by K T Munson
She sat up and nearly swallowed her tongue when she met the eyes of a very old woman. “Who are you, child?”
Elisabeth’s eyes opened wide. She recognized the hunched figure from the storybooks. Babayaga had likely been beautiful once, but age had taken that away. Her face matched the bark of the tree behind her and was covered in wrinkles. They were deep and as much a part of her as her wiry white hair. Elisabeth wasn’t sure she had teeth, but she was sure that Babayaga’s nails were too long. Those who’d written of Babayaga as a stealer of children and bender of fate hadn’t captured her truly terrifying presence.
“Elisabeth.”
“The half-blood.” Babayaga leaned forward. “You must be the favorite of my grandson.”
Elisabeth felt her face burn at the woman’s bluntness. She glanced around the room until her eyes landed on the blue box and then looked away from it. It wasn’t every day that someone was so pointed in Morhaven. She hadn’t expected the old woman to be any different than others she had met.
“He has been”—Elisabeth tipped her head—“accommodating.”
“Hmm.” The sound was gravely. Elisabeth slowly got to her feet as the old woman seemed to apprise her. “What do you want, little half-blood?”
“Where am I?” Elisabeth asked, dodging the question.
“My room, which means you were looking for me and that I wasn’t avoiding you.” Babayaga lifted her arms, and the roots of the tree beneath her elevated her.
Elisabeth was dazed. “I fell through a solid wall.”
“And you landed here because I let you,” the old woman said as the tree stopped moving her closer. She was now only a few yards away. Elisabeth wanted to put a hand on the dagger in her boot or call her abilities, but that seemed unwise. She might look old and crotchety, but Babayaga was feared for a reason. Elisabeth was not about to test her patience in her own room. Elisabeth did not have any advantage and she needed to be vigilant.
“Curiosity or concern?” Elisabeth asked and nearly bit her tongue a moment later. Sometimes Elsariel slipped in and got out before Elisabeth could help it.
Her eyes narrowed. “I want something from you.”
Elisabeth couldn’t help but to feel her eyebrows rise. Of all the things she had expected the old woman to say, that had not been one of them. Elisabeth suddenly had leverage. She might not need anything to get what she wanted. She already knew where the Nowhere Gate was. All she needed was a way to navigate it.
Elisabeth let her face drop into a neutral expression. “What do you want?”
“You must leave this place and never return.” The Babayaga’s gravelly voice was firm. Elisabeth suddenly understood what was happening. She knew why the old woman wanted her to make a deal. It meant she had more than leverage, room for negotiation. She might only be a child by the Divine Court’s standards, but even a child could outwit a grandmother.
“I cannot promise that,” Elisabeth replied and the old woman’s features became pinched. “I can, however, relieve your anxiety in exchange for an object.”
“You dare negotiate with me?” Babayaga’s words were biting. “You are a babe hardly walking and talking, and you think you can outwit me, who hath lived ten of your lifetimes? You are a fool. The last fool to try was my own sister, and Yubaba paid dearly for her treachery.”
“Perhaps, but you are an even greater one if you believe that you will get something from me in exchange for nothing.” Elisabeth tried not to gulp as the old woman curled her old bent fingers around the tree roots that held her aloft.
“More of Morhaven in you than I originally thought,” Babayaga replied with a contemptuous smile. “What are your terms, girl?”
Elisabeth drummed her fingers across her arm as her mind worked out the best wording. She licked her lips to give her another moment. Anything to allow her the time she needed to give an exact wording that would give her what she needed.
“In exchange for leaving Morhaven and severing my communication with King Nauberon unless it is a moment of emergency or a life hangs in the balance, I ask only for the king’s item that will allow me to navigate the Nowhere Gate.” Elisabeth watched as the king’s grandmother kept a carefully neutral face.
Babayaga stared at her, not speaking at first. Elisabeth held her ground, though she wished she could break her gaze. It was as though Babayaga was looking through her. Finally, when Elisabeth felt like squirming, the old woman spoke. “You ask too much for too little.”
