Page 8 of Cry of the Firebird

"How did you know Ilya?" she asked, unable to take the silence.

"I met him once. How do you know Tuoni, but have no magical training? And how did you have the firebird's egg?" Yvan replied.

Anya had a few seconds of internal debate before she told him about Eikki's death, her unexpected breakfast guest, and the 'gifts' he had given her.

Yvan rubbed at his stubbled chin. "Then that settles it. I'm going to try to cross into Skazki tonight. Maybe the firebird will be strong enough to cross through without the help of a gatekeeper. The longer I stay here, the more danger you are in."

"Right, because your brother wants to murder you and me for fun?"

Yvan frowned at her tone. "Exactly. Your lack of training will get us both killed because you can't use it to defend yourself, and I'll probably die trying to protect you. If I'm gone, Vasilli might leave you alone so you can continue to drink the rest of your life away. Then when the gates break open, and the end of the world arrives, you won't notice or care."

Anya pulled back as if he had slapped her. "What is your problem? You know nothing about my life."

"I know enough. The only stores in the cellar are vodka, which tells me that if you don't die soon from alcohol poisoning, you will kill yourself, so there is no point in stocking food for the future," Yvan went on relentlessly. "What you don't understand is that as much as you want to deny it, you have magic in your blood, and if it rises when you're drunk, you could hurt yourself and anybody around you. Right now, that includes me."

Anya's hand clenched around her mug, the ash and blood taste rising in her mouth again the angrier she became. "Look, asshole, I haven't been storing anything because I've been trying to decide whether to sell this place and get out of here. Something that's appealing to me more and more. I've been drunk every night for months, and you know what? My 'magic' hasn't risen once, so why don't you fuck off back to Skazki? That way, you won't have to worry," she snapped, storming outside before she threw her coffee at him. His brother could come and gut him for all she cared.

Yvan Tsarevich wasn't naturallya mean-spirited person, but finding out he had spent over a century trapped in a firebird's egg had left him pissed off and confused. Having an untrained shamanitsa being the person who had accidentally woken him had made everything worse.

Yvan picked up Anya's mug and tipped it over. The coffee that had been steaming minutes before spilled onto the plate beside him in frozen, slushy lumps. He smiled grimly.

Yvan felt guilty for upsetting her, but it proved his suspicions. Anya's magic was waking up whether or not she wanted it, even if she had to be angry for it to be released. Yvan didn't want to be a prick to her, but seeing her big green eyesfull of confusion every time she looked at him made him panic inside.

Anya had saved him from the egg's prison, and now he owed her a life debt. He could honor it by getting out of her life as quickly as possible, and Yvan always tried to be honorable.

The firebird shifted irritably under his skin, making him want to scratch all over. Yvan didn't know what monstrous mistake had happened for them to be stuck sharing the same body, or how he could control it.

I could just burn my way out through your skin, prince, and be done with you, the firebird whispered in his mind.

What would that achieve? If you kill me, it could very well kill you too. We are stuck with each other.

This girl could help separate us. She has power. I can feel it radiating through her, even if she cannot.

She is too untrained and afraid. Vasilli and the Powers would destroy her in a heartbeat and steal her magic. If we try to take her with us, she could get us both killed.

Or you could stop upsetting her and make her an ally. You know this family has the power to stand up against Vasilli.

She doesn't know how to use it, and I can't protect her.

We owe her a life debt. We have no choice.

Yvan wasn't sure he could even defend himself. What were the Fates thinking, putting the two of them together?

Yvan pinched the bridge of his nose. If they could get to Skazki, then he could find out if any of his friends were still living. Ilya had been dead for generations, which meant most of his friends would be dead too, except Trajan.Maybe he could help us.

A sharp prickle of magic danced through the house, and Yvan froze. He knew that clawing power was like knives against his.He rushed to the window just in time to see Anya greet a man he knew far too well. Fear seized him again, and the panicking firebird tore itself free.

CHAPTER SIX

Anya hit the log in front of her, grinning when it split cleanly in two. She liked the ax in her hands and the strength in her shoulders when she took out her frustration on the woodpile.

Thuck. Fuck weird firebird men.Thuck. She was alone.Thuck. She was not. Anya stopped her ax mid-swing and spun to find a man sitting on a horse staring down at her.

"Dobryy vecher," he greeted with a charming smile. He had a thick black beard and long black hair tied at the nape of his neck. He slid off the horse, and Anya gripped her ax a little tighter. He was the biggest freaking Russian she had ever seen and smelled unpleasantly of horse sweat, camp smoke, and blood. Anya stepped back from him.

"Can I help you?" she asked in a tone that suggested she wasn't interested in helping him at all. Her famous glare didn't work on him either.

"I hope so. I'm trying to find my brother," he said.

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