Ashes of the Firebird (The Firebird Fairytales Book 2)
Page 39
“Yanka don’t…” Aramis said but it was too late. Anya felt Yanka’s magic spike so quickly that she jerked away from her. With a complicated hand gesture, the guards fell to the ground screaming. Blood was pouring from their mouths and noses.
“Come on, you weak child,” Yanka snapped as Anya watched in horror. Aramis pushed her forward. They were nearing the outer fence when a black van appeared and crashed through it.
“Anya, get down!” Isabelle shouted and Anya hit the dirt. Guns fired as Isabelle, Hamish, Izrayl and Katya ran from the trees. Mychal and Aleksandra moved through the gap in the fence that the vehicle had crashed through. The door to the van opened and a bloodied body was flung out.
Aramis helped Anya to her feet. Then she saw Vasilli step out from the van. Anya’s stomach turned to acid as his shadow cloak flared around him. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Yvan appear through the trees, ready to run to her side. The Twins were behind him.
Stop Yvan, Katya! She shouted. Katya and Izrayl jumped him, pulling him back.
“Anyanka, bane of my existence and thorn in my side,” Vasilli growled. His power was rolling out of him. He picked the bloody heap off the ground by the scruff of its neck so it was on its knees.
“Look familiar?” he asked. Anya would recognise that beautiful chestnut hair anywhere. Trajan had been stripped back to a broken Thanatos form. Anya’s chest was unbearably tight. She went to take a step forward and Aramis grabbed her, holding her back.
“Trajan,” said Cerise desperately. Vasilli was smiling with elation.
“I picked him up in New Orleans. He put up the best fight he could, but he was useful in the end.”
“Anya, run,” Trajan croaked from his ruined mouth. He tried lifting his head, “Run.”
“Oh yes, please do run, little rabbit,” Vasilli encouraged.
“Let him go, Vasilli,” Anya said coldly as her magic pounded in her ears.
“I want an exchange. Yanka for your creature.”
“No,” said Aramis beside her. Anya shook off his arm and looked at Yanka. Anya had seen what Yanka did to over thirty guards with a twist of her hand. Surely, she could get away from Vasilli. Yanka gave a small nod.
“I will be fine, Aramis,” Yanka said firmly.
“Okay, Vasilli, send him over,” Anya said as Yanka walked on slow unsteady feet. She was almost at Vasilli and he still hadn’t moved to let Trajan go.
“Set him free!” Anya shouted.
“As you wish.” Anya felt Vasilli’s power pour out of him like choking black tar. Before she could move, Vasilli’s hand plunged deep into Trajan’s chest, tearing out his heart. She screamed and rushed towards him. Aramis reeled her back. She tried to fight him off, shouting and crying as she watched Trajan’s body twist in a heap.
“Anya, stop. Vasilli will kill you,” Aramis shouted.
“Trajan!” She hit out at Aramis, knocking him back with her power
“I did promise I would set him free,” said Vasilli as he held out a hand to Yanka. “Shall we leave, Mother?”
“Mother?” whispered Anya as tears ran down her face. She watched as Yanka embraced him.
“Thank you, Anya, for doing all the hard work,” said Vasilli. “We never would have gotten her back without you.”
“Yanka?” Anya shouted desperately.
“He’s right, foolish granddaughter. You did well,” she said calmly. “That is why I will extend this offer once. Come with us.”
“She’s the Darkness,” spat Cerise.
“Very quick of you, you blood drinking whore,” said Vasilli. “She is our lost Princess and now you have broken her out of her prison.”
“Yanka, how could—” Aramis was at a loss, as were they all.
“For an immortal, you really are a fool, Aramis. You knew what I was and still you always tried to save me from evil. It’s a shame you could never save me from the evil inside of myself. Now in a very gallant act, you have saved me again. Join me, Anya. Leave this pathetic Álfr.”
“No,” Anya said firmly. She still hadn’t taken her eyes from Trajan’s body. She raised her gun and fired at Vasilli. He lifted a hand and the bullet dropped to the ground.
“That was not very polite,” he said.
“I’m going to kill you one day very soon, Vasilli.”
