Fire and Ice Page 5

  Startled, several of his comrades fell back as the dragon forces fell upon the hapless cockatrice and quickly killed him. When other cockatrice tried to shift, they, too, were unable. As they turned to flee, they were slain.

  “We have them outmatched!” Stribog yelled, rallying their forces as they waded into hand-to-hand combat.

  Zaria stayed on the outskirts of the battle, slaying stragglers that tried to escape through holes in their defenses. As the morning wore on, it was obvious that while the cockatrice were fierce fighters, without their ability to shift they were no match for the dragons and other shifters.

  The still-obscured sun lay high in the sky when two groups of dragon warriors shifted and took to the air, using their powers to divide sections of the cockatrice combatants and turn them toward awaiting allied troops to either side. Fires broke out as the fire dragons used their natural weapons against their prey. Smoke and the smell of roasting flesh drifted across the countryside.

  It wasn’t until Zaria felt a darkness descending that she realized they had a big problem.

  Cries of agony from some of their own troops reached her ears. She turned to find a dozen demons had joined forces, formed a circle, and were attempting to use their dark skills to take out shifters one at a time. Though weakened, combining their energies they still proved themselves a powerful force. Any fighter that reached the outer ring of their powers was struck down immediately. Orcs, humans, and ogres used the diversion to trap shifters between their physically greater force and the demons’ metaphysical one.

  “Stribog! Svarog!” Zaria cried out. “Come here!”

  Her two men finished off a huge orc they’d been battling and raced to her side. “What is it?” Stribog asked.

  “Join hands, quickly!”

  They did, and she focused the force of her powers into her men.

  Goddess of All, please guide my way.

  She closed her eyes and envisioned feeding all of her energies into her two men, to form a protective shield around them. Despite her earlier power surge, she realized the extended fighting had taken a greater toll on her than she first realized. Ignoring that, she thrust every bit of power she possessed into her men.

  Releasing their hands, she screamed, “Go! Now!” They turned and attacked the demonic circle. As she sank to her knees, she lost sight of them as other shifters poured into the breach behind them.

  The entire war now seemed centered on this battle. Shifters forced their way through behind Stribog and Svarog, with blood-covered swords hacking away at the dark forces.

  Then she felt the first blow to her men, as if her own shoulder had been struck.

  “Stribog!” she screamed. Another pain in her neck nearly made her black out as she felt his energy snap back into her.

  “No!” She dug her fingers into the ground and struggled back onto her knees, desperate to get to her men. Several shifters surrounded her, facing out and protecting her from attack, but blocking her view of the nearby struggle against the demons.

  Then, just as she’d nearly regained her footing, she felt a pain in her gut as Svarog fell. Her visceral scream rent the air as she collapsed to her knees again, driven down by the force of Svarog’s energy also rebounding into her.

  Fortunately, it seemed the two men had done enough damage to the demons’ cabal that the other shifters were able to break them apart and began slaughtering them.

  Zaria’s heart and mind shattered. Sitting back on her heels, she looked to the heavens and let out an echoing, thundering roar of rage and grief that stopped everyone in their tracks. She raised her hands to the heavens.

  “Goddess Above,” she screamed, “I give my all! Take from me, make our enemies fall!”

  * * * *

  Zachary used the distraction to run his sword through a human that stank of the cockatrice before turning to view the brilliant light emanating from Zaria. It flowed from her and spread out amongst the warriors, striking dead their enemies while leaving their allies untouched.

  A high, keening wail of anguish rolled from her like the scream of the wind in a hurricane. The impact knocked him off his feet as he tried to make his way to her side. He looked around, trying to locate Stribog and Svarog. Then he spotted their still forms strewn amongst the carcasses of demons, cockatrice, and other dark forces.

  After what felt like hours but was only a few minutes, Zaria let out a final, gasping cry. As the light flowing from her died, she collapsed to the ground. Stunned, he stared at her as their dazed comrades slowly climbed to their feet and began cheering when they realized all their enemies lay dead around them.

