After the Fire (After the Fire: Book the First) (20 page)

“You
sound very much like Zaric,” said Magda, suddenly curious.

“I
am Zaric,” said Eleni.

Magda
studied Eleni for a moment. “He won't come here,” she
said.

“How
can you be sure?”

“He
told me,” said Magda. “He lies in wait. A beast with his
mouth open wide to swallow us all.”

“So
we are marching to our deaths,” said Eleni, making her face
emotionless.

Magda
looked at Eleni for a long moment. “Yes,” she said
finally. “Most of you will probably die. Maybe even you.”

“We
should go now.”

Fin
joined Magda, looking at Eleni with concern. His arm was swaddled in
cloth. Eleni couldn't look at him. Not even to apologize for hurting
him. It hurt to look at him. She didn't quite understand the pain she
felt in her chest, the weakness in her limbs as she felt his eyes on
her, but she knew it wouldn't help stop Loki.

“Eleni,
you should rest,” said Fin.

Eleni
stood up, feeling the wind against her bare skin. “I've already
rested,” she said coldly, avoiding his eyes. “It's time
to fight. Loki must be stopped.”

“Is
this the right way?” Fin said. “Perhaps we should just
get you away. All the time it took us to find you. Loki could kill
you tonight.”

“We're
wasting time,” said Eleni.

“You
could die, Eleni.” Fin grasped her shoulders and squeezed them.
“Do you understand that? We could all die.”

“I
have no choice,” Eleni said softly. “I don't get to walk
away from this. Not ever. I'll never be a goddess on a peaceful green
isle, Fin. It will never end well for me.”

“You
don't know that.” Fin loosened his grasp and dropped his arms.
“No one knows what will happen. You can be whatever you want.
You're not the girl in the iron box any longer.”

“It's
just another iron box,” said Eleni, making her face hard. “You
can leave if you wish. You have that choice. But I can't.”

“Why
are you saying all this? What happened to you?”

“Nothing,”
said Eleni. She took a step back. It felt like dying all over again.
Only cold this time. As cold as she had felt the first time she had
met Fin and he had given her his coat. Fin shook his head.

“I
thought...” he trailed off. His jaw clenched. He looked at
Eleni, his eyes searching.

“I'm
sorry,” she said, her voice almost inaudible, her eyes aimed at
the ground.

Fin
shook his head again and walked away without another word. She heard
a muffled whoop from the forest. The gods were ready. Eleni looked at
Magda. “It is just another iron box, isn't it, old woman?”

“Watch
your tongue with me, girl.”

“You
didn't bring me here to find Anja. Or to keep me safe.”

“What's
happened to you?” Magda said. “Something more than
memories. I can see it. What do you know?”

Eleni
snorted. “A Fate needs to ask me?”

Magda's
good eye opened in surprise. “You've seen something. What is
it?”

Eleni
pulled her arm roughly from Magda's grasp. “Take care of the
women and children. Those of us that can fight are going to do just
that.” Eleni turned to walk away but looked back at the
startled old woman. She reached behind her neck and untied the strap
around her neck. Oddly she felt even more naked without the constant
buzzing at her chest. She held out the necklace to Magda, the light
inside flickering and gyrating against the clear orb. “This
should protect you,” said Eleni. She dropped it into Magda's
hand.

“We
don't even know what this does,” said Magda.

“I'm
still alive, aren't I?” said Eleni. “Despite all your
efforts.”

She
felt Magda watching her as she walked away.

“Eleni!”
said a female voice. Eleni turned to see Iren running toward her with
something in her arms. “I brought you some new clothes,”
the girl panted, holding up a pouch. “And some food to take
with you.”

“The
dress will just be ruined,” said Eleni. “And I have no
need of the food.” She tried to swallow the lump in her throat.
“I may not be out there long enough to eat.”

“Please,”
Iren said as Eleni turned to go. “Wear the dress at least. I
made it myself. It would make me feel like I was there if you wore
something of mine.”

Eleni
glared down at the girl. “Why would you want to be there?”

Iren
shrugged nervously. “To be a part of something. To help. To
feel like I'm doing something good.”

