In the end, of course, he went anyway. As Beka pointed out, the queen had been waiting for some time to get word that Alexei was okay. If Beka and Koshei went back and reported they’d had an adventure that involved the former Black Rider and Alexei didn’t even bother to make an appearance, there would be hell to pay.
Besides, as Bethany said somewhat acerbically, she and her father had managed without Alexei before he’d shown up, and no doubt they would continue to do so after he was on his way to wherever he decided to go next.
So that was him to. And she wasn’t wrong, but for some reason the statement made him grumpy anyway.
Not so grumpy that he couldn’t appreciate the unearthly beauty of the Otherworld when they arrived back at the place where he’d spent so much of his time. Including the six months he’d spent recovering from his torture at the hands of the evil Brenna, but he was trying hard not to think about that. As far as he was concerned, he’d be happy never to think about that time again.
The sky was various tones of lilac shading into indigo, so the queen must have been in one of her purple moods. Bright pink grasses lined a path made of sparkling white stones and willow trees sang quietly as they walked by, accompanied by a satyr on a lyre who was serenading a pretty green-haired nymph. A part of his heart he hadn’t realized he’d walled off seemed to open up again, leaving him feeling lighter than he had in a long time.
“It’s good to be back, isn’t it?” Beka said perceptively. “Even if you wouldn’t want to live here.”
Alexei had to smile. “Yes, I suppose it is. I’ve probably been avoiding the place for too long.”
“You had a really tough experience,” she said as they rounded a corner to see the dainty spires for the castle up ahead. “You just needed some time to heal and figure out what you were going to do next.”
“Besides,” Koshei added as he shoved a scowling Hayreddin down the path ahead of him, Chewie helping with the herding by nipping at his heels. “It never hurts to return bearing gifts.”
* * *
The queen always knew what was going on in her lands, if she was bothering to pay attention, so it was no surprise when they arrived at the castle grounds to see an elaborate pavilion prepared for high tea, with extra plates set for guests. But clearly she hadn’t anticipated the addition of a handcuffed and disgruntled dragon-in-Human-form, since she raised one silvery eyebrow in mild surprise as their group came to a stop in front of the throne-like chairs she and her consort sat upon.
As always, the queen was stunningly beautiful. Her ethereal grace and poise marked her as royalty even if the diamond and amethyst tiara perched atop her carefully braided and twisted white hair wasn’t enough of a clue. Today she was dressed in a flowing purple silk gown that matched the color of her eyes, and her consort the king was attired in a coordinating deep purple tunic over dove gray leggings. They both wore matching expressions of benign curiosity, although the surrounding courtiers were less subtle, whispering behind fans of peacock feathers or staring openly.
The queen actually rose from her chair to greet Alexei, kissing him lightly on each cheek before returning to her seat and inclining her head regally at Beka, Chewie, and Koshei.
“My dear Black Rider, welcome back to Our court. I cannot say how pleased We are to see you looking so well.” She gazed down her elegant nose at the rest of the party. “Baba Yaga, it is a pleasure to see you and your Chudo-Yudo as well, although you are hardly properly attired for tea. We assume this means you have some interesting tale to tell?”
The king stroked his dark, neatly trimmed beard. “A tale involving multiple dragons and the Black Rider promises to be fascinating indeed. Do proceed, Baba Yaga.”
“It is mostly Alexei’s tale to tell, Your Majesties,” Beka said. “Although Chewie and I played our part in it. When I was Called to the east coast by the local Paranormal peoples, I discovered Alexei already there, on the trail of the same mystery I had come to solve. So naturally, I persuaded him that it would be more efficient for us to work together.”
“Of course,” the queen said, eyes twinkling. She might no longer rule on the Human side of the doorway, but she had plenty of contacts there still among the Paranormal creatures who had been unable to make the move to the Otherworld. Alexei was fairly certain she knew exactly how he had spent his time since he’d left, and how hard he would have resisted being dragged into any purposeful task.
“Beka did most of the hard work,” Alexei said, trying not to sound too brusque. “I just talked to some dolphins and sharks, and fought a pirate.”
There was a moment of silence. “You can talk to dolphins now?” the queen asked. “How interesting.”
“And dogs,” Beka put in helpfully. “I mean, not just Chewie. Regular dogs.”
“Ah.” The king nodded sagely. “That must be your new ability. I confess, after your brother Mikhail turned out to be a shapechanger, and Gregori developed strong psychic abilities, I would have expected your own gifts to be something more…flamboyant.”
Koshei smothered a laugh. “He always did tend to be the most dramatic of all the Riders. Makes this a bit ironic, doesn’t it?”
Alexei ground his teeth. “I am perfectly happy with something a little less difficult to handle and potentially life-threatening than what my brothers ended up with, thank you very much. Besides, I’m much less dramatic these days.”
“Did you not just say something about fighting pirates?” The king asked, his lips twitching.
“Oh. Right. That.” Alexei shrugged. “But the pirate was really a dragon, so it doesn’t count.” He nodded at Hayreddin, who so far had been successful avoiding attention.
