Page 67 of Cookie: Part One
Bershov was highly regarded, earning the favor of King Kazimir and the deep affection of the populace, being renowned as the figure closest to the people within the court.
Banishment and Purge
Her destiny was tragically overturned due to her being afflicted with the unchanging curse. This resulted in her and her children’s banishment from the sacred land. Her story culminates in tragedy: Bershov, once a renowned Berlov, succumbed to injuries sustained during the subsequent Great Purge of the Unchanging, and it is recorded that her children were also lost during this brutal pursuit.
“That poor family…”
My gaze goes to all of the portraits, and it’s so weird because I can’t take my eyes off them. My fingers drift over their outline and I can almost see the lightning crackle around Zakhar and hear the sad sobs of Inessa. There’s something about them that tickles my brain,a terrifying excitementthat hums beneath my skin.This is b?—
“He looks like Misha, da?”
I flinch, snatching my hand back and spinning around, my heart leaping into my throat when I see Grandpa Viktorstanding there, hands folded behind his back, staring at the portraits.
“Grandpa Viktor,” I murmur, slightly breathless. “I… I d-didn’t hear you come in,” I stammer, feeling guilty for nearly touching their stuff even if it’s fake. Still, he smiles faintly, the look surprisingly gentle as he gestures to the portraits.
“So, doesn’t he?” He raises a brow, letting me know I’m not going to be able to change the subject.
“Oh… y-yes, he does look like Misha… an-and the girl l-looks like Pyper.” I smile, turning back to the images, and he steps up to them.
“Da, our ancestors.” He bows at them with respect and I glance over to the portrait that looks like Pyper as he runs his hand sentimentally over the woman’s portrait. “She is our several times great grandmozher.” His words make me pause because bruh…this is fantasy, right?But I’m not about to mess with nobody family’s deluluness… to me it’s the same as people saying they descend from witches and shit.Hey, if they like it, I love it.
“What? But… it said that she and her family were killed during the purge!” I reel and his shoulders sag.
“Zhis is an old tale. A sad one, but vee are ze last line of our family’s bloodline, praying to ze Source for our power to return.”
“Wow….” I marvel, lost in the lore as he steps closer. “But… what is an unchanging? And what’s so bad about it?”
“Hm… vhat is an unchanging? Vell… it is said that vee descend from mighty polar bears. Our people vere protectors of zeCrystalline Flower…a flower so rare, it is said to only bloom once everymillennium and only under ze moonlight in one of ze Seven Hells. No one knows vhere it vill bloom or vhen… but zhat flower vas our everyzhing and source of power, but… vit ze loss of ze flower, some of our people started to lose ze ability to shift, including Inessa Bershov and her bloodline.”Hold a damn minute, did he say Seven Hells?
I side eye him, pursing my lips. I know Alik told me they have a different religion involving The Source, butHELLS?!Nah fam… ugh, but still, I’m curious.
“What?! But how?! Why her when she had nothing to do with the flower?! Wouldn’t it have been those who were tasked with protecting the flower who should have lost their abilities? That is so unfair.” I frown, sad for her, and he smiles at that.
“Fate does not deal in fairness, Pechenye. And ask what’s so bad about it… vell, who vould vant to see zheir power stripped avay unjustly? Vhat man vould vant to be left veak and helpless?”
“Th-that’s a fair assessment.” I pout feeling sad and Grandpa Viktor takes my hands, pulling me over to the center of the room where I was planning on looking next. There, I see a thick old book that looks centuries old.
The Accursed Flora…I blink at the book, wondering if a book this old should be here or in the Smithsonian. The broken leather is so old that I worry if I touch it, it may wither away. It has four broken stones on the corners of the book with different colors, red, green, white and black.
“Dang… how old is this book?” I ask but he chuckles, not even answering. He simply unlocks the case and I’m shocked when he opens it to a green flower that looks as if it’s glowing. “Banes root?” I read the name on the page.
“Da, a deadly thing zhat ze Gods gifted to fight zhose in power… just like our Crystalline Flower.” He flips the page and my heart skips a beat and I swallow hard at the beautiful white flower. “Zhis flower, just as ze Banes Root, is poisonous… and it is rumored zhat ze king vas poisoned by ze flower after he failed in protecting it, but zhat vas only a rumor.”
A shiver unrelated to the cold runs down my spine. Even though this is a fairy tale, the way my heart squeezes, I can’t help but feel down.
“That’s...terrible. Do you have a picture of the King here?” He nods, looking back at some other portraits on the wall. There, in the center, on the far end is an elegant male who’s really damn attractive. He’s not as big as the Zakhar guy, but he’s clearly tall and muscular. Even though it’s just a canvas oil painting, I can tell this man is powerful just like Zakhar…
“He looks powerful and regal,” I mutter.
“Da. I hope one day vee can restore our honor, and reunite vit our family.”He places a heavy hand on my head. My throat goes dry. For some reason, I want to ask him what he means by that, but instead, I find myself listening to his every word. “I’ve been meaning to ask… hov are you feeling? Misha told me about ze incident in your room.”
“I’m fine.” I shrug, not wanting to talk about it.
“Are you sure?” He watches me as if trying to see if I’m lying, but I link my arm through his, leaning my head on his shoulder as he guides me around the museum.
“How can I not be when I have you here to protect me, Grandpa?” I look up at him and see he’s frowning with so much genuine concern that my heart warms…I adore this man so much.
“You are right. My sveet Connie only needs to zhink happy zhoughts. Your ol’ Grandpa vill handle everyzhing. Do not vorry. I vill take responsibility for you.” He pats my hand and though I feels he’s being a little bit extreme, this whole damn family is extreme and weird as fuck, so I just nod.
