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Without further ado...
Selkies' Skins 2
Temple and Skinquest
Installment 46
Chapter 17 f
Untangling the Web, Shifting the Veil
Vadise watched the proceedings over Amehana’s shoulder. “I don’t suppose anyone can explain to me what just happened?”
A foot fell on the stone floor, intentionally loudly instead of its accustomed silent tread.
“They rent the veil, temporarily. This is the culmination of a hunt, and the prey a woman trapped between life and death. She carries it within her still though. I wonder how kind and wise that truly was.” Herne stepped from the shadows and nodded to the elder goddesses. “They are not always known for kindness nor wiseness though. An insane, though intriguing, endeavor that hasn’t been attempted since the worlds grew farther apart and certain humans stole things from our kind.”
Mara blushed and looked uncomfortably away under his gaze. “I keep what is mine.”
“I can expect no less of the sea, can I? This isn’t your first insane wild hunt.” Herne’s star-gaze moved then to Ven’thrith and nodded. “I can’t control the counsel you keep with my sibling, either.”
Ven’thrith grunted and pressed his lips together, firmly in his masculine aspect under the accusation that burned through his layers. “I could think of no other way.”
Herne made a noncommittal sound, the low grumble of a stag choosing between patches of unsatisfactory withered grass in midwinter, then turned from his brethren to regard the selkie maid, a lesser generation deity and her mate, and the Finman fighting his own curse before continuing his reprimand. “At least you had the sense to call in a pair that already have made similar journeys of their own to help the mortals. This could have gone very differently for all of us and you might have lost more than you intended to save. Remember this.”
“You’re only sore because certain descendants of Kay and Marrok who have your attention would no longer be living out their parts in the hunter’s lay.” Ven’thrith accused.
“It would interfere with my entertainment, with future plans, and in the supply line of a particular island at this time, yes.” Herne crouched and inspected Kirsty closer, lifting her chin and ignoring the bristling of Justin, Amehana, and Vadise at his proximity.
Though still unconscious Kirsty’s eyes opened and found his face, and she turned toward him, nostrils flaring wide as she caught traces of David on his deity. Her tenuous seat in her body stabilized and strengthened as her energy reached back unafraid. Determination set her face.
“Yes, he’s looking forward to sharing news too. Strange child.” Herne grunted and nodded in reply to the strange throat sound she made. Kirsty’s eyes slipped back closed to rest and a smile quirked her lip.
He rose, and paid no attention to the priests and priestesses still gawping at him, who were unaccustomed to a being of shadows, fur, antler, exhilaration, terror, bloodlust, the baying of Hounds and Horns, fang, and claw that were so much greater in deadliness than the cruel ferocity of she that fed as the primordial shark. As he strode back into the shadows to partake in another of the many hunts always tugging his attention he cast behind him a pair of coins that landed between the ears of the dragon and fox, and a charm of feather and bead that stuck in Justin’s hair. “My vote is that she’s done more than enough to get her skin although I’m looking forward to how she handles the chamber when she finally gets there. Hopefully my favorite of them has been returned by now. This is what I most wish to see.”
Vadise grunted after the Hunter departed, taking the coin from between his ears and examining it. “Wolves… Are we done here?” Amehana did the same curiously and looked at him, tilting her head and nibbling her lower lip.
Ven’thrith nodded. “I think so, thank you for helping. I’m sorry that you got pulled into this, and without my asking if you’d both mind. And Amehana no Hoshi is one of the lad’s tutelaries.”
“I probably wouldn’t have agreed if you’d asked, and I’d have tried to dissuade Ame if you’d gone to her, Tsukiyomi.” Vadise sighed and put his coin in a hidden pocket.
“You definitely would have tried, and honestly I don’t think I’d have helped with this if I hadn’t received a direct summons.” Amehana agreed. “I feel sick. I try to avoid brushes with death of any sort, thank you. I still freeze at important moments.” The dragon frowned and reined her babbles in, “What is that poor woman infected with?”
“It would be a long explanation, and it would not sit well with you having been human several times yourself, my friend.” Ven’thith patted her head then quickly stepped away before her mate could take further umbridge.
“Go rest child. Thank you both for your service.”
A foot fell on the stone floor, intentionally loudly instead of its accustomed silent tread.
“They rent the veil, temporarily. This is the culmination of a hunt, and the prey a woman trapped between life and death. She carries it within her still though. I wonder how kind and wise that truly was.” Herne stepped from the shadows and nodded to the elder goddesses. “They are not always known for kindness nor wiseness though. An insane, though intriguing, endeavor that hasn’t been attempted since the worlds grew farther apart and certain humans stole things from our kind.”
Mara blushed and looked uncomfortably away under his gaze. “I keep what is mine.”
“I can expect no less of the sea, can I? This isn’t your first insane wild hunt.” Herne’s star-gaze moved then to Ven’thrith and nodded. “I can’t control the counsel you keep with my sibling, either.”
Ven’thrith grunted and pressed his lips together, firmly in his masculine aspect under the accusation that burned through his layers. “I could think of no other way.”
