Rise of the Firebird (23 page)

“Shit.”

“Yeah.” His long fingers tapped the arm of the chair. “Pancakes?” Harley looked over at him. He was wearing a black t-shirt and a pair of old faded jeans, but in that moment, he was the most perfect thing in her world. He was going to make her pancakes because she was upset and he knew that it was the one thing that always made her feel better. Harley burst into tears.

“Hey,
cher,
don’t cry,” Blue Jay said softly, but he didn’t move to touch her. He knew better about that too. “I’ll be in the kitchen when you are ready.”

It took Harley a good fifteen minutes to stop crying. She watched Blue Jay move through the small kitchen, finding a bowl and eggs, searching her cupboards. She stumbled into the bathroom and washed her face, smearing the last of her mascara. Blue Jay had certainly seen her worse, but she fixed her face as best as she could and brushed her teeth to get the tequila out of her mouth.

Harley sat down on one of the bench stools and he placed a glass of orange juice in front of her. “Want to talk about it yet?” he asked as he turned back to drizzle butter on the hot skillet.

“Usual Council crap,” Harley murmured as she drank some juice. “Hamish pulled a gun on Frankie.”

“He’s a good guy, that Hamish.”

“Yeah, he is.”

“They didn’t try anything, did they?”

“Of course not. They wanted to try to throw their ‘authority’ around to try to prove they have some.”

“So Frankie is still in with them pretty deep.”

“He’s a Council member. If I’d known that he would be there, I wouldn’t have gone. Anyway, this is weird. I don’t want to talk about my ex-boyfriend to my new one.”

“You seem to be forgetting who mopped you up last time,” Blue Jay said as he flipped a pancake out onto a plate and covered it with sliced banana and maple syrup. “And you never asked me if I’d be your boyfriend,” he added as he put the plate down in front of her.

“I didn’t think I needed to…what are we then if you aren’t my boyfriend?”

“Friends with no benefits?”

“You need to make better pancakes if you want benefits.”

“You haven’t even tasted them,” he said and handed her a knife and fork. With her first bite, she knew he had out done himself.

“Mmmm, Harley, happy.”

“That’s what I thought.” He turned to put more batter in the pan.

“Blue Jay?”

“Yes,
cher
?”

“Will you be my boyfriend?”

“That good, are they?” he winked at her over his shoulder. She looked up at him in a very slow and obvious way.

“Good enough to eat.”

“Hey, none of that.”

“None of what?” she asked innocently.

“Just eat your pancakes and stop worrying about Frankie.”

“I’m not worried about Frankie. I’m pissed at Frankie. I’m pissed that the Council looks down their nose at the neutrals they claim to protect. I’m pissed off that I got dragged into their crap. If anything, I’m worried about Anya’s little army going off into the Otherworld.”

“Anya is the
least
of my worries. She has good people around her and they will protect each other. And the Council and Frankie aren’t your fucking problem. He gave up the most beautiful girl in the world for a place beside creepy old men and a girl that doesn’t age. Not that I’m complaining…the most beautiful girl in the world is my girlfriend now.”

“So, I’m the other woman? You bastard!” Harley exclaimed as she walked around the counter to get another pancake. He took her sticky plate from her and put it on the counter before he took her face in his hands and kissed her gently.

“You’re the most beautiful girl, even when you are drunk and pissy,” he said.

“And covered in maple syrup.”

“Oh, there is an image that’s going to stick.” She reached past him and turned the stove off. “Hey, what are you doing?”

“I don’t want the house to burn down.”

“I’m pretty sure it’s…what are you doing?” he asked as she moved in on him, a grin on her face. She ran her hands under the edge of his shirt and stood up on tiptoes.

“Benefits,” she whispered before kissing him.

“I’ll believe it when I see it,” Blue Jay laughed. He almost choked when she lifted her t-shirt off, mentally congratulating herself for remembering to wear one of her nicer bras that day.

“Believe it now?”

He ran his thumb along the fresh scar on the curve of her stomach. “God no, but I don’t know if it’s such a good idea with you drunk.”

“I’m only half drunk. Drunk enough not to be a nervous wreck and back out like every other time.”

“You? Nervous? Ha!” His face changed, “Wait, you’re serious?”

“Of course I am, idiot man!” Harley stepped back from him and tried to spot where her shirt had gone.

“Don’t you dare put that back on,” he said as he put his foot on it. Reaching behind her, he took the clip out of her hair and buried his hands into the thick softness. “You really are the most beautiful girl in the world.”

