“No, fear not,” a deep voice echoed through the cabin as a man entered the room from a different chamber.

  As he strode forward, my stomach tightened. I had thought that Kuippana held power because he was a god, but this man—this man was another matter. Magic shrouded him like a cloak. He sparkled with it. He was old—or he looked old, with a bushy white beard and brilliant blue eyes that were sharp as a hawk’s. He seemed fit enough, but it was hard to tell since he wore a long white robe trimmed in fur, with blue embroidery weaving patterns across the surface. His hair hung to his lower back, plaited in an elaborate braid.

  “She’s not one of the children of Typhon,” he added and they looked relieved.

  It occurred to me that if they didn’t like the Trueborn, we were more than halfway to forging a friendship. When my mother had told us stories about the first Dragonni, she said they had been born from a son and daughter of the Titans—Typhon and Echidna. She had spoken reverently of the Mother of All Dragons, but when it came to Typhon, my mother had practically spat out his name. Though she wouldn’t tell us why, she said that the children who followed the Father of All Dragons were the most dangerous. The white dragon who had broken her wings belonged to one of his army—one of the Luminous Warriors.

  Raven looked confused. “I could have sworn I sensed dragon energy,” she said, still speaking in Elvish.

  “You did,” the old man said. He turned to me. “Fear not, young woman. We aren’t going to kill you for your skin.” He paused, then added, “My name is Väinämöinen. I belong to the Force Majeure.”

  “I’m afraid I don’t know what the Force Majeure is. But you know what I am, don’t you? How?” I had tried to keep my arms covered, the main telltale. All hedge dragons were born with the birthmarks of dragons on their forearms, usually the same color as our mother was. The same color we were, when we shifted into our dragon form. As a Green, it meant my Dragonni blood came from the Mountain Dreamers. My father was a lord of lightning, so I bore the powers of the earth and of lightning.

  “Yes, I know what you are,” Väinämöinen said as he motioned for me to sit on a padded bench. “Would you like something hot to eat? And perhaps some cider?”

  My stomach rumbled. Blushing, I took the seat. “Thank you. I’m hungry, yes, and thirsty. Apparently I got off my path and lose myself in the woodland.”

  “Did the spiders bite you?” Raven asked, a look of concern crossing her face. She moved to the cook stove in the corner and began dishing up a plate of food. A metal pot sat on the back burner and she filled a mug from it. The crackle of the fire from the hearth matched the crackle of flames coming from within the stove.

  I shook my head. “No, they didn’t. Kuippana helped chase them off before they could take me down.” I accepted the plate. I had no idea what some of the food on it was—it looked like a pile of curved tube worms with a thick cheesy sauce coating them. There was also a slice of what smelled like roasted meat, though it looked ground up and mushed together, and then a serving of green beans. Glancing around, I looked for a place to set my plate. Raven seemed to intuit what I needed and brought over a standing tray for me.

  “You can set your food and drink on this,” she said, sliding it in front of me.

  Grateful, I did just that. I wanted to dive in—my stomach was protesting how empty it was—but I didn’t want to appear rude.

  “Go ahead and eat,” Raven said, sitting beside me. Her eyes were full of light and warmth. “We can talk after you’ve had your fill. There’s plenty on the stove. If you want seconds, just ask.”

  I fell to, breathing a sigh of relief and gratitude as the hot food hit my stomach. I pointed toward the worms. “What are those?”

  “That’s called macaroni,” Raven said. “I come from a different realm and brought it with me. It’s a grain-based food, in a cheese sauce. And that,” she pointed toward the meat, “is called meat loaf. It’s beef and pork, mixed with a few other things.”

  Relieved I wouldn’t have to eat bugs—oh, I had before, but I preferred not to—I dug in and, to my surprise, the mixture was excellent. I polished off the meat and the grain dish, and let out another sigh as I followed the food with the hot cider, the crisp apple blended with spices that tickled my tongue.

  “That was wonderful,” I said, venturing a smile. “Thank you so much. I’m almost out of food.”

  “Would you like more?”

