Astrid's Wings: Varangian Descendants Book II

by K. Panikian

  “How do I change back?” the bear asked.

  Julian looked down at his hands, examining his claws. He scratched absently at the brown fur on his chest and sniffed me again.

  “I’m not actually sure,” I answered, starting to smooth some antibiotic cream over his cuts. His back wasn’t as furry as his chest, so the cuts were easy to get to. I smoothed the soft, velvety fur along his head down in a petting motion, trying to keep him calm.

  “Probably just take off the medallion. But don’t—” I said sharply, as his clawed hand started to reached for the necklace. “Don’t do it until we’re at a spot to camp. You’ll be exhausted and want to sleep. Let’s get away from the lion’s body so we’re not attracting other predators.”

  Julian nodded and stood still while I dabbed at the rest of his cuts. Some of them were pretty deep and likely needed stitches. I smoothed some bandages over them for now. I wasn’t sure what else to do.

  I picked up the remains of Julian’s clothes and shoes and stuffed them in his pack, then we started walking. I kept a wary eye on the tall grasses around us, looking for more hungry eyes.

  Julian said, “I don’t smell any others nearby.”

  I relaxed. “How does it feel to be a bear?”

  He cocked his huge head to the side, considering my question. “I feel very strong, very alive. Very, ah, virile.”

  Julian’s long legs paced ahead of me and he let out growls and snorts as we walked.

  “Are you feeling feral?” I teased.

  Julian answered seriously, his bear face looking back at me. “A little. I have a strong urge to drop to all fours and sort of, I don’t know, paw at the ground, but I’m resisting it.”

  I choked out a laugh and patted his furry side.

  He added, “I also want to lick you all over, but that can wait.”

  My insides kindled and I croaked, “Okay.”

  Julian’s laugh was deep and growly.

  We walked for about an hour and then found a shady spot by some oak trees and a lake.

  Julian sat on the ground in the shade and pulled off the medallion. Shrinking to his normal form, he slumped over, passed out. I covered him with a blanket and then made our camp.

  I saw a lot of acorns on the ground nearby, so I collected a large pile and started peeling them. Once peeled, I filled my pot with clear lake water and dropped the nuts inside, then I started a fire. I boiled the acorns until the water turned black, then dumped out that water, filled the pot again, and boiled them more.

  I boiled them five times before I felt satisfied that their bitter taste would be gone. I set them aside.

  Going to the lake again, I gathered some of the cattails there to prepare later, and then I fished.

  By the time Julian woke up, a couple of hours later, I had a feast ready. I knew he would be starving and I was right. He dressed in his spare clothes and dug in to the food. I ate heartily too. The acorns tasted meaty and sweet, like chestnuts.

  It was the first real meal we’d had in days and I felt almost comatose with pleasure when I finished.

  Finally, Julian sat back and rubbed his stomach. “Man, I was so hungry. That was insane. Thanks for having so much food ready.”

  I smiled at him. “That was the good part. Now the bad. First, your shoes are destroyed. I’m not sure how to reassemble them. Next, I need to look at your wounds again. Some of them were pretty deep and I’m worried you need stitches.”

  Julian got up and grabbed his pack, digging all the way to the bottom, then pulling out a roll of silvery tape. “Ta da!” he said proudly. “Duct tape!”

  I watched interestedly while he picked up his shoes and painstakingly put the soles and tops into place again. Then he taped them up. In the end, to my amazement they were functional shoes again, sort of.

  “I’ll probably need to retape them every day,” he said eyeing the silvery-gray mess critically. “But I think we’re almost to the portal, so hopefully this will get me there.”

  I gestured him closer and he sat beside me, pulling up his shirt. I gently pulled away the bandages on his back where the lion’s claws really dug in. The edges of the slices were pink and open. After washing them out with peroxide again, I smoothed on more antibiotic ointment.

  “You need stitches,” I told him seriously.

  He shrugged at me helplessly.

  “We have fishing line, and I still have one of those bone needles you made. I’ve stitched my brothers before. Do you want me to try it?”