“With the help of Yvan, the most gutless creature ever created? Doubtful. It was no wonder that Yanka had to swap me for one of his useless infant brothers.”
A fireball shot from Yvan’s hand, blowing up Vasilli’s van. Vasilli summoned his power and aimed it at Yvan. Anya was quicker. She lashed out at him, her hands outstretched. Yanka stepped in and deflected her power.
“You leave me no choice, granddaughter,” she said coldly. “Open the gate please, Vasilli.” He took a knife, cut his hand and flicked the blood. A red shimmer floated where his blood hit.
“The Illumination built this place right on a gateway,” said Aramis bitterly. “Do you remember how Ruthann told you how to protect yourself from a magical attack? Picture it now, but bigger. As big as you can make it. Link your power with mine and hurry.”
“I offered you your life, Anya. You have brought this on yourself.” Yanka raised her arms slowly and power crackled through the air.
“Run!” Anya shouted, “Run!” Aramis took her hand, and instantly, his power mingled with hers.
“Yanka stop,” he roared and lifted up his hand. Yanka brought her hands together and all went white.
Anya didn’t know how long she had been out. It might have only been a few seconds. She opened her eyes and tried to sit up. Aramis was lying on the ground next to her, his hand a charred mass of bone and burnt flesh.
“Yvan!” She got to her feet and stumbled to where everyone had been standing. They were all lying on the ground, blown down by the force of Yanka’s magic. She found Yvan broken and bloody.
“Wake up, wake up,” she said over and over. He was still breathing so she moved to the Twins. There was so much blood. They weren’t breathing. Izrayl had fallen over Katya to protect her. He groaned as his burnt back started to heal. Isabelle’s leg had flesh taken out of it, but it too was healing. Hamish, still in his dingo form, limped out from behind a rock whimpering.
“Cerise! Help me!” Anya screamed. The keres appeared through the wreckage that was all that was left of the building. She pulled metal shards from her side as she walked. Mychal came out of the forest next to her with Aleksandra in his arms.
“She’s not…”
“She lives,” he said sternly. “The magic has hurt her.”
“Anya!” Fox stumbled from the tree’s supporting Harley. “Help!” Harley’s hand was pressed to her stomach. Blood was oozing out between her fingers. Isabelle pulled herself to her feet and stumbled over to them.
“What happened?” she demanded.
“I found her, she’s been stabbed,” wept Fox as they lowered her to the ground. Anya saw Aramis try to get to his feet. She moved over to where Trajan’s body lay. Tears fell onto what remained of his face as she pulled the lifeless body to her. She had thought he had abandoned her and Vasilli was torturing him the whole time she had been angry with him. A huge groan of agony rose up from deep inside of her and she screamed it out. There was so much blood around her. They were all hurt or dead because of her.
“Anya,” croaked Aramis as he sank down beside her, cradling his stump of a hand to his chest.
“Don’t touch me!” she screeched as she rocked Trajan back and forth in her arms.
“We need to move these people,” Mychal shouted. “They are going to die!”
“The stone, Anya,” said Aramis, his crushed voice barely a whisper. “Use the stone.” Anya pulled the necklace out. She bit her finger until she tasted blood and rubbed it against the ruby. She lay on the ground over Trajan’s body sobbing inconsolably into his chest. Grief crashed over her like a heavy black wave, clouding her vision.
The last thing she saw was a flash of green, then nothing.
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br /> ***
Look across the world where Vasya Melenko, Head of the Illumination, screams in rage. Three of her commanders rushed to her aid.
“What is it?” they question.
“Anya! The stupid, stupid girl,” she said, her teeth clenched and made of iron. “Yanka is free.” They stare at her in a numbed shock. They know that it will mean a war with the Darkness, a war that will tear the worlds apart.
As her underlings run from the room in a panic, Baba Yaga drops her glamour and takes out a bottle of vodka from her desk drawer. She salutes the crate in the corner of her office, taking a long swig before she started to laugh. “Finally, I have a worthy opponent again.”
Character List and Pronunciation Guide
Anya- a Shamanitsa, magic user, Guardian of a Gate on Russian/Karelian border.
