Page 44 of Magic and Medicine

‘I need to go to work, but I promise I will be home for a late dinner unless we have another catastrophe.’ Sara spoke casually, but I felt my blood freeze at her plans.

‘Maybe you could take some time off. Until I solve our current issue?’ I said cautiously, trying not to alarm her, but the last thing I expected was for both women to burst into laughter.

‘Now that would take real magic to arrange. You need to give three months’ notice, and besides, it wouldn’t be fair to the people who’d have to find my replacement or those who would cover my shifts,’ Sara replied, pulling Nina toward her bedroom.

‘You need to stop her. She is your weakness now. If you paint him into a corner, Rostov will try to kill you, and all he needs is Sara and Czernobog’s dagger, both of which are in your possession,’ Adam said, barely avoiding the ladle Michal swung in his direction.

‘Tell me something I don’t know, Adam. Sara is not a captive, and I would never cage her like some dangerous animal, no matter how much I want to keep her safe. Ask Tomasz for extra security and ensure we have someone in the hospital to monitor her while she works.’ I said, turning sharply when I heard the front doors opening.

‘Have fun, and don’t break my coffee machine, vamps. I like it more than you.’ Sara threw that comment casually over her shoulder, not giving me enough time to stop her or say goodbye. With her abrupt exit, my good mood vanished, and I snapped out my orders.

‘Phone Tomasz now. I need his men waiting for her in the parking lot. Michal set up a meeting with Nadolny. Inform the witches we need better wards placed over every strategic building we own. Let Veronica know I require her service, but be polite. I will be in my office making a few phone calls. Adam, talk to your seethe. I need them to prevent our Kaliningrad counterparts from filling the temporary void we’re creating in the amber market.’

As soon as they left, I locked myself in my office. With Sara exposed, I was on edge. The person who marked her with the rune could be out there, just waiting for my woman to emerge from the protective wards of my island.

Czernobog’s dagger and Svarog’s rune were old magics that hadn’t surfaced in centuries, and what was Rostov’s plan? Is he the leader or just a tool in his god’s hands? I wondered, swallowing hard. All this time, I assumed he was nothing more than a greedy mortal who gained possession of a few artefacts and used his men to muscle into the amber business, but the fact I couldn’t find him made me rethink the situation. If he was just a tool, who was pulling the strings?

I needed advice, but only a few would answer my call, none willing to visit a human city. Using the passage to Gedania would garner too much attention as the Gates became unstable without my presence in the mortal world to tether their power, so crossing would raise some questions, exposing my failure, not to mention alerting whoever was involved in this. The secondary gate near the Kashubian forest might reduce the chance of discovery, but there were no guarantees, especially considering my destination. I had only one solution. I needed to persuade Veles to see me, and the old bastard wasn’t very welcoming, even to the offspring he liked.

With Michal out running errands, I scribbled a note informing him of my plans in case I was delayed, time in my father’s realm being subject to his whim. I wasn’t looking forward to this venture, but I would beard the dragon in his home if it meant keeping my people safe.

The drive was over quickly, and after performing my spells on the gate to the Nether, I headed into the forest. An unseen weight lifted from my shoulders, contentment filling my soul as I felt the welcoming presence of the trees and creatures that lived here. I missed this feeling, wishing I could spend the majority of my existence here, untroubled by the affairs of humanity. However, in order to protect my people, I’d had little choice, becoming a pale imitation of the once mighty Lord of the Forest.

I walked until the last path disappeared, the trees crowding in to protect the grove I’d planted after the Christians destroyed the previous one, its location still a well-kept secret. Fog rolled in from every direction, obscuring the surrounding area, but I didn’t need sight to reach the epicentre of the powerful nexus.

‘Father, I beseech you, grant me entrance to Nawia. I wish to petition for your advice.’ I said, studying the mist as I waited for his response. Something shifted in the shadows, and an enormous figure emerged, stopping before me.