  Julian agreed and I handed him a couple of Ibuprofen from the first aid kit to take the edge off the pain. I set my pot boiling again and dropped the fishing line, my needle, and the skinning knife inside. When they were sterile, Julian laid down on his stomach on a sleeping bag in front of the fire.

  Kneeling by his side, I leaned over his back and started to stitch the worst of the gashes closed. I threaded the fishing line through the needle, pulled the skin together, and pushed the needle through. Next, I cut the string and tied it on the other side. Then I threaded the needle, and did it all again.

  Julian lay without flinching, though I could tell he controlled his breathing carefully.

  It was gory work and I tried to keep my trembling hands steady.

  When I finished, I gently rinsed the blood from his back again and reapplied the antibiotic cream. I wiped the tears from my cheeks before he saw me.

  Julian sat up again, wincing, and I asked him to leave his shirt off for a while. Julian smirked at me, though the corners of his eyes looked tight with pain. I told him seriously that I was worried about infection. Who knew what germs lived in those lion claws? If he felt sick at all, I made him promise to wake me in the night.

  IN the morning, Julian’s back was inflamed and bright red. We packed up the campsite quickly and I flew us east, pushing myself hard. I flew all morning, stopping often to check on Julian and forcing him to drink water. He was cranky and hot and I knew he was in terrible pain, though he wouldn’t talk to me about it.

  When we stopped for a noon break, I encouraged him to nap again under another tree. While he slept in the shade by a pond, I boiled acorns again. But when he woke up, he wasn’t hungry. His face was flushed.

  Checking his back, I saw the claw marks red and weeping pus. I cleaned them as best I could with soap and sterile water and reapplied the ointment. I was getting worried.

  I couldn’t fly anymore, but I could still carry Julian. I ignored his protests, shouldered his pack and mine, and marched east, pulling him along beside me as gently as I could with my magic. His head hung limp and he dozed off and on.

  That night, he wasn’t hungry again, but I cajoled him into a few bites of a fish broth. He drank water and then stumbled into our tent, saying he would feel better in the morning.

  When I crawled in beside him later, he was burning up. I smoothed his hair back and prayed.

  BUT he didn’t get better. In the morning, Julian’s fever was worse. Pink streaks on his skin flowed away from the infected cuts, a sure sign of blood poisoning. I flew us hard and fast and when I saw the marsh with the giant mud and stick mound, I almost cried in relief. I dropped us beside the clear, shallow pond that opened the gate.

  When I released Julian from my air bands, he dropped to his knees. His body felt hot to the touch, his face pale and clammy. I pulled the fish bone necklace from his pack and dragged him into the lake with me. The blue glow pulsed out and then I pushed his staggering body out of the water, now green and dark in the night.

  “Hello, need help?”

  A flashlight beam caught me and I held up my hand in front of my face. “Josephine?” I asked incredulously.

  I heard a muttered, “Sorry,” and then the flashlight went toward the water instead. “Yes, it’s me!”

  Pulling Julian toward her voice, we clambered onto the bank and then Julian dropped to his knees again.

  “We need to get him to a hospital,” I told Josephine. “There was a lion, and now he’s got a bad
infection.”

  She nodded briskly at me. “I’ll help you get him into the boat and call ahead to the airport; we’ll get you to Anchorage as soon as possible.”

  She ducked under Julian’s arm and helped me hoist him to his feet again. We staggered down the path to the lake and gingerly helped Julian into Josephine’s boat. He sat on the floor of the skiff, his held lolling back.

  “Sorry,” he said quietly. “I don’t feel good.” He threw up over the side.

  Meeting Josephine’s worried eyes, I dropped beside him, offering water. My hands trembled with the canteen. I willed him to swallow and feel better.

  Josephine radioed ahead to the airport as she steered the skiff through the dark lake. I pointed the flashlight beam ahead of us, lighting the way.

  The air was cool and the moon was bright. I heard an owl hoot across the lake.

  “How did you know we were coming?” I asked Josephine over the purring engine noise.

