Rise of the Firebird (37 page)

“Thank you, big brother,” she said, kissing his cheek. Izrayl’s bellowing laughter echoed through the trees signalling his arrival back. Yvan was walking with him, looking a little embarrassed but smiling. Anya had a sneaky feeling that the
volk krovi
had been teasing him, but Yvan didn’t look offended by it.

“What was that all about?” she asked when he got closer.

“Nothing, just Izrayl,” Yvan answered vaguely. “You wouldn’t happen to know why Eldon is building himself a camp in a cave further upstream, would you?”

“He’s planning on giving me lessons tonight and we need to be away from others to do it.”

Yvan frowned. “I don’t know if I like the idea of people being away from the security of the camp, especially you.”

“I’m safe with Eldon. Besides anything stupid enough to attack us, will regret it.”

“I still don’t have to like it,” he said, his blue eyes were dark as they fixed on hers. Anya felt the heat coming off him and her mouth went dry.

“You wouldn’t be you if you did. I’ve got to go and connect with the forest, teacher’s orders,” Anya said as she backed away from him before she said or did something stupid. Now that they had kissed, she was burning to do it again but that needed to wait. Eldon was right. He did mess with her concentration but now it was for an entirely new set of reasons.

“Are you okay? You seem more jumpy than usual,” he said crossing his arms.

“I’m fine. Magic stuff to do, I won’t be long.”

Anya tried not to run as she moved in amongst the shelter of the trees. When she was out of sight of the camp, she felt like she could breathe again. She found a large rock and sat down. Taking Eldon’s advice, she took off her boots and rolled up her jeans. Her brand from the
Groenn Skaer
was tingling as she buried her feet through the fallen leaves and into soil underneath it. The wind gently pushed the leaves around and Anya closed her eyes and let go.

Her mind went clear as she let the steady calm of the earth and the forest move up through her feet and flood her senses. She felt the life around her, the whisper of the trees, and the strength of the water beneath her deep underground. She felt the autumn moving through the land, drawing its breath in preparation for a cold winter.

When Anya finally came back into consciousness with her body, the sun was almost gone. Eldon was right, she did feel better and she hadn’t lost herself like she feared she would. She was pulling on her boots when she felt something watching her from a safe distance. Yvan was leaning against a birch tree.

“Spying again, I see,” she said.

He walked over to her, “Guarding, not spying. You look calm.”

Anya stood up on the rock so she was at his eye level. “I feel calmer. Is Eldon waiting for me?”

“No, he hasn’t returned. The firebird was worried about you so I thought I’d best make sure you were alright.”

“The firebird was worried. Sure it was.” Anya placed a hand on his chest and felt the bird move beneath her hand. “It seems fine to me.”

Yvan looked down at the hand still resting on him. Anya quickly went to move it when he trapped it with one of his own.

“Fine, we were both worried. Last time you went off into the woods, we had to chase the spirit of the forest out of your head and you came back pregnant.”

Anya flinched, “Apparently so.”

“I didn’t mean to upset you. It must’ve been disconcerting when Eldon told you about the seeds. Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because of the way you looked at me after I came back that night,” Anya surprised herself by admitting it. “I know we went over this and you were reacting because of what happened with Helena.”

“Well partly,” Yvan said making her stop. “A lot of it was fear and more than a healthy dose of jealousy.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Come now, Anya. An Elemental wanted you for his consort. How can any normal person compete with a Forest God?” he said in mock exasperation.

“You are far from normal, Vanya. You can be a bit thick, but you aren’t normal,” Anya added as she hugged him around the shoulders. She loved the soft grey cotton of his shirt against her face and the feel of his strong collarbone underneath it. His arms came around to rest on her back. It was strange that they had hugged so many times before, and yet now it felt completely different. Anya smiled over his shoulder where he couldn’t see it and moved her hand to twist her fingers in his dark hair.

“I hate that you can insult me and then hug me and I can’t be angry at you.”

“Good isn’t it? It’s a special talent I have,” she laughed, “and you need to learn to discern an insult from a compliment.”

“There’s a good many things I need to learn about you,
shalosť
.”

“You’re doing better than most,” she said as she moved to kiss his cheek.