  My stomach said yes, but my common sense warned me not to eat too much. “Maybe later? I haven’t eaten much the past few days and I don’t want to make myself sick.”

  “Well, ask when you get hungry and we’ll fix you something else,” Raven said as I carried the dishes over to her and she popped them in a bucket of sudsy water.

  I yawned, wanting to curl up and sleep, but they had been generous with their kindness and I felt I owed them an explanation. As we gathered around the fire again, I looked over at Väinämöinen. “So you know what I am.”

  He nodded. “Yes, though I’ve never met one of your people before now.”

  I turned toward Raven and Kuippana. “I’m what’s known as a hedge dragon. My mother was a green dragon and my father was one of the Storm Lords, a lord of lightning.”

  Raven’s eyes widened. “Dragons can breed outside their own kind?”

  “Not easily, and with only a few select species. But my mother didn’t choose to mate with him. A number of the Dragonni females were captured by the Storm Lords and raped. When the Storm Lords realized they couldn’t drain our mothers’ powers, they abandoned them. The Truebloods cast out every female who had been abused, after breaking their wings so they could never fly again. The Elders blamed the females for allowing themselves to be defiled.”

  “That figures,” Raven muttered. “Always blame the women.”

  “The Truebloods aren’t known for being fair or just.” I shrugged. “I’m first-generation hedge dragon, so I was born in a clutch. After we hatched, my mother’s wings were broken and she was forced to switch over to her human form to maneuver better. She’s never been able to change back.”

  Väinämöinen’s face was impassive, but he said, “They should be cursed and thrown into stasis for what they did. Dragonni society has always been painfully misogynistic. Why did you come to Pohjola, Storm?”

  I worried my lip. They didn’t seem out to harm me.

  “My mother sold my sister to a traveling slaver. Hedge dragons aren’t immortal. We can be killed. We’re both magical and strong, but nothing compared to the Dragonni. We’re hunted for our skin, and sold into slavery for our strength and abilities. I was heading toward Wildemoone to save Shellsong before someone buys her to make armor out of her. You see, leather made from our skin protects much better than even metal armor.”

  Kuippana grimaced. “You won’t be a target as long as we’re around.”

  “Kipa,” Raven said. “Can we take her to Wildemoone? We’re on our way to Annwn for the wedding. What if we take Storm with us? We can help her journey to Wildemoone from there.”

  My ears perked up. “Do you really think you can help me get back on track?”

  Kuippana thought about it for a moment. “I think we can. By the way, you can call me Kipa—most of my friends do.”

  “When can we leave?” I practically clapped, I was so happy. But Väinämöinen put a crimp in my joy.

  “Nobody’s going anywhere for at least the next few days. The storm is intensifying. By tomorrow morning you won’t be able to see your hand in front of your face. This blizzard came down from the icy realms of Ukko, beyond the sky, deep in the heart of the aurora.”

  I thought for a moment. “The aurora? Lord Kipa mentioned that. You mean the rippling lights in the sky? And who is Ukko?”

  The sage answered. “Yes, that aurora. Ukko is the sky father in the Finnish pantheon. He also rules over thunder and lightning. But he would never approve of what the Storm Lords did. Your mother didn’t deserve what she went through.” He paused.

  “How are others going to talk to her once we reach Caer Briar Shore?” Raven asked, still speaking in Elvish.

  Väinämöinen frowned. “What languages can you speak, girl?” he asked.

  I shrugged. “Hedge dragon, Dragonni—though the Truebloods would kill me if they knew my mother taught me the pure language. And Elvish. My mother taught me that as well.”

  “All right. I’ll think on this—you can’t expect to get by on Elvish, and I doubt you’d be safe if someone heard you speaking hedge dragon. Let me think. But for now, it’s obvious that you’re exhausted.” He turned to Raven. “Find her a bed and let her rest.” He rose, bade me good night, and left the room.

  Raven and Kipa moved as one, silently collecting blankets and pillows and setting up a pallet in the corner. Their connection was obvious. As soon as the bed was made up, Raven handed me a gown made out of a soft fabric.

  “Here, I have a spare nightgown. It will be far too short on you, but it should fit otherwise.”