  “Someone calling himself ‘Uncle Alex’ phoned the store and told me,” Josephine answered. “He wants you to contact him.”

  I nodded. After I got Julian to the hospital, I would.

  Josephine patted the bag beside her in the boat. “I have your cell phones you left with me.”

  We pulled up to the airport dock and helped Julian climb out of the skiff and into the waiting plane. After strapping on his seatbelt, I hopped back out.

  The pilot started the engine and the noise reverberated across the dark lake in a low, metallic roar.

  I gave Josephine the fish bone necklace and the bones from the vodyanoy’s home. I told her to keep them away from the pond and someone would come at some point to shut the gate for good. She agreed.

  I hugged her tightly and she whispered, “He’ll be all right.”

  I nodded.

  As we took off into the night, I looked to see her waving up at us, tiny in her little skiff on the huge lake. I waved back.

  Chapter 29

  I paced the hospital waiting room. An ambulance had been waiting at the Anchorage airport to take us to the emergency room, but once there, I had no access to Julian after they wheeled him away. Feeling helpless, I tried to think of something, anything I could do.

  I called Very’s parents’ house and talked to Julian’s mom, Sophia. She was on her way. I left a message with Uncle Alex that we were back.

  As I paced, I checked my emails. No word from Very and Owen or Bard and Cato. That was worrisome. We’d been gone more than a month. If no one else had an open portal, we would need to go back through the one at Lake Iliamna and then we’d be too far behind Abaddon’s army to warn the citadel. They’d be defenseless. My father would be defenseless.

  I went to the bathroom and caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror as I washed my hands. I was filthy. My hair was greasy and I had dirt on my cheeks and neck. My face was thin and drawn and I had dark shadows of exhaustion under my eyes. I washed up as best I could and then returned to the waiting room.

  I sat in a chair, absently watching the TV, when Sophia bustled into the room. Feeling a wave of relief sweep over me, I sagged in my seat.

  She saw me and marched over. “Where is he?” she asked quickly.

  “They wheeled him back two hours ago, but no one will give me an update, since I’m not family,” I told her.

  Quickly, I followed at her heels as she marched to the nurse’s station. She told the nurse that she was Julian’s mother and wanted an update. Handing her some forms, the nurse said a doctor would be out in a minute.

  Sophie sat and filled in the paperwork and I waited anxiously beside her. She patted my hand absently.

  The door opened again and this time a doctor walked out. “You are Julian’s mother?” she asked and when Sophia nodded, the doctor smiled.

  “Julian’s responding well to the IV antibiotics. We’ve re-stitched his back as well and he’s getting some fluids in him. He’s exhausted and dehydrated, but he’s awake if you want to see him.”

  Sophia agreed and then pulled me along as we followed the doctor through the swinging door.

  Sitting up in his bed, Julian looked pale. His eyes went to me and I nodded at him; I was fine. Then he smiled weakly at his mother.

  “Hi, Mom,” he said.

  Sophia bent her head and kissed his unkempt hair. “My Jude. You’re okay.”

  “What kind of animal was it that you encountered?” the doctor asked me, writing on her clipboard.

  “Brown bear,” I lied to her. “We were backpacking for a few weeks, which is why we’re so grubby and tired.”

  She cocked her head and then looked at me closely. “You look like you might need some IV fluids too.”

  I promised her I’d eat and drink as soon as I left the hospital and she nodded, satisfied.

  When she left the room, Sophia sat on the visitor couch and we told her everything.

  It took a while, but her attention never wavered. She got up at one point and walked over to examine the medallion around Julian’s neck interestedly.

  When we finished the story, she said only, “Well, I’m sorry you lost that bear sword. It was a very nice one.”

  “What about the others?” Julian asked.

  “We haven’t heard from Verena in a few weeks now. We assume she found something. Theo has gotten a couple of texts from his mother’s family, so we think Bard and Cato are still on the boat.”

  “How’s Theo’s dad?” I asked.

  Sophia shook her head. “It doesn’t look good.” Her face turned haggard and Julian sagged back on the bed. I rubbed his arm.

  “They’re looking at hospice.”