Herne made a noncommittal sound, the low grumble of a stag choosing between patches of unsatisfactory withered grass in midwinter, then turned from his brethren to regard the selkie maid, a lesser generation deity and her mate, and the Finman fighting his own curse before continuing his reprimand. “At least you had the sense to call in a pair that already have made similar journeys of their own to help the mortals. This could have gone very differently for all of us and you might have lost more than you intended to save. Remember this.”
“You’re only sore because certain descendants of Kay and Marrok who have your attention would no longer be living out their parts in the hunter’s lay.” Ven’thrith accused.
“It would interfere with my entertainment, with future plans, and in the supply line of a particular island at this time, yes.” Herne crouched and inspected Kirsty closer, lifting her chin and ignoring the bristling of Justin, Amehana, and Vadise at his proximity.
Though still unconscious Kirsty’s eyes opened and found his face, and she turned toward him, nostrils flaring wide as she caught traces of David on his deity. Her tenuous seat in her body stabilized and strengthened as her energy reached back unafraid. Determination set her face.
“Yes, he’s looking forward to sharing news too. Strange child.” Herne grunted and nodded in reply to the strange throat sound she made. Kirsty’s eyes slipped back closed to rest and a smile quirked her lip.
He rose, and paid no attention to the priests and priestesses still gawping at him, who were unaccustomed to a being of shadows, fur, antler, exhilaration, terror, bloodlust, the baying of Hounds and Horns, fang, and claw that were so much greater in deadliness than the cruel ferocity of she that fed as the primordial shark. As he strode back into the shadows to partake in another of the many hunts always tugging his attention he cast behind him a pair of coins that landed between the ears of the dragon and fox, and a charm of feather and bead that stuck in Justin’s hair. “My vote is that she’s done more than enough to get her skin although I’m looking forward to how she handles the chamber when she finally gets there. Hopefully my favorite of them has been returned by now. This is what I most wish to see.”
Vadise grunted after the Hunter departed, taking the coin from between his ears and examining it. “Wolves… Are we done here?” Amehana did the same curiously and looked at him, tilting her head and nibbling her lower lip.
Ven’thrith nodded. “I think so, thank you for helping. I’m sorry that you got pulled into this, and without my asking if you’d both mind. And Amehana no Hoshi is one of the lad’s tutelaries.”
“I probably wouldn’t have agreed if you’d asked, and I’d have tried to dissuade Ame if you’d gone to her, Tsukiyomi.” Vadise sighed and put his coin in a hidden pocket.
“You definitely would have tried, and honestly I don’t think I’d have helped with this if I hadn’t received a direct summons.” Amehana agreed. “I feel sick. I try to avoid brushes with death of any sort, thank you. I still freeze at important moments.” The dragon frowned and reined her babbles in, “What is that poor woman infected with?”
“It would be a long explanation, and it would not sit well with you having been human several times yourself, my friend.” Ven’thith patted her head then quickly stepped away before her mate could take further umbridge.
“Go rest child. Thank you both for your service.”
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Live Journal
Dreamwidth
Copyright 2012-2019 and onward by Teresa Garcia
The ebook's official release for Book One (Castle and Well) was March 16th on Smashwords, and is currently also on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. The print edition is available in paperback on Amazon, and hardback on Lulu with Samantha Buckley's stunning cover depicting Kirsty and the storm. An audio edition of the first book in the series narrated by Illya Leonov and now available on Amazon, iTunes, and Audible, with other venues pending. (click to hear what he sounds like in past recordings of other projects)
Got a question? Ask it and maybe the answer will be revealed in the story, or in a comment on the extras page if not part of the story itself. Spy a typo? Website code broken? Would you like the episodes to be longer or shorter? Please let me know!
Installment Uploaded here: Jan 22, 2020
Uploaded to Dreamwidth: Jan 22, 2020
Patreon: Jan 18, 2020
Book Two's Landing
(manuscript in progress, be watching for installments)
Live Journal
Dreamwidth
Copyright 2012-2019 and onward by Teresa Garcia
The ebook's official release for Book One (Castle and Well) was March 16th on Smashwords, and is currently also on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. The print edition is available in paperback on Amazon, and hardback on Lulu with Samantha Buckley's stunning cover depicting Kirsty and the storm. An audio edition of the first book in the series narrated by Illya Leonov and now available on Amazon, iTunes, and Audible, with other venues pending. (click to hear what he sounds like in past recordings of other projects)
Got a question? Ask it and maybe the answer will be revealed in the story, or in a comment on the extras page if not part of the story itself. Spy a typo? Website code broken? Would you like the episodes to be longer or shorter? Please let me know!
Installment Uploaded here: Jan 22, 2020
Uploaded to Dreamwidth: Jan 22, 2020
Patreon: Jan 18, 2020
Book Two's Landing
(manuscript in progress, be watching for installments)
If you'd like to have another episode in the update schedule, feel free to use the Paypal button below or the Patreon button. Alternatively you can buy an ebook, print book, or audiobook from me through Amazon, B&N, or Smashwords. Basic schedule will be biweekly release.
As of this writing I am working on Chapters for Book Two.
As of this writing I am working on Chapters for Book Two.
