Page 26 of Cry of the Firebird

"South," he said, his eyes nervously scanning the trees.

"What's wrong? And where did you get those pearls to pay for all these clothes?"

"Nothing's wrong. Just being cautious. We need to travel fast to get a head start on Vasilli. The pearls are from the firebird, if you must know," he replied.

Anya screwed up her face. "Did he lay them?"

"No. Don't you know any of the old stories? Firebird tears turn into pearls. While you were sleeping last night, I transformed, and when I returned to being myself, there they were."

"What? Like you just cried a whole bunch, and there were pearls."

"Yes."

"Huh. Well, it supposes it's more comfortable than laying them," she said. Yvan's mouth twitched as he tried not to smile.Anya beamed at him. She would win the grumpy bastard over if it was the last thing she did.

The old woman,Unä, hummed as she walked back through the store where she had cut Anya's hair. The girl had been wise to burn it, but one perfect platinum strand remained in the groove of the wooden floorboards.

Unä bent down, picked the strand up with her fingers, and cackled with glee. She pulled a small black box from her apron and placed the hair on the satin lining. When it was tucked safely in the folds of her clothes, she did a bandy-legged dance, her glamour melting away until she was Baba Yaga again.

She had placed a charm on the knife, so when thrown, it would always fly true. On the bottom of the boots, she had carved the sign of protection so Anya wouldn't fall when running. And she had placed a tracking spell on both of them. She wanted to know precisely where the brat went.

Baba Yaga stepped through the shop's back door and headed for the forest. She would be keeping her inner eye close on Yanka's blood. She needed Anya to return to her of her own free will, and there was time yet to wait her out.

As she stepped into the trees, she felt Vasilli's power cross over her borders, and she scowled. Just what she needed.

Baba Yaga climbed into her enchanted pestle and mortar and flew swiftly through the forest, determined to get back to her cottage and make life as miserable for the bastard.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Vasilli had been lost in the cursed forest for days. He sat on the large red horse with his two wolves running behind him, their heads down, wary of their master's mood. The horse seemed intent on leading him and fighting him every step of the way. He had given up on it, and now the horse was finding its way home.

The Bone Cottage on its chicken legs came into view at nightfall of the fourth day. The old witch stood beside her gate, picking the grime out from under her fingernails with a sliver of bone.

"Baba Yaga, so this is your doing," Vasilli growled.

"This is my forest, Vasilli. I know everything that goes on in it, even if you are arrogant enough to think you can cross through my lands without me noticing," she replied, black eyes flashing with menace. "The forest thinks for itself. Perhaps it didn't want to let you go straight away. I believe that horse belongs to me too."

"And has the forest produced anything of interest lately?" Vasilli asked, changing his tone to be almost friendly. He didn't have the power to take on Baba Yaga. Not yet.

"Nothing worth mentioning. Why? Have you lost something?"

"Indeed, I have. Two very good friends of mine have gone astray, and I wish to find them."

Baba Yaga looked up at him and rolled her eyes dramatically. "Byk der'mo, Vasilli. I know whom you seek, and I know they are not good friends of yours. It must be hard for you to have lost your brother again, especially now that he's with Ilya's blood."

Vasilli snapped. "What business is that of yours, witch?"

Baba Yaga shrugged her bony shoulders. "None, but I'm not the one who is in danger from them. They came seeking help, and being full of stomach and generous of nature, I gave it to them."

Vasilli gripped the leather reins tighter. "Tell me what you gave them, Baba Yaga."

"Nothing of much value," Baba Yaga said, picking at her nails again. "Just directions."

"Where to?"

"Let's just say I gave thembaddirections." She smiled her iron smile. "I'll tell you which way they went for a trade."

"What do you want?"

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