Night's End
Yasmine Galenorn
“Galenorn’s imagination is a beautiful thing.”
—Fresh Fiction
Praise for the Indigo Court Novels
NIGHT VISION
“Well-plotted and cast with characters that are strong and personable, Night Vision is filled with taut suspense, delicious intrigue, and dangerous antagonists . . . An addictive, heady noir urban fantasy.”
—Smexy Books
“Containing gritty intensity and creative fantasy elements, this is a world to which readers will want to return again and again.”
—RT Book Reviews
“Ms. Galenorn outdid herself this time . . . An excellent book.”
—Night Owl Reviews
“Galenorn has immersed her readers in a magical world that is filled with danger and intrigue . . . A gripping tale.”
—Romance Reviews Today
NIGHT SEEKER
“Exceptional . . . A perfect blending of carnal passions, electrifying action, realistic characters, and stark betrayal. . . . If you enjoy noir urban fantasy that stretches all your boundaries, then Yasmine Galenorn is the author to buy and her Indigo Court is the series to read.”
—Smexy Books
“Filled with action and plenty of lethal roadblocks, readers will enjoy trekking the dangerous Galenorn mythological world.”
—Genre Go Round Reviews
“Richly inventive . . . full of dark characters who face difficult and sometimes virtually impossible decisions.”
—Night Owl Reviews
“Galenorn has created a multifaceted world full of adventure and passion!”
—RT Book Reviews
NIGHT VEIL
“A thoroughly engrossing series . . . Once again, Galenorn creates a magical world of both ethereal beauty and stark horror.”
—Bitten by Books
“An engaging thriller . . . Galenorn affirms she is one of the best at Otherworld environs . . . fast-paced from the first nibble to the climactic last bite.”
—Genre Go Round Reviews
“Will have the reader turning pages long after bedtime . . . A perfect read for any fantasy lover.”
—Fresh Fiction
“Excitement at every turn . . . a great read for those who love paranormal romance, and a fantastic read for all the Yasmine Galenorn fans out there!”
—Night Owl Reviews
“Nonstop action from beginning to end.”
—Romance Reviews Today
NIGHT MYST
“This is an amazing book. The story flows and rushes and the author makes constant incredible mind pictures . . . Lyrical, luscious, and irresistible.”
—Stella Cameron, New York Times bestselling author of the Chimney Rock series
“An adventurous, fast read that had the right mix of tension, passion, and tenderness.”
—FlamesRising.com
“Puts a unique twist on the paranormal world, leaving the reader begging for more. Yasmine Galenorn’s imagination is a beautiful thing.”
—Fresh Fiction
“A great start to a new series.”
—Smexy Books
“This is the first in a new urban fantasy series and I am definitely looking forward to the next one . . . There is great world building here and that is one thing that I love about Ms. Galenorn’s books.”
—Book Binge
Praise for the Otherworld series
“Yasmine Galenorn creates a world I never want to leave.”
—Sherrilyn Kenyon, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Styxx
“Chilling, thrilling, and deliciously dark—Galenorn’s magical fantasy is spectacularly hot and supernaturally breathtaking.”
—Alyssa Day, New York Times bestselling author of The Cursed
“The work is, as are all of Yasmine Galenorn’s, magical and detailed and fantastic.”
—Fresh Fiction
“A fantastic adventure that leaves the reader satisfied and yet wanting more.”
—Night Owl Reviews
“Turns up the heat.”
—Jeaniene Frost, New York Times bestselling author of Up from the Grave
“A boot to the head one moment and a full-mouthed kiss on the lips the next that leaves you begging for more.”
—Bitten by Books
“Fast-moving, engrossing, and filled with chemistry and passion.”
—Darque Reviews
“Galenorn hits the stars with Night Huntress. Urban fantasy at its best!”
—Stella Cameron, New York Times bestselling author of the Chimney Rock series
“Reminiscent of Laurell K. Hamilton with a lighter touch . . . Simmers with fun and magic.”
—Mary Jo Putney, New York Times bestselling author of Sometimes a Rogue
“Pure delight!”
—MaryJanice Davidson, New York Times bestselling author of Undead and Unsure
“Galenorn’s kick-butt Fae ramp up the action in a wyrd world gone awry . . . I loved it!”
—Patricia Rice, New York Times bestselling author of Magic Man
“A fun read, filled with surprise and enchantment.”
—Linda Winstead Jones, author of Behind the Mask
“[A] sexy, fantastic paranormal-mystery-romantic read.”
