Kalona's Fall (House of Night Novellas #4)(13)

“One of your godlings has declared he is ready to be tested,” Mother Earth said after embracing Nyx. Then she smiled happily. “Ah! You have brought the Fey with you! I have so been enjoying their company.”

Nyx gave the frolicking Fey an indulgent smile. “You spoil them.”

“They are delightful! I enjoy spoiling them,” Mother Earth said, petting one of the trilling dryads fondly. “Oh! This is a new Fey!” she said, spotting L’ota. “What are you, beautiful one?”

“L’ota is a skeeaed. One that serves me personally.”

“She is lovely,” Mother Earth said, and then shared a smile with L’ota. “Please visit me often, and bring more of your kind with you.”

If Nyx allows …

“She does speak! How interesting.”

“Of course I allow, L’ota. You and the rest of the skeeaeds may visit Mother Earth whenever your duties allow,” Nyx said absently, searching the skies for Kalona.

“He is not here yet, though he did have Air summon me. Your Kalona should be taught Goddesses do not like to be kept waiting.”

Suddenly a flock of ravens as dark as a new moon sky circled above them and then perched as if watching in the nearby trees.

“Nyx! I have missed you.” Kalona dropped from the sky above them to kneel before his Goddess.

Her breath caught at his raw beauty. He was wearing elaborately stitched and fringed leather pants that had been dyed to match the white of his wings. His chest was bare, though swirls of ocher decorated its muscular expanse. She thought he looked like he could be a mighty God Warrior of the Prairie People. Eagerly, she took his hand, pulling him to his feet, flirting playfully.

“Missed me? But I spent much of last night with you climbing the boughs of the giant trees near the ocean and gazing out at the moonlit water.” She turned his hand so that it was palm up. “See, you still bear the stains of the sweet berries you harvested for me. How could you possibly miss me in less than one day?”

“I miss you the instant I am not in your presence.” Kalona words were not teasing, and his amber gaze held Nyx’s while he gently stroked her cheek with the back of his hand.

Mother Earth cleared her throat delicately. “You did summon me here because you were ready to unveil your creation, did you not, Kalona?”

“I did,” Kalona said. Without any more hesitation, he moved several long strides away from them. He faced the two women and the flock of Fey who hovered around them. “Nyx, I create for you something that demonstrates the power of the passion I will eternally feel for you.”

Kalona lifted his arms, unfurling his great moonlight-colored wings. His voice, filled with the ancient power of the Divine, intensified by Air, echoed across the grasslands.

Winds of force, I do call thee forth!

Through my blood, I do summon power!

Strength of passion, I do command you show!

Creation of mine, the Goddess Nyx to know!

With a deafening crack! Kalona clapped his mighty hands together, and instantly the air above them began to roil and blow, around and around, so that great thunderclouds billowed and the sky went from sweet summer’s day blue to bruised and angry and dark.

Now grow! Grow! Far afield grow!

Creation of mine, the Goddess Nyx to know!

With the repetition of his words, Kalona also repeated the thunderclap of his hands, and the swirling winds above him shot into the distance. As the winds moved they changed, alight with shards of spearlike power, they roared, forming a vortex that became a funnel, which dipped down, down, until its gray tail met the prairie in an explosion of one element clashing with another. The funnel skipped across the grasslands, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.

Nyx forced her gaze from Kalona’s terrible, wondrous creation to look at him. Kalona blazed. He stood in the center of a maelstrom of wind and power, staring at her with a desire so powerful it frightened her. The Goddess could not speak. She was trapped in his gaze, drawn and repelled, equally as afraid of losing him as of accepting him.

“Control it, you fool!” Mother Earth shouted her command over the wind. “It has changed course!”

Nyx looked to where the funnel had been only moments ago. It was gone! She searched the sky and realized it had skipped across the flat ground of the prairie, changed direction, and was heading toward the timberline, which held the settlement of the People.

“Air! I command you depart!” Kalona cried.

But Kalona’s task was complete, and he no longer commanded Air. The whipping winds within the funnel howled and grew, bearing down on the campsite.

From the sky there was a flash of gold and Erebus dropped to the ground, standing tall and proud between the whirlwind and the tree line. In a strong, sure voice he commanded:

Winds of storm and lightning, passion and power,

I command thee with a different intent.

Peace and calm I do bring to this hour.

Now! My creation to the Goddess I present!”

Erebus clapped his hands together, and sunlight burst from his palms, spearing into the heart of the dark, whirling funnel cloud. Like dew scorched by summer sun rays, the clouds parted, dissolving the passion of the storm. From the very center of what had so recently been a spiral of chaotic passion and power, color grew and arched, spreading in a brilliant bow of yellow and pink, crimson, purple, and green.