His face twisted in disbelief, “I don’t feel that way.”

“That’s good. I like to keep you guessing.”

“We’d best get back before it gets much darker,” Yvan said as his eyes scanned the sky about them.

“Not yet, there’s something I need to do first.”

“More teacher’s orders?”

“Not exactly.” Anya kissed his lips quickly, keeping her magic locked away. “Now we can go back.”

“
Strannaya devushka
,” Yvan shook his head, “you aren’t going anywhere.”

He pulled her close and kissed her properly. Like when she connected with the forest, her mind went completely blank when Yvan kissed her. The scent of ozone and heat rose from him and her heartbeat hammered faster until she felt the echo of it resonating through her entire body.

He loves you so much,
the firebird said softly in her mind. She smiled against his lips. Yvan’s kiss was like the rest of him, deep, strong and unshakable.

“Now we can go,” he said finally. Anya’s mind drifted back into her body and she realised she was trembling.

“I don’t think my legs are going to be able to move yet,” she admitted and was surprised when he looked bashful. He lifted her off the rock and placed her on her feet.

“I’ll make sure you don’t fall,” he said and offered her his arm.

Eldon Blaise arrived back at the camp as Anya did. Aleksandra had made food but Eldon stopped Anya from taking the offered bowl. “Food will not agree with what we are going to do tonight,” he said. “Come, we have to be going. Yvan, you come by in half an hour. You get the good pleasure of guarding us.”

“Guarding you from what?” he asked curiously.

“Whatever might interrupt us; Anya and I won’t be in a state to defend ourselves.”

“Why am I suddenly concerned?” Anya asked.

“It is a precaution, nothing more, but we need to be going.” Anya picked up her coat and followed him.

The sun disappeared as they walked next to the stream. There was already a fire burning in the distance.

“I need you to be away from other voices and other energies for this to work properly,” Eldon explained. “We are the only inhabitants of the cave I found so at least it will be dry.”

“But it’s not raining.”

“It will be in another two hours,” Eldon said matter-of-factly. He had cut pine boughs and placed them over the entrance to the cave, shielding them from the breeze. Inside was warm and close. Two beds had been made from leaves and more pine needles. Eldon had a cloak over his and Anya lay her jacket down over hers. Eldon placed another log on the fire and sat down.

“Now, Anya, I’m going to help you into a trance like state that will allow you to see the deaths of Ilya and Eikki. You’re of their blood and so you are tied to them. Look for clues, anything that might help us. I’m going to be here to ground you if you have been gone for too long,” Eldon explained.

“Is that likely to happen?”

“I don’t know, Anya. You’re different to anyone else I’ve ever trained. You’re the most powerful too. I want to be ready for anything.” He took out a small leather pouch and gave her two hazelnuts from it. “Eat these and close your eyes.”

Anya took a deep breath and put the nuts in her mouth. They tasted a little scorched as if they had been cooked in the coals of a fire. There was another flavour there too, something herbal and fragrant that she couldn’t identify.

Anya closed her eyes and Eldon started to sing. Anya fought the urge to open her eyes again and stare at him. His voice was unlike anything she’d ever heard, it sounded
alive
. He was singing softly in Welsh and Anya let the unfamiliar language wash over her. Each time her mind started to pick up a pattern in the song, it would change.

Anya didn’t know how long she listened, when she was unexpectedly standing on her farm back in Russia. The house was smaller and there were more trees, but it was definitely the right place. She started to run as she heard shouting coming from behind the small wood shed. Vasilli stood over Ilya who was on the ground and bleeding.

“You, stupid boy, you should’ve taken her up on her offer of glory,” Vasilli spat, a bloody axe in his hand.

“I’d rather be dead than her creature,” Ilya replied. Anya fought the urge to rush to him. Ilya looked around and his green eyes latched onto her. Anya stood still, wondering if he could really see her at all. He started to make a gurgled choking sound and Anya realised that he was laughing. He sat up and spat blood on Vasilli’s cheek with deadly accuracy.

