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  Erebus suddenly mirrored his gasp. His brother staggered, but somehow managed to hold the sword steady against Kalona’s chest until it had drained completely into the immortal’s heart and returned to a shining golden color before disappearing with the sound of a snuffed flame.

  Both brothers fell to their knees, breathing hard. Kalona’s hand went to his chest, but there was no slash to mark his perfect flesh.

  And then it hit Kalona—joy.

  It was like a great infilling of warmth, but it wasn’t just warmth. It was a lightness that bubbled through his blood. Kalona blinked and then drew a long, deep breath—releasing it in a full-body laugh that shook the trees in the nearby grove.

  “It is gone!” Kalona shouted as he jumped to his feet. “The constant stress—the tension—the anger and jealousy. Gone!” He turned to Erebus, who was still kneeling and gasping as he tried to find his breath. “Brother! You did it!” Kalona reached out his hand, offering it to his brother so he could help him rise.

  The unexpected gesture made Erebus glance abruptly up at his brother—and in that look Kalona saw raw pain, and something darker, more intense.

  “What is it? What happened to you?” Kalona asked.

  Erebus shook himself like a horse plagued by biting flies. His lips tilted up—at first in a wan shadow of the golden immortal’s usual joy-filled smile—but soon the shadow passed and he reached up, grasping Kalona’s hand and rising to his feet.

  “Nothing. It is nothing.”

  Kalona continued to grip Erebus’s hand when his brother tried to release his. “No more hidden things. We must always tell each other the truth now, brother.”

  Erebus sighed again and nodded wearily. “You are right. I felt anger. Your anger. It entered my heart.”

  Panic and fear filled Kalona. “No! I did not mean for that to happen!”

  “I know. This isn’t of your doing. Remember the invocation I used: As was meant to be, brother, I share my joy with thee. Well, it seems you weren’t the only one flawed. Apparently I was unbalanced as well.”

  “And now will you struggle with jealousy and anger as I did?” Kalona felt a terrible stab of regret. Now that his heart was free of the hold of anger he could appreciate Erebus’s childlike ability to find joy in everything.

  “I believe I probably will, but no more—or less—than you. And now that you have joy, do you feel you can keep anger at bay?”

  Kalona thought about it, testing that place within him where he used to nurture the image of Nyx laughing in Erebus’s arms and telling him he made her so, so happy …

  His gaze shot to his brother’s. “It is gone!”

  “It?”

  “The biting, nagging, never-ending jealousy that I used to worry daily like a sore tooth. It is gone!” Kalona laughed again as he pulled his brother into a bear hug. “Yes, Erebus! Thanks to you I can keep anger at bay!”

  “And I will be able to keep it at bay as well. If you release me before you break me in half.”

  “Oh. Sorry.” Kalona hadn’t realized he’d picked up Erebus until he released his brother, who then dropped several feet to the mossy ground.

  Erebus smiled at him. “You need brotherly hug lessons.”

  Kalona snorted.

  “Am I going too far too soon?” Erebus asked—still grinning.

  “Yes, but I find that I suddenly do not mind.” He paused and then added. “Brother, let us swear an oath right now.”

  “Not to give in to anger?” Erebus asked.

  “Yes, and more. Are you with me?”

  “I am.”

  Kalona lifted his arm, opening his hand, and his deadly onyx lance instantly manifested. He plucked the lance from the air and sliced the pointed tip across his palm, drawing a line of scarlet. His gaze went to his brother expectantly.

  “I suppose it is your turn to cut me.” Erebus held his hand out to Kalona, palm open.

  Kalona’s lance cut a narrow trail of red across it. The brothers gripped one another’s hand, mixing their blood.

  “I vow not to allow anger to win,” said Erebus solemnly.

  “And I vow not to allow anger to win. Darkness will not use me to enter Nyx’s realm,” said Kalona, slowly as if each word was a great weight he was lifting to release. Then he continued. “The reason I didn’t tell anyone about L’ota’s death is because she was killed after leading me to the White Bull.”

  “The White Bull! Kalona, that creature isn’t a bull! He isn’t even a creature. He’s the embodiment of evil, just as the Black Bull is the embodiment of good.”