Harley grinned at him and she knew it was as dirty as the thoughts running through her head, “Convince me.”

The transition into Skazki wasn’t as smooth as last time and when Anya got through the gates, her skin ached like it had tried to get sucked from her. She crashed into Yvan as they went through and he caught her before she had a chance to fall into a river.

“Let’s get out of the way or we are going to get pushed down the bank,” he said as he helped steady her. They’d reached the trees when Katya and Izrayl jumped through. Katya swore as she slipped in the mud, Izrayl laughing as he pulled her up the bank. Aramis stepped through, surefooted, and quickly made his way towards her.

“We need to speak with Aleksandra about her choice of spots,” Katya grumbled as she tried to wipe wet mud from her jeans.

“She’s done very well, considering,” Aramis defended. “Picking gates is like reaching into a bowl of spaghetti where each noodle is an opening into the Otherworld and picking the exact Russian noodle you need, stretching it out towards and hoping it doesn’t snap out of your grasp before you can get everyone through to the other side.”

“Great, now I want spaghetti,” muttered Katya. Mychal came next looking edgy as he waited for Aleksandra, as she stepped through, the gate shut with a hiss.

With the Council closed safely behind her, Anya dropped her guard. It took only a moment before the magic of Skazki swamped her. She gasped in pain as the power in the trees, rocks, river, and very earth rose to meet hers.

“Aramis,” she choked, “make it stop.”

“What’s happening?” Yvan demanded as Aramis pushed him aside. Anya tried to put the blocks back up, but couldn’t stop the flood of power.

“Breathe, Anya, focus,” Aramis instructed.

“Get them out…away from me…” she shuddered as she gasped for air. “I…can’t hold it.” He reached out to her when a crack resonated around them.

“Do not touch her!” an unfamiliar voice shouted and Aramis jumped back. A tall man was standing on an outcrop of small boulders behind them. Anya’s eyes grew wide and before anyone could stop her, she threw Ilya’s knife at him.

The stranger flicked his fingers and it dropped to the ground, “No need for that, I’m here to help.”

“Stay back!” Aramis demanded, one of the boulders near him lifted out of the ground and flew at the stranger. He dodged it easily and waved the boulder away to crash heavily on the riverbed.

“This isn’t necessary, Álfr. I’m going to help her.” Aramis pulled out his sword.

“Stop…”Anya groaned as she curled in on herself. “I know him.”

“What?” said Yvan and Aramis at once. The others had retreated to the tree line as soon as the magic started to fly.

“You see? She knows me, now stop throwing your power around and get out of the way before she explodes.” Through blurred vision, Anya watched him crouch down beside her.

“Help me.”

“I need you to remain very still. I haven’t had to do this for quite some time.” Strong fingers curled around her head as soft strange words rushed out of him. The pressure lifted and the last thing that Anya saw was a crooked smile.

She woke, thrashing at invisible enemies. It felt like she had only been out for seconds, but the sun was almost gone and a fire was blazing, Yvan and the others sitting around it to ward off the chill.

“Welcome back,” a voice said from the shadows. Anya could only make out the shape of a figure sitting on the rock that Aramis had thrown. She couldn’t make out his face clearly but his gold eyes burned.

“What did you do to me?” Anya asked as she sat up. Someone had placed a blanket over her, but otherwise, had left her where she was.

“I put up some blocks in your mind. You won’t be able to touch your magic properly for the next twelve hours, and by then, it should have regulated with the flow of the Otherworld.”

“Thank you…I’m sorry. I can’t remember your name?”

“That’s something we would all like to know,” said Aramis. All of the faces around the fire were watching him cautiously.

“Very well,” the man got up from the rock and walked closer to the fire. “I’m Eldon Blaise and I’m here to help
her
.” He pointed a finger as Anya shuffled over to sit at the empty place next to Yvan.

“You know this guy, Anya?” Katya asked, glaring at him.

“I saw him in a vision in New Orleans.”

“What a coincidence, I saw you in a vision too.”

“How did you know where we would be?” demanded Izrayl. “Of all the places in all of Skazki.”

“I told you, I had a vision and I knew where to go.”

“Really, just like that.”

“I’m yet to learn another way. Tell me, Anya, are your friends always this suspicious?”

“I’m afraid so,” she grinned.

“Good! Very good.”

“Not for you,” Katya growled.

