Rise of the Firebird (30 page)

“Enough!” Ruthann commanded, a wave of power rolling from him. “Your passion is admirable but unnecessary. Anya and Aramis will see that Yanka is dead and if Baba Yaga becomes a problem we will deal with it the way we have always done.”

“So we will watch the world burn once more as they make war on each other and everyone else,” Søren said. “She is treacherous. You had best remember that when the time comes.”

“I’ve not forgotten. We must put our faith in Anya and Aramis.”

“Be careful, Ruthann. As soon as Baba Yaga sees no more value in your
unique
friendship, she will turn on us for our secrets.”

“Then as
Dauđi Dómr
, you may have the pleasure of killing her.”

“And who will kill the army that she sends to destroy us all?”

“Go, Søren, I’m weary of you,” Ruthann waved him on with an elegant flick of his hand. Søren felt the compulsion. He had no choice but to obey. Ruthann may choose to be complacent, but he wouldn’t be and with that in the forefront of his mind, he went to summon his warriors.

Cerise swirled the ice in her cup of blood and Southern Comfort before sipping it. She was trying not to drink too much alcohol and was failing miserably. Silvian’s arrival had kept her thoughts off Trajan, but now he was busy with Fox and she was left to her own devices. Immortals suffered most of all at the loss of one of their own and Trajan was the only creature she had ever met that was like her.

With Anya around, Cerise at least had a scale in which to measure her grief barometer but now she was gone, off to save the world, full of purpose if not hope. What the others didn’t know was that Cerise was worried Eris would have managed to get Trajan in the afterlife. If there were such a thing for their kind, Eris would find a way to exploit it and punish him for his escape.

Pushing the thought down, Cerise picked up the TV remote and started to channel surf. Cable TV and Bloody Comforts were the only medicine for her aching loneliness and never ceasing worry. Flicking through the world news, Cerise saw small signs that there was unrest in the supernatural community. Cerise almost dropped her glass when the reporter flashed a story on the Russian President’s new grant funding into nuclear weapons technology. She picked up her phone.

“Cerise, my red haired love, how are you today?” Silvian answered.

“Have you had a chance to look at the breaking news from Russia?” she asked, placing her drink down on the table.

“No, why is that?”

“Because fucking Yanka is standing behind Barsukov in the news broadcast!”

“Easy, Cerise, I’m turning it on now.”

“I’m coming around.”

“Don’t drink and drive.”

“Bite me.”

“I keep offering and you keep saying no.”

Cerise arrived in a cab twenty minutes later. She looked up at Silvian’s two story house and smiled, happy that they’d chosen one with such lovely trees and gardens. Silvian was waiting for her on the front porch to open the electronic gates.

“So it looks like Yanka has been making allies,” he said by way of greeting. He paused for a moment, as he looked her over. “You don’t look so good, Cerise. Are you okay?” He put an arm around her and she promptly burst into tears. “Come now, I know Yanka’s dress was ugly but that’s no need for tears,” he teased gently.

“I miss him so fucking much,” she said as she let go of him.

“I know. It’s harder for us immortals because we know them for so much longer. I really wish you would move in here,” Silvian said as they walked inside.

“You want me to move in?” she sniffed.

“Well, I didn’t buy this massive house for myself. Come on, I will call the hotel and organise everything to come over,” he passed her a silk handkerchief and she dabbed at her running make up.

“Okay,” she smiled. At least, she wouldn’t be channel surfing by herself any more. “You are right though, Silvian. It was an ugly dress.”

Anya and her company kept a steady pace throughout the day. They saw no sign of the
volk krovi
or anyone else. The forest started to grow darker and tighter as the day wore on and Anya found herself moving closer and closer to Aramis. He’d dropped much of his glamour since entering Skazki and was now glowing ever so faintly.

“We’re crossing out of Skazki now,” Eldon said, his voice reduced to a cautious hush. “The power is changing.”

“Baba Zosia said that this forest was the quickest way into Karelia,” Aleksandra confirmed. “Though she said it was definitely the most uncomfortable and only to use it in the direst circumstances. She never said why, but our circumstance is definitely classed as dire.”

