Read Online Hyacinth, Scarlet - Fire of the Four Seasons (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour ManLove) by Scarlet Hyacinth - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Scarlet Hyacinth
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behind.
Ly etah lay next to him on the bed, his warmth familiar for Alexei. As he did so, Zimah, Visnah, and Ohsyn appeared as well. With his lovers there, Alexei allowed himself to ask the questions weighing on his mind.
“Where are we?”
“This is our home,” Ohsyn answered. “But I suppose we should begin at the top.”
“We are earth spirits, Alexei,” Visnah said. “We watch over the land wherever we are needed. In spring, we bring renewed life. In summer, heat to make the crops thrive. In autumn, bountiful harvests. In winter, we grant the earth peace to sleep and rest for the year to come. And this—where we are now—is the spirit realm. Our world.”
Alexei opened his mouth and closed it back again. What did one say to such a thing? He’d expected something odd, but for some reason, it still surprised him.
It occurred to him then that he himself had done something otherworld ly . He recalled summoning the weird flame that burned him so severe ly . What did it mean? “What about me?” he asked. “What am I?”
“You are, well, you were human,” Ly etah answered hesitant ly , “but both you and your sister were special.”
“Let me tell you a little story so that you’ll understand better,” Zimah said. “Once upon a time, there were four earth spirits. For convenience’s sake, we’ll call them Zimah, Visnah, Ly etah, and Ohsyn. One winter night, these spirits went out to do their job when they ran into a human couple, a man and woman we will refer to as Igor and Elga.”
Alexei’s mind whirled as Zimah spoke. He knew this was no story, but reality, as it had been twenty-five years back, before his birth. He and Eva had been unexpected children, appearing at an age when women rare ly gave birth, a fact that many considered a miracle in the village.
Zimah spoke of the snow angel, of how through magic Alexei and Eva had been conceived. His voice became lower when he mentioned the cool heart of the ice child shadowing the warmth of the human family, and the spirits wanting to help the fire child.
“So, when chance came, the spirits approached the fire child,” Zimah went on. “On ly , they did not realize they would begin to feel affection for this young man.” He gave Alexei an unreadable look. “I think you know what happened after that .”
Alexei nodded. Now it all made sense, his vulnerability to the cold, Eva’s fear of the heat, their mother’s aloofness, and the voice of the fire. But he also acknowledged the undertone of Ly etah’s words. He’d been a special human, but no longer. “So now what am I?”
“The Goddess tells us you are now a fire elemental,” Ohsyn answered, “also a spirit, but born out of fire and with the ability to materialize in the real world.”
Alexei stared at Ohsyn. He wondered if he should rep ly . A fire elemental? What did Alexei know about such things? He’d used the fire inside him on ly once, and it had n’t ended well.
Obvious ly guessing his misgivings, Visnah piped in, “Don’t worry. It will be different than before. Last time, the flame hurt you because your mortal body couldn’t contain such power. Your mortality was purged in the grove.”
So that had been the purpose of the pyre. “What about Eva?”
“She remains in her sanctuary,” Zimah answered. “The ice embedded with our magic prevents her spirit from slipping away. In her case, she needs someone to complete her, to ful ly warm her heart. A part of the chill is gone because of her connection with you, but it’s not enough. She will sleep there until her fated one will find her. But, of course, we will work to help him.”
“There’s one more thing,” Visnah added. “We still haven’t notified your parents of your and Eva’s situation. If you have thoughts or preferences…”
Alexei would have liked never to have to go through this, but he thanked the Goddess. She had saved them. Still, he would need his men’s support. “I’d prefer it if you
Ly etah lay next to him on the bed, his warmth familiar for Alexei. As he did so, Zimah, Visnah, and Ohsyn appeared as well. With his lovers there, Alexei allowed himself to ask the questions weighing on his mind.
“Where are we?”
“This is our home,” Ohsyn answered. “But I suppose we should begin at the top.”
“We are earth spirits, Alexei,” Visnah said. “We watch over the land wherever we are needed. In spring, we bring renewed life. In summer, heat to make the crops thrive. In autumn, bountiful harvests. In winter, we grant the earth peace to sleep and rest for the year to come. And this—where we are now—is the spirit realm. Our world.”
Alexei opened his mouth and closed it back again. What did one say to such a thing? He’d expected something odd, but for some reason, it still surprised him.
It occurred to him then that he himself had done something otherworld ly . He recalled summoning the weird flame that burned him so severe ly . What did it mean? “What about me?” he asked. “What am I?”
“You are, well, you were human,” Ly etah answered hesitant ly , “but both you and your sister were special.”
“Let me tell you a little story so that you’ll understand better,” Zimah said. “Once upon a time, there were four earth spirits. For convenience’s sake, we’ll call them Zimah, Visnah, Ly etah, and Ohsyn. One winter night, these spirits went out to do their job when they ran into a human couple, a man and woman we will refer to as Igor and Elga.”
Alexei’s mind whirled as Zimah spoke. He knew this was no story, but reality, as it had been twenty-five years back, before his birth. He and Eva had been unexpected children, appearing at an age when women rare ly gave birth, a fact that many considered a miracle in the village.
Zimah spoke of the snow angel, of how through magic Alexei and Eva had been conceived. His voice became lower when he mentioned the cool heart of the ice child shadowing the warmth of the human family, and the spirits wanting to help the fire child.
“So, when chance came, the spirits approached the fire child,” Zimah went on. “On ly , they did not realize they would begin to feel affection for this young man.” He gave Alexei an unreadable look. “I think you know what happened after that .”
Alexei nodded. Now it all made sense, his vulnerability to the cold, Eva’s fear of the heat, their mother’s aloofness, and the voice of the fire. But he also acknowledged the undertone of Ly etah’s words. He’d been a special human, but no longer. “So now what am I?”
“The Goddess tells us you are now a fire elemental,” Ohsyn answered, “also a spirit, but born out of fire and with the ability to materialize in the real world.”
Alexei stared at Ohsyn. He wondered if he should rep ly . A fire elemental? What did Alexei know about such things? He’d used the fire inside him on ly once, and it had n’t ended well.
Obvious ly guessing his misgivings, Visnah piped in, “Don’t worry. It will be different than before. Last time, the flame hurt you because your mortal body couldn’t contain such power. Your mortality was purged in the grove.”
So that had been the purpose of the pyre. “What about Eva?”
“She remains in her sanctuary,” Zimah answered. “The ice embedded with our magic prevents her spirit from slipping away. In her case, she needs someone to complete her, to ful ly warm her heart. A part of the chill is gone because of her connection with you, but it’s not enough. She will sleep there until her fated one will find her. But, of course, we will work to help him.”
“There’s one more thing,” Visnah added. “We still haven’t notified your parents of your and Eva’s situation. If you have thoughts or preferences…”
Alexei would have liked never to have to go through this, but he thanked the Goddess. She had saved them. Still, he would need his men’s support. “I’d prefer it if you
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