  “Yes. I realize that. And that is why I did not tell anyone that the sprite died—because she was in league with Darkness, which I only knew because Darkness had tainted me—though I refused to see that as the truth it was.”

  “We should not tell Nyx of this,” Erebus said. “Do you agree?”

  “I do, and gladly. It would only hurt her, as well as worry her,” said Kalona. “She has had hurt and worry enough from me for an eternity. And with us both swearing not to give into anger, Darkness will have no way to seep into our Goddess’s realm—so she need never know her favorite fey betrayed her.”

  “Let us go to Nyx!” Erebus spoke, and then he quickly added, “Unless you would prefer to see her alone first. I would understand if you—”

  “No, brother. You are responsible for the brightness of our future. I want you to come with me.”

  Erebus looked away, taking a moment to gain control of his emotions. Then he wiped his eyes and grinned at his brother. “That makes me very happy.” Erebus spread his wings, ready to fly to Nyx’s palace, but his brother touched his shoulder.

  Kalona met his gaze. “Thank you, little brother. For not giving up on me. For knowing I could be more. For being a good brother, even when I did not deserve you.”

  “You are most welcome, big brother. Now I’m going to show you how to give a proper hug!”

  Other Nyx

  “I’m going to call you Princess, little one.” Nyx kissed the tip of the spotted kitten’s nose and the baby wriggled playfully, trying to lick the Goddess and burrow closer to her at the same time. Nyx laughed musically. “Oh, sweet Princess, let me untangle you from my hair and then we can—”

  Laughter boomed from the sky and interrupted Nyx. Confused, she looked up to see Kalona and Erebus, golden and silver wings catching the morning sunlight, flying toward her balcony as they laughed together.

  Nyx’s stomach did a strange flip-flop—something she hadn’t felt since the two immortals had been created for her and Kalona had first looked into her eyes. She placed the kitten in the little round bed one of the sprites had fashioned for her and stood, shielding her eyes with her hand as first Kalona and then Erebus dropped lightly to her balcony.

  “I won!” Kalona shouted as his smile radiated good humor.

  “Because you cheated! There were no songbirds in that tree you pointed at.” Erebus was frowning at his brother, but Nyx saw the laughter dancing in his eyes and pulling at the corners of his lips.

  “Guess you should have set the rules before you said go!” Kalona said.

  As Nyx stood there speechlessly staring at the brothers, Kalona clapped Erebus on the back. Not in a gesture meant to hurt him or knock him aside, but with what appeared to be real affection.

  “I’ll definitely remember that next time,” said Erebus. Then he turned to face Nyx and bowed with an exaggerated flourish. “Beautiful Goddess! Good day to you. I see that you’ve added another kitten to your collection.” Erebus went to the baby’s bed and reached down to pet her, but the cat hissed and spit at him.

  “They never like anyone but our Nyx,” Kalona said before turning to the Goddess. “And I cannot blame them. Once you’ve known the beauty and majesty that is the Goddess of Night, everyone else pales in comparison.” He also bowed to Nyx, though
he held her gaze as he did so. “Good day, my beloved.”

  “Good day,” Nyx said slowly as she looked from Kalona to Erebus. Both immortals grinned at her with expressions that suddenly reminded the Goddess of precocious little boys. There was a feeling spreading over her skin that was very much like standing on a field during an electrical storm. “What has happened?”

  Erebus looked at Kalona. “You should tell her.”

  “But it was your idea, and you did it,” said Kalona.

  “True, but I think she’d like to hear it from you.”

  “That’s kind of you, little brother.”

  “Not at all, big bro.”

  “Bro?”

  “I just made it up. I like it shortened,” said Erebus, scratching his chin in contemplation.

  “By all the lost gods and goddesses! Will one of you please tell me what is going on?” Nyx rested her fists on her hips and narrowed her eyes at the brothers.

  “Sorry about this. In my defense, I am new to this feeling and it is making me rather …” Kalona paused, searching for the correct word.

  “Giddy?” Erebus offered.

  Kalona nodded and grinned. “Good word. Giddy. The feeling is making me giddy.”

  “What feeling?” The Goddess didn’t exactly shout, but the intensity in her voice had the air around them swirling in response.

  “Joy!” Erebus said. “My big brother now has joy within him.”

