“We are honored by your presence, Prince Kaliq of the Shadows,” the patriarch of the family said, bowing. “And by yours, as well, my lady Lara. I remember my grandfather, Cuthbert, speaking of you when I was a child. May I present my wife, Camilla, whose line of descent is through the eldest daughter of Sir Rupert Bloodaxe, who fathered your late son-in-law, Jonah,” Grugyn Ahasferus explained.

Lara bowed slightly in recognition of his greeting. “Faerie blessings on your house this day, Grugyn Ahasferus,” she said to him.

“We much admire your son, lady,” he responded.

Lara smiled slightly. “Kolgrim is an interesting young man, well not really so young for he passed the century mark several years ago.”

Lady Camilla paled. “He is old? But he looks no more than a man of thirty.”

“His vanity would revel in your words, lady,” Lara told her. “Twilight Lords age far more slowly than do mortals. But my son will keep your granddaughter young as long as she amuses him.” Her words were cruel, and Lara knew it.

It would not, however, faze Lady Camilla. Tomorrow mattered little to Hetarians. Today and prestige was most important to them; and today Lady Camilla’s granddaughter would wed a powerful magical being who ruled over his own land. No one else in Hetar could say that. She smiled coyly at Prince Kaliq, who kissed her hand. Lady Camilla had heard that Shadow Princes were great lovers. Of course that was legend. Shadow Princes didn’t exist. Magic didn’t exist. At least according to the powers that be. And yet here was a Shadow Lord kissing her hand, and she had just spoken with a faerie woman who was said to exist only in legend, and yet she was real. It promised to be a very wonderful and very exciting day. Lady Camilla focused on greeting the Domina of Terah, who was wearing one of the most beautiful gowns she had ever seen.

The thoughts in her head, so filled with self-importance and misinformation, boggle my mind, Kaliq.

You are harsh in your judgments, my love, he replied. But that is because you are angry with what is happening. Do not be, Lara. We have done our best for Hetar. We can do no more, and so we will move on to new pastures and new adventures.

Then let us go now, Kaliq! I cannot watch this travesty.

Nay, we must yet remain, he told her. Our task here is not quite finished. Today you will give Kolgrim what he has always wanted of you. Your love and your approval. In doing so you weaken him, although he will not realize it. It means that one day the light can return to this world. And when it does it will hopefully be a better place.

So in the end I do defeat the darkness, Lara said softly.

Nay, ’twill not be you who defeats it here, Lara, but by giving your love and favor to Kolgrim this day you will set in motion what is to be.

And then what? Lara asked.

And then, my darling, we will ride Dasras together into the Cosmos. There is more, of course, but better you live it than I tell you of what is to come, he said with a smile, his blue eyes twinkling at her for he knew what she would say next.

You know I hate mysteries, Kaliq! Lara said, and Kaliq laughed aloud.

“Mother!”

“Marzina! What are you doing here?” Lara wanted to know.

“Kolgrim wanted me to come, and frankly I couldn’t resist. The forest is almost emptied out of all of our race. Grandmother and Thanos will be the last to go, for they are so responsible. And I think Grandmother is sorrowing a little over Hetar. Dillon has offered them a permanent refuge on Beltran if they want it. I must admit the forests there are magnificent, but Grandmother is not ready to settle herself just yet,” Marzina said. “I love your gown, Mother! The green is wonderful and exactly like the White Oak leaves of spring in the forest. Hello, Kaliq.”

“Marzina,” he said, amused by her chatter.

“I do not know if I want you to become so friendly with Kolgrim,” Lara said to her youngest daughter.

“Why not? He is my brother after all. Not half brother, but my brother,” Marzina said meaningfully.

Lara sighed. “If I could have prevented it, you would have never known that, my daughter. And Kolgrim is evil as he was meant to be. When your grandparents leave the forest I want you to go with them, Marzina.”

“You cannot plan my fate, Mother, as you could not plan that of your other offspring. Dillon went to Belmair. Anoush returned to the Fiacre clan family where she felt happier. Zagiri defied you, ran away and married the man she loved. Taj listened more to others than to you. He committed the worst sin of all by marginalizing you, Mother. I have my own destiny to follow, and I will.”

“And just what is your destiny?” Lara wanted to know.