  With a choked sob, Zachary stumbled to his feet and ran to his Goddess. He dropped to his knees beside Zaria’s still form. He felt her dying, her immense expenditure of powers saving them all, but ripping her apart without the dragons’ supporting energy to feed her.

  He ignored the tears rolling down his cheeks as he gently cradled her in his arms, rocking her, brushing the red tresses from her forehead.

  “Zaria,” he whispered, kissing her lips, her cheeks, her forehead. “Zaria, my sweet, beautiful Goddess. Please don’t leave me.”

  Her eyes fluttered open as more pain rent him from the inside out. He ignored it as he stared into her gorgeous green eyes. “Did we do it?” she whispered.

  He nodded. “You did it. You beat them. You saved everyone.”

  “Not everyone.” Her eyes teared up. “I could not save…”

  He choked back his sob. “They sacrificed themselves to save you. To save us all. You saved our people, Zaria. My sweet, beautiful Goddess. I love you.”

  A faint smile curved her lips. He grabbed her hand and pressed it to his lips, kissing it.

  “I love you, too, Zachary. I always will.”

  He tearfully nodded. “In every life.”

  “In every heart.”

  “Forever,” they whispered together.

  Zachary saw the shadow fall across them both but didn’t look up from Zaria’s face. He didn’t want to miss a single breath.

  “Well done, my children,” Baba Yaga’s matronly voice softly said. “Rest, Zaria. Your job is done. For now.”

  Zaria nodded and saved one last smile for Zachary. “Forever.”

  He nodded, this time sobbing aloud. “Forever, Goddess.”

  Her eyes fluttered closed. He was aware of crowds of cheering warriors running across the battlefield toward them, yet already he felt the end coming soon for him.

  Baba Yaga knelt beside him as he couldn’t take the pain and grief anymore. With Zaria clutched to him, he fell to his side on the ground, screaming Zaria’s name as his tears flowed unabated.

  “Zachary,” Baba Yaga soothed, “do not fret. This is not the end. This is only the beginning. From now until the next prophecy is fulfilled, she will be yours in every life. You are still, and always, her Watcher.”

  He listened, but couldn’t quit crying. The agony in his heart and soul crushed him under its weight. How could he ever live without her?

  He didn’t want to live.

  “Shh,” Baba Yaga soothed, pressing a comforting palm to his brow.

  He was vaguely aware of the King, bloodied but not mortally wounded, running up and pushing through the crowd with several of his knights. He pulled up short when he saw Zaria’s still form and Baba Yaga kneeling beside them.

  “Is she…”

  One of the knights placed a staying hand on his king’s arm. “Aye, Sire,” he sadly said. “She is at peace. I suspect brave Zachary joins her and her dragons soon.”

  Zachary’s vision swam, colors fading as he stared at Zaria’s closed eyes. Sounds from the crowd faded out of his awareness until only Baba Yaga’s voice filled his ears.

  “Fret not, Zachary. In every life until the next prophecy, she will be yours until she is reunited with her dragons. Even then, she will still be in your life. You are always her Watcher. I swear it.”

  He was vaguely aware of Baba Yaga pressing his an
d Zaria’s hands together, as she had when they were babes. “You will always remember, in every life, although she will not until she is reunited with her dragons. So fret not and rest now, child…” He felt the warm tingle between his palm and Zaria’s as the last breath left him and his world went black.

  Chapter Seven

  Six years later

  From the deep shade of the willow tree, Zachary watched the little red-haired girl playing by the creek. He knew her name to be Zarina, even though he’d never met the redheaded child. He knew her age to be the same as his—five.

  He opened his right palm and stared at the faint lines embedded there in his flesh. He also knew the little girl bore the same markings, only on her left palm.

  When he felt the presence behind him, he didn’t need to turn to see who it was. “Hello, Baba Yaga.”

  “Hello, Zachary.” In her matron form, she settled onto the ground beside him. “Did I not say it would be true?”

