Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 110034 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 550(@200wpm)___ 440(@250wpm)___ 367(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 110034 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 550(@200wpm)___ 440(@250wpm)___ 367(@300wpm)
“You saw Vipunen in his true form?” Vellamo asks, hand at her chest.
I nod. “He made me do it, actually. Told me to take off my mask and look at him. Then he told me my mother was a Goddess, but said he couldn’t tell me who. Said I would find out in time, when it would save my life.”
“Typical,” Ahto mutters.
“What does he look like?” Tellervo asks with big eyes. “Was he a giant?”
I’m not sure I’m supposed to be telling the world what the legendary giant looks like, but I guess he picked me for a reason. I try to explain exactly what he saw, though I think most of the Gods are disappointed. I know, I too kind of wanted to see some Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum type of action instead of a blob of light.
“Well, well, well,” Vellamo says to herself. “I think we all have to assume that the light is his natural form, but that he can multiply and become solid when it comes to things like training.”
“I’d heard that Shaman Väinämöinen once tricked Vipunen, stabbing him as he was buried underground so that he would give up his spells,” Tellervo says. “Back in the days of the Old Gods.”
From the stern looks around us, I gather they don’t talk about the Old Gods often. But Death uses it as a segue and says, “Speaking of the Old Gods, while figuring out Hanna’s mother is of importance to us, we also must discuss the impending uprising. I have reason to believe it will happen soon. My spies have heard the chatter in Inmost is increasing. They are all waiting for a signal or sign of some sort.”
“They have been waiting for a while,” Tapio says gruffly. “This is old news.”
“I would be inclined to agree,” Death says. “However, now that Louhi has Rasmus, I feel she will hasten her response.” He eyes everyone, and when they remain impassive, he says, “I assume that you all know what happened, in that Louhi took Rasmus, the shaman. News travels fast. What you may not know, however, is that Rasmus is both Hanna’s brother and Louhi’s son.”
There are audible gasps and murmurs again.
“Louhi has another son?” Vellamo says in a booming voice.
“It’s not Ilmarinen’s?” asks Tapio.
Death shakes his head and proceeds to fill them all in on everything. It’s a lot. He ends with the Prophecy of Three.
“I haven’t heard of there being two other prophecies,” Vellamo says. Everyone else murmurs in agreement.
Except for Ilmatar, who has been watching us in silence this whole time, barely saying anything. Her eyes are the palest blue, matching her dress, and in the depths of the sea they shift to white and green, like a moonstone.
“Sister,” Tuoni says to her. “Did you know about the three?”
She gives the slightest of nods, her pale eyes staring straight ahead, not looking at anyone.
Tuoni lets out a frustrated grumble. “And you didn’t think to share with me?”
A subtle shake of her head. “I see all,” she says. Her voice is so soft, I have to strain to hear her. “When you see all, there’s too much.”
“All as in you’re psychic?” I ask.
Everyone looks at me like I’m an idiot.
Ilmatar avoids looking at me, which is probably for the best because I think if she held eye contact with me I’d probably be hypnotized or something. “I am not a psychic,” she says, as if it’s a strange word. “I am the Goddess of the Air. I see all below me. There is a Prophecy of Three, but not all prophecies come true. Remember the one of how the great Väinämöinen was to be resurrected and return to our world? That never happened.”
“Yet,” Vellamo says sharply with a raise of her chin. I have a feeling there’s some tension between the two Goddesses, sisters by law only. “Until time comes to an end, there’s always a chance for a prophecy to come through.”
“Fine,” Death says with a raise of his palm. “So Ilmatar knew about the prophecy, but her brain is too full of air to make any sense of it.” Ouch. Guess there’s some tension between brother and sister, too. “The question is, what are we going to do about it?”
“We can’t do much,” Tapio says, running his hands through his long beard. I’m just noticing all the moss and twigs stuck in it. Woodsy Gandalf. “Not until we know who is which.” He gives me a steady look, though his eyes aren’t unkind. “Hanna, you are no doubt part of this. Everyone wants to believe you are the one to touch Death and unite the land. But there’s also the chance that you might fall into the other categories.”
“A chance, yes,” Vellamo says, regarding me. “But I don’t think that’s Hanna.”
“I don’t think so either,” Ilmatar says softly, still not looking at me. “Her spirit is good. She doesn’t come from a dark place.”