Rise of the Firebird (47 page)

“It is good to see you, glorious Queen of the North,” Eldon bowed deeply as she fought to contain her surprise and anger.

“And where have you been hiding for the last century?” she demanded.

“In a safe place. Did you go looking for me?”

“I have no need to seek out those who insulted me.”

“Anya hasn’t insulted you, so why not show her how magnificent and hospitable the Enchantress of Northland can be? I’ve been telling her the most wondrous tales of you, Lulu, and now you are making me look like a liar.”

“Don’t you dare call me that name! What are these stories you have been telling her, Bard?”

“Only the truthful kind, Louhi,” Eldon claimed as he approached the dais. “The ones about your beauty, devastating as a winter storm and the magic that is the envy of all the Powers in Europa. The tales of your mighty hall filled with merriment, music, and the finest beer brewed in both of the worlds.”

“You always had such a pretty way with words,” Louhi said, the edges shaven off her tone, the faintest colour tinting her pale chest. “It’s a shame you refused to be my ally and yet here you are, out of retirement with this half breed Ruski whelp.”

“Anya has great potential and she’s going to rid us of Baba Yaga and Yanka. I had to be there to see it. You know what damage they’ve caused over the years. It will be justice.”

“Those stupid quarrelling Russian whores are not my concern. Potential! Ha! Anyanka cannot even see that the Álfr she travels with is suffering every minute that he’s in Pohjola.” Louhi got to her feet and walked down the stairs to stand in front of Aramis. “You are a creature of light and you have no place being here.”

“My place is with my sister. I’m exactly where I need to be,” Aramis said. “Besides, I am happy for the sacrifice if only for this chance to gaze upon the infamous Louhi. The story tellers have failed to capture you, my lady.”

“The Light Ones do have nice manners. It’s a pity the last one I met did not and I had to pull the light from him. If you cross me the same fate awaits you.” Aramis’s body tightened in anger but he nodded his head in agreement. “Fret not, you aren’t the one I’m concerned with. You, what is your name?” Her finger pointed accusingly.

“Mychal.” His spear was resting easily in his right hand.

“You’re a curiosity,” Louhi studied him slowly, “I can feel the darkness surrounding you like a thick cloak, but underneath it you are…” Louhi raised her hand and black shadows flowed from it. Mychal pushed Aleksandra out of the way as the shadows circled and wrapped around him. Mychal’s eyes flickered with a golden sheen and Anya instinctively took a step backwards.

“I’m going to have to ask you to stop what you’re doing,” Mychal said as he stretched up to his full height.

“Reveal yourself, creature!” Louhi screeched.

Light started to flow out of Mychal and Louhi’s shadows burned up like paper. But the light increased brighter and hotter until Anya was on the ground covering her face, Yvan shielding her as Louhi shrieked.

“Enough!” Eldon commanded, his voice booming like thunder. The light disappeared and Anya risked looking up. Mychal was still standing, his face shining with fury.

“Mychal,” Aleksandra spoke gently. His eyes fixed on her and away from Louhi. They changed from anger to confusion. He knelt down beside her and held her tight.

“Get out,” Louhi growled as she tried to sit up. Blood was dripping from her nose and ears.

“You shouldn’t have pushed him,” Eldon said as he helped her up.

“How dare you bring his kind into Pohjola, Blaise,” she hissed. Louhi was angry but anyone could see her fear of Mychal was greater.

“One night, Louhi, that is all I ask,” Eldon held out his handkerchief for her and she took it to stop the blood dripping down her neck.

“And what will I get in return for this? You didn’t help me last time.”

“I didn’t help you because you sided with Morgan against me. If you give me a roof and answer one of Anya’s questions, then our old debts and betrayals will be wiped clean.”

“I’ll answer a question for you, not for her. She’s brought dishonour to my father and dishonour to me by bringing these creatures into my lands. Ask your question, Blaise.”

“Where is Kullervo’s sword? Now don’t get angry again. We need it to stop Yanka.”

“Then you might as well throw yourself into the Lake of Tuonela because the sword is gone,” Louhi replied testily. “It hasn’t been seen since Kullervo had it.”

“But wouldn’t he have been buried with it?” Anya asked. “Do you know where his grave is?”

