Dana Ilic and the Shadow Door (Lightwielder Chronicles #1) | ✔️

18 | Pass the Popcorn

"That's old gossip, Gammy. Thousand-year-old gossip." The words were high-pitched yet commanding.

The rooster?

"But one tends to wonder, is the part about Morana's paramours really true? Or a mere hearsay?" Gamayun's stern voice sounded curious as she replied with a perfect inflection.

Prone on my belly, every bone in my body hurting like hell, I felt too weak to even open my eyes.

"Well, you know," the rooster went on. "Take her latest conquest. Lucas Martinez. I can see it. The man certainly has his appeal. The rich businessman and owner of the hockey club. Even if he isn't exactly handsome. But he's got that little something, brains and talent, you know?"

"Or Morana is into the sporty types," said Gamayun.

"Oh, indeed. Or so called proverbial bad boys. Yarilo is, after all, the god of fertility, and, ahem, sexuality, imbued with a youthful life-force. But at the same time he adores surfing. He sure can flex his muscles. Is he still in California?"

"Indubitably." I could almost imagine the sour, disapproving expression on Gamayun's face. "I do wonder if Yarilo was aware of Morana's... Excursions?"

"Oh, for sure," the rooster crowed. "I heard he even caught Morana and Lucas together once. I mean, literally caught them. They met in this out-of-the-way place, like . . ."

I felt a soft mattress under my palms and, as I finally managed to fully open my eyes, I was greeted with the familiar sight of the ginormous pillars of light rising to domed ceiling. 

I was back in Chardak ni na nebu ni na zemlji. Castle neither in Heaven nor on Ground.

Back in the Throne room.

As I looked up the ceiling, I gasped. On one of the paintings of Slavic mythology events... There was me! Simargl and Blake hovered above me, and I was holding a ball of light in one hand, looking all cool and fierce.

Much cooler and fiercer than I actually was. Or felt, for that matter.

The sun shone warmly through the shimmering walls, and numerous gold and silver ornaments reflected the play of rays.

And there was no single throne occupied. Were all the gods gone?

I managed to scramble on my feet and advance through the chamber of the gods, towards where the voices where coming from.

The conversation stopped.

The rooster and Gamayun paused their gossip.

When I came to stand before them, they bowed, as if I were some kind of a heroine.

"Ah, so she wakes up at last," the rooster said, hopping on the central, tallest throne. As he did so, its transparency and shimmering was gone, leaving a solid gold high chair, with a comfy cloudlet instead of a cushion.

Gamayun positioned herself behind him on the backrest, in her bird form.

"How long was I out? And... Um.. Sorry, but how exactly did we get back here? From the battlefield? I remember there was an explosion, and I..."

"If you'll excuse me, Dana, I will be with you in a second," the rooster said, dipping his beak into a popcorn bucket that mysteriously appeared on the throne armrest out of thin air.

He gobbled several popcorns in one go, and then let out a little burp of satisfaction.

Gamayun cleared her throat in disapproval.

"What you did was very brave. Very brave indeed," the white rooster croaked. "The quest Gamayun sent you on was a complete success. And it was important that you yourself refused to participate in the ritual. As you did."