  Nyx’s smooth brow furrowed. “I do not understand.”

  Kalona moved closer to Nyx. Taking her hand in both of his, he kissed it gently. “I was flawed at my creation. Erebus figured out how to correct the flaw.”

  “Not just you, big bro,” Erebus said. “I was flawed as well, Nyx. Kalona wasn’t given a capacity for joy, and I was given too much capacity for it. It tainted my life, though not as obviously as the lack of it did my brother’s life. So I fixed it.”

  “You fixed it?” Nyx felt dizzy with the beginnings of a great, swelling happiness that caught her completely unawares. Her gaze flew from Erebus’s smiling, familiar face to Kalona’s. He too was smiling—and the expression reached and filled his eyes, blazing joy and love. “You are joyful!”

  “I am indeed,” said Kalona. “Thanks to Erebus.”

  “And you are no longer jealous of him.”

  Nyx didn’t speak it as a question, but Kalona answered readily.

  “I am not jealous of my brother’s relationship with you. I never will be again. That I promise you. I also promise that from this day forth I will do everything I can to make up for the sadness and hurt I caused you and my brother. Can you forgive me, Great Goddess?” Kalona went to his knees and bowed his head.

  Nyx stared from Kalona to Erebus. The golden-winged immortal nodded.

  “He’s telling you the truth. Joy has replaced anger, just as love has replaced jealousy,” said Erebus.

  “Oh! I can hardly breathe with happiness!” Nyx pulled Kalona to his feet and threw her arms around him, laughing as he held her tightly.

  Then the son of the moon opened one of his arms, motioning to Erebus. “What kind of hug did you call this?” Kalona asked.

  Erebus’s smiled blazed like the sun. “Group hug!” And he too stepped into his brother’s embrace while Nyx laughed and cried tears of joy. Then he kissed Nyx softly on the cheek and clapped his brother’s shoulder. “And now I am going to make a trip to Earth. Mangoes are in season on the island where the people call our Goddess Pele. I intend to collect a basketful.”

  “I adore mangoes!” Nyx said, clapping her hands like a girl.

  “And that, my Goddess, is why I am going to bring you back a basketful.” Erebus paused and waggled his brows suggestively. “But not until much, much later tonight.”

  Nyx put her arms around Erebus and held him close. “Thank you is not enough, but those are the only words I have.”

  “And they are the only words I have too,” said Kalona. “You gave me my life back. Thank you doesn’t seem enough.”

  “Oh, it isn’t, big bro. But what is enough is you loving Nyx and filling this realm and our little family with joy and Light.”

  “Now, I can do that,” Kalona said.

  “Then that is thanks enough.”

  Erebus unfurled his wings and lifted into the cerulean sky, leaving Nyx alone with her lover.

  The Goddess looked up at Kalona. She touched his face intimately, cupping his cheek in her hand. “I can feel the lightness within you.”

  His hand covered hers. “As can I. It’s as if, until now, I’ve not been able to draw a deep breath in all the centuries I have been alive.”

  “But now you can breathe freely,” she whispered, tilting her head up invitingly.

  “Yes, my beloved. Now and forevermore.” Kalona kissed her as he picked her up and carried her within to her curtained bed while outside the fey frolicked in Nyx’s lake, mirroring the joy that radiated from their Goddess and spread, like spring rain, throughout her realm.

  4

  Other Kalona

  Years uncounted passed, lengthening to decades and then centuries—and joy ruled this realm of Nyx’s Otherworld. Kalona, Erebus, and Nyx were the best of friends—a family that wasn’t just content with one another. They were truly happy and enjoyed the company of one another.

  Before Erebus gifted Kalona with joy, the son of the Moon had disdained Earth, especially avoiding the vampyres his mistake had created. And so, for many years Nyx’s vampyres saw only Erebus at their Goddess’s side. Naturally, they concluded that he was Nyx’s Consort and Warrior—and they named the best and most courageous of their Warriors the Sons of Erebus.

  Erebus sought to correct that misperception quickly, but Kalona was adamant. “Brother, when I was self-absorbed and filled with anger I let our Goddess down, but you remained at her side, visiting her favorite children and supporting her. The bravest of the House of Night Warriors should carry your golden image and your name. I will not take that honor from you.”