“One of Our dragons was in the Human world, playing at being a pirate?” The queen sat up even straighter than before, although her posture was always perfect. “Hayreddin, isn’t it?” she said, staring at him. “Would someone care to tell Us why Hayreddin has been trapped in Human form in bonds that smell of Baba Yaga magic?”
Beka looked at Alexei, but when he didn’t speak up, she took up the story. “The Paranormals who Called me were complaining that the fish they depended on for food had been disappearing. There was also talk of some kind of monster being sighted, although nothing definitive. In the meanwhile, the fishermen at the local bar where Alexei was hanging out had the same issue, plus something had been wrecking their boats.”
The king leaned forward. “A curious story, but what has this to do with the dragon? Or pirates, for that matter. Do get to the part with the pirates.”
“It turned out that the monster that was scaring away the fish and destroying boats was a kraken,” Beka said. “And the kraken was being controlled by an old talisman once owned by Hayreddin, back in the days when his kind still lived on the other side of the doorway. Apparently he took on the guise of a succession of famous Human pirates, and used the kraken to sink other ships and take their treasure.”
The queen made a moue of distaste. “And My people ask why they were forced to leave those lands and hide out in these. Really, Hayreddin, how short-sighted and inappropriate.” She made a tutting noise, and turned back to Beka. “I do not approve of such actions, of course, but that was then, and the rules were quite different.”
“When there were any rules at all,” Chewie muttered.
The queen ignored him. “So who was controlling the kraken now and causing all the disruption?” She paused for a moment. “One would think such a thing would be beyond the skills of a mere Human.”
Alexei opened his mouth to protest her use of the word “mere,” but thought the better of it. Instead, he took up the rest of the story. “It probably would have been, if that Human hadn’t had help. It would seem that Hayreddin sensed that his talisman had been found and activated, and he returned, taking on the guise of a pirate again and guiding a fisherman named Len in the controlling of the kraken.”
The queen’s austere features grew even sterner as she held out one slim finger to beckon Hayreddin closer. “Is this true, dragon? Did you instruct a Human in the use of one a magical tool to the detriment of Our Paranormal kindred still living on the other side?”
Hayreddin executed as polished a bow as was possible while wearing handcuffs. “The issues affecting the local Paranormal community were accidental and unintentional, Your Majesty,” he said in a smooth tone. “The fish would have returned as soon as I had reclaimed my final treasure, which was all I sought on the other side. Then the kraken would have gone back to its rest, with no permanent harm done.”
“No permanent harm done!” Alexei sputtered indignantly. “What about the harm to the fishermen whose livelihood you ruined? The ones your kraken killed left families behind.”
Hayreddin shrugged one shoulder. “As Her Majesty said, mere Humans. What does it matter?”
“It matters to them,” Alexei said. “And some of those Humans are my friends, so it matters to me.”
The king and queen exchanged looks at this, undoubtedly intrigued by the thought of Alexei having Human friends, but Alexei ignored their unasked questions and went on.
“It was your talisman and you were responsible for Len using it to call the kraken. You’re not going to just walk away from the mess you made.”
“Ah, but my dear Rider,” Hayreddin smirked. “Oh, I am sorry, it’s former Rider, isn’t it? Either way, I did not control the amulet myself, so I broke no laws. Making suggestions to the weak-minded is hardly a crime.”
“Your Majesty,” Alexei protested. “He’s just splitting hairs. Yes, technically he wasn’t the one controlling the kraken, but surely that doesn’t matter since he was the one behind the whole thing.”
The king tugged on his beard. “You know how the laws of the Otherworld work as well as any, Black Rider. His actions were despicable, yes, but if he was able to trick someone else into doing his dirty work for him, he has not, as you say, technically broken Our rules. We can forbid him to return to the other side in future, but for what he has done, there will be no other repercussions.”
Alexei started to argue, something which would undoubtedly have gotten him into considerable trouble, but Beka put a hand on his arm to stop him and winked reassuringly.
“I assume, however, that there will be some form of penalty for threatening a Baba Yaga and injuring her Chudo-Yudo?” she said in a deceptively mild voice.
Hayreddin’s ruddy face turned pale as the queen turned her basilisk stare on him. She had, in fact, been known to turn people to stone, often for much smaller offenses than the one he had just been accused of.
“Is this true?” the queen asked in a tone so frosty, the small blossoms under her chair all withered and died. “Did you dare to interfere with one of Our Baba Yagas and her faithful companion?”
“I was just trying to reclaim the treasure that belonged to me,” he said, chin held stubbornly in the air, and wisps of smoke eddying about his head in silent witness to his already evident annoyance. “They should have minded their own business.”
“They were minding My business,” the queen reminded him. “As the Baba Yagas are tasked with answering the calls of those in need and keeping the balance of nature. Having a kraken loose in the ocean is most certainly not my idea of balance.”