  I sucked in a breath.

  Sophia continued. “I was waiting for you, to know you’re okay. And now, I think I’ll head down to Seattle to stay with David and Theo for a bit.”

  Julian drew her in for a careful hug. I sent a prayer to the gods for ease and peace.

  Finally, after a long moment, I said, “We need to get back through and warn the citadel.”

  “Not today,” Sophia answered, sitting up and strident once more. “You,” she pointed at Julian, “are staying overnight to make sure they’ve got a handle on that infection. You,” this time she pointed at me, “are coming home with me to the farmhouse. You need food and a shower. And more food.”

  I nodded. I knew I did.

  “And maybe another shower,” Sophia added, wrinkling her nose. I grinned at her.

  “We leave in five minutes,” she rose and marched from the room.

  “Sorry,” Julian muttered. “She’s pretty forceful.”

  Smiling, I climbed into the bed beside him, trying to keep my dirt off his clean sheets.

  I tucked my head against his chest. His body was noticeably cooler from the heat of his fever earlier. I breathed in his sweaty, familiar scent. His beard scratched my cheek and my heart hurt, both with relief that he was okay and worry about leaving him.

  “I don’t want to leave you here alone,” I murmured. “We haven’t been apart in a month.”

  He kissed my messy hair. “I’ll be fine. I’ll keep sucking down these fluids. Probably take a shower. Probably try and call Theo. And you can spring me loose tomorrow morning.”

  I nodded.

  He tucked his finger under my chin, lifting my face so I looked straight into his ocean-blue eyes. They brimmed with love and hope. “You saved me, these last couple of days. They’re a little hazy in my head, but I know you carried me and looked after me. Thank you.”

  I leaned forward so I could see into my eyes as well, knowing they reflected the adoration I felt for him too. “I love you,” I said. “I will always take care of you.”

  Julian bent his forehead to mine. “Yes, I know,” he said and kissed me softly, his lips gentle.

  We smiled at each other and Sophia cleared her throat from the door. I climbed from the bed and left the room, waiting in the hall while Sophia said goodbye to Julian. Then we marched back down the hall and outside into the br
ight, beautiful fall day.

  THE next morning, feeling much better from my multiple showers, a full night’s sleep, and lots of fresh, homemade food, I walked back into Julian’s room with a change of clothes for him and some new boots. Sophia waited in the car outside. The sight of Julian, sitting up in his bed, looking strong and well, made my heart sing. I bounded across the room to him and he reached for me from the bed, grabbing me into a tight hug. I clasped him carefully, mindful of his stitches.

  Relief swamped me as we held each other. I stroked his hair briefly and sat back.

  Julian reached for me.

  My phone rang and I pulled it out of my pocket. Uncle Alex. Answering it, I put him on speaker as I climbed up beside Julian on the hospital bed.

  “Astrid and Julian, good,” he said before I even said hello. “I know you’re in the hospital right now but as soon as Julian’s all set, you need to get to the airport. I’ve heard from Bard and Cato. You need to get to Saint Petersburg as soon as possible. The rift will close as soon as they go through.”

  We looked at each other and I sucked in a breath, feeling relief and trepidation.

  “Okay,” Julian told Alex, hanging up.

  “Saint Petersburg?” Julian asked. “I thought they were in Bermuda?”

  I laughed, shrugging. “They must have had an adventure over the past month too.”

  Julian smiled.

  “Saint Petersburg is great though. At least it’s the same continent as the citadel,” I noted, pulling up a map on my phone. I traced the route carefully—it was a long way from the coast to the keep.

  Sighing, I prepared myself mentally for the coming confrontation with Abaddon. Facing the demons again, this time with their enhanced powers, would take all of us working together. With my new dragon wings and Julian’s berserker medallion, I felt up to the challenge.

  I grasped Julian’s hand. “Ready?”

  Epilogue

  Abaddon strolled through the camp, feeling pleased with himself. They marched for the citadel and this time there would be no stopping them. He had the number advantage again and his troops, enhanced with dragon magic, were now almost indestructible.