  Kalona could see that his acquiescence moved Erebus deeply, so he made certain that he often found excuses not to join Nyx and Erebus when they visited the growing number of House of Night groupings of vampyres. He understood his presence would only call into question Erebus’s place at the Goddess’s side—and now that there was no need for him to struggle with jealousy, he was glad to gift his brother and his lover special moments with Nyx’s vampyres.

  When Kalona visited earth, he often did so alone. Not because he wanted to be away from Nyx or Erebus, but because he discovered how very much he enjoyed interacting with another group of Nyx’s special children—those who called themselves Tsalagi, and would eventually become known to the world as the seven tribes of the Cherokee peoples.

  It began by accident—the way so many things in Kalona’s long life had begun. He’d come to earth to surprise Nyx by gathering a basket of her favorite spring berries and come upon a young Tsalagi hunter who was attempting to bring down a bison bull—by himself. The hunter was moments from being gored by the bull when Kalona swooped down from the sky, landing between the huge charging creature and the frightened, doomed youth. Kalona easily turned the bison aside, saving the boy.

  He’d tried to fly away, but the youth had fallen to the ground, prostrating himself to the “Great Winged God.” With a sigh, Kalona told the boy to rise and then explained patiently to him that he wasn’t a god. He was only Kalona, the Consort of their Mother Goddess.

  The young hunter had insisted that his father, who was chief of his tribe of the Tsalagi, must repay his kindness, so Kalona reluctantly went with the boy to his village.

  Thus began one of the most satisfying relationships in Kalona’s existence. The tribe welcomed him, naming him Kalona of the Silver Wings. Though he did not allow them to worship him as a god, the Tsalagi revered the winged immortal and he often joined th
eir storytelling circles. The artists of the tribe created images of him, and their homes, horses, and even the great headdresses of their warriors were decorated with silver-white wings and amber eyes. Kalona wasn’t their god, but any member of the tribe would say that Kalona of the Silver Wings was their beloved protector and friend.

  And that made the mighty Kalona joyful.

  The years passed peacefully for the three immortals. Erebus and Nyx appeared to vampyres frequently, encouraging them to establish their society as a matriarchal one that revered the arts and sciences and respected their Warrior protectors, who were trained in the art of hand-to-hand combat as well as ancient battle strategies—the best of whom were accepted into the ranks of the elite Sons of Erebus Warriors.

  Kalona and the Cherokee tribes developed a close relationship. The winged immortal visited often, watching as the decades passed and one chief took over from another. He wept with the tribe when lives ended and celebrated with them when crops were plentiful and babies were born healthy and happy. And every time he visited the tribes, ravens flocked to him. It happened so often that the Cherokee celebrated when a flock of the intelligent black birds gathered, as they knew Kalona of the Silver Wings must be near.

  All was well for many decades, and then Kalona realized something was wrong.

  At first it was barely noticeable. Filled with joy and utterly content with his life, Kalona would not have recognized that anything was amiss if he had never known his own sadness—never kept his own secrets from Erebus and Nyx.

  But Kalona had known sadness, anger, jealousy, and heartache—and so he recognized shadows of those old, base feelings beginning within his brother as Erebus slowly and quietly withdrew.

  It didn’t happen when Nyx and Kalona were being overtly affectionate—kissing and laughing in each other’s arms—but rather in moments when either he or his Goddess lover were still.

  The first time Kalona had to face the fact that there was something wrong with Erebus happened when Kalona had been watching Nyx as she swam with the water sprites in her crystal lake. The Goddess was as naked as the little sprites, and her loveliness shined so brightly that the magnificent fey looked like wan shadows beside her glory. The warm breeze lifted Nyx’s laughter up to the balcony the brothers reclined on as they sipped ambrosia and enjoyed the magickal view of their Goddess frolicking, childlike, with the sprites. Kalona remembered he had been staring at Nyx, thinking how very grateful he was to be her Consort, her lover, her friend. He’d turned to smile at his brother and thank him once again for sharing his joy—and he’d caught Erebus unawares. Kalona’s brother had turned away from the lake and was staring down at nothing in particular, but the look on his face stopped Kalona’s breath.