“If you think for a moment I wouldn’t marry him and taint your precious bloodline, you misjudge me.” Elisabeth’s fingers curled around her upper arm, no longer thinking as her ruthless side came out. “The moment I bound myself to Nauberon, his secrets would become my secrets, and I would have that item you are considering denying me. No matter what choice you make, I shall have the means to navigate the Nowhere Gate. And if you think I won’t do it, you severely underestimate my resolve.”
“Or I could simply kill you.” It was a statement, not a rhetorical question.
“You can’t. I am the last of my kind, and if I died, the balance would be tipped. No Det Morian would ever threaten the balance.” Elisabeth wanted to smile, but she was too afraid. She wasn’t actually sure if Babayaga Det Mor would care about the balance.
The old woman’s eyes seemed to be appraising her, truly taking her in from head to toe. Holding perfectly still, Elisabeth contemplated whether she could marry him. To her surprise, Elisabeth realized she could. She could become a Det Morian bride to ensure she had the means to rescue Ki. No matter the sacrifice, he was worth it.
The old woman must have sensed the truth of her words because she lifted an arm. Dangling from her ancient fingers was a pocket watch. “This is the item you seek. If you take it, you cannot ever bind yourself to King Nauberon and you will sever all communication with him except through my court carrier. Are you amenable to these terms?”
Babayaga had stipulated a court carrier because that meant communication by letter only. Elisabeth considered the terms, and tried to ascertain if there was a trick she could have missed. She did not want to sever all communication. He had helped her once before, and she wanted to be sure he could again if she needed him.
“I agree. I shall not initiate any communication with King Nauberon nor shall I ever consent to be bound to him, so long as the King’s object you are giving me can successfully navigate the Nowhere Gate.” Elisabeth took a step forward for the watch.
“I think it is about time you left.” Babayaga turned away dismissively.
Elisabeth glanced up at her as the old woman lowered the watch into her hand. When the cold metal of the watch touched Elisabeth’s palm, she felt magic on her skin. Hardly was she able to make a noise before Babayaga’s room vanished and she reappeared on the outskirts of Morhaven. Her legs didn’t support her and she fell backward onto her backside on the ground. She groaned and decided that she didn’t like Babayaga. She kept falling whenever the old woman was involved.
Just beyond her, the poppy fields danced and tried to lull her in. She gained her footing and rubbed her bottom. As she looked down at the watch, a great horn sounded. Her blood froze as she took an instinctive step back.
It was the hunter’s horn. The Lord of the Hunt, Arawn, was coming for her. It had to be because of the watch. Babayaga was a tricky old witch! The horn sounded again, calling members of the Divine Court to the skies, and Elisabeth ran toward the Nowhere Gate.
Chapter 24: Ashlad
Malthael was dozing on his couch with a book on his stomach when the horn sounded. It pierced the worlds, and he half fell off the couch because of it. He landed on all fours, startled, the book clattering to the ground. He leapt over the couch to get to the window. The horn sounded again as the scattered clouds began to swirl. He glanced to the sun as he watched it being eclipsed.
A Wild Hunt had begun.
Spirit Collectors ascended to the heavens, abandoning their tasks. Others joined them as they rode acro
ss Ashlad’s sky. It would be the same across all of the planets. Arawn, Lord of the Hunt, was calling to them, and Malthael realized with dread that he knew where Arawn was calling them to. Worse still, mortals would be drawn into the fray and get abducted to the Netherworld. It was the only time that the Divine Court could come to the planets in full power and march across them, riding the clouds and leaving death and destruction in their wake.
Malthael was torn about what to do first. Should he try to protect them, go to aid his daughter, or warn the other Guardians? With a growl he turned on his heel and rushed through the hidden doorway and down into the belly of his home. The green marble reflected the light of many torches. He approached the gate and tugged at the dial that brought it to life.