‘You cannot pass, and you know it. You lost all rights when you turned your back on the world to become the Guardian of that place.’ He said, tilting his head, and for a moment, kindness replaced the anger on his face. ‘Dola finally forgave you, I see, and wove love back into your life. I can sense your woman’s power.’ His eyes widened when he trailed a hand over my head, touching my spirit. ‘You’ve regainedthestag; now thatisasurprise. Maybe I was wrong to dismiss you. Ask your questions, my son.’

‘A Warlock has come to Gdansk, threatening the elder races and the Nether; worse than this, he threatens my love, and despite appearing to be nothing more than an ambitious magic user, his whereabouts elude me.’

‘I can’t help you in the mortal world, child.’ Veles’ voice trailed its icy fingers along my spine. ‘You should know better than to ask for this.’

‘I’m not asking for your help that way. I only need information on whether this man has the power to hide from me or if the gods are interfering in the mortal world again. That’s not too much to ask, is it?’ I winced at how harsh my voice sounded, especially as a supplicant to a greater power. I understood his reason. Stepping into the mortal realm meant not only breaking old gods’ accord but also losing a significant amount of energy, the spells that fuelled the Nether’s existence draining it away constantly, and only this grove offered protection from that.

My father stilled, his long, unblinking stare giving the impression he wasn’t wholly here but in many other places at once, but I stood there knowing it would be worth waiting for his reply.

‘Many gods want a return to the old days, yet the existence of the Nether makes that impossible without the sacrifice that most are not ready or willing to commit to, but there is a way. One can create pockets of null-time and either expend more power to create a body or find a willing sacrifice to become their vessel.’ The mention of pockets of null-time caught my attention. Could that explain our inability to find him? The lack of time preventing spells from noticing his presence? That certainly made things complicated, but at least I had something to research. Unfortunately, it also pointed toward the old gods’ interference.

‘Is that why the Warlock is attacking my amber business?’

‘Svarog returned once, using some vainglorious monarch’s greed, encouraging the human to construct a room of amber and gold, infusing it with magic. He was by no means fully manifested, but even so, his influence caused war and chaos, resulting in an influx of souls to Nawia until we arranged for his room of power to be destroyed, forcing him to retreat. He is still licking his wounds, but others are always ready to repeat his mistakes.’

‘So it all depends on my amber. That I can deal with.’ I smiled, bowing to Veles, stepping backwards. Now I had my answers.

‘They may not need the Amber Room anymore,’ My father’s words stopped me in my tracks. ‘There was a prophecy, some time ago counting in human years. If a god has transferred any part of their being to this world, a Soul Shepherd can tether them to a willing sacrifice, and we both know it’s possible to influence a person’s actions.’

‘I thought Rostov wanted to use her to kill me.’ I said, only now realising my mistake. It wasn’t about me. Maybe it was never about me or my business. The fog swirled, displaced as I transformed into my avatar.

‘Kill you? Maybe, but only so you cannot stop them from achieving their goal. If I hadn’t seen the consequences of such idiocy, even I might have been tempted to return.’

‘I should return to Gdansk. Thank you, Father,’ I said, bowing, and he returned the gesture solemnly.

The trees parted before me as I rushed to the car, fuelled by the fear my Sara could be taken away. It was already evening when I emerged from the forest, still manifesting my avatar, much later than I’d hoped. Dismissing my magic, I leapt into my car, driving home like a maniac, knowing I wouldn’t rest until she was safely in my arms.

Chapter twenty-four

I regretted my decision to drive almost immediately, as it gave Nina free rein to concentrate on coming up with more questions. I’d been half-asleep when she marched me to the bathroom, and in my surprised state, letting her take charge seemed the best thing to do. Of course, her interrogation started as soon as the door closed, the first question asking if the mess I was in was entirely consensual and not coerced by magic. Once Nina was reassured that I had, in fact, not just consented but been an enthusiastic participant, the questions turned into a performance review, which thankfully became sidetracked as I mentioned Leszek’s antlers.

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