Rise of the Firebird (32 page)

“It looks like snow,” said Aleksandra softly.

“Tuoni is angry,” Tuonen Pilka muttered. “We must get you out of Tuonela as quickly as possible before he tries to kill you all.”

The black water swirled around them, waves picking up on the lake. She steered the barge, not towards the shore, but to the rapids of the river. They clung to the sides of the boat to stop themselves from being flung over board. They passed a log house and Anya saw a massive man standing in front of it holding a double blade axe.

“Don’t worry,” their guide said, “I will take you far past my brother. He doesn’t like anyone upsetting Father and will hack your body into pieces and throw them into the river if he gets the chance.”

“How charming,” shouted Eldon over the roar of the wind and waves. He gripped Anya’s arm to stop her from toppling over the side.

“Thanks,” she muttered. Tuoni’s words were hammering about in her mind and the crushing weight of them was settling on it.

“We will talk about Baba Yaga after we get out of this place,” whispered Eldon.

“If we must,” Anya answered. She didn’t feel like talking about it. She was angry. The kind of anger that had been building for a long time, except now she struggled to contain it. Baba Yaga was as big of an enemy as Yanka was, not that Anya ever thought she could’ve relied on the Bony Legged Witch to help her if she needed it.

Anya lost time on the journey. The only light that shone was the white light on the front of the barge, the air thick with darkness and hostility. Tuoni was angry and the whole of his realm knew it.

The barge finally knocked against a shoreline and they climbed out. “This is the edge of our realm. I can take you no further. Walk for another hour and you will be in Karelia. It is night there, but the stars will tell you when you’ve gone far enough.”

“Thank you,” Anya said and the Tuonen Pilka stared at her blankly.

“Don’t ever return this way. My Father might like you, but he will not tolerate you trespassing again.” The barge moved back out onto the water silently and she was gone.

“I can smell clean air,” Izrayl said. “Come on.” They followed his instincts without question until they felt the heavy cloud of Tuonela lift from them.

They were still in a forest but the night was bright with starlight and a full moon. They arrived at another lake but this one was full of clean water. Yvan and Mychal went to collect wood and Anya dunked her face into the cold water to try to rid her skin of the sticky ash that clung to her. She drank until she felt the dry taste of Death leave her tongue. Aleksandra was beside her, washing the remnants of blood from her face and nose.

“I’m sorry he did that to you,” Anya said as she held Aleksandra’s heavy hair back from her face.

“It isn’t your fault, Anya, so don’t blame yourself. All of the things he said about your family aren’t your fault either,” Aleksandra tried to soothe. “I know you are upset, anyone would be, but don’t let it sit like poison in your heart.”

“I’ll try.”

“Was it true about what he said…about Yvan,” Aleksandra whispered, looking behind her to make sure he wasn’t in earshot.

Anya let her hair go as she stood up. “I don’t know.”

“You do know. You’ve always known, Anya. I look at you as another one of my sisters so please, you
must
talk to him. You didn’t see his face in the hall but we all did.”

“And say what to him exactly? Tuoni just told me that most of what I felt for Trajan was a lie. How do I even start to process that before thinking about Yvan who has had to bail me out, pick me up, mop me up, fix me up, and deal with every mental snap I’ve had the entire time I have known him. How do I even begin to say sorry to him for all of that for starters and…”

“We’re talking about how you feel, not how he feels. We all know how he feels,” Aleksandra said as she brushed ash off Anya’s coat.

“What do you mean, ‘we all know how he feels’? What are you talking about, Aleki?”

“Wow, you really are fucking clueless,” Katya said as she crouched down at the water and washed her face. “Seriously, Anya, you’re so smart about so much stuff but you’re totally fucking blind sometimes.”

“Katya, don’t…” Aleksandra interrupted.

“Don’t what? Tell her the truth? I just spent far too long scared shitless in the Land of the Dead with a pissed off Overlord. I don’t even know how many days it’s been since I slept and I’m all done with nice,” snapped Katya. “Anya, get over your hang ups and open your fucking eyes. It’s so obvious that you two are ridiculously fucking in love with each other and have been since day one. You would know this except you are too fucking oblivious to all the other human emotions besides anger and guilt.”

