Page 35 of The Bone Doll
She gripped his shoulders harder, pressing her cheek to his as her breath broke. “Don’t stop.”
He shook his head, panting and fucking her reverently. Desperately.
When Syra came, it felt like being lifted up to the stars – and pulled to the depths of the underworld. Both. Crying out, she tightened her thighs around Viktor’s hips and moved up and down him slowly, tearing herself apart while he watched with something close to awe.
Then, Viktor joined her, stiffening as he spent himself.
His arms wrapped around her – one hand tangled in her hair, the other splayed against her spine. “I love you,” he murmured into her hair.
Syra pressed a kiss to his ear and admitted, “I love you too.”
Chapter 24
Home
You feel like home,Viktor wanted to tell Syra. That Zoldrovya, that Beluvod, that the road – none of it felt like her. And that a reindeer hide tent on the tundra was surely better than a manor in the birchwood forest – or a townhome in Beluvod – becauseshewas there.
But Syra spoke nothing of a future. And Viktor was grateful enough for these past few weeks that he could not bring himself to ask for more. Besides, she surely had a full life to return to – and didn’t need to add a Ruthenian man to the mix. So, he relished their evenings and mornings, which were full of storytelling and lovemaking; and during the daytime, Viktor bartered for supplies to bring back to the Lame Wolves – since the promised silver was not coming.
The clan had moved in the two intervening months, following their reindeer herd, which gave Viktor two more days with Syra. And in that time, Syra collected what she needed to release the sky spirit from the Bone Doll.
From deadwood, shed antlers, and grass twisted into twine, she fashioned a small sled. In its basket, she collected one of the tunics he had given her, her belt knife, and wolves’ teeth that she cut off her reindeer hide coat. When she was ready, she lay the Bone Doll atop all the offerings. For the first time in weeks, its carvings glowed softly.
“Hold my hands,” Syra said.
If Viktor understood correctly, the ritual was strongest with three people and weakest with one. While four was a sacred number in Ruthenia, three represented the sky, earth, and underworld for the Sarnoks – a world in balance. Hopefully, two – and one of them a Ruthenian – would work for this ritual.
Syra began the incantation.
The Bone Doll’s light grew brighter and bluer, growing to encompass the entire sled. Then, the Bone Doll itself cracked, glowing red fissures opening across its surface until it opened like an egg. A strange creature – like a mix between a deer, an eagle, and a human – lifted from the remnants. Its hindlimbs landed on the sled’s footboards, its forelimbs on the handrails. With a whispering sigh, the sled lifted off the ground. It hovered a few inches above the ground for a long moment. And then, the sky creature leapt upward, streaking blue and red until it vanished. The sled crunched as it struck the ground, the wood splitting and the ritual items falling to the dirt.
The sky spirit was free.
Syra kissed him then, and his head spun as he grasped her waist. He would stay here forever, if he had not promised theleshythat he would be the Lord of Zoldrovya. And if Syra would have them. She gave him several sweet, quick pecks and then took his hand, leading him away.
They left the sled and offerings to nature, and eventually, a cluster ofmyaand a cluster of reindeer appeared on the horizon, alongside a copse of spruce trees.
A reindeer herder spotted them first, but it was Syra’s family – Viktor guessed by their keen resemblance – that greeted them first. Her sister threw her arms around Syra, kissing her repeatedly on both cheeks, while her sister-in-law and nephew waited their turn. Her brother berated her with ahundred questions. Syra flushed and grinned widely, answering about her adventures and the whereabouts of the Bone Doll.
And then their mood turned solemn as they spoke of Syra’s mother, who had passed away. Viktor pressed his hand into Syra’s lower back, holding her as best he could.
That was when Syra wiped her eyes and took his arm. “This is Viktor. He took me so far south that all there are are trees. He saved me from theleshy, and then he brought me back home.”
Her brother narrowed his eyes at Viktor.
“I brought supplies.” Viktor met the man’s gaze easily. He would be gone in a few days, and her brother would never have to worry about him again. “My father promised silver in exchange for Syra’s help, but my father is dead. I plan to make good on the promise, but in the meantime, I hope this can–”
The Lame Wolves’ Pathfinder emerged from her tent – and the entire conversation started over again. Syra explained her part, and Viktor negotiated additional time to procure silver for the Lame Wolves.
When all that was done, he and Syra walked through the camp.
“You will stay in my family’smyatonight.” She took his gloved hand in hers. “We will have fish soup.”
“I saved rowanberries specifically for your family,” he replied. “I hope they like them.”
“It will be a feast.”
“If you will have me,” he said, “I can stay a few days. But then I have to return to Zoldrovya. For theleshyand … I’m sure I can scrounge up enough silver to pay what you’re owed.”