—Terese Ramin, author of Guarding Grace
Berkley titles by Yasmine Galenorn
The Otherworld Series
WITCHLING
CHANGELING
DARKLING
DRAGON WYTCH
NIGHT HUNTRESS
DEMON MISTRESS
BONE MAGIC
HARVEST HUNTING
BLOOD WYNE
COURTING DARKNESS
SHADED VISION
SHADOW RISING
HAUNTED MOON
AUTUMN WHISPERS
CRIMSON VEIL
The Indigo Court Series
NIGHT MYST
NIGHT VEIL
NIGHT SEEKER
NIGHT VISION
NIGHT’S END
Anthologies
INKED
NEVER AFTER
HEXED
Specials
ICE SHARDS
ETCHED IN SILVER
THE SHADOW MIST
Berkley Prime Crime titles by Yasmine Galenorn
GHOST OF A CHANCE
LEGEND OF THE JADE DRAGON
MURDER UNDER A MYSTIC MOON
A HARVEST OF BONES
ONE HEX OF A WEDDING
***
Yasmine Galenorn writing as India Ink
SCENT TO HER GRAVE
A BLUSH WITH DEATH
GLOSSED AND FOUND
THE BERKLEY PUBLISHING GROUP
Published by the Penguin Group
Penguin Group (USA) LLC
375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014
USA • Canada • UK • Ireland • Australia • New Zealand • India • South Africa • China
penguin.com
A Penguin Random House Company
NIGHT’S END
A Berkley Book / published by arrangement with the author
Copyright © 2014 by Yasmine Galenorn.
Excerpt from Priestess Dreaming by Yasmine Galenorn copyright © 2014
by Yasmine Galenorn.
Penguin supports copyright. Copyright fuels creativity, encourages diverse voices, promotes free speech, and creates a vibrant culture. Thank you for buying an authorized edition of th
is book and for complying with copyright laws by not reproducing, scanning, or distributing any part of it in any form without permission. You are supporting writers and allowing Penguin to continue to publish books for every reader.
Berkley Books are published by The Berkley Publishing Group.
BERKLEY® is a registered trademark of Penguin Group (USA) LLC.
The “B” design is a trademark of Penguin Group (USA) LLC.
For information, address: The Berkley Publishing Group,
a division of Penguin Group (USA) LLC,
375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.
eBook ISBN: 978-0-698-14297-8
PUBLISHING HISTORY
Berkley mass-market edition / July 2014
Cover art by Tony Mauro.
Cover design by Rita Frangie.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.
Version_1
Dedicated to
Jo Yantz. With my love.
Contents
Praise for titles by Yasmine Galenorn
Berkley titles by Yasmine Galenorn
Title Page
Copyright
Dedication
Acknowledgments
Epigraph
The Beginning
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Epilogue
Character List
Playlist for Night’s End
Author’s Note
First Chapter of Priestess Dreaming
About the Author
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Thanks to the usual suspects: my husband, Samwise; my agent, Meredith Bernstein; my editor, Kate Seaver; and my cover artist, Tony Mauro. To my assistants: Andria Holley, Marc Mullinex, and Jenn Price—for keeping me on track. To my Street Team for spreading the word!
A thank-you to my Galenorn Gurlz, who make writing a lot more fun with their purrs and meows. Most reverent devotion to Ukko—who rules over the wind and sky, Rauni—queen of the harvest, Tapio—the Hunter in the forest, and Mielikki—goddess of the Woodlands and Dark Fae Queen in her own right, my spiritual guardians. To the Cauldron of Changes, my coven. And to the Fae—both dark and light—who walk this world beside us, may we see you in the shadows, and in the shimmer of ice. My spiritual grounding keeps me centered and focused.
And thank you to my Moon Stalkers—my fans and my readers—for your support and enthusiasm. You can find me on the net at Galenorn En/Visions: galenorn.com. If you write to me snail mail (see website for address or write via publisher), please enclose a stamped, self-addressed envelope if you would like a reply. Lots of cool promo goodies are available—see website.
The Painted Panther
Yasmine Galenorn
In a battle all you need to make you fight
is a little hot blood and the knowledge that
it’s more dangerous to lose than to win.
—GEORGE BERNARD SHAW
At the Winter Solstice, the wind is cold, trees are bare
and all lies in stillness beneath blankets of snow.
—GARY ZUKAV
The Beginning
There came a time when Myst, Queen of the Indigo Court, rode in on a glacial tide, attempting to devour all who opposed her. Battles were waged, alliances were formed, and a small faction stood the front line against her. Cicely, Queen of Snow and Ice, and her cousin Rhiannon, Queen of Rivers and Rushes, were there to meet the challenge. Behind them stood their loves, their people, and an alliance of vampires and the magic-born. Together, they faced the Vampiric Fae Queen’s onslaught as Myst attempted to silence the balance of fire and ice. Some survived . . . but there were losses. . . .
From The Last Days of the Indigo Court
Chapter 1
I stood on a hillock near the Barrow. The land was covered with snow and ice, the horizon stretching out in a vast panorama of winter. It was the perfect picture. The snow gleamed under an overcast sky, sparkling with the cold. Here and there, patches of ice glistened, a sheen rippling across the landscape, casting pale blue shadows to blanket the world. Evergreens—firs and cedars—stood cloaked in white, the snow weighing down their limbs so they brushed the ground.