“It’s not as easy as that, Katya. He lost his wife and after everything that happened with Trajan and the
Groenn Skaer,
I… I can’t,” Anya hugged herself and wouldn’t look at Katya’s face.

“I don’t think he cares about any of that. Only you seem to. You think I’m wrong? Tell me, right now, after all that Tuoni has told you about Baba Yaga and your family and being a dick and blaming it all on you…who do you want to be with right now?” Anya didn’t reply. There wasn’t any point.

“We are all too tired to worry about it tonight,” Aleksandra said firmly. “Come on, let’s get the fire going and get some sleep.”

“I’m going to get some wood,” mumbled Anya.

“The guys have already got some,” Katya answered as she shook out her coat.

“I’m going to get some more.”

Anya walked along the shoreline of the lake until she came to a large log and sat down. She breathed a sigh of relief as the quiet night seeped into her. Then, without warning, she started to cry in huge horrified sobs.

She needed to find out if what Tuoni had said about Baba Yaga was true. If it were, then she would cheerfully hand her over to Tuoni in pieces. Her life and power was not for anyone to trade or barter for. Someone was walking up behind her and she knew who it would be without turning. Yvan sat down beside her, but made no move to touch her. He sat there silently watching the water keeping her company as she wept the stress of the last twenty-four hours from her body.

“Tuoni is a bigger jerk than I imagined,” he said finally.

“Yeah, he is. About what he said…I mean what he implied…” Anya stumbled to find the right words.

“You really want to go into that now,
shalosť
?”

“Not really.”

“Then worry about it later when you do. It can wait,” he said as he got to his feet. “Come on. Let’s go back to camp. We need to sleep.”

“Good idea.” Anya got to her feet but still couldn’t look at him.

“Can I ask one thing?” Yvan said as they walked.

“Only one?”

“For now.”

“Sure, if you have to.”

“Was it true?”

Anya swallowed hard, her chest tight but she forced out a small, “Yes.”

“That’s all I wanted know. Everything else can wait.” That night, curled up under new and strange stars, Anya wondered what could possibly happen next.

The killings started in the fortnight after Anya had left. At first, Harley thought it was the usual tide of summer stabbings and arguments, but then they started to get a distinctive supernatural flavour. A body had been found headless and dumped on a tramline. When they opened him up, they had found the stomach stuffed with dolls. Another woman was found drained of all her blood but not a mark on her. The list went on and on.

Harley did her best to ignore it, even neutrals got into fights but the Conseil Neutres was meant to police it, especially if the crimes were exposed too much to public eyes.

Harley had a cold feeling in her stomach as she read the latest article on a girl’s body that had been used in what looked to be a botched up ritual. The phone started ringing and she answered it quickly, “Legba’s Ladies.”

“Did you see this in the paper today?” Mama Lya shouted incredulously down the end of the phone.

“I saw.”

“We need to do something about this, girl. It’s not right, not right at all. Abélard agrees with me.”

“You know the Council is watching us.”

“Oh yes, they watch
us
like we are some kind of threat but they do nuthin’ about the crimes that are really going on.”

“I’ll talk to Isabelle and Hamish about it. I know they’ve been walking the streets, keeping it low but they’re hunters. They don’t ever stop hunting even when they are meant to be sightseeing,” Harley said as she poured herself another cup of coffee.

“We have to go see them. One more body, Harley. One more and I will be paying visits to Coliseum Street.”

“Mama, they may hate us but they love the city. They could be onto it already and we don’t know it.”

“They aren’t doing
shit
. Too caught up in their own importance they don’t want to serve their purpose, lettin’ all hell break loose.”

“Look, I gotta run and open the shop, but I will let you know if Isabelle and Hamish find out anything.”

“You tell them to watch their back. Watch yours too, I don’t trust Frankie,” Mama Lya said.

“Then nothing has changed, has it? Call you later.” Harley hung up the phone with a sigh.

“What’s that pout for,” Blue Jay asked as he dropped a kiss on her shoulder on the way to the coffee pot.

“Mama is freaking out about all the murders going on in the city. She’s going to start blowing the wind up the Council if they don’t stop them soon.”

