The Shining Falcon

«Stop that! I—I don't know what else to do!» The weary curve of her shoulders made him take a step towards her, but before he could put his arms about her, she added softly, «Finist, love, what about magic? Can't you… bespell him?»

He stared at her back. «Do you know what you're saying?»

«Oh, I don't mean anything dangerous, just some harmless little spell, just enough to soften his heart so he'll give his consent and not worry about — "

«Any spell powerful enough to alter his thinking," Finist said flatly, «would not be harmless.»

«I—I'm sorry. I didn't know.»

«Akh, Maria, enough. Don't let him do this to you!» It was a cry of sheer frustration. ' 'Don't let him spoil your life! Leave him here with his fears. Come with me.»

She whirled to face him, eyes enormous in a wild, flushed face. «Oh, it's so easy for you, isn't it?»

«Now, what does that mean?»

«You, who can just fly away from anything that bothers you!»

He winced. «It isn't like that.»

«Isn't it?» She continued in a soft, fierce, anguished voice, «You're a prince! Who would dare say no to you? No one! No one save me!»

There comes a limit even to magical self‑control. «And is that what you want?» Finist shouted. The force of it snapped Maria back to herself, gesturing to him frantically, and the prince belatedly lowered his voice. «Do you want it to be over between us?» Oh God, if she says yes…

«Akh, Finist, what do you think? Of course I don't! But Lissa and I are all Father has left to him. I can't hurt him like this.»

«And what about me?» Finist knew how selfish that sounded, but he was past the point of caring. «What about us?»

«Don't do this to me! Father‑Lissa—they depend on me, they always depend on me — "

«And you prefer it that way, don't you? Of course, I should have realized. It's safer that way.» He saw her flinch in pain, but kept on relentlessly, «You don't have to think about the outside world, no, your father and sister need you, you don't have to worry about leading your own life or — "

«No! How dare you mock my life, you who've never suffered any hardship and — "

«Maria! I only wanted you to see how your father is using you!»

«Stop it!» Hands over her ears, she burst out, «I don't want to hear this! I don't want to talk about it! Please, leave me alone!»

«Maria — "

«Leave me alone! I—I need some time to myself.»

«Time, is it? Then time you shall have!»

His shout became the shriek of a falcon. Raging, aching, Finist hurled himself out into the night sky, shutting his ears to the sound of Maria's hopeless sobs behind him.

* * *

And in her bed‑chamber, Vasilissa moved away from the wall, smiling. All was well:Maria had cast out the demon. Oh the girl might weep and wail for a time, instead of being sensible enough to fall to her knees and thank Heaven for her deliverance. But at least it was over, and Maria was safe.

Chapter XXVIII

Revenge

Sobbing for breath, shaking with exhaustion and the residue of terror, Alexei tripped over a branch and fell, for perhaps the hundredth time that night. But this time he'd passed the point of recovery. He could do nothing more than to roll painfully onto his back, staring wildly up at the black mass of leaves overhead, thinking that at least he'd be able to see his attackers before they killed him.

How could it have gone so wrong? They'd been all ready for the attack, his men—

My men. Ha! Fools! Superstitious fools!

Was it only superstition? Surely it hadn't been chance that had twisted the tree out of their hands, surely it hadn't been chance that had sent the heavy trunk crashing down, not on the road but on two of his men, the two who'd done the most to chop the tree down— No, he was becoming as insane as they.

But Alexei couldn't rid himself of the sight of that fallen tree, and the two men crushed beneath it, and the slow flow of blood… The merchant and his party had fled, unchallenged, while Alexei and the robbers had stood motionless, staring in silent horror. And then…

«It was yer doin'.» The sound was a low, feral growl.

«Nonsense! It was an accident—sheer clumsiness on the part of whoever was holding the — "

«Ye did it.»

«Did what, for God's sake?»

«Ye kept after us. Made us kill the tree.» Good Lord, they meant it! And they were moving slowly forward, menace in their eyes… Alexei took a step backwards despite himself. «Don't be ridiculous!»

«Ye brought the forest devils down on us.»

«There aren't any — "

' 'Killed two of our own, the ones who dared cut it—Ye took an axe to it too. Why didn't it kill ye?»

«Maybe 'cause we're supposed to do it," came the ugly snarl. ' 'Forest devils want us to do it, show we ain't forgot the proper ways.»

«Have you gone mad?»