Jeanne made a sound like hmph."I still don'tthink you're a rocket scientist. I think you luckedout" Maggie turned as the crowd brought a little manwith a lean, shrewd face to her-Falconer. "Well,we don't know yet," she murmured fervently. "ButI sure hope so."
The little man held up a bird. "This is the newone. Lady Sylvia said never to take the green bandoff his leg-but I've got a knife. Would you like todo it?"
Maggie held her breath. She tried to keep herhand steady asshe carefully cut through the emerald green leather band, but her fingers trembled.
The leather tie fell free-and for a moment hexheart stood still, because nothing happened.
And then she saw it. The rippling changeasthebird's wings outstretched and thickened and thefeathers merged and swam...and then Falconerwas moving back, and a human form was takingshape... .
And then Miles was standing there, with his auburn hair shining red gold and his handsome,wicked smile He gave her the thumbs-up sign.
"Hey, I knew you would rescue me. What arelittle sisters for?" he said-and then Maggie was inhis arms.
It seemed a long time later that all the hugging and crying and explaining was done. The slavesthe ex-slaves, Maggie corrected herself-had begunto gather and organize themselves and make plans.Delos and Aradia had sent various messengers outof the valley.
There were still things to be settled-months' andyears' worth of things. And Maggie knew that lifewould never be the same for her again. She would never be a normal schoolgirl.
Her brother was a shapeshifter-well, at least itwas a form he could enjoy, she thought wryly. Hewas already talking to Jeanne about a new way ofgetting to the summits of mountains-with wings.
Her soulmate was a Wild Power. Aradia had already told her what that meant. It meant that theywould have to be protected by the witches and Circle Daybreak until the time of darkness came andDelos was needed, so that the Night World didn'tkill them. And even if they survived until the final battle...it was going to be a tough one.
Plus, she herself had changed forever. She feltshe owed something to the people of the valley,who were still calling her the Deliverer. She wouldhave to try to help them adjust to the Outside world. Her fate would be intertwined with theirsall her life.
But just now, everybody wastalking about getting some food.
"Come into the castle-all of you," Delos saidsimply.
He took Maggie's arm and started toward it. Justthen P.J. pointed to the sky, and there was an awed murmur from the crowd.
"The sun!"
It was true. Maggie looked up and was dazzled.In the smooth, pearly sky of the Dark Kingdom, in exactly the place where the blue fire had flashedfrom the earth, there was a little clearing in theclouds. The sun was shining through, chasing awaythe mist, turning the trees in the surrounding hillsemerald green.
And glinting off the sleek black walls of the castlelikeamirror.
A place of enchantment, Maggie thought, lookingaround in wonder. It really is beautiful here.
Then she looked at the boy beside her. At hisdark hairjust now extremely tousled-and hissmooth fair skin, and his elegant bones. At themouth which was still a bit proud and willful, but was mostly vulnerable.
And at those fearless, brilliant yellow eyes whichlooked back at her as if she were the most important thing in the universe.
"I suppose that all prophecies come true by accident," she said slowly and thoughtfully. "From just ordinary people trying and lucking out."
"There is nothingordinary about you," Delossaid, and kissed her.
Onefrom the land of kings long forgotten;
One from the hearth which still holds the spark; One fromthe Day World where two eyes are watching;
One fromthe twilight to be one with the dark.