  He nodded. “You did.” His earliest memories in this life were of wondering how long until he found his sweet Zaria again. Now he had, although her name was slightly different.

  “Just remember, thirty-five years. Then you will get to be together. Until then, be her friend. Encourage her. Look after her. Protect her. She will love you.”

  He felt so much older than his youthful body. “Does this get easier?”

  She smiled. “You cannot tell people you remember past lives now, can you, little one?”

  He glared at her.

  She obviously didn’t care. “Now, now. Such a look you give me for one your age. And remember what your age should be. Just because you will have your memories doesn’t mean you shouldn’t embrace your current life.” She took his right hand, turned his palm face up, and traced the markings with her finger. “Live for now, Watcher. In every life. Enjoy your life. And trust that you will have more than your fair share of joy now and in the future.”

  He nodded before turning to the creek again. He watched the girl lose her balance, her arms pinwheeling as she gave a little shriek and fell into the water with a splash.

  Like a shot, he raced down to the edge, reaching out and grabbing her arm to safely pull her back to shore.

  The little girl clung to him and sobbed as he held her, consoling her. “It’s okay, Zarina,” he soothed. “I’ve got you. I’ve always got you.”

  * * * *

  Baba Yaga watched the two children huddled on the shore. She heard a man’s shout and several villagers ran up, praising the boy for saving the girl. Zarina was the village leader’s daughter, and the cherished little girl of a very large family of boys. When both children’s mothers soon joined the crowd, the girl’s mother embraced first the boy, then the boy’s mother.

  Baba Yaga smiled. Sometimes, it would be Zachary born to privilege and wealth. Sometimes, it would be the Goddess.

  She was a patient woman. These two had nearly completed her oath to her own deceased love. One day, they would finally carry out the last of the revenge. As she stood and brushed the dirt off her skirts, she watched the villagers carry the children back up the road to their houses to get them dried off.

  She sighed. “Live well, my sweet Zachary.” Never again would she hold him in her arms. In some ways, it saddened her that he would never have memories of their time together, when he first came to her looking for a way to save his dragon kin from the cockatrice.

  The least she could do was to give him as much joy and pleasure as she could now and in the future to make up for not being able to save his life.

  She took some small comfort in that.

  With the villagers gone, Baba Yaga disappeared and reappeared before a stone cairn. She dropped to her knees in her maiden form and placed her hands on the rocks that she’d laid herself. “Zachary,” she whispered. “I promised, and I shall make it so.”

  As always, her tears fell, staining the rocks until she cried herself to sleep there by her deceased lover’s final resting place.

  Chapter Eight

  Almost now

  Lina looked up as her mom called out to her from the front porch. “Where do you think you’re going, young lady?”

  “There’s new people next door, Mommy!”

  Her mom walked down to the curb to join her. Sure enough, a moving truck and strange car were parked next door. A frazzled-looking woman directed the movers, while a young boy about Lina’s age played around the front of the garage.

  “Can we go meet them?” Lina asked.

  Her mom indulgently smiled. “Sure. Why not?”

  Lina raced ahead to meet the little boy. Something about him drew her. He looked special. She’d been looking for a special friend for as long as she could remember. She didn’t know why, and both Mrs. Jones, her teacher at kindergarten, and her parents scolded her for being choosy, but she couldn’t help it.

  Something inside her always said she needed a special friend. One who would be with her for the rest of her life. That’s what the old lady’s voice always told her.

  But she’d learned early not to mention that. It made her mom look frightened when she talked about the old woman’s voice.

  The little boy looked up. He had brown eyes. She skidded to a stop in front of him with a happy smile on her face. “Hi! My name’s Lina. What’s yours?”

  He smiled back. “Zack.”

  “I’m five. How old are you?”

  He dropped the car he’d been playing with. “I’m five, too. Can I be your special friend, Lina?”