“With all the power I have in me, I curse you!” Ilya shouted and Anya felt magic roll over her. “You’ll die on this ground, Vasilli. You’ll be slain like the dog you are. The firebird shall rise and it will mark the end of your days. Look upon its resurrection and tremble! My kin will bear witness to this. I promise it and on that day, I will be avenged.”

“You don’t have any kin left,” sneered Vasilli. “Your curses are as empty as your power.”

“Ha! You will never find them and if you do, it matters not. I have something far more powerful than you protecting them.”

Anya turned her back towards the house to stop herself from screaming as Vasilli stepped over Ilya’s body and cut his throat.

When she looked up, the body was gone and a woman was walking towards her. She was in gumboots that were too big for her and had a smile on her face. Anya stood still as the apparition of herself walked through her.

“Hey, Papa, did you want some more wood for the kitchen?” she called. Eikki appeared at the back door beaming at her.

“No, I have plenty here. Did you settle the horse for the night? You know he loves to bite me still,” Eikki said.

“You should stop teasing him and telling him you are going to eat him next winter then!” The younger Anya laughed and gathered the old man in a hug. Over her shoulder, the old man’s face turned grave. He was looking into the trees. Anya turned and spotted Baba Yaga’s Black Rider standing beside a birch tree. Fear ran through her. He was so close and neither of them had seen him.

“I won’t eat him,” Eikki said, “but come inside, it’s getting cold.”

The sun disappeared and when the light in Anya’s room had gone out, the kitchen door opened once more and Eikki stepped outside. Anya followed him into the forest to where he had seen the Black Rider.

“You can tell your mistress my answer is still the same,” he said.

“Tell me yourself,” Baba Yaga’s face was briefly illuminated as she struck a match and lit her pipe.

“You heard me. Anya is mine. Besides, what use could she possibly be to you? The girl has no magic.”

“If she has no magic, how come you have that creature watching over her all the time?” Baba Yaga said.

“What creature?”

“Ilya’s pet Thanatos.”

“I don’t see any Thanatos around, do you?” Eikki said waving his arms about.

“He’s off finding some unfortunate to eat. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be here. Give me the girl and I’ll make sure she is cared for.”

“My answer, as it’s always been, is no. I will not pass her up as a pawn to any of you filthy vultures.”

“Then I suggest you start running.”

“You wouldn’t dare break the truce between Powers and Gate Keepers!”

“I said run, old man.” The forest was echoing with yips and howls. Eikki started to run towards the house, but as soon as he hit the tree line, the wolves were on him.

“Papa!” The kitchen door was open and a figure was silhouetted in the doorway. The younger Anya had grabbed a torch and was running towards them. She saw the body and started screaming. As she wept over the body, Baba Yaga walked from out of the shadows and disappeared into the house. Anya ran to the windows and hoped that Baba Yaga wouldn’t see her in her apparition form. The old woman reappeared, tossing a stone in the air and doing a bandy-legged dance. She’d taken the firebird’s egg from wherever Eikki had hidden it.

Anya was crying now. “Okay, Eldon, I have seen enough.” But Eldon didn’t appear. Anya ran from the house and up the long driveway of the farm.

Before she hit the road, she landed on the dirty floor of a stone chamber. A man with long black hair had his back to her and was standing at a workbench. Anya got to her feet and looked around at the various bottles and odd glass instruments, herbs and mortars.

The man turned to reach past her for something, and with some surprise, she saw that it was a much younger Eldon. He wore a very dark green shirt that laced up at the front and was tucked into black trousers. His eyes were a bright gold and he wore torcs of twisted silver and gold around his neck and wrists. He was pulsing with power, more than Anya had ever felt before, even from Ruthann. He radiated with it.

Whispering to himself, he sprinkled something silvery over a board. With a chill, Anya recognised it as the game she had seen Yanka and Baba Yaga playing. A huge wind tore through the chamber pulling the scene away and Anya was now high on a hill, the stars blazing overhead. Eldon had placed the game on the dirt and was crying out to the wind in a commanding voice. Anya struggled to stay standing as magic pounded the air about her. With deafening crack, Eldon sank to the ground with a groan. With trembling hands, he pulled a flask from his pocket and drank from it. Through gritted teeth, he muttered something Anya didn’t catch and he cried out as red light settled over his head.