  I stared at it. I was used to sleeping in my clothes, but she pointed the way into one of the spare rooms and I entered. I immediately realized it was some sort of toilette chamber. There was a deep tub, and I stared at it, wondering what it would be like to bathe in warm water. I was used to washing in rivers and ponds. There was another contraption and from peeking under the lid, the smell told me it was for waste disposal. And finally, there was a basin and a pitcher of water.

  A knock on the door startled me and I peeked out to find Raven peeking in.

  “I thought you might want a warm bath,” she said.

  “Me?” I’d never had a warm bath in my life, though my mother had told me what they were like. Before she had been cast out, she had taken several in her home up farther in the Forgotten Kingdom.

  “Yes, if you let me, I can warm up water in the tub for you.”

  I stood back, watching as she began to fill the tub from a pump in the corner. I moved to help her—I was far stronger than she was—and when the tub was full, she stood back and held out her hands. A ball of fire appeared, balancing on her finger tips.

  “You work with fire? I work with lightning and very small flames.”

  “I’m a bone witch, and I also work with fire.” Raven blew the ball off her hand and it floated through the air and then plunged into the tub. As the flames vanished, steam rose from the water. “Test it—is that too hot or cold?”

  I slipped my fingers into the water. It was wonderfully warm. “Perfect,” I said, smiling. “Thank you!”

  “Not a problem. Nothing beats a warm bath for relaxing after a hard, cold journey.” She paused. “You’re really part dragon, aren’t you?”

  “I’m a hedge dragon, as I said. We have little to do with our Dragonni ancestors.”

  “Good, because we’ve had a lot of trouble with them, back where I come from.” She paused, and a veiled look crossed her eyes that told me she’d had more than trouble with them.

  Slowly, I asked, “What did they do to you?”

  Startled, she glanced up at me. “More than I care to remember right now. I hope you get your sister back. We’ll do what we can to help.” And with that, she placed a towel and a washcloth on the stool next to the bath and closed the door behind her.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  The next morning, breakfast was waiting for me when I got up. Raven motioned for me to join them at the table, and I sat down to a stack of what looked like thin, round cakes of bread. She handed me a jug and a pot of butter.

  “Here, for your pancakes.”

  I watched as the others spread the butter on the cakes and drizzled them with whatever was in the jug. It smelled delicious. There was also a platter of scrambled eggs and a meat Raven referred to as “sausage links”. At her encouragement, I scooped some of the eggs onto my plate, and speared eight of the links. As I bit into the food and a sweet, savory taste filled my mouth, I perked up.

  “This is so good,” I said. “I’m used to utilitarian food, mostly venison and bread, and during summer, fruits.”

  “Eat up. I can make more if we polish all of this off.” She smiled, her eyes twinkling, and I realized that I liked the woman. I still wasn’t sure what an Ante-Fae was, but she was genuine. Kuippana—Kipa—was a jovial sort. The sorcerer—Väinämöinen—I wasn’t sure about yet, but even though he was taciturn, he wasn’t unpleasant.

  “I’ve been thinking,” he said, setting down his knife and fork. “I did some scrying last night. Do you know what that is?” he asked me.

  “I’m familiar with the word. You can glimpse into the future?”

  “At times. It also means I can see into certain situations. If you’re going to Wildemoone to seek your sister, you’re going to need to know how to speak Common Tongue. And in the future, you’re going to need to know how to speak English.”

  Common Tongue I’d heard of, but I had no clue what English was.

  Raven jerked her gaze to his. “English? Do you think…”

  Väinämöinen nodded. “Yes, in the future, she will.”

  “Will what?” I asked.

  He held my gaze for a moment. “I can’t tell you. It involves a journey, though, and if I tell you, it might affect the outcome. But I caught a glimpse, and I’m allowed to help.”

  “Help? You mean you’re going to help me find my sister?” I perked up, hope in my heart. “I should start out soon—I can’t let her get too far ahead.”

  “I’m afraid that’s impossible,” Kipa interjected. “The blizzard has settled in, in earnest. We’re stuck here until it dies down. See for yourself.” He pointed toward the door.

