Elias seemed all too interested in the frozen river. It wasn't the first time he'd mentioned it. More like the third or forth time since meeting him. He was a monster hunter of sorts. Sierra wondered if he was connected to her brother's death? No he didn't seem the type - just interested in weird things.
Ms. Marveet told an ancient tale of death and destruction on the river. While interesting she doubted was all that helpful to Elias. The question however was directed at her. Sierra smiled, "I have not seen ghosts of dead princes. Or anything of great evil."
But something sank that ship. Elias didn't seem crazy - or was he. Sierra nodded, "But since coming to Moscow I have encounter a great many things that I would consider weird. Ghosts are probably not too far fetched at this rate."
She had met a man who would create ice where none was. It was more awe-inspiring when she thought of it as walking on water - making ice was something so seemingly natural and Elias and Jaxen were far from seemingly natural if they wielded unforeseen powers. But it brought to question - how natural was she. The ability to talk to wolves?
As Irina spoke, Sierra fell fully from Elias' attention. Even as she responded, Elias' focus was intent upon the older woman. Her story hummed with a resonance of an old wives' tale, but the rapture with which she told it set off warnings in his mind. There might be grains of truth in the tale, and Elias mentally repeated Prince Vsevolod's name to himself to to look him up later.
"I have never seen a ghost, and of all the absurd legends in this world, they are least likely to exist."
Elias dismissed the notion of the prince's afterlife. He long ago ceased to believe in the spirit of mankind, judging what he could sense instead, but if spirits existed, they would quickly be swallowed up by damnation upon death. "But I would very much like to find this 'great evil' of St. George."
A battle between Russians and the mongols on the banks of the Volga river...he thought back to his study of the continental waterways in first semester biology. The Volga was the longest river in Europe and drained into the Caspian Sea. It was the watershed for the Moscow River and conceivably, the creature he and Sierra encountered might have originated in that ancient sea.
"Thanks Mrs. Marveet. Are there other legends like this one that you grew up hearing about?"
If this creature guarded something two nations wanted to find, maybe there were other hidden treasures as well.
Scion's expression was limited of patience. He watched Jaxen expectantly, but found the lack of anything happening to be a waste of time. The absurdly juvenile smirk on his son's face sharpened the bite to Scion's tone. "Well? Is something suppose to be happening?"
Jaxen's attention meanwhile had faded from his father, shifting instead into the painful light growing beneath the skin. It diffused his bones and filled his lungs with a rolling heat thicker than any bathhouse sauna.
Jaxen's face cocked to one side, peering more sideways than not as his eyes focused on what only he could see. Somewhere behind him he heard Matvei say something. While his older sibling's voice was louder and sharper than normal, Jaxen ignored him. Instead, it was with Tarin's voice echoing in the back of his mind that he mentally clamped onto one of the flavors of the light and molded it into some semblance of a form.
A white light, purer than the piercing brightness of a star, exploded in the room around him. With Jaxen at its epicenter, his eyes were shielded, but Matvei, Stanislav and Scion threw their faces behind their arms in painful cries. Jaxen's heart pounded self-applause in his chest. He hadn't known the exact outcome of what would happen, only that twisting light into a knot would make it implode upon itself.
A string of curses in their native born tongue echoed behin him, but it was Scion patting at the edge of his desk with one hand and rubbing his eyes with the other that revealed exactly what happened. "You're blinded aren't you?"
Jaxen asked. Scion's head turned toward the direction of his son, but Jaxen had moved closer to pat his father on the arm and direct him into a chair. "I didn't know that would happen, but it's interesting."
Scion scowled and clamped his hand down on Jaxen's wrist.
"You did that! You idiot I'm blind!"
Scion yelled, but even as he did, blurry images were reforming on the periphery.
Jaxen shoved his father's hand away and shrugged. Power continued to pulse within his grasp, but he felt the demonstration was sufficient for now. "It shouldn't be permanent."
He said blandly and helped himself to his father's computer screens, quickly and silently scooping up the data on Voxel Adams as he did. That blindness trick would be helpful in getting past unwanted eyes, and as his stash of loot had been confiscated, he would need to plan more ventures in an effort to restock. Perhaps to go visit the Kremlin as he originally intended when he returned to Moscow in the first place.
"This was a fun talk, but I apparently need to find myself a job. Later."
He waved, although the boys didn't see his goodbye, they heard the door open and close behind him as he left.
***
Irina was impressed with her guests reaction to the tale. She was more than happy to continue regaling them with such stories, but the return of her son stole any such thought. Jaxen strolled in looking no worse for wear for having come from speaking with Scion. He was certainly cleaner. "I see you survived whatever your father had to say."
She pat the seat next to her, summoning him, but Jaxen shook his head.
"I need to get home while I can still get in the front door."
He crossed and kissed his mother on the forehead, then turned to Sierra and Elias. "That'll be Moscow City. If you need a lift into downtown, that's where I'm heading. And I'll be driving myself."
He wondered if Elias sensed the act of power that took place in his father's office, although it was minuscule compared to the surges Elias constructed back at the river.
Jaxen came out dressed like she'd expect of a well off person of so-called stature. He smelled eager, Sierra assumed it was to leave since he refused his mother's invitation to join them.
His offer to take them into the city was more than expected particularly when he said he was going to drive. It took Sierra a moment to digest the fact. Surely the rich and elite drove at times. But they always seemed to be carted around like nobility of the modern age. And she supposed they were.
Sierra stood and offered Mrs. Marveet her hand. "It's been a pleasure Mrs. Marveet. I want to thank you for your hospitality."
She looked to Elias. She wondered if he'd stay for more stories or leave with them. She still had no place to go, but it was better than walking to some place that she could actually afford to stay. She was more likely to be arrested here for loitering just walking down the street in her attire, than in the city proper.
She looked to Jaxen with a smile. "I would appreciate the ride."