“Well, she has a point. If they don’t do anything soon, I’m going to tell Isabelle to call some of her hunter buddies for an open season. That little girl was the last straw,” he said pointing at the front page. “Even with the Darkness in the city a few months ago, it wasn’t like this.”

“Everyone is worried or scared that there is going to be another war. Not that it is any excuse but scared supes are a special kind of stupid,” Harley replied. “I should go open the shop and stop being lazy.”

“You aren’t ever lazy.”

“I’ve been sleeping in later and later. I need to kick you out of bed. You’re bad for business,” she teased.

He was smiling at her. “You know you’re so full of shit.”

“Fine, go home tonight,” she shrugged.

“I was planning on it. You snore and I need some sleep,” he stretched.

“Dramatic much? You knew I snored before you started sleeping with me.”

“Yeah, but you make good coffee so I don’t mind being tired.” Blue Jay kissed her cheek. “I’ll go open the shop. Put your happy face on so you don’t scare the customers.”

Fox turned up to work an hour later angry and pale. “Did you hear about the mauling?” she asked as she dumped her bag on Harley’s desk.

“What are you talking about?” Harley asked as she looked up from the latest order forms.

“It’s all over the TV. They even have photos of the bodies on the internet.” Fox shoved her out of the way and got onto her computer pulling up the latest news. There were three victims and the authorities were blaming everything from local dogs to panthers living in the swamps. Harley’s shoulder started to ache as she looked at the clawed up bodies.

“That looks like Tehuantl claws to me,” she said.

“My thoughts exactly. They are mercenaries at best, but this is sloppy and doesn’t look like the Darkness to me.”

“They must’ve been hired by someone with deep pockets.”

“I’ll see what Silvian and I can find out,” Fox said with a frown.

“You and Silvian, huh?” Harley raised an eyebrow at her.

Fox stared at her blankly. “What?”

“Nothing, I’m surprised you are being sociable.”

“Don’t have much of a choice when he lives over the back. He isn’t a total dumbass so he’s okay to hang out with, which reminds me. Don’t forget we have the housewarming over there tonight. Cerise is in her element now that she’s there.”

“Good, I was worrying about her. You think she and Silvian are getting into some crazy demon sex?”

“They flirt shamelessly, but I don’t think it goes much further than that. There hasn’t been any storms, so I don’t think he’s really worrying about girls right now.” Fox shrugged. “He’s too busy planning his crazy tunnel. Gotta have a hobby I guess.”

“It’s a good idea. We’re going to need something as a backup plan, especially if the city continues to fall apart the way that it is.”

“Have you heard from Belle this morning?”

“Not yet, though I know she and Hamish were going out last night.”

“If the Council finds them hunting, the shit will hit the fan,” Fox said.

“They aren’t amateurs. They won’t get caught, and if they do, so what? Frankie can go fuck himself,” answered Harley and folded her arms. “As soon as Mama Lya finds out about this one, she’s gonna…” Harley’s mobile started to ring.

“It’s freaky how she does that,” Fox said as she tossed the phone to her.

“Hey, Mama…yes…I saw. Do you think? Right, I will be ready,” Harley stumbled before hanging up with a groan.

“Better get your dancing shoes on if you’re heading to Coliseum Street.”

“I really don’t need this. The day started out so well…I even got breakfast in bed. As soon as I got up, everything went downhill,” Harley complained.

“What’s going on?” Blue Jay asked as he stuck his head in.

“I have to go see the Council.”

“
Shit
. Okay, well make sure you’re armed,” he said.

“If you love me, you’ll come with me,” Harley pleaded. Blue Jay laughed at her.

“You don’t need me there, kid. Besides, Mama Lya won’t let me tag along and you know it.” He stroked her hair affectionately.

“Don’t let her fool you, Blue,” Fox said as she stole some of Harley’s coffee. “Harley would rather put hot coals in her eyes than let the Council get anywhere near you.”

“That’s my girl. I’m comfortable in myself as a man to let you fight my battles for me, baby.”

“Someone’s gotta.” Harley rolled her eyes and got to her feet. “Mama Lya is riled up that’s for sure.”

“Hopefully, she’ll knock some sense into their thick heads and stop all this crap going on in the city,” Blue Jay said. “I don’t like waking up to bad news every day.”