“If
you want to do something good, leave this place,” said Eleni.
“Go find someone to love who loves you back. Life is too
precious and too short to waste away with Reivers.
Or with gods for that matter. Stop trying to be like me.” Eleni
took the dress out of Iren's hands and shoved it over her head,
pulling it down roughly over her body. “Be happy to be mortal,
girl. You have so few worries.”

Eleni
walked toward the sound of war cries in the forest, ignoring the
wide-eyed stares of the women huddled around the fire as she walked
by. Loki had to die. She knew it was true. He would never stop. But
if she had to die, too, she didn't want to leave anyone with pain in
their chests that felt like darkness so black no light would ever
fill it. She didn't want anyone to feel the way she felt now. Only a
few weeks ago she felt nothing for anyone. If only she could feel
that way again. That Eleni wouldn't have minded barreling toward
death and destiny.

Whatever
destiny was. Not even the Fates seemed to know.

Chapter
Seventeen

Fin
watched Eleni striding toward them. She was clothed now. The setting
sun lit her up, making it appear that she was on fire once more. The
dress she wore was in the Reiver
style, but had been dyed a deep, dark, blood red. Her hair fell wild
around her, an even
brighter
red than the dress. There was a frightening beauty to her. Fin had
wanted to protect her, despite fearing her power, but her behavior
since waking up had changed all that.
After
all the time they had spent together, he had felt her changing,
softening, opening up, until she awakened. Now she was even more hard
and cold than when he had met her.
What had
happened to her? He knew that she remembered the way she was before.
She now had the memories and knowledge of Zaric that had been locked
up tight. But even more, she talked like someone willingly walking
toward her death. Not as a woman realizing her power and eager to
see the world, as she had been in the forest. He would find out. She
would talk to him if he could get her alone, she always did, even
when he hadn't expected it.

“Why
are there so few?” said Eleni. She was looking at her new-found
brothers and sisters, her gaze lingering on each of them. Her eyes
slid past Fin without stopping.

“Dead,
mostly,” said Diza, standing and shouldering her bow. “One
by one they disappeared. Some may have run, but I believe most of
them are probably dead, never to reawaken again.”

“Perun
is missing,” boomed Radegast, waving toward the mountains
behind her. “I have seen his bolts but he does not come.”

“Perun
is afraid to come,” said Eleni. “He killed me. And he is
the first god-eater.”

The
gods were silent, exchanging glances. The Reivers
had stepped back when Eleni approached. Either out of fear or
respect, they were muttering amongst themselves, unaware of the words
the gods were exchanging.

“We
must kill him, then,” said Veles. “He cannot live as he
is after this atrocious act. He must be reborn.”

“Perun
is not important right now,” said Eleni. “Loki must be
stopped. He will bring Ragnarok.”

“Ragnarok?”
said Lada. “Are you sure?”

“How
do you know?” wheezed Marowit, his eyes flickering around
almost nervously. Eleni couldn't rest her eyes on him. She got an
uncomfortable knot in her stomach when she looked at him.

“I
know,” said Eleni.

“What
does he need to be here for, then?” said Diza. “Why us?
Certainly there are other gods, stronger gods he could take. He's
been in that village for days from what Magda says. Why? What is so
important?” Every eye fell on Eleni, who shifted uncomfortably.

“He
is here, that is all we know,” said Eleni. “Where is
Chernobog? Dead?”

“He
lives,” said Radegast. “He just did not come.”

“Does
he not fear the Fates?” said Eleni. “They won't be apart
forever.” Fin thought he saw her tense at the words. He wished
he could understand her. She was more like Zaric now than Eleni.

Radegast
snorted. “He fears no one. He stays in the underworld. No one
has seen him for many years. He does not emerge. The Fates have no
power in his realm. He has the power of Odin where he is.”

“He
is only one,” said Lada. “We are many. Why do we not just
take him?”

“He
has been eating the souls of the gods,” said Fin.

Eleni
finally looked at him, flinching as she did so. He met her gaze and
she looked away. Fin frowned, but hid the pain that was surely on his
face. “He will be more powerful than any god we have seen. More
powerful than Odin. More powerful than the great gods of the South.
Maybe he wants Eleni, or maybe he wants to kill us all and devour us.
It doesn't matter. Eleni is right, we have to fight him. If he brings
Ragnarok, more than the gods will die. Mortals, trees, animals,
everything. And Loki will be the only god left to rule. I don't know
how he would do such a thing, but if Eleni says it's so, it's so.”

