Page 40 of A Witch Out of Time
Compelled by an ancient force greater than herself, the Yaga accepted the knife. As her bony fingers closed over the hilt, I instinctively channeled my powers to pull on the threads of time. As if I were unraveling an intricate cloth at my loom, I backtracked until I found the original moment the Yaga spelled the blade. I then wove a wholly different thread into the pattern—one of my own design—so the target of her attack became her instead of me.
“This will deliver you straight into Veles’ captivity,” I sneered, as genuine fear swept over her craggy face. “And perhaps you can explain your involvement in The Devouring to him. Tell the horned god how you chose greed over your duty to protect the earth in Mokosh’s name—the Mother Goddess who happens to be his consort. I wouldn’t want to be you, Yaga, although Veles may take pity on you if you reveal where Koschei’s death can be found. But I wouldn’t be so bold as to assume anything of the gods.”
“NO!”she screeched, vainly struggling against her own magic as the blade descended, aimed to transfer the cursed legacy from one Yaga to the next. As the knife pierced her papery skin, Nox’s power enveloped her, choking the last of her screams and sending her to Veles, wrapped in a suffocating cloud of darkness.
The knife fell to the ground, the glow of my Rider’s tattoos reflecting off its surface to reveal an achingly familiar sight. My mother’s doll lay nestled in the damp grass nearby—the red, white, and black material of its dress no longer missing the piece I’d cut off. Lifting it from the ground, I shuddered at how clearly I could feel my mother’s love, and the favor of the Great Mother, infused in every stitch.
My blessing has been found.
Turning it over in my hands, I noticed a thin chain tangled around the doll’s neck, hung with an unfamiliar dark teal stone set in a vintage pendant.
“I’ve never seen this necklace before,” I muttered, turning to find Nox staring at the doll as if he’d seen a ghost.
“I recognize it,” he rasped, snatching the doll from me for a closer look. “Remember how I told you my mother walked out when I was just a kid? Well, she didn’t even leave a photo of herself behind, so all I have are random, vague memories of her. Like this.” He held the pendant in his hand, and I felt the pain of abandonment coursing through our bond.
“You think this necklace has something to do with your mother?” I hesitantly asked, gently trailing my fingertips along the tattoos on his forearm.
He huffed out a breath, confusion and anger warring on his face. “I’m not sure but something is...tuggingon me, as if telling me I should pay attention...” He looked as if the admission made him sick, sourly untangling the necklace from the doll with more force than was necessary before shoving it deep into his pocket.
I smiled proudly at his acknowledgment of his own intuition. Of all of my Riders, Nox had been the most resistant to accepting his destiny. Not only had he finally come to my bed, he’d vowed to become the sort of man worthy of our shared legacy.
Look how far you’ve come, Russki!
Approaching hoofbeats suddenly echoed across the pitch-black plains. Nox and I both tensed as we awaited whoever approached—whatever task we would be called to next. I exhaled in relief when it was Tan and Asa who appeared on their missing horses, with Nox’s steed following close behind.
“Hey kids,” Tan laughed, radiating enough joyful light to illuminate the entire Nav. “Firstly, you should know Ace has named his horse Praline, for some reason. But more importantly, if you two have succeeded in your witchy vision quest, let’s get back to Rena and that horned wanker in the palace. I want this piece of Koschei out of Ace already.” He winked at me, and I could practically guess what was coming next. “We all know the only man who should be inside of him…is me.”
Chapter 33
Asa
“If you hurt him,” Tan threatened. “I will figure out a way to possess your crystal ball over there and haunt you for eternity.” His decidedlyunTan-like aggression only served to make my dick involuntarily twitch.
Oh, please don’t let me get an erection in front of a god.
Veles loudly sighed. “If you would give me the space I need,Taneer,I could better ensure your little boyfriend remains unscathed.” His unnerving gaze dropped to where I lay on the stone altar before him, a lecherous smirk playing over his lips. “I wouldn’t want to damage such a perfect specimen.”
Tan growled possessively as Vasi stepped in with a fierceness in her eyes I wouldn’t want to be on the wrong side of. “Just tell us how to best assist you, Veles. I want Koschei’s deathoutof what’s mine.”
“You have the blessing, Vasi?” Marena’s calm voice instantly diffused the situation. As she entered my line of vision, I was surprised to see she looked like hell. Her green eyes were bloodshot and puffy and her pale face was paler still. She caught me observing her and imperceptibly shook her head, as if to imply the subject was currently off-limits.
Probably because a certain horned specimen in the room is responsible.
Before I could contemplate why I cared about Marena’s distress, Vasi was handing her the enchanted doll. All I knew was this doll was the one her mother gave her on her deathbed—and Vasi later buried it with her own daughter. Besides that, I wasn’t sure what made it special, or how it was expected to help with the removal of Koschei’s death.
The goddess gasped as her fingers closed around the doll, her gaze snapping to Vasi’s face as some of her signature alertness returned.“Mokoshblessed this for you?”
Registering Vasi’s nod, Marena warmly smiled down at me before reverently setting the blessing on my ribs. It was my turn to gasp as the doll abruptly sat up and turned to look at me, cocking its head as if contemplating the problem.
“Well, that’s not fucking creepy or anything,” Nox muttered, although I couldn’t miss the glimmer of wonder on his face as well.
Vasi laughed in delight and handed the possessed doll what looked like a miniature cookie. The doll then somehow ate the treat before leaning forward to place its little hands over the lump in my chest.
I braced myself for excruciating pain, but what shot through me instead was the most intense feeling of motherly love I’d ever experienced. It was every time my mother kissed a skinned knee, or held me in her arms as we read a book together. Her steady presence in the house as I fell asleep and the way her laughter filled the room. It was how she always stood up for me in situations she felt were morally wrong. As the memories swirled through my veins, I was reminded of how I would never get the chance to apologize for what happened to her.
“Mama...” I rasped, half-delirious as a vision of my mother in the painted caves flickered across my vision.
“Yes, she is the Great Mother to us all.” My mother’s face faded to reveal Marena’s as she ran a comforting hand over my sweaty forehead. Her expression suddenly shifted to shock as she snatched her hand away and eyed Veles warily. “Some more literally than others…” she murmured.