Yvan- a Skazki Prince, shares his body with a firebird, best friend of Anya.
Trajan- a Thanatos (a death spirit from Greek Mythology), lover of Anya and best friend of Cerise.
Aramis- an Álfr, Rogue and magic user.
Izrayl- a Volk Krovi (a shapeshifter wolf tribe from Skazki).
Katya- a gypsy hunter born in Skazki.
Isabelle- a British hunter, suffers from stigmata of a demon bite.
Hamish- an Australian shapeshifter and hunter.
Silvian – a Lilu ( a Sumarian incubus), Rogue, hacker and friend of Aramis.
Aleksandra- seer, magic user, Katya’s sister.
Mychal- a demon hunter from Budapest.
Chayton- a Native American shaman and one of the Thunder Twins.
Honaw- a Native American shaman and one of the Thunder Twins.
Cerise- a keres (a female death spirit from Greek Mythology), best friend to Trajan.
Harley- Owner of Legba’s Ladies, hunter and friend of Isabelle.
Fox- hacker, hunter, employee and best friend of Harley.
Blue Jay – friend and employee of Harley.
The Darkness
Vasilli – dark magic user, Yvan’s brother.
Ragana – the leader of Budapest for the Darkness, a boszorkány (a Hungarian night hag).
Ladislav – Dark magic user and current leader of The Darkness.
The Illumination
Vasya Melenko – A powerful witch and secret leader of The Illumination.
Other Players
Álfr (Al-vir) – a highly secretive, magical people, migrants from Álfheimr
Søren- an Álfr, Aramis’ twin brother and the Death Judge for the Álfr (Dauthr Dómr)
Ruthann – leader of the Álfr in the United States.
Groen Skaer – The Green Stag, a forest elemental and guardian.
Tuoni (Twor-nee)- The Finnish God of the Underworld, Death.
Baba Yaga – A Russian Power, an ancient witch, sworn enemy of Yanka
Yanka – powerful magic user, matriarch of Anya’s family.
Special Acknowledgements
Once again I want to take the time to thank Scarlett from Scarlett Rugers Design Agency for her amazing cover design, Jason from Polgarus Studio for making my interior design and formatting stress free and Frankie Sutton for patiently copy editing every line so I didn’t go mad.
Also, thank you to my readers for coming along on Anya’s adventures with me this passed year. It’s been so great to hear from you all!
Table of Contents
Works also by Amy Kuivalainen
Connect with Amy Kuivalainen
Prologue
Chapter One- Budapest
Chapter Two- The Raid
Chapter Three- Lazarus Trick
Chapter Four- The Search Begins
Chapter Five- Matthias
Chapter Six- Blessing of the Fruit
Chapter Seven- Jambalaya
Chapter Eight- Apologies and Offers
Chapter Nine- Peeping Tom
Chapter Ten- Comings and Goings
Chapter Eleven- Bears and Broken Birds
Chapter Twelve- Lilu
Chapter Thirteen- Whips and Chains
Chapter Fourteen- The Art of Confession
Chapter Fifteen- The Rhythm of Nature
Chapter Sixteen- Dust
Chapter Seventeen- Friends, Forest Runs and French Toast
Chapter Eighteen- Demon Whispers
Chapter Nineteen- Doorways and Holy Oil
Chapter Twenty- Unexpected Guests
Chapter Twenty-One- Broken Dreams
Chapter Twenty-Two- Scars
Chapter Twenty-Three- Waking
Chapter Twenty-Four- Connecting
Chapter Twenty-Five- Abélard
Chapter Twenty-Six- Tricks and Travelling
Chapter Twenty-Seven- The Sound of His Heart
Chapter Twenty-Eight- Song of Solomon
Chapter Twenty-Nine- Solutions to Arguments
Chapter Thirty- Plan of Attack
Chapter Thirty-One- The Court in the Woods
Chapter Thirty-Two- Dreams and Decisions
Chapter Thirty-Three- Tortures and Travelling
Chapter Thirty-Four- Field of Blood
Character List and Pronunciation Guide
Special Acknowledgements