long enough.”
“It’s not that simple, Anya. It isn’t a matter of handing it over.”
“I still can’t believe that you hid it from me all of these centuries,” Aramis muttered.
“The prophecy was not meant for you,” Ruthann said harshly. “Besides, it has been sealed with a blođtaufr, so even I don’t know what it says.”
“A blođtaufr ?”
“A blood charm. Only Anya could read it.”
“Where is it, Ruthann?” Anya asked steadily. “If it’s back in Europe, we need to go now before Yanka learns of its existence. If she gets to it first…”
“She will not get to it first,” Ruthann said slowly. “I can guarantee that. And it isn’t in Europe.”
“You hid it in Skazki? A thing like that? You know how time and land shifts in the Otherworld! It could be lost forever by now,” snapped Aramis.
“Settle down, Aramis, before I silence you myself,” Søren said. Aramis looked as if he was ready to take that challenge, but Ruthann raised his hand.
“Enough, the both of you. Having you two fighting and strutting like peacocks will not help Anya. I thought that is what you have both sworn to do!” Ruthann shouted and a wave of power rolled out of him. “I didn’t hide it in Europe and I wasn’t stupid enough to hide it in Skazki. It gives out a magical pulse that would be like a beacon if it was left in the Otherworld.”
“Where is it then?” Anya questioned. As far as she could see, Mir and Skazki ruled all the options out.
“It isn’t a matter of where, but who.”
“But the message said it is with the forest,” Yvan said quietly.
“Yes, it is with the forest,” Ruthann was looking expectantly at Anya.
“You don’t mean…” Aramis stammered. He was staring at her pointedly.
“He did take an unusual interest in Anya,” Søren pointed out. Anya touched her side where the antler was scorched.
“The Groenn Skær ,” she whispered.
“Are you serious?” Cerise asked as she tapped her scarlet nails on the arm of her chair. “The actual Lord of the Forest.”
“I can’t believe that you’re all looking at me like I’m insane. Of all the things you have seen, the things that you a re, the idea of a Forest God is suddenly unfathomable to you,” Anya said as she looked around at the confused faces.
“Gods are…rare,” Isabelle managed.
“Are you trying to say that the actual Lord of the Forest, Cernunnos himself, is lurking in the wilds of Alaska?” Harley asked.
“Wonder if he knows Big Foot,” Fox said.
“He isn’t Cernunnos,” Ruthann came to Anya’s defence. “Cernunnos is still in Britain. You are thinking of the Lord of the Forest as a single entity like the Christian God, but it’s not the case. The Groenn Skær , Green Stag, is an Elemental. They are there to protect and nurture the land.”
“I met him the last time I was here, so believe me, he exists.” Anya lifted her shirt and showed them the brand over her ribs.
“I thought his interest in you peculiar,” Aramis said as he looked at the brand. “It’s not often that he will reveal himself in so close a human form.”
“He had antlers!”
“Yes, but he usually reveals himself as a full stag. He made the effort to make himself known to you.”
“Perhaps the Groenn Skær will get a chance to rise the spring in you, after all,” Søren said, as Anya burned red.
“How romantic,” Cerise laughed, loud and bawdy. Anya was relieved to hear it even if it was at her expense.
“But why hide the prophecy with him at all?” Aleksandra asked quietly from beside Mychal. “If he’s an Elemental and all he cares about is the forest, what is a piece of paper really going to mean to him? He wouldn’t see the value in such a thing.”
“She makes a good point,” said Izrayl. “I met a leshii in Skazki and he wasn’t concerned about anything but the life and magic around him.”
“I’m inclined to agree with you, but I was under instructions to give the message to him.
“It’s not that simple, Anya. It isn’t a matter of handing it over.”
“I still can’t believe that you hid it from me all of these centuries,” Aramis muttered.
“The prophecy was not meant for you,” Ruthann said harshly. “Besides, it has been sealed with a blođtaufr, so even I don’t know what it says.”
“A blođtaufr ?”
“A blood charm. Only Anya could read it.”
“Where is it, Ruthann?” Anya asked steadily. “If it’s back in Europe, we need to go now before Yanka learns of its existence. If she gets to it first…”
“She will not get to it first,” Ruthann said slowly. “I can guarantee that. And it isn’t in Europe.”
“You hid it in Skazki? A thing like that? You know how time and land shifts in the Otherworld! It could be lost forever by now,” snapped Aramis.
“Settle down, Aramis, before I silence you myself,” Søren said. Aramis looked as if he was ready to take that challenge, but Ruthann raised his hand.
“Enough, the both of you. Having you two fighting and strutting like peacocks will not help Anya. I thought that is what you have both sworn to do!” Ruthann shouted and a wave of power rolled out of him. “I didn’t hide it in Europe and I wasn’t stupid enough to hide it in Skazki. It gives out a magical pulse that would be like a beacon if it was left in the Otherworld.”
“Where is it then?” Anya questioned. As far as she could see, Mir and Skazki ruled all the options out.
“It isn’t a matter of where, but who.”
“But the message said it is with the forest,” Yvan said quietly.
“Yes, it is with the forest,” Ruthann was looking expectantly at Anya.
“You don’t mean…” Aramis stammered. He was staring at her pointedly.
“He did take an unusual interest in Anya,” Søren pointed out. Anya touched her side where the antler was scorched.
“The Groenn Skær ,” she whispered.
“Are you serious?” Cerise asked as she tapped her scarlet nails on the arm of her chair. “The actual Lord of the Forest.”
“I can’t believe that you’re all looking at me like I’m insane. Of all the things you have seen, the things that you a re, the idea of a Forest God is suddenly unfathomable to you,” Anya said as she looked around at the confused faces.
“Gods are…rare,” Isabelle managed.
“Are you trying to say that the actual Lord of the Forest, Cernunnos himself, is lurking in the wilds of Alaska?” Harley asked.
“Wonder if he knows Big Foot,” Fox said.
“He isn’t Cernunnos,” Ruthann came to Anya’s defence. “Cernunnos is still in Britain. You are thinking of the Lord of the Forest as a single entity like the Christian God, but it’s not the case. The Groenn Skær , Green Stag, is an Elemental. They are there to protect and nurture the land.”
“I met him the last time I was here, so believe me, he exists.” Anya lifted her shirt and showed them the brand over her ribs.
“I thought his interest in you peculiar,” Aramis said as he looked at the brand. “It’s not often that he will reveal himself in so close a human form.”
“He had antlers!”
“Yes, but he usually reveals himself as a full stag. He made the effort to make himself known to you.”
“Perhaps the Groenn Skær will get a chance to rise the spring in you, after all,” Søren said, as Anya burned red.
“How romantic,” Cerise laughed, loud and bawdy. Anya was relieved to hear it even if it was at her expense.
“But why hide the prophecy with him at all?” Aleksandra asked quietly from beside Mychal. “If he’s an Elemental and all he cares about is the forest, what is a piece of paper really going to mean to him? He wouldn’t see the value in such a thing.”
“She makes a good point,” said Izrayl. “I met a leshii in Skazki and he wasn’t concerned about anything but the life and magic around him.”
“I’m inclined to agree with you, but I was under instructions to give the message to him.
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