“It was only temporary,” Hayreddin said sullenly. “If they had just left me alone, I would have finished collecting my treasure and been back in my cave with no one the wiser. As it is, I was only threatening to hurt the Baba Yaga. I would never have done it.”
“And me, Hayreddin?” Chewie stepped closer so the queen and king could get a good look at his injuries. “Did you mean to harm me, or are these wounds simply accidents as well?” He limped on three paws and blood still ran sluggishly from a cut above one furry eyebrow, the injuries incurred in his dragon form transferred to his canine one.
Alexei had to choke back a laugh. And they called him dramatic. The truth was, Chewie could have used a tiny dose of the Water of Life and Death he still carried safely in a small cask around his neck and it would have healed his wounds instantly. He and Beka had clearly known that Hayreddin might get away with his other crimes and made sure they had proof of even worse transgressions to show the queen. He had never loved them more. It paid to have clever friends.
The queen looked from Chewie to Hayreddin, her gaze darkening to the purple of a horizon just before a storm. “Did you do this?” she asked in a voice that echoed with power.
Hayreddin dropped his eyes, but Koshei stepped forward to break the silence he had kept up until that moment.
“He did, Your Majesty, and I can bear witness to it,” Koshei said, bowing gracefully. “Had I not arrived when I did, in answer to Beka’s request for assistance, her Chudo-Yudo would most assuredly have died at the hands of this ill-mannered oaf. He gives dragons a bad name, and I am ashamed to be of the same race.”
“I have heard enough,” the queen said, rising from her seat. “You are found guilty of crimes against the crown, Hayreddin, and We will enjoy coming up with an appropriate punishment.” The surrounding courtiers applauded, enjoying the entertainment, but Alexei just felt a deep sense of satisfaction that the man who had kidnapped and hurt Bethany would pay for what he had done.
“First, since this debacle was caused by your pursuit of treasure, all your existing treasure shall be confiscated. It is forfeit, and will be dispersed to others.”
Hayreddin let out an anguished cry, but he clearly knew better than to voice a protest.
“Might I make a suggestion, Your Majesty?” Beka said.
The queen nodded her head regally.
“Such treasure is of little real value here in the Otherworld,” Beka said. “Unless you are a dragon or one of the other races that cares about having gems and gold simply for the sake of having them. But back on the other side of the doorway, they are worth a great deal. As Alexei told you, there were a number of fishermen - folk who work hard to make an honest living to feed their families - who suffered from Hayreddin’s actions. Perhaps I could take some of the treasure back with me and use it to establish a fund to compensate those men and women for the losses they suffered?”
The queen returned to her seat, sinking back down with a graceful flurry of skirts. “A very wise proposition,” she said, looking at Beka thoughtfully. “You have truly grown into your position in the last year, despite the unusual challenges you faced. We are aware that your mentor, whose name We no longer speak, may have led you to believe that you were unsuitable to be a Baba Yaga. We would like to say, in case there is still any doubt in your mind, that We believe that you are, in fact, eminently qualified. We shall do as you propose.”
Beka turned a becoming pink and gave a deep curtsy, despite the fact that she was still wearing jeans. “Thank you, Your Majesty. I can’t tell you how much that means to me, coming from you.”
“No need,” the queen said, waving one languid hand. “We are aware.”
Alexei chuckled, which had the unfortunate effect of drawing the queen’s attention to him instead.
“And what of you, our faithful Rider? Have you no requests of Us in this matter? Nothing for these,” she gave a delicate cough, “friends of which you speak?”
Now it was Alexei’s turn to blush, something most would have guessed he was incapable of doing. He dug his hand into one pocket and pulled out a dozen large gold coins. He’d scooped them up off the deck when he’d gone back for the talisman. Hell, they were just going to go down with the ship anyway.
“I had thought I’d give her - I mean them - these coins, which were part of Hayreddin’s lost treasure. The kraken brought them up right before Beka sent it back to the deep. Bethany, that is, my friend, isn’t very good about taking help from anyone, but I thought she might use the money from these to help her father.”
“Bethany was kidnapped by Hayreddin, and fought quite valiantly,” Beka said.
“She set his boat on fire,” Chewie added with a wide doggy grin.
“Did she?” the king said with a chuckle. “She sounds quite remarkable.”
“She is,” Alexei said. “Quite remarkable.” He hoped he wasn’t blushing again.
The drama seemingly over, most of the courtiers drifted away in search of something more entertaining. The queen sent a few lackeys off to fetch Hayreddin’s treasure, then dealt with the erstwhile pirate, giving Beka back her handcuffs when she was done. Then the queen gestured Beka, Alexei, and Koshei to their seats at the table.
“Such thirsty work,” the queen said. “It is definitely time for tea.” She poured out water that was still steaming hot, because after all, they were in the Otherworld. “You shall have to tell Us more about this intriguing Human, Alexei. She sounds as though she might almost be a match for you.”
As Alexei muttered into his cup, the queen turned to Chewie. “My dear Chudo-Yudo, you have quite made your point. Do please have some of the Water of Life and Death now. You are dripping blood on my good china.”