Louhi laughed and it was as tinkling and deadly as a dropped bag of razor blades. “Don’t you think I’ve looked? I’ve searched everywhere for that sword. Ukko has reclaimed it, if the sword was still in Karelia or in any of the realms, I would’ve found it. You wasted your time coming here.”

“I don’t know about that. My heart feels lighter knowing that we are friends again,” Eldon said brightly.

Louhi patted his cheek, “Oh, Blaise, we were never friends. I’m retiring for the evening. A servant will show you to your room shortly. My warning to you all, do not wander about my halls unescorted, and be gone before I wake or I’ll slaughter the lot of you.” She spared Eldon one last glance before she strode from the hall, the heavy door slamming behind her.

“Well that could’ve gone worse,” Eldon said once they were alone in their rooms. Anya gave him a dubious look.

They had been housed in one large room with goose feather mattresses and heavy woven blankets. Servants brought trays of fresh black bread, cheese and a jug of beer. There was no fireplace but metal braziers had been filled with coals to keep it warm.

Anya sat huddled in her coat on the far side of a mattress, her knees tucked up to her chest. She hated Pohjola and Louhi’s sneering remarks. Aramis sat down beside her, looking drawn. Anya let her shields down low enough to let her power trickle out and touch his, feeding him some of her strength.

“Why do I feel like I should be sleeping with one eye open tonight?” Katya said as she pulled off her boots.

“Because we’ll probably wake up to a
hiiisi
trying to sit on our heads,” Izrayl said as he stretched out on the mattress beside her.

“Louhi is vicious, but she wouldn’t stoop so low as to kill visitors under her roof. Besides, if she planned on killing us she’d do it to your face so you knew that she was the one taking your life. She’s old fashioned that way.” Eldon yawned loudly, “The sooner we get to sleep, the sooner we can leave. Take advantage of a warm and comfortable bed. We’ll be safe until morning.”

Hours later, Anya still couldn’t sleep. Yvan lay near her but made no attempt to hold her. She’d rolled over and put her back to everyone. She wanted desperately to be alone, to be out of Pohjola. In one night, Louhi had put not only doubts in her mind again about Trajan but she’d also taken away any hope of ever finding a clue about the location of the sword. Ilya wouldn’t have left the message if he knew she couldn’t find it. What if it was the wrong sword? Anya knew of no other sword of heaven but the one mentioned in the
Kalevala
.
Where did you hide it Kullervo?
Anya thought over and over, fighting the urge to groan aloud in frustration.

Would you like to know?
A voice whispered in her mind. Anya sat up and looked around the dark room.

Who are you?
she asked tentatively.

Someone who can help
.

Where are you?

Come find me…
Anya climbed from the bed and pulled on her coat and boots. Ignoring Louhi’s warnings, Anya slipped out of the room and into the dark hallway. No
hiiisi
were on guard but there was a chill of watchfulness in the air.

I’m coming
, Anya sent out.
Where are you?

Down
, the voice was fainter now, tired, but insistent. Pain registered through Anya and she saw in her mind, bars, and the faint glow of
hiiisi
stones.

You are a prisoner?

Innocent. Come.

Anya crept slowly through the corridors, checking for guards and jumping at the smallest of sounds.

I don’t know where the dungeons are. I’m blind
.

Hall. Throne
.

Louhi will-

No. Sleeping
.

Cool sweat broke out on Anya’s forehead. Louhi hated her and suspected treachery and now she was proving her right. Something angry and grey rose to the surface, quelling Anya’s misgivings. All the things that Louhi had said flickered through her mind. She’d attacked Anya, Aramis and Mychal. She had betrayed Eldon. Thoughts of honouring the Mistress of Northland blew away from Anya, leaving only rage. Two
hiiisi
sat in front of the door to the hall, as still as gargoyles.

There are guards, two others. Is there another door into the hall?

Magic. Mind. Stop
.

That makes no sense!

Idiot.
Frustration echoed through to her.
Hiiisi mind
.

Anya puzzled on what the voice could mean. Very carefully, she reached out to feel magical signatures the way Chayton and Honaw had taught her. Instantly, the auras around their heads flared to life. They were magical creatures but unlike Izrayl who had been born, these
hiiisi
had been created.

