Page 17 of The Bone Doll
Then, he pulled back, staring down at her with his lips parted in surprise. “Syra, I…”
Her mouth burned from his kiss, even as her heart began to sink. “Why are you looking at me like that?”Like you didn’t mean to kiss me at all?
“I shouldn’t have done that,” he muttered. “I let my emotions get the better of me.”
“You didn’t want to kiss me?” How did youaccidentallykiss someone?
“No. I mean, yes. I mean–” Viktor held up his hands in defeat. “Yes, I want to kiss you. You’re a beautiful woman. Ofcourse, I would. But I’m here to bring you to Zoldrovya; and you’re here to handle theleshy. That has nothing to do with kissing you, or whether you like me or I like you.”
“Are you trying to be one of your knights?” Syra had the sudden desire to laugh. “You can escort me, and I can bind your forest spirit,andyou can still kiss me.”
“A man should offer a bride-price, a home, a steady income–”
She grinned at his prudish logic. “I am a Sarnok, and I will go back to the tundra once I am done with yourleshy. I don’t want a Ruthenian husband, so I don’t need your dowry or house.” She leaned in. “But I might want more kisses. If that is something you are offering.”
Viktor stared at her wide-eyed for a long moment before stammering, “Kisses, yes.”
He stepped in, placed his hands at her waist, and kissed her again. Settling her hands upon his shoulders, she let her body and mind melt into a warm and bright summer.
Chapter 11
Rusalka
Below Kholm flowed the Snezhana River, its water white with rapids. According to Viktor, the river flowed southeastward into a lake so grand that it looked like the sea. Syra would believe that when she saw it. Her current problem was crossing the river. Like the tundra’s rivers, the Snezhana overflowed in spring; and its waters had flooded the nearest bridge, sending Syra and Viktor southward to find calmer waters.
Several miles downstream, the rapids eased into calm but deep waters.
“Last time I tried something foolhardy, we got stuck in quicksand,” Viktor said. “We should find a ferry.”
“Where is the nearest one?” The Bone Doll twitched violently in her pocket. Syra shivered but saw nothing, only forest and river. She clutched the doll.
“I know the town of Dorazdel has one,” Viktor said, unaware of any danger. “That’s another three miles. I’m not sure if any enterprising ferryman has established another crossing somewhere between here and there.”
The Bone Doll had gone quiet. Maybe the danger had passed. Still, as they walked, Syra scanned the trees for anything out of the ordinary. But the birch and spruce revealed nothing beyond the occasional brown-colored bird or twittering squirrel.
Eventually convinced that there was nothing there, Syra let her gaze find Viktor. Last night… She hadn’t realized how nice it would be to kiss him. She supposed she had already admitted he was attractive, but the actualfeelof him – soft lips, lean muscle – was exquisite. She fingered her glass necklace. If she could kiss him every night from now until she returned to the tundra, that might be decent enough payment for her. Though Munku would still demand the silver.
Viktor caught her looking and blushed. She smirked. He did look fine with a little red on his cheeks.
“Maybe we should stop,” she said. They didn’thaveto kiss at only night, did they?
“I’m trying to keep a good pace.” He met her gaze and then said, “Oh.”
Syra was crossing the distance between them when she heard a giggle. An icy shiver crawled down her spine. She and Viktor turned.
A beautiful woman combed her knee-length, sunshine-colored hair, sitting alongside the river. She smiled invitingly at them as though they were old friends. “Young lovers in spring.”
This time Syra’s cheeks heated. She had thought they were alone.
“Where are you going?” The yellow-haired woman’s voice had an airy, tinkling noise to it – like a harness bell. “I don’t see many travelers on this road.”
“To the ferry at Dorazdel,” Viktor said.
“You need to cross the river?” the woman asked, her eyes growing wide with excitement. “I can help you.”
Syra’s heart thudded. A woman sitting on the riverbank with no one else around? The woman looked so very … normal … but Syra’s stomach curled when she looked too closely at the woman.
Viktor gripped Syra’s hand. “Thank you, but we will take the ferry at Dorazdel.”