  Silently, I crossed to the door and opened it. Outside, the snow was swirling, a fury of white, coming down so thick and fast that I could barely see the trees surrounding the cabin. The ground was white, the sky was white, everywhere was a flurry of white. I did, however, notice that the cabin seemed to be level on the snow, rather than buried.

  “How is that possible?” I closed the door behind me. “The cabin should be half-covered by now if the snow has been falling all night. And it doesn’t look like you swept the snow away.”

  “You’ve never heard of Baba Yaga, have you?” Väinämöinen asked.

  I shook my head.

  “She’s a powerful sorceress who belongs to the Force Majeure. We are twenty-one in number. She taught me how to charm a cabin into a creature that can rise up on legs on the snow or in water. While we can’t venture out into the wood, we’ll never be buried in my home on legs.”

  I cocked my head. “This cabin has legs?”

  “Yes, and they extend as necessary. In good weather, we might be able to travel, because the legs can move. The snow would hinder us, though, and we could easily get lost. But the structure is secure.” He finished his breakfast and pushed the dishes away. “Now, let’s discuss how I can help you. I can transfer knowledge during your sleep state. I can enter your mind and teach you the languages so that you’ll know them when you wake up.”

  Raven sat beside me. “Väinämöinen has helped me this way more than once. It’s safe—there’s no danger and he won’t do anything to harm your mind. He won’t be able to see any secrets you want kept safe.”

  I thought about the offer. “I suppose knowing Common Tongue would be helpful.”

  Kipa gave me a firm nod. “You’ll have to speak the Common Tongue in Owlanvine. Few Elves journey there, and almost no one there knows Elvish. As you are right now, you won’t be able to talk to anybody. Also, speaking Elvish will make you stand out, something I doubt you want. Nobody really wants to be noticed in Owlanvine.”

  I turned to stare into the sorcerer’s eyes. He was cunning, but I sensed no treachery behind his cool, reserved exterior. He reached out his hand.

  “I know you’ve led a rough life, girl. I can see it in your eyes. I understand if you don’t trust us, but at some point, you’re going to have to trust someone. You have a god, one of the Ante-Fae, and one of the Force Majeure offering you help. Don’t turn away from this chance. You may not find it offered again.”

  Everything that had happened from the past few days swirled around me, with the image of my sister in the forefront. Shellsong was a nuisance, but she was my blood, and she had never done any harm to me. At worst, she was selfish.

  Deciding I had to start trusting at some point, I took Väinämöinen’s hand.

  “Thank you,” I said. “You’re right. I have to trust someone, somewhere. And my heart tells me you’re all true to your word.”

  “Good.” He closed his fingers over mine and the strength in those aging hands defied expectation. A pulse of energy raced through me, and I realized right then, I had stumbled into people I might actually be able to call friends. I had lucked out, and I knew it.

  Since we were housebound for the present, Väinämöinen suggested we proceed with the language transfer. I still didn’t fully understand how it worked, so I resigned myself to obeying orders during the procedure and not bothering him with a lot of questions.

  Raven sat on the edge of my bed as I waited. Väinämöinen had given me a swig of a harsh-tasting liquid—it was cloyingly sweet and tasted of anise seed.

  “The potion will take effect in a bit, and you’ll fall asleep. Then I’ll begin the spell,” he said.

  “This won’t hurt, will it?” I asked.

  Raven shook her head. “No. I’ve been through it several times in the past ten months—”

  “What’s a month?” I had the idea that it was a time period but wasn’t sure what period of time it covered.

  “You’ll understand once the spell is over. Not only will this grant you the ability to speak the new languages, but also to grasp the concepts inherent in the words. Not all—there’s so much about English that you won’t be able to understand at this point.” She paused.

  “Why? Where is this English spoken?”

  She ducked her head, then grinned. “I can’t tell you. But trust me, you’ll find out soon enough, I imagine.”

  “The Common Tongue, that I can understand why I need to know. Whatever the case, I’m starting to get woozy.” My head was getting heavy as I began to drift in and out of focus. “I’m dizzy,” I said, grabbing the sides of the bed and holding on.