There was a spark of magic in them, the twisting knot of a spell binding rock and ice together, giving it life. Anya had the life of the forest in her. She could feel it in everything living around her. It made sense now why the
hiiisi
made her so uncomfortable. They were unnatural puppet soldiers crafted by Louhi.

Still controlling her magic, Anya began to pick at the bindings that held their bodies together. She focussed on the knot in their mind as the voice had told her to and within moments, she pulled gently on the right string and the
hiiisi
tumbled into messy piles of rock and ice. Anya stepped over the stones nimbly and pulled the door to the hall open. Her footsteps barely made a sound as she tiptoed to Louhi’s black throne. It was engraved with swirling decorations and designs. Experimentally, Anya began to push and pull on everything she could lay her hands on.

Arm
, the voice said so faint it was barely a whisper. Anya ran her hands down the arms again, bending down to examine them. Barely noticeable was a carved mark like a twisted rune. She pushed on it, her magic sparking against it like static. Stone scraped against stone and the heavy throne slid back to reveal a set of stairs leading underground.

The air grew colder and with each hesitant step, Anya felt the darkness swallow up over her like thick tar. She focussed on the firebird, how hot it burned and lit up the sky, the heat of Yvan’s kiss in the forest. Small flames licked up from her hand, scattering the shadows and the choking thickness of the air. There was a tunnel at the bottom of the stairs and four doors built of iron.

“Hello?” she whispered.

“Behind you,” wheezed a cracked voice.

Anya held up the fire in her hand to try to get a better look at the inmate. Iron chains an inch thick were bolted to the walls and disappeared into a mound of matted hair and material. It moved and two pale blue eyes shone out of a dirty face. The door and walls of the cell were laced with iron, every inch of it layered with magic. Louhi must’ve been very afraid of the prisoner to go to such extreme lengths. Anya peeped through the holes in the ironwork.

“Why has she locked you up like this?” she asked.

“I have knowledge and magic, and I don’t wish to share either. I have heard whispers of you even from all the way down here, Shamanitsa,” the prisoner said. “I’m happy that it was you who found me. I’ve not seen another face but Louhi’s in nearly five hundred years.”

“That sounds like torture enough.” There came a hacking choking sound from the cell and Anya realised he was laughing. “You know of Kullervo’s sword?”

“I do. I know more about it than anyone living or dead. I know more about it than anyone in all of the history of the worlds.”

“How?” Anya moved to a larger hold so she could see him better. “Who are you?”

“Can you not guess?” The face was too dirty to make out any true features, all except the pale eyes burning with blue fire and madness.

Anya felt something move through her and she shivered, “Kullervo.”

“
Hyvä arvaus
, Anyanka,” Kullervo chuckled. “Now why don’t you open that door so we can have a real conversation like civilised people?” Anya stepped back and tried to study the spell that kept the cell locked. “Knowing Louhi, it won’t be too difficult to find the answer to unlock it.”

“If it was so easy, then how come you haven’t done it already?”

“She used my blood in the spell so I can’t touch the bars without some kind of torture. I would have to break out of these spelled chains of iron and blankets soaked in salt first.”

“It’s a wonder why she didn’t kill you and be done with it. An eternity in a prison seems so boring. Did you tell her she looked fat or something?”

“No, I refused to die. She wasn’t the first to try to kill me, but she’s certainly been the most creative.”

“You’re certainly more alive than I expected.”

Anya blocked out his laughter and placed her hand on the lock of the door. She couldn’t move the spell but perhaps she could override it with one of her own. She had melted iron before and she could do it again. She closed her eyes and felt the words rise out of her.

“Brother Iron

feel fires bite!

Unruly kinsman snapping

at Irons heels.

Heat to tame you

Heat to break you

Heat to unmake you.

Brother Iron flee

back to dark swaps

back to wolf’s prints

and bear’s footsteps.

To hide, to keep safe

from that harsh fires hands

from the mouth of furious flame.”

The door wobbled once before collapsing in a molten puddle. Anya’s feet and legs broke into flames and the hissing iron moved away from her before sinking between the stone paving and back into the dirt. Anya stepped over it and into Kullervo’s cell.