Chapter 59 Accursed hand

  “Rose, do not be frightened please!” Ivashko’s head rose up just in time to stay her hand from hacking off his. He was surprised to find that even in her shaken state her reflexes had been quick enough to find the handle of her weapon once more.

  “Ivashko, how is it you escaped the lake?” She wiped away the tears from her eyes.

  “You injured the witch deeply and for a time broke the spell...” He moaned and gripped his heart with his other hand falling down to the ground.

  “Please help me back into the woods. I risked much coming here. I had to warn you that she is not dead!” Rose looked upon him upside down for he had slid down the side of the building his head arching. She still held his other hand. With renewed resolve and vigor she leapt out the window placing his arm around her neck she helped him stagger to his feet and quickly they made their way into the woods. His face glowed with sweat and he seemed to be fighting a terrible pain.

  Once they had made there way only a little through the glen he looked a little better, not totally recovered. “This is far enough. No more risks.” He stroked her cheek as she released him. “If I do not return to the lake you see I die. I had to make sure you were safe.”

  “Where is the witch?” Rose came straight to the point.

  “She revels with fiends, this bit of blood will go far to remove the pains given. Her power will grow stronger from the malice of the villagers.”

  Rose turned her head back to the glowing light between the trees no matter where she was it seemed she could not escape. “How do I stop this hatred? How do I stop her?”

  Ivashko raised a brow, “Still determined?” His voice became not only stern but dark. “I do not understand. You have seen the monsters she controls: her beasts, and the undead, and tonight most subtly the weaker human hearts driven by fear and the mildest coaxing of conjecture. Whoever lives in this valley is subject to her whims. Become one of her toys. She will play until you break.” He turned his face honorably so she would not see his emotions.

  “I shall be forced to watch you die. I won’t be able to do anything to stop her.” He whispered.

  Rose was touched by his concern and also by the fact that here was someone who felt just as helpless as herself. Still, he was holding secrets from her. Perhaps, what seemed to him meaningless observations could ebb evil with counter action. He was too cautious.

  “Where am I to go too? You would have me venture out to the Frost again? If my family is under her spell simply from living in this valley, than I must save them. They are too rooted down to leave.” She insisted.

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  “Do not trust them with this. Their judgments have already failed you.” He looked anxiously at the sky. He seemed to start talking to himself more than to her. “I must go back. I must…at least with tonight’s debacle she will visit me late upon the morrow. Perhaps she has not yet noticed my absence.”

  “Will she punish you severely?” Rose hugged him for mutual comfort since he leaned against her side anyway.

  “Only with her gloating that I had to return, which I must.” Ivashko said this glibly with some force which he also applied to pry off her arms.

  Before he left he said: “Rose I feel tonight was in vain because you were already able to see through her ruse weren’t you?” His smile held a bit of admiration. Rose understood that from his point of view he was probably thinking of how he could have avoided his own trap in the past.

  “Afterwards yes, I could see the cruel intentions in the air that had no bearing on truth. I did not know how far duplicity could be carried. I won’t forget. I only wish I could have prevented this.” When she turned back to look at him he was gone. When she turned back around she was startled by Frost leaping down before her. It shook its giant dew drop head in disapproval.

  “What do you know about it?” Rose said severely. “Where were you to prevent this? I fight battles with no aid!” It danced around trying to mime a tale that Rose could not understand.

  “Sadko went downstream you implied leisurely about an ending most bitter. Often I have had to squeeze the truth like the last drop of juice. Well I do not know why I always look to you to find the answers when I can discover them myself!” The Frost shrugged as if to say, “Why?”

  “Go away I do not wish to worship a selfish deity anymore!” Rose sighed.

  It was difficult to say how Frost changed. He was still the same glossy image with what seemed an edge to every spike or outline. Rose tried to storm off until suddenly assaulted with a chill in her chest that caused her to shiver down to her knees. In the wind’s soft rustle she could barely make out Fedor’s voice as birch arms crossed before her not touching.

  “Blood begets blood by your hand. War is suffered by the land. Evil drinks in violence towards it or another. Trust not unless a true brother. I would hold you too before you part yet what would become of such a cold heart?” He vanished and she was able to move.

  Rose wandered home in a numb daze, trying so hard to ignore the smell of burning flesh in the air as she entered the hata. She pulled the broom from Martha’s hand not even lifting the sheet for she could not bear to see the same frozen smile on her face. Martha did sit up blinking as Rose washed up and changed into pajamas.

  “We fell asleep in our clothes.” Rose said groggily for she really was tired. “I became uncomfortable.”

  Martha seemed confused by this statement shrugged and changed into her night shift too.

  “They burned Natasha as a witch tonight. Rose opened the window so that Martha could see the dark festivities. Father will probably celebrate till morning with the other villagers.” Rose started to confess. Then saw that Martha showed no emotion over the matter except to mimic Rose’s own solemn gaze. Then she reminded herself whom she might be reporting too.

  “Well bah to the old hag! The village is free again! Aren’t I clever? It is I who set the trap!” Martha applauded ferociously with a winner’s smile. Rose beamed until she could crawl back into bed where she could hide her face and fight down the urge to be sick. Martha’s body had already made the bed quite warm yet Rose continued to shiver the rest of the night.