moon, of mutability, of the intangible and the shadows that shift, waxing and waning, to hide and reveal. She of the many faces embraces all of you tonight, you in all your multitudes, your dark faces and your bright ones. Unlike Danu, Moranu has no interest in the division of lines—She will not judge you. Unlike Glorianna, Moranu doesn’t ask for your beauty—She embraces the darkness in you, the parts you would keep in shadow and hide from the light of day.”
Lena didn’t think she imagined that Andi’s gaze lingered on Rhyian as she said those words, and Lena felt his stillness behind her. As Andi spoke, the room filled with the glittering black mist, the formerly bright light dimming, and it seemed night shadows flowed from the corners, nocturnal creatures softly calling. Looking down, Lena realized a lightless fog had shrouded the floor to knee height, heightening the feel of otherworldliness. It was as if the castle had receded and they’d truly stepped into the mind of Moranu, full of tenebrous mystery.
“We have two hours until the stroke of midnight,” Andi said into the hush. “Until then, we shall keep the fires burning, though night will continue to deepen Her sway. Use this time to reflect on your shadows, to offer the detritus of your soul to the cleansing flame, and set down your intentions, your hopes, and promises for the new year.”
“Didn’t we already do this?” Rhy muttered in her ear, clearly recovered and neatly dodging her elbow this time.
“As midnight draws nigh, we shall gather on the battlements,” Andi continued, smiling as the crowd muttered in dismay. “I promise you will be warm, that you will be sheltered from the cruel winter winds—and that we will see Moranu’s crystalline moon. For now, discard your old hurts and angers. Leave them in the fire, and make your way to the battlements, where we will greet the new year with the light of the crystalline moon.”
“That’s my cue,” Lena told Rhyian, extracting herself from his hands as the crowd broke up into excited murmurs, people streaming toward the scribes’ tables or lining up at the bins with blank scrolls.
“Wait,” he said, clever hands simply finding a new purchase on her waist as she turned. “Where are you going?” In the magical dimness, Rhyian’s eyes seemed to catch the sparks of light, like distant stars glittering in a midnight sky. Shadows clung lovingly to the gorgeous planes of his face, his black hair falling loosely around it, reminding her of how he’d looked after kissing her senseless, when he’d been naked against her, skin to skin and—
“I have a job to do.” And focusing on that job would help her to remember that making up with Rhyian didn’t—and shouldn’t—mean anything more.
“At a party? I thought we were taking tonight to enjoy. Please, let me try to do better.”
Softening—truly unable to resist him when he spoke honestly—she caressed his cheek, catching her breath when he turned his face to brush his mouth over her fingertips. “I mean I really can’t, Rhy,” she breathed. “I have to go clear the sky and make it warm.”