Emera was already there, and so was Meredith. They stopped their conversation when Malthael appeared. Emera looked grim, and Meredith’s cheekbones were more severe than usual. It was impossible for Malthael not to notice their stress.
“What is happening?” Meredith demanded before Emera could even open her mouth.
“It is a Wild Hunt,” Malthael told them.
“A what?” Meredith asked.
“No,” Emera muttered. The order that protected the gate in Lyreane kept records of everything. She would know what the Wild Hunt was, though she probably knew less than Malthael.
“I was a part of the last one. Over fifty years ago I came to the planets and rode the clouds of the hunt,” Malthael told them. “I took people back with me. They will, too.”
He saw Emera grimace before regaining her mask of neutrality. “What started it?”
“Elisabeth is in the Netherworld, and I do not doubt that she is at the center of this.” Malthael glanced over his shoulder as though he could see the building storm.
When he turned back, Ruhan had joined them. He looked unnerved. “Where is my daughter?”
“Safe,” Malthael replied, not wanting to be the one to admit that she was in the Netherworld with a fallen Det Morian prince. “We have other matters to attend to. We need to warn people to go inside. Demons cannot pass thresholds of homes, and it must be homes. Abandoned buildings or those without the emotions attached to them by the residents will not be safe. Send word all across the worlds that when the sun sets, the demons will ride across the world and gather anyone they can before returning to the Netherworld and Morhaven. The servants of the Divine Court will be another matter. They usually only lead, but if they decide to come down from the clouds, they will take what they want.”
“By the Gods.” Ruhan said as he turned gray.
“It is barbaric,” Meredith hissed.
“King Nauberon only releases Arawn, the Lord of the Hunt, on these hunts in the direst of circumstances,” Malthael said. The Black King was the reason the last time a Wild Hunt was called. It was to force him onto Lyreane so the Keepers could trap him on Croatoan and disable the planet’s gate. Night is falling all across the planets as each sun is eclipsed. You must go and warn them.”
“I will do what I can,” Meredith told them before she severed their connection.
Ruhan nodded. “I shall send the word and hope that we can keep them out of harm’s way.”
After he left, Emera was quiet. She watched him silently for a moment. “You can’t do anything, can you?” she finally asked.
“I’ll stay and warn Troy, but I cannot risk venturing outside while they are gathering people. I have many enemies, and if I left the safety of this house I would most certainly be taken.” Malthael crossed his arms. “I have no doubt the Divine Court is watching for me.”
“How will you warn Ashladians?” Emera’s voice conveyed all the concern Malthael felt.
“Duke and Nathan,” Malthael told her. “They shall go where I cannot.”
Emera blinked in surprise. “They could be taken as well. Couldn’t they?”
“Yes,” Malthael conceded, “but they would simply return home once they arrived in the Netherworld.”
“Won’t they be called for the Wild Hunt?” she asked.
“No,” Malthael responded without any further explanation. “You should go, Emera. Warn your people.”
“Be careful, Malthael,” Emera said before her image faded.
Malthael stood basking in the light of the gate a moment, thinking of his daughter and wondering if Elsa was in more trouble than she could handle. He knew she was powerful among the planets, but she would be up against those hundreds of years older than her who had so much power that Malthael shuddered to think of it.
“Duke,” Malthael called, turning back toward the steps, “Nathan. It is time to warn the people of our world.”
Nathan stood to shake out his fur, and Duke stretched. They had wandered down behind him and been waiting. They had planned for this day. When they vanished into the floor, Malthael continued to stare at the spot they had been, wondering if the posters and letters would be enough. He had prepared for so many contingencies, the Wild Hunt among them. He was sure the leaders of Ashlad would heed his words once they received them.
Knowing there was little more to do but wait, Malthael turned back to the gate. It rippled and shimmered. He thought of Elsa and could not keep his worry to himself. It transferred to his legs as he shifted from foot to foot. His worry turned to agitation when Troy did not appear.
What could be keeping the boy?