“I have absolutely no idea. I simply listen to the voice within, who guides me even as Ethne sometimes guides you,” Marzina said airily. “Whatever my destiny is I am not afraid of it. Unlike you, I like enigmas.” And she laughed her tinkling laughter.

“This is your brother’s wedding day,” Lara said, “and so you and I shall not quarrel, Marzina. But you must leave Hetar with the others.”

Marzina, her violet eyes dancing with merriment, kissed her mother’s cheek. “Have you seen all the handsome young men here today? I am in the mood to take pleasures with several of them.”

Kaliq chuckled. “You are a naughty faerie maid,” he teased her. “Try not to break too many hearts today, Marzina.”

“Mother!” Kolgrim strode forward. Garbed in black silk decorated with silver, he was very handsome. He kissed her on both cheeks. “Thank you for coming.”

“I always attend my sons’ weddings,” Lara said. “My daughters either run away, or stay unmarried.”

“Marzina is too beautiful to marry,” Kolgrim said. “I shall build her a House of Men in the Dark Lands next to my House of Women. She may keep her male concubines there for pleasures.”

“What a grand idea!” Marzina said, clapping her hands. “You are the best brother any girl could have!” She threw her arms about him so she might hug and kiss him.

Lara felt an icy ripple race down her spine. Marzina was the most reckless of all her children. That, she supposed, was Kol’s doing. But her daughter must not ally herself with Kolgrim. He was a fascinating man to be sure, but he must not take Marzina with him into the darkness. He mustn’t!

“I have a favor to ask of you, Mother,” Kolgrim said.

“What is it?” Lara inquired of him. He wanted a favor from her? Curious.

“Marzina has already agreed to stand with me, but I would have you, too.”

Lara’s first instinct was to say no. But then she heard Ethne, her guardian spirit, speaking to her. Only Lara could hear her when she spoke.

Say yes, my child! Ethne’s voice was most plain.

Why? Lara asked surprised.

Because it is important to him, and it is important for you to do so, Ethne said. Trust me, my child, as you always have. The crystal star on the end of the chain about her neck glowed with its golden light.

Has Kolgrim bewitched you, Ethne?

Nay, my child, he has not the power for that. Now tell him aye.

“I will stand by your side, Kolgrim,” Lara told the Twilight Lord.

His handsome face mirrored his delight at her words. “Then you do love me!” he said excitedly! “Sometimes I speak with Kolbein in his imprisonment. He says you will never love me, but you do. You do!”

“Do not press your good fortune, Kolgrim,” Lara said tartly. “I will stand by your side, and gladly give you to Nyura, but I have said naught of love.”

“You would not have come today, nor would you stand by my side if you did not love me,” the Twilight Lord insisted.

Lara said nothing more. She did not wish to quarrel with him, and she wondered to herself if she did indeed have some tender maternal emotion where Kolgrim was concerned. He was after all flesh of her flesh. She was surprised that he cared if she loved him or not. And then she considered that, like her, he had a tiny drop of mortal blood within him. Perhaps that was why it meant so much to him that she love him.

“You look beautiful today, Mother. Every inch the forest faerie,” he complimented her.

“Thank you,” Lara replied. How odd this all was. It was almost as if it were a normal day and a normal wedding of a normal couple. She would have never considered that one day she would stand publicly by Kolgrim’s side, admitting to any who asked or saw them that he was her son. But then, it didn’t matter any longer. Those from whom she had hidden this truth were long dead, and Hetar was doomed. After today it was unlikely she would see Kolgrim again. “Does your father still live?” she asked him.

“Do you care?” he countered.

“Nay,” she admitted candidly. “’Twas just curiosity.”

“He yet lives,” Kolgrim told her. “Shall I tell him you asked?”

Lara laughed wryly. “It pleases you to taunt him, doesn’t it?” she said.

“He abandoned us even as you did,” Kolgrim said.

“He didn’t abandon you. He was imprisoned for violating the laws of the Dream Plain,” Lara said. “You know that, Kolgrim. Alfrigg saved you and your twin by placing you with Dark Land families who knew nothing of your birthright so they could not use you. Nor could anyone else. This is ancient history. You are the Twilight Lord.”

“And now I am about to conquer the world of Hetar,” Kolgrim said. “Look about you, Mother, at these mortals who drink and jest and believe everything is as it has always been, who think it will always be this way, that nothing will change. Neither Palben nor Cadarn would listen to you when you warned them, would they?” He laughed darkly.