The Shining Falcon

«What nonsense is this? I didn't think you were a complete fool—ahh, I see what it is! You're trying to bargain with me, aren't you? Very well, man, what do you wish? Come, name your price!»

«You‑don't understand. I can't enter the forest. The— the demon will seize me again.»

He saw a flicker of unease cross her face. She knows, Alexei thought wildly. She knows about the demon! She knows I'm telling the truth! And he wondered nervously if she was simply going to abandon him.

But the woman said sharply, «No demon will touch you, not if you obey me. My magic will shield you. And the girl, Maria Danilovna — "

«Danilovna!» Alexei shot to his feet, grabbing for the woman's shoulders. But of course, his hands merely passed through the wavering image, and fighting fiercely for self‑control, Alexei stepped back. «Maria Danilovna," lies he repeated savagely. «Are you sure?»

«So-o! You have no love for the slut, either!»

«I have no love for the whole damned family!» Too tense to remain still, Alexei began pacing nervously in a tight circle. «To have her in my hands, to start my revenge… And with magic to shield me…» He stopped, looked up. «Your magic will shield me?»

«Why, of course," the woman said smoothly. «You'll do it, then? I have your word on it?»

«Not—not so fast. I—want more. I—I was a boyar once.»

«And you wish a return to power, do you? Why, man! In a few short days, I shall rule a realm! Serve me well now, and you shall have a place of honor at my court.»

To be a boyar again! Oh, no doubt this woman, whomever, whatever she was, would try to trick him, to be rid of him, but he'd outwit her, magic or no, he'd outwit her and survive. And he would triumph!

«Done!» shouted Alexei in savage joy. «Oh, done, done!»

Chapter XXXVlll

Rusalki

Danilo's men had been riding along the forest road in silence for some time, now walking their horses, now trotting, now cantering, covering verst after verst that way. But all around them loomed the trees, dark with shadow, mysterious, dangerous, and at last the men took to singing to keep back the darkness. After a time, though, they had finished all the songs (polite and otherwise) that they knew, and before the ominous, silence could fall again, one of them, young Ivan, said hastily:

«It's been a week. Must be halfway to Kirtesk by now.'' The others weren't in the mood for small talk. «Mm," said one, noncommittally.

«Think the sorcerer has her?» Ivan persisted. «Young mistress Maria, I mean.»

That earned him a scornful glance. «Now, what do you think? Of course he has her!''

Stung, Ivan continued, «And we're going to ride right up to him, yes? And tell him we're from her father? And— and demand the boyarevna back again?» The others glanced at him impatiently. «Of course!»

«We're really going to ride up to a sorcerer, and insist back the woman he probably went through a lot of trouble to get. Fine. But what," asked Ivan simply, «are we going to do if the sorcerer says no?» They were trying not to think about that. A nervous silence fell, broken only by Ivan's worried murmur, «I only pray the young mistress is safe. I truly do.»

«You are not my brother leshy's gift.»

Maria whirled at the voice, stifling a yelp. «I, uh, no," she said warily, realizing that somewhere along the way she must have crossed over into this second leshy's domain. «I don't think I am.»

«Yet you bear his mark of safe passage.»

«Yes.» Maria peered into forest shadow, trying in vain to locate the being. «He was paying a debt.»

«Ah.» It was a sound of perfect comprehension. «But you carry another's sign as well.»

Maria raised a tentative hand to the silver chain about her neck. «Do you mean this? This was a—a gift.»

«From the human‑magician.»

«You know him? Oh, please tell me, is he well? Is he — "

«How should I know that? His realm is city, mine forest.» The being sighed—a soft stirring of leaves. «But he has always been in harmony with the forest way. There is peace between us. You love him?»

The suddenness of the question caught Maria off balance. «Yes!» she gasped. «Please, may I go to him?»

«You may go where you will.» The leshy sounded surprised that she had even thought to ask. «A warning: You have passed safely through my brother leshy's domain, But that domain has been softened by the new, human ways from the west.» Was there a hint of superiority in the wind‑in-leaves voice? «The forest‑magic here is older, stronger. Walk warily.»

«What do you — "

But the leshy was already gone.

«I wish I could move that efficiently," said Maria. She gave a sudden shiver, remembering branches that stirred without wind, trees that moved to slay… «Softened," echoed the young woman. «If that was his idea of 'softened,' then what must his realm be like?»

She would find it out, sooner or later, whether she liked the idea or not.

«But the road, as the saying goes, doesn't get shorter for the waiting.»