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Death reluctantly reaches up and removes the boar mask, appraising his brother with a discerning look, his eyes appearing a shimmering silver in these depths.
Ahto grins at him. “There’s that ugly God I know so well.” He looks to me. “I don’t know what you see in him, Hanna.”
“Stop,” Vellamo says, in that low, hypnotic voice of hers. “We can heckle Tuoni later. We have an agenda we need to keep to.”
Okay there’s no question who the organized God is here in this group. Death had said that Ahto had called the meeting, but clearly it’s Vellamo who is in charge of everything. And even though we have more Gods to get through, I’m really enjoying seeing this side of Tuoni, seeing his family with him. Especially a family that isn’t afraid to poke fun at him.
We continue with the introductions.
After Ahto, Vellamo is quickly introduced, though we’ve already met. Even though she makes me feel mortal and insignificant, I still really like the Goddess of the Sea. I wish I could become a cool, judicious kind of ruler like her, but I’m not sure that’s in the cards for me. Then again, I’m only twenty-four years old. Maybe in a few centuries I’ll mature to her level.
Then there is Tapio, God of the Forest, with his long gray beard, rams horns, and stoic demeanor.
The next God introduced is Tapio’s wife, Mielikki. Like her daughter, Tellervo, Mielikki also has horns coming out of her head, though hers are much larger, elk antlers peppered with wildflowers. She’s dressed in a modest brown dress patterned with a bear-paw print, with small animal bones adorning the neckline, and she has the kindest smile that reaches her emerald eyes. She even gives a little curtsey.
“Pleasure to have you in our realm,” Mielikki says to me, her voice airy and gentle. “Tuoni has chosen well for his new queen.”
After Mielikki, I meet Tellervo again.
Then there’s Tuoni’s sister, which I haven’t heard much about. Her name is Ilmatar, Goddess of the Air. She’s very quiet, impassive, and vaguely translucent, dressed in a long sky-blue gown, white hair pulled back into a braid. When you’re looking at her head-on she’s completely solid but when you see her out of the corner of your eye she kind of disappears. A trick of the eye? Maybe, maybe not.
Everyone now is chatting with each other, and I find myself stepping back and observing, not having much to add to the conversation at the moment. It seems it’s been an awful long time since all the Gods were in the same room together, or in this case, the same grotto under the sea.
“So, how is it that you’re breathing underwater?” Ahto asks me.
“Because she’s not a mere mortal,” Vellamo interjects, fixing her eyes on me. “Are you?”
Death clears his throat. “That’s true. She’s technically not. That’s one reason why I called you all here today. But I, uh, may have slipped her some magic when she wasn’t looking.”
My mouth falls open. “What magic?”
“The tea,” he says simply. “In the event that you couldn’t breathe underwater, I didn’t want to chance it.”
“You drugged me!”
He shrugs with one shoulder, not looking the slightest bit remorseful.
“Oh, Hanna,” Vellamo says with a mirthless laugh. “You know this isn’t your first rodeo with Tuoni.”
I ignore her and narrow my eyes at him. Dick.
He avoids my eyes, addresses the group. “As you may know, Hanna has been training with Vipunen, just as the rest of my family has.”
“Big fucking mistake with that one,” Tapio grumbles. I’m caught off-guard by his swearing. He seems too quiet and old-fashioned for that. “By making Vipunen train Louhi, you only gave her evil extra power.”
“Tapio,” Vellamo admonishes him with a sigh. “You know Louhi would have been pulled to the dark side on her own.”
I nearly snicker at dark side, but decide that no one here, aside from Death, has probably seen Star Wars.
“Please go on, Tuoni,” Vellamo says firmly.
He nods. “Hanna was training and Vipunen told her something I’d always suspected. That her mother in the Upper World isn’t her actual mother. And that her mother is a Goddess. From here.”
Everyone looks at each other. Everyone looks surprised.
Could it be that one of the Goddesses here is my mother? I’m examining all of them and I can’t be sure, they honestly all look shocked. Maybe they’re acting—Gods are known to be the greatest tricksters.
“Are you sure?” Ahto asks, adjusting his grip on his staff.
Death nods. “Vipunen does not lie.” He pauses and gives me a small but proud smile. “If you need further proof that my queen is special, she was able to look at him without the mask on.”
My queen. Swoon.
But, of course, no one cares about the hint of intimacy Death just afforded me. Everyone is gasping over the news of the giant, all eyes staring at me in a mix of awe, disbelief and envy.