Eleni's
eyes were on him again. She nodded and there was an almost-smile on
her face just for a fleeting moment. Then it was gone and she was
looking at the others. “If this is what we have, then we should
go now, but quietly. I will ride ahead on Fin's horse.”

“No,
you won't,” said Fin.

Eleni
looked at him, her eyebrows raised in surprise. “You will not
let me ride your horse?”

“I'll
let you ride her,” said Fin. “But Epona is no ordinary
horse. She won't let just anyone ride her. I'll have to ride with
you. Otherwise she'll throw you and trample you first chance she
gets. Besides, you've never ridden a horse, have you?”

Eleni
sniffed. “Not in this life.”

“You
might be a little rusty.” Veles laughed, but stopped when Eleni
looked at him icily.

“Fin
and I will ride ahead,” she said. “You will all head
toward the village with care. Meet us just outside of the field in
front of the village. There is a small clearing by a stream. You will
hear it right away; it runs fast. Fin and I will meet you there and
we will plan our attack.”

“Loki
will feel us coming,” said Diza. “If he's as powerful as
you say, he's going to know.”

“We
have no other choice,” said Eleni. The gods were silent. The
Reivers
snickered amongst themselves a ways off in the forest.

“What
about the women?” said Fin. “They need protection.”

“I've
left Magda and the necklace,” said Eleni.

“Neither
one of those things will stop the dark creatures.”

Eleni
frowned. “Marowit, you command the darks, do you not?”

“They
obey me when I bid them to,” said Marowit warily. Fin
suppressed a shiver. The diminutive god had always felt slimy and
disgraceful to him.

“You
will stay here,” said Eleni.

“I
will do no such thing,” said Marowit. “I am no coward.”

“Someone
has to protect the Fate,” said Lada. “She's the only one
we have.”

“She
cannot die,” Marowit sneered. “She doesn't need
protection.”

“Just
like the other two that are missing?” said Fin. “Is there
any doubt that they were led to disappear?”

“If
they stay disappeared, it might not be so bad.”

“You
will stay here and protect Magda,” said Eleni. “And the
women and children.” Eleni's eyes glinted, as though flame had
flickered there, but it was gone in an instant. Marowit shut his
mouth. He stood up and walked toward the village, casting an angry
look at Eleni as he went.

“He
never was good in a fight anyway,” said Radegast. “Always
with those dark things.” He shuddered.

“We
will not speak of it. It is time to go.” Eleni looked at Fin.
“We will do this. We will kill him. We're strong enough
together.”

Before
the moon was high in the sky, the wolf joined them, loping alongside
the horse. Oddly, though Fin prepared for the horse to run in terror,
Epona didn't seem bothered by the wolf. Behind him, Eleni's tight
grip around his waist relaxed somewhat. He thought the wolf brought
her comfort. He couldn't pretend to know what was bothering her, or
even begin to understand the way her mind worked, but Fin knew that
she loved that animal as he had loved his siblings. It had always
been all that she had.

They
were halfway to the village, Epona beginning to froth at their mad
pace, when Fin felt Eleni's body go rigid behind him. It had happened
a few times along the way, but she had muttered apologies every time
it happened. But this time was different. She went stiff as a stone.
He heard her gasp, such a soft sound, and so out of place coming from
her. Her grasp loosened around his waist and suddenly she wasn't
there any more. Fin was off the horse before she had even stopped and
was down on his knees next to Eleni. Her eyes were wide and her arms
spread out across the ground. She arched her back as though an energy
were coursing through her.

“Eleni?”
said Fin. Twin flames burst through her eyes, rising up like small
volcanoes. Then she went limp again, her eyelids sliding shut. Fin
looked down at his bandaged arm. It still throbbed, though Magda had
mostly healed him with some sort of congealed, foul-smelling liquid
she had with her. He looked at Eleni. Her face had gone as gray as
Marowit's. It didn't matter if he got hurt. He lifted Eleni's head
gingerly and cradled it in his lap. She looked so small, so delicate
lying there like this. He touched her face. It was hot, though not
hot enough to burn him. The wolf prodded her hand with a nose. The
animal looked at Fin and whined. Fin frowned as the wolf's eyes
stared at him. They were golden, but not like a regular wolf. They
seemed to shine in a familiar way.