“He isn’t our enemy.” Mychal joined them as he came back from his watch post. “If he was, Anya would still be in pain. Besides, he’s powerful enough that none of our weapons could work on him.” Eldon Blaise stared Mychal down.

“He’s right, I’m afraid,” he said slowly, “though if anyone could stop me, I’m sure it would be you…”

“Mychal.”

“Of course.” Eldon turned his attention to the other faces around the fire. “Now, who else have we got here?” They introduced themselves one by one until only Yvan remained.

“I know who you are, Lord Yvan,” Eldon said. Yvan’s eyes flashed red and he added, “And good greetings,
adar tân
.”

“Good greetings to you, Ancient One,” Yvan replied in a voice not entirely his own. Eldon gave him a short bow.

“Why have you come?” Anya asked. He sat down cross-legged and held his hands out to the fire.

“I saw you at the same time I believe you saw me. I was sent to you.”

“By who?” Aramis demanded.

“By the master of us all,” Eldon pointed upwards.

“So Anya is your mission from God?” Katya scoffed.

“Why not?” Eldon’s voice held the sharp crack of rebuke. “Look around you. We have a fairy tale prince and his firebird, one of the Shining Álfr, a
volk krovi
. You, yourself, was born in Skazki, which means you’re a little bit stronger and faster than your human counterparts are. Not to mention a man with the blood of angels in his veins and a woman who is a gate chooser, a gifted seer and the only one out of any of you with any faith at all. But you
dare
mock me for saying God sent me to teach Anya? Don’t be so naïve.”

“Teach Anya what?” Aramis asked.

“About her power, of course.”

“I am teaching her.”

“No, you aren’t. You’re her guardian, Aramis, not a mentor. I’ve nurtured people of power for my entire existence. You are Álfr trying to teach her Álfr magic ways, but she is human, mostly, and she must be taught differently.”

“Doesn’t Anya have a say in this?” Yvan said quietly.

“Anya is the
only
one who has any say in this,” Eldon snapped as he turned his fierce gaze on her.

Anya remembered the vision, heard his cry of pain. She held her hand out to him. He took it carefully between his own. Very slowly, he let a fraction of his magic touch hers and in it, she felt his truth and sincerity despite the feeling of his many secrets. She knew looking into his golden eyes that he could be the one to give her the answers she needed and so desperately wanted.

“He stays,” she said. He smiled as he let her hand go.

“Very well, but I still want to know more about you,” Aramis said. “Where do you come from? What do you get out of helping Anya anyway?”

“By heritage, I’m Welsh, but I was in Glastonbury when I first saw Anya and you all. I am a bard, a poet, a prophet, and I’ve lived longer than I care to. What is in it for me? By helping Anya stop the worlds from being torn apart by war, I might get the only thing I want and that is to die. It’s my hope that it will be enough to work off my great failings and God will finally be satisfied enough to let me.”

“I thought it was the Devil you had to pay your dues to,” Aleksandra smiled nervously.

“Oh, dear lady, the Devil gives up after a while, but no one holds a grudge like the Almighty.”

“How are you feeling?” Aleksandra asked the next morning. The three women had wandered off to collect firewood, even though they would be moving on that day.

“I feel empty. My magic has been doing odd things since we stayed with the Álfr. I was getting used to it being so reachable in the real world that coming here overwhelmed me. I will need to learn to make stronger blocks,” Anya replied as she vigorously rubbed her cheeks to get some warmth into them.

“Maybe the thrift shop pirate can help you there,” said Katya as she threw her knife at a knot in a fir tree.

“Give him a chance,” interrupted Aleksandra before Anya could speak.

“I’m sorry, Anya. I trust your judgement, but I don’t trust him yet. We have all been through so much together. The thought of bringing in a stranger now…it doesn’t sit well.”

“Can I be honest with the both of you?” Anya asked. The two sisters stopped and faced her. They were so different and yet, sometimes, they would do something and look frighteningly similar. “I am not…good,” admitted Anya, trying to find the right words. “I haven’t been since Trajan. I’m not in my right mind. The thing with the
Groenn Skaer
, it has done something to me. I’ve changed and I don’t mean personality or emotions, but something on a deep level, like my foundations are broken. My magic is different. It is
more
somehow, and that scares me. I saw Eldon in that vision and at the same time, I saw Baba Yaga and Yanka together. I can’t do this on my own anymore. I know I can trust Eldon Blaise. I saw him, felt him, and I know he’s the only one that can help me. I don’t know what else to do.”