“I can hear things moving about,” Izrayl said as his eyes darted around the trees, “but I can’t see where the sound is coming from.”

Mychal was holding the silver spear in his hand. He hadn’t extended it but held it ready for anything. “It’s not evil whatever this forest is but it’s dark in every sense of the word. Izrayl is right, we are being watched but I don’t think its intent is malicious.”

“It won’t hurt to have our guard up anyway,” Katya added.

Anya looked over at Yvan who had grown pale. He was looking at the trees in a bewildered concentration. “What is it?” Anya asked, as Yvan came to walk on the other side of her.

“I don’t know. This feels familiar somehow though I know I’ve never been here before. I can’t explain it.”

“It won’t be for long.” Anya tried to sound hopeful but it wasn’t a place that allowed it. The trees had changed now, slowly turning black. The small glimpses of the sky showed stars but their light was cold. They lit torches and continued walking, all not wanting to risk sleeping in such a place.

“I’m glad you are here,” Eldon said to Aramis. “The Ljósálfar really do shine in dark places.”

“How annoyed would you get if I started to call you Night Light?” Izrayl joked.

“How annoyed would you get if I took you to the vet to be spade?” Anya retaliated before Aramis could. Katya burst out laughing, her voice echoing around about them, bouncing off the trees.

“I love it when you get all feisty,” Izrayl winked.

“Me too,” said Aramis with a smile. She held his hand, the usually invisible silvery strands of magic now glowing softly between them.

They lost time in the woods as they walked. The group drew together tightly so they wouldn’t accidentally lose someone. Every few moments, Anya could see grey wisps moving through the tress but they disappeared when she looked directly at them. Yvan was edgy so Anya took his hand as well. As she did, a pulse ran through her and into the earth.

“What the hell was that?” Katya said as she pulled out her knife.

“I don’t know,” Anya said as she looked at Aramis. She could feel both of their magic at once, as if she was a power point.

“Something we can discuss later,” Eldon interrupted. “Look over there.” The trees in front of them had moved, opening a path for them. There was a faint light on the other side.

“Hopefully, it’s the way out,” Aleksandra said. “Whatever you did, it made the forest make way for us.”

“Don’t let go of me until we get there,” Anya gripped their hands harder.

“I had no intention of it,” said Yvan. “The firebird seems to be moving about uneasily. The faster we can get through here the better.”

The ground beneath their feet had turned to a fine black ash that kicked up and settled over them like a filthy cloud. There wasn’t a single drop of moisture in the air and Anya felt like she was slowly suffocating. White figures were moving about the trees but they weren’t disappearing now when she looked at them.

“What are they?” she whispered.

“They are spirits,” Eldon replied calmly. “They’re nothing to fear, Anya. They don’t even know that we are here.”

As she watched them, Anya had a sudden memory of Trajan, glasses sitting crooked on his nose, reading to her a story. The words flowed back to her and she quoted:

“Then wanton Lemminkäinen

He, the fair Farmind

went the swan’s whooping, to

look, for the long neck

out of Tunoni’s black river

from the dale of the Dead Land

and he swings along

warbles on his way

towards Tuonela’s river

to the holy stream’s whirlpool

shouldering his great crossbar

a quiverful on his back.”

“The Kalevala?” asked Eldon. “You’re so quick sometimes, Anya.”

“Not nearly quick enough,” she admitted and looked up at Yvan. “We’re in Tuonela.”

“That’s it,” he muttered. “I know the feeling of this place because I have died before.”

“It will be okay, Vanya.”

“I’m so sorry,” Aleksandra said as she looked at their pale faces. “If I had known that this was where we were going…”

“But you didn’t,” Mychal interrupted, placing a hand on her shoulder. “We know that you didn’t, so there isn’t any need to apologise. We’re the living and by rights don’t belong here, so we should be able to pass out of here unhindered.”

“Unless Tuoni wants to have tea and a catch up with Anya,” Eldon muttered. They were silent as they walked through the tunnel of trees until they finally came out onto the shore of lake. The water was black and as slick as oil.

“Don’t go too close to the water,” cautioned Izrayl, “we don’t know what lurks beneath.” They stood on the banks watching as the pale smoky figures walked down around them and into the water, slipping beneath the surface.