My breath emerged in puffs, visible in the early dusk, a cloud of white every time I exhaled. But the pristine chill that made the very air shimmer barely penetrated the feathered cloak I wore. And what little of the cold that did make it through had ceased to bother me over the weeks. For I was the Queen of Snow and Ice now, and cold was no longer my enemy.
As I surveyed the land around my Barrow, I was aware that not ten yards away, Check, my personal guard, kept watch. Beside him stood Fearless, who had thankfully recovered from his wounds. Cambyra Fae healed quickly, and Fearless had mended right up, even with the severe wounds he’d sustained from the Shadow Hunters. While he had been in great pain for several weeks, now he was back in action. I had noticed a side effect of the attack that was both welcome and curious: His attitude toward me had shifted. Where before he had simply been doing his duty, now I sensed loyalty mingled in with that duty; an impression of respect that he hadn’t offered me before.
As I stood there, I plunged myself into the slipstream, searching for information. The realm of Snow and Ice might be mine to command, but we were terribly vulnerable. While Myst was still out there, we were in danger, and we couldn’t let down our guard. I trusted the scouts and my advisors, but ever since my coronation, my awareness had heightened. If I listened carefully enough, I could reach out, almost touch Myst’s energy. After all, we were bound together from a lifetime long before this one. She had been my mother, and I had been her daughter Cherish, the shining star and hope of the Indigo Court, until I betrayed both her and my people.
Ulean, my Wind Elemental, swept around me. She was stronger here, in our frozen realm. The winter kingdom agreed with her. While I’d always heard her clearly—from the very beginning when we were first bound together—here I had become even more aware of her.
At times, I thought I could catch a glimpse of her. Strict, my advisor, had told me it was one of the side effects of taking the crown. One more in a long line of shifts and changes that I had been going through. Some days, I looked in the mirror and wasn’t entirely sure of who I was.
Cicely, there is danger close by. A looming shadow. I believe Myst is on the rise again. Ulean swept past me, swirling snow in the gust of her wake.
It was only a matter of time. We knew she was regrouping. I’ve been hoping she would hold off until Rhiannon and I were more settled in our positions—that it would take her more time to re-strengthen her forces, but I don’t think we have that leeway. I’m afraid we’ll be fighting her sooner than we’d hoped.
Shivering, but not from the cold, I pulled my cloak tightly around my shoulders. The owl feathers used to make the cape had been gathered one by one, hand-sewn by a talented seamstress. My Uwilahsidhe brethren had gifted it to me for my wedding, an honor that meant they’d accepted me into their people. My people. I was half magic-born, and half Uwilahsidhe—the owl-shifters, a b
ranch of the Cambyra Sidhe. I’d only discovered the latter half of my heritage six weeks before. Everything I thought I’d known about myself had changed in that time.
We will do as we must. If we fail, Myst will extend her reach. She will take control of this realm and drive the eternal winter into the world to blanket the land with ice and snow. She will loose the ravenous appetites of her Shadow Hunters on anyone who stands in her way. We cannot let her win, Cicely, or everyone—the magic-born and the Weres and the yummanii—will all be so much prey for the Vampiric Fae. Even the true vampires, Lannan and Regina’s people, will fall to her fury if we don’t stop her.
I reached out, trying to sense the danger Ulean had mentioned. It was like stretching a new muscle—not a physical one, but mental. Focusing, I sent out feelers, probing the landscape. They crept like vines through the slipstream. There, I could sense an arctic fox, and over there—the hare it was stalking. A ways beyond I felt the silent passage of a group of Ice Elementals, their focus so distant and alien that I couldn’t have deciphered their intent if you paid me to. But the creatures were my subjects, they were aligned to me, and so I simply touched their energy before I passed on.
Beyond the Ice Elementals, I came to a tree line, and the dark sentinels of the woodlands whispered rumors in my ears. There were creatures in the woods—monsters who did not belong here, even though they, too, were born of winter and hearkened to the dark months of the year.
I softly began to move forward, my attention drawn by a familiar presence in a stand of snow-covered bushes nearby. As I approached the Wilding Fae—I knew who she was—Check and Fearless flanked my sides.
Ulean laughed. Your friend wishes to speak with you. You have won the hearts of the Wilding Fae, and that is a double-edged blessing.
The Wilding Fae were dangerous, a breed unto themselves. Ancient even by the standards of the Cambyra Fae, they were feral, belonging only to themselves, aligned with no one. But they had chosen to live in the realm of Snow and Ice when I took the throne. Bargaining with them could prove dangerous, but once they’d accepted my rule, they knew better than to try to trip me up with their deals. A good thing, too, considering my lack of bargaining skills.