  She gasped, happy shock making her squeal with excitement. “Yes! Yes, you are my special friend!” She threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly as she jumped up and down.

  By the time their moms found them in Zack’s backyard ten minutes later, Lina knew for certain this was definitely her very special friend. She kicked and screamed and cried when her mom said they’d have to go back home. Fortunately, Zack’s mom welcomed Lina’s mother’s invitation for Zack to come over and play while the moving continued. Hearing that, Lina grabbed Zack’s hand. Together the kids ran to Lina’s house and upstairs to her room to play.

  Zack’s mom, Martha, watched them go. “Thank you so much, Karen,” she said. “I’m sorry about the intrusion.”

  “No, not a problem.” Karen shook her head. “Honestly? I’ve never seen Lina so excited to meet another kid. She’s usually really standoffish and doesn’t make friends very well. I think Zack will be good for her.”

  “Zack is an old soul. I thought maybe it was because of his deadbeat dad up and leaving when he was born.” She leaned against the fence. “If he’s a bother, please, don’t hesitate to let me know.”

  Karen waved her off. “It’s okay. My husband will be home in an hour. He’s great with kids. He’ll keep them busy all evening. Hey, listen. I have lasagna in the oven. More than enough. Why don’t you and Zack join us for dinner?”

  “Really?”

  “Really.” She smiled. “You and me can come back over here with a bottle of wine after dinner, and I’ll help you unpack while we escape all of them.”

  Martha laughed and gave her a high five. “You’re on!”

  * * * *

  Lina and Zack played upstairs in Lina’s room. When she heard her mom call them down for dinner, Lina grabbed Zack’s hands. “Are you still going to be my special friend tomorrow?”

  He smiled. “Of course. In every life.”

  Lina’s mind felt a little fuzzy, but she said without thinking, “In every heart.”

  Together, they both said, “Forever.”

  She slung her arms around him. “I love you, Zack.”

  “I love you, too, Lina.”

  Somewhere, Lina was sure she heard the old woman chuckling. She noticed Zack looked up.

  Lina gasped. “Did you hear her?” she whispered.

  He smiled. “I hear her.”

  Lina squealed. “You are my special friend forever!”

  Together, they jumped up. Holding hands, they ra
n down the stairs to the kitchen.

  Over the years, Lina eventually stopped hearing the old woman’s voice. By the time she was a teenager, she’d forgotten about her altogether, and barely had any memories of how she and Zack first met. It felt like Zack had been in her life forever.

  But Zack still stayed her special friend.

  Chapter Nine

  Now

  Stunned, Lina sat on Baba Yaga’s couch. It felt like she’d sat and listened to Baba Yaga spin her yarn for days. Yet she knew if she wanted to, she could open her physical eyes and find only a few seconds had passed in the van carrying her and her men home from Tampa International.

  She stared at the faint, ancient scar etched into her left palm. She knew Zack bore an identical one in his right hand. How in all these years had she never questioned that? And despite all this knowledge, it still felt like she was missing something. Like there were a couple of huge, gaping holes she should be seeing in that tale, but wasn’t.

  “In all lives?” Lina asked.

  Baba Yaga nodded. “In all lives. Now the threads in your tapestry have merged again, from where they were scattered in the past. You are here, able to face down the threat. Your men will stand strongly beside you.” She smiled. “Even the wolf and his clan.”

  Lina felt herself blush despite not really being there. “Brodey, you mean.”

  “Yes. And others. Although they do not know it yet.”

  Lina had a question she really wanted answered and hoped Baba Yaga would…or could. “When Brodey and I were overcome by the fire at Yellowstone, when I built the ice shell around us? I saw something. A vision or a dream, I don’t know what. I saw him and his brothers find their One. Was that true?”

  Baba Yaga nodded. “If you saw it, it is true, or will be. Such are your gifts.”

  She let out a deep, relieved sigh. “Then they will be happy?”

  “That I cannot guarantee or promise for their future. But in that instance, yes, they will happily mate with their One.”