“Where do you think they go?” asked Anya.

“Water is a conduit between worlds,” offered Eldon, his eyes transfixed on the black surface. “They might go to whatever Afterlife they are seeking. No one knows until they make the journey.” Anya watched him step down off the bank and onto the rocky shore. He crouched down next to the water.

“Eldon, what are you doing?” She went to move to him, but Aramis and Yvan gripped her tighter to stop her.

“There’s nothing to fear, Anyanka. I only want to…check.” Eldon held out his hand over the water, whispering to himself, before plunging his hand into it. He seemed to shrink, as if all of his essence was being sucked out of him. Before Anya could scream, Eldon started to glow with a golden light that seemed to emanate from him and he was flung back from the water by an invisible force. Mychal jumped down the bank to help him.

“That was stupid, old man,” he said as he lifted the Bard to his feet.

“I know, but I had to try,” Eldon shrugged. “What did you see?”

“I saw that you were right about God not letting you die and a hand made of cloud smacking you down.”

“Keen eyes are a good characteristic in a hunter,” Eldon smiled crookedly.

“Look! What is that?” Katya pointed out into the distance. There was something white floating on the water.

“It’s a swan,” Anya said though she couldn’t make out its features. “It’s Tuoni’s pet.”

“Okay, that’s weird, but if that’s a swan, then what is that?” Katya pointed out further. Something was moving steadily towards them through the mist, a grey figure on black. Mychal’s spear extended full length and weapons appeared in Katya and Izrayl’s hands. Anya felt the reassuring weight of Ilya’s bear knife down the side of her boot, and after Veruschka, she knew that she wouldn’t hesitate to use magic.

A gentle knocking and the splash of an oar echoed across the water, growing louder until they saw a robed figure steering a long barge made from the black trees of the forest. The barge beached itself in the glittering sand.

“You are living. Why do you trespass into these lands?” she demanded coldly, for it was a woman who addressed them. Anya couldn’t see her face but a long black braid fell from the hood. It was woven with ravens feathers and pale bone.

“We are but lost travellers on our way to Karelia,” Eldon said with a short bow. “We didn’t mean to offend you,
Tuonen Pilka
. If you would but point us in the right direction, we will be more than happy to leave Tuonela.”

“No one enters this place or leaves without the Lord’s permission, even those of you with charming manners,” she said as she drew back her hood. Her eyes were black in a face that would’ve been pretty except for its cold pale skin and purple lips. “You had best sheath your weapons. They are no use to you in this place. Which one of you is named Anya?”

“I am.” The endless black eyes turned on her and grew larger the longer she stared.

“Tuoni wishes to speak with you. He has commanded me to take you to him.”

“I don’t go anywhere without my friends,” Anya said, her voice shaking only a little.

Death Maid closed her eyes for a moment before they snapped open, “Tuoni accepts this. Climb onto the barge and I shall take you to him.”

“Excellent! Come along then, and let’s see what he has to say for himself,” Eldon exclaimed enthusiastically.

“Mad fucking Welshman,” Izrayl grinned.

They climbed on board and Aramis let go of Anya’s hand. Nothing happened, no pulse of power. Anya still stood close to him and kept her grip on Yvan. She could feel how uneasy he still was, but was hiding it, his face stern and blank.

Silence engulfed them like a blanket the further they travelled. Even the dipping sound of the Death Maid’s oar had hushed. There were no sounds of birds, beasts, or people. An island was coming into view and a large stronghold made of wood was built on the waterfront.

“Do you think he built it there for the view?” Izrayl nudged Katya who couldn’t help but smile. Anya shook her head at the pair of them. Even in the grimmest circumstance, they would still be cracking jokes.

Mychal was standing close to Aleksandra who had gone very quiet since the forest. Anya couldn’t guess what she was thinking. Aleksandra was a seer but she had failed to see this detour into Tuonela. She’d blame herself, though no one else did, especially Anya. She was learning that situations like this came about because something or someone had orchestrated it. The Tuonen Pilka had been on her way to greet them so they were expected; nothing entered the Dales of Dead Land without Tuoni’s approval.

They docked at a small jetty and Death Maid stepped soundlessly from the boat, “Follow me.”