Chapter 25: Netherworld
Nanette’s right hand held the brush and her left hand held her sleeve. She knelt in front of the parchment that lay on the floor. Despite his ability to speak, Nanette found that Ethan rarely did so. He had become accustomed to silence, and it was proving to be a hard habit to break. The black ink glistened in the light before it dried. She could feel his intense gaze on her, and she tried hard not to let it affect her.
When that failed, she said, “Can you not watch me so intently? I am likely to make a mistake.”
Nanette glanced over her shoulder in time to see him smile. It was a grin that made her chest tighten and her knees go all wobbly. Nanette returned to the task at hand—a note that would go to her father—and felt her face redden. Lately, he’d made her feel lightheaded, and his smiles only made it worse. So instead she concentrated on the words. As she made each mark precise and careful to ensure accuracy, she thought of something that had been bothering her—something she had meant to ask Elisabeth but never did.
She cleared her throat as she thought of how to phrase it. “How can you understand what I am saying?”
Ethan watched her through heavy lids before smiling again. “The gates,” Ethan responded, and she barely heard the words. “Once connected by them, each planet loses its unique language or languages. In its place they get the one language—our language.”
“Oh,” Nanette replied as she set the brush on the side, turning away from her letter. “That is rather sad.” She picked up the letter and brought it over to the desk.
“It is a way to create uniformity.” He touched her shoulder.
She didn’t have to look at him to feel his smoldering gaze. “Ethan?” Nanette whispered.
“Hmm,” he asked, leaning toward her.
His lips pressed against hers, and she forgot everything. When her legs threatened to buckle, he tightened his hold on her waist. She brought her hands up to frame his face and drew him closer. Every passionate kiss brought her nearer to a sticky sweetness that promised to swallow her whole. Despite the danger, she wanted to let it do so and forget everything but him.
When the sound of a horn pierced the air, she nearly fell backward over the chair that was next to the desk. Ethan’s iron grip held her in place as he looked grimly toward the door. A flash of pain crossed his features before he straightened.
“What is it?” Nanette whispered, feeling the need to be as quiet as possible.
“The Wild Hunt,” Ethan told her. When she looked up at him, she saw the strain.
“What is that?” Nanette asked. His jaw was clenched.
�
�Arawn is hunting.” The horn sounded again. “Someone is in trouble.”
Nanette gasped. “Elisabeth!”
“My thoughts exactly.” Ethan led them out of the room and toward the entrance.
When they reached the entrance, the wind whipped around them and the strangest clouds gathered across the blood-colored sky. Something gray fell. Nanette put a hand out. It was ash. Nanette looked toward Morhaven and saw a horde gathering above the protective layer. Although night had not come, she couldn’t distinguish the rusty landscape or spot any movement.
“There she is,” Ethan said, pointing.
Nanette’s eyes narrowed as she spotted something drop below a hill. It happened so quickly that Nanette couldn’t be sure she’d seen anything at all. Ethan dashed back into his home as Nanette continued to search the skyline.
“Ethan!” Nanette called, “Please hurry.”
Without blinking, Ethan hoisted her into his arms and jumped. She shrieked with surprise. The rust-colored dust rose up around him as he landed in the Netherworld. He set her down before he crouched so that she could put her arms over his shoulders. He lifted her up and sprinted through the ruins. The Weavers clicked at them as they passed, and Nanette’s fist tightened in his tunic. Though she knew they would not come into the light, as long as she was with Ethan, she would be safe. Despite the scar on her leg, she’d always counted herself lucky for having been dragged to the Netherworld. Her life had changed for the better since that fateful day.
When they rounded the corner and came into an open area of rusty colored dirt, Ethan let her down. They stopped to scour the horizon for Elisabeth as ash began to fall more densely from the sky. A moment later, Ethan pointed Elisabeth out. She was crowning a hill and heading toward the sandy mountains that rose up to their left. They stood taller than the mountain in which Ethan had made his home.
“Where is she going?” Nanette asked.
Ethan put both of his hands on her arms. Shaking her softly, he asked, “Why did she come here?”