“Do you want to show us your metal boat?” asked Rowan. “There’s time before the ceremony starts. After that, I’m afraid all the children will be heading off to bed.”
Normally, Jicho would have a number of expected responses to statements like this. First, he’d leap up with excitement to show us his new project. Second, he’d insist that he was old enough to stay up with the adults.
But Jicho did neither of these things. He merely angled his body farther away. “I’m fine. I’ll stay right here. I just need a little time to myself.”
Rowan’s gaze intensified. “If you’re certain.”
“I am.:
I slipped up to Rowan’s side, taking care to speak in a voice that the partygoers wouldn’t hear. Not that they could hear much over the music and song. “I’m not sure we should leave Jicho.”
“My brother has moods because of his visions. If he needs time to come to terms with what he’s seen, then it’s best to give him that.”
I hugged my elbows. It felt wrong to leave the boy here. Still, Rowan had known Jicho all his life—and it was almost midnight—so this was the best I could do for now.
The sense of foreboding was still heavy on my shoulders as we headed back to the great cliff wall and its monkey sculptures. Bands of moonlight drifted over the dancing figures. Sometimes it seemed as if the monkey gods were laughing. A moment later, it looked as if they weren’t dancing so much as racing toward us, baring their teeth to attack.
Rowan led me to the base of the cliff wall. “Care to cast with me again?”
“I’d love it. What’s the spell?”
“It’s my role to cast a summoning here. The monkeys might show up without it, but the Casters love watching my spellwork. Plus, I throw in some magickal animals for extra effect.” He winked. “My people have a mage king. They expect some razzle-dazzle every so often.”
I loved the mischievous glint in his eyes. “In that case, I’ll have to add something to the event as well.”
“I’d expect nothing less.”
Rowan raised his arms and the Casters around us fell silent. After that, my mate pulled Caster magick into himself, making the veins in his right arm glow red. I did the same with Necromancer power, stopping once the bones in my left hand shone blue. The crowd around us quickly grew to a mighty throng. After all the music and laughter, the quiet suddenly became a palpable thing.
Rowan raised his arms and spoke his incantation.
Bring me the tree of life.
Oh, how I envied the shortness of Caster spells. Rowan lowered his hands. Instantly, a small pool of red haze appeared before his feet. The crimson mist quickly ballooned upward, taking the form of a great jungle tree. Long ghostly fronds arched from the top of the cliff wall to the ground around us. A great tree of life formed from red smoke.
I pursed my lips. “Not too bad.”
Rowan gave me a lopsided smile. “Your turn.”
Now, I knew precisely the spell to cast. Enough Necromancer power had now pooled in my left palm. Releasing it, I spoke the words of my own spell.
Life from death
Lodger from host
Summon jungle spirits
Fill this home with ghosts
A small cloud of blue smoke appeared on the ground. Within this indigo haze, a pack of blue monkey ghosts appeared. No less than fifty of them took to scaling Rowan’s cloud-tree while chattering to each other and swinging from the branches. The crowd let out a satisfying chorus of gasps.
Rowan’s brows lifted. “Well done.”
“Thank you.” I snapped my fingers, making my ghost monkeys turn silent. “We’re all ready for your speech now.”
“Sure you don’t want to join in?” Rowan’s face said he already knew the answer to this question. Once I officially became Genesis Regina, I’d have to give speeches at major occasions. Public speaking wasn’t my favorite pastime, which was yet another reason not to rush into being queen.
I winked. “Positive.”
“In that case...” Rowan then raised his arms once more. “My people.” The silence once again became absolute. “Tonight, Elea and I celebrate the Festival of Monkeys. This is the finest celebration of the year!”
The crowd erupted in a deafening cheer. Every week, Rowan announced another festival the greatest of the year without cracking a smile. How he managed it was quite a mystery. But he did. Every time.
Rowan waved his arms, and the mass of people became silence once more. “Tonight, we celebrate our special role as Casters. We call upon magick to build our world, tap into life, and keep each other strong. At the festival of Mlinzi and Walinzi, we ask these gods to answer our summons to enhance something in our lives. Strong individuals make for a healthy community. Mlinzi and Walinzi have always been drawn to our unique kind of power. Tonight, at the appearance of the Martyr’s Comet, the veil between our worlds is at its thinnest. Now let us call out our desires for our homes, families, and people. Let your voices be heard!”
From every direction, Casters begin to call out requests.
“My son is a Changed One. He’s missing. Help us find him.”
“Take the pain from my back.”
“All I need is a small bag of gold.”
“My wife and I hope for a baby.”
Beside me, Rowan cupped his hand by his mouth. “I seek the Sword of Theodora.”
A deep groaning sounded, the unique crash of stone against stone. Orange light glittered over the carvings on the mountainside. Magick was being cast, and since it was orange? This wasn’t like anything we had in this realm. The carvings of Mlinzi and Walinzi began to move as if alive. No question about it: Mlinzi and Walinzi had cast a spell on their carved counterparts. These living images began to scan the crowd.
Rowan grinned. “That’s a good sign,” he said to me. “It means they will grant one wish this year. According to the archives, the carvings don’t always start to move.” He took in a deep breath and called in a louder voice. “I seek the Sword of Theodora.”
I took up the same cry. “Help us find the Sword of Theodora!” As I called out the words, memories flooded my mind. First, I pictured the dolly-mech of the Not-Elea. After that, I recalled my gateway visions of the Sire and Lady. The question tumbled from my lips on a whisper. “And how do we use hybrid magick to heal the gateways?”
At that moment, the monkey carvings stilled. Bit by bit, their gazes shifted until both of them turned in my direction, their eyes glowing with orange light. The crowd fell silent once more.