Page 21 of Sanctuary

The woods didn’t answer him.

Roman swore and checked himself. A harness woven out of a strange dark leather crossed his chest, looping over his shoulders. He was bound to the tree like a burlak, a barge puller from Russia’s old past, a human beast of burden dragging the trade ships up the river. This forest was his personal towpath.

“So now I am an ox? Is that where we are? I am to drag the tree like a mindless animal?”

The night remained silent.

“You know what, fuck right off. I’m your beck-and-call boy for 362 days out of the year. I don’t complain. I do whatever the fuck you want, no matter what is happening in my life. I’m with a nice girl, I think it’s going well. I wake up in my kitchen standing in my own piss. The girl is gone. Never see her again. That’s okay. I read the fine print before I signed. I knew what I was in for. I just do it. I always do it. I always do whatever you want even if it’s stupid. I am supposed to get Koliada off. Three fucking days out of the year when you don’t fucking bother me. I am off.”

The trees remained silent.

“You know what, I’m going to drag this tree to you, and then I am done. I quit. Kill me, I don’t give a fuck.”

He started forward, stomping through the snow. The tree slid behind him like his personal ball and chain.

“Excuse me,” a soft male voice said from his left, his tone tentative and cautious. “Can you see me?”

Roman glanced to the side. Farhang floated next to him, levitating about four feet off the ground in a classic cross-legged pose. He wore a white layered robe, pinned to his waist by a golden sash. White cloth wrapped around the top of his head, leaving his long dark hair to fall loose on his shoulders. He was clean-shaven, free of dirt, and his body glowed weakly with a pale golden light.

“This is your answer?” Roman demanded.

Silence.

“I suppose not,” Farhang murmured. If there ever was a need for a visual example of being crestfallen, he was it.

Roman sighed. “Hello, Farhang.”

Farhang’s eyes lit up. “You can see me, and you know me?”

“In a manner of speaking. I’ve met your body.”

“Oh. Um, if it’s not too forward… Do you happen to know where my body is right now?”

“In my house, in front of a fireplace. I have a magic beast sitting on you to keep you asleep.”

“May I ask how I got into your house?”

He seemed a little fragile. Hitting him with you showed up at my house to forcefully remove a child from my care might have been too much. “You came with some mercenaries.”

Farhang’s face fell. “I did?”

“Mhm.”

“And it wasn’t a friendly visit?”

“No.”

Farhang hesitated. “Did I hurt someone?”

“You gave it a very good try.”

Farhang winced.

“It’s all good. Nobody that mattered was injured.” Roman kept moving forward. “I figured out something was wrong pretty much from the get-go, so your body is unharmed.”

Mostly. Mostly unharmed. Roro had really sharp teeth.

“I’m very sorry. My deepest apologies.”

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