Page 46 of Tiger's Trek
“Just to make the townspeople happy.”
“But... could you not relocate your home, at least in the summers? Perhaps to a snow-topped mountain or some such?”
Sima replied, “We are bound to this home so long as we reside in mortal form.”
“And we must remain in mortal form so long as the child lives,” Velas added. “At least until the price has been paid and she is freed.”
“Freed?” asked Stacia, but her query was ignored.
“But we also have a responsibility to the people. They need to eat,” Daz said.
“And Zima needs friends,” Sima finished.
Zakhar thought but didn’t say that friends wouldn’t have agreed to cast a poor child out into the woods for several months alone.
“I see,” Stacia said, managing to hold back her personal opinions on their mothering abilities. “But whatever the case, now the vodnik have Iriko.”
“They’ll trade. We have things they want,” promised Daz. “If you take Zima with you, we’ll give you plenty of things you can offer in exchange. Is it a bargain?”
Zakhar held up a hand. “We only need to keep her for the next five or six months? Then you’ll want her back?”
“Oh yes,” Moksha said. “We love her. We will take her back in the winter months.”
“But it will hail, sleet, and snow when we’re with her?” Stacia asked.
“Yes, unfortunately. But we can give you warm clothing and gifts, like we said. We have many things to help you,” Sima said.
“And are the vodnik likely to kill Iriko before morning?”
The aunties looked at one another and conversed quietly, then shook their heads. “No. We don’t believe they will. At least not until we speak with them. They will wait to find out if we are angry at them for letting Zima go free.”
Stacia gave them a long look, then nodded and yawned. “Very well. You have a deal. Give us a few hours to sleep, and then you can give us what we’ll need to make the trade.”
The relief on their faces was palpable.
“Wonderful! Zima will be thrilled,” Yaryl said.
“Yes. It’s great. Looking forward to eternal winter myself,” Stacia said. “Now, spokoynoy nochi, ladies. See you in a few hours.”
The aunties nodded and, one by one, left the room.
“What do you think they meant by Zima needing to be free?” Zakhar asked.
“I don’t know,” Stacia answered. “But I have a feeling she’ll be better off with us.”
“Agreed.” He shuffled around and flung out his quilt. “I hope we made the right decision,” Zakhar said before leaning back in the chair and shutting his eyes.
“So do I, Zakhar,” Stacia said, doing the same. “So do I.”
Chapter13
DON’T GO PRAISING THE CHIMNEY WHEN THE HOUSE IS COLD
Nik’s heart nearly burst out of his chest. He’d faced some terrifying creatures, but for some reason the idea of a ghost frightened him more than monsters. Demons and monsters, he could kill, but a ghost? Being haunted by a specter, either visible or unseen, chilled his blood until his limbs turned to water.
Hand trembling, he lifted the lantern and turned it toward the shadowy hallway beyond the door. “Who’s there?” he asked, ashamed when his voice sounded as weak and frail as a young boy’s. He could hear breathing and the slight squeak of the floorboards, indicating someone stood just in the doorframe, unseen.
Then there was a voice. It was dark and deep. It said, “Come away now, Katya.”
