28

Galina had not thought much about Sebastian these past months. In fact, she had made a point of thinking about him as little as possible. But as she rode across the Pustoy Plains toward the Stena Forest with Masha and Olin, it was difficult to put him out of mind.

This was the place he had first unleashed his full power, and the blighted land would likely bear the ugly marks of that event for generations. There was not a single blade of grass or tree for miles. The ground upon which their horses galloped was blackened and hard. Sebastian had once explained to her that it was cooled magma he had drawn from beneath the surface of the earth to show Commander Vittorio that he could wield “magic with military application.” At the time, he had been deeply troubled by his own actions. And yet only a few months later, he had perpetrated far worse.

How could a man change so dramatically? Galina still wondered if it had been some inner weakness within Sebastian that had allowed him to take such a dark path, or if it had been a testament to the pressures of military culture in general, and Commander Vittorio in particular, that was to blame. The most likely answer was a combination of all those things. Not that it exonerated her former betrothed of his crimes in any way. After all, not even Vittorio had been so brutal and reckless as to massacre an entire town. That had been all Sebastian’s doing. And she would never forgive him for it.

They rode all that day, then camped for a night on the hard, rocky ground. Galina had never camped before, and found that she disliked it intensely. It was cold and lacking even the most basic comforts. Without any trees or cover, she had to ask Masha to hold up a blanket like a curtain so she could have a semblance of privacy as she relieved herself.

The next morning, she awoke sore and irritable.

“I don’t know that I’ve ever seen you in riding clothes before, miss,” said Masha as she stirred the embers from the previous night’s fire in hopes of heating water for tea.

“Naturally not.” Galina looked distastefully down at her beige trousers. “I am aware that some women, such as my mother, will find any excuse to wear riding clothes, as it shows off their shapely legs to great advantage. In my case, however, all it reveals is that I walk about each day on a pair of matchsticks.”

“Oh no, miss. They don’t look at all like—”

“You know I dislike being patronized, Masha.”

“Yes, miss. Sorry. But I’m certain there must be some nice young man out there who is quite fond of matchsticks.”

Galina glared at her with one eyebrow raised. “I do hope that wasn’t a feeble attempt at humor, Masha.”

A smile momentarily ghosted across her maidservant’s lips. “Perish the thought, miss.”

After a barely serviceable cup of tea, they continued east to the Stena Forest. It was by far the largest forest in Izmoroz, stretching all the way down into Aureum. It was also said to be so dense in places that the light of the sun never touched the ground, and that it was inhabited by strange beasts and insects found nowhere else in the world. Galina had read several books about it, and while she’d enjoyed those books, she had never once felt compelled to visit. She supposed that someone like Sonya would have been eager to explore such a place, but as they slowed their horses and crossed the tree line, all Galina felt was a quiet, fluttering dread.

It was a stark contrast to go from the lifeless Pustoy Plains to a lush forest teeming with all manner of plants and animals. Insects buzzed, birds sang, and small rodents scampered about. There was no proper road to speak of, and the tiny path that Olin led their horses down could hardly even be called a trail.

“Olin, are you certain you know where we’re going?” Galina strove to keep the worry out of her voice, but was not entirely successful.

“Oh yes, miss. I been through here several times already.”

He moved with confidence, but care, his eyes constantly darting around.

“Are we… safe?”

Olin gave her a pained smile. “As safe as one can be in the Stena.”

“That is not particularly reassuring,” she told him. “How deep must we go into this forest?”

“Not too deep,” said Olin. “Begging your pardon, but I did tell them you were not the hardiest of souls.”

“By all means,” said Galina. “If it keeps me from having to trudge any farther than necessary into this bug-infested, sunless underworld, I gladly accept that description.”

“Oh, it’s not as bad as all that, miss.” Olin turned back to look at her. “Why, if you look at it the right way, this forest is one of the most beautiful—”

There was a blur of movement and Galina found herself abruptly staring at an empty saddle.

Masha’s scream echoed through the trees as Galina looked wildly about. She heard a low growl, followed by rustling. She turned and saw Olin’s feet flailing wildly from a nearby thicket. After a moment, he grew still.

There was another deep growl, and then the largest cat Galina had ever seen rose up from the brush. A leopard of some kind, judging by the spots. It was indeed a beautiful animal, but its white-furred mouth dripped with blood.

“Wh-what should we do, miss?” Masha’s voice shook with panic.

Galina, however, had become icily calm. She did not know how or why, but it was as though the dread she’d felt upon entering the forest had evaporated in the face of actual danger, and her mind now worked with clockwork precision as she pondered their options. Should they run? Or would such prey-like behavior only attract the leopard? Perhaps if they backed away slowly, it would allow them to leave. It already had Olin, after all. How many people could one leopard eat?

“Don’t make any sudden movements,” Galina told Masha.

Though in the back of her mind her instincts shrieked at her to run, Galina remained still and watched the leopard begin to tear into Olin’s flesh.

Once it seemed fully occupied, she whispered, “Follow me.”

“Y-yes, miss.”

Masha didn’t point out that Galina had no experience in dealing with man-killing leopards and seemed grateful merely to have some direction. Galina’s horse was also on the edge of panic. She stroked his neck gently and made quiet soothing sounds as she coaxed him along, one trembling hoof at a time.

“Keep your horse calm, Masha. If it bolts, the leopard may give chase.”

“Understood, miss.”

Galina reached out and took the reins of Olin’s horse. The animal was understandably even more rattled than the others and gave a sharp whinny.

They all froze as the leopard lifted its bloody muzzle. But after a tense moment, it returned to its grisly feast.

Once the sound of flesh being rent from bone began again, Galina whispered soothing words to Olin’s horse, then guided it and her own horse carefully away from danger, with Masha following close behind.

After an uncomfortable and painfully slow period of time, they were out of earshot from the leopard and Galina judged they were probably safe, at least for the moment. From there she chose to head west, back toward Gogoleth. Olin was gone and she had no idea where she was supposed to meet the mysterious potential allies. There was no point staying, and she’d had quite enough of the Stena Forest to last a lifetime.

Except after several hours, they still had not reached the edge of the forest. The sun was still out, but the dense foliage prevented her from checking its position and she was forced to consider the idea that they had not been heading west after all. They might, in fact, be lost in the largest, most untamed forest in Izmoroz.

“You have done well to come all this way without a guide, Galina Odoyevtseva Prozorova,” a deep, rumbling voice said.

Galina looked around, but saw no one.

“Who’s there?” Her voice sounded unpleasantly shrill in her own ears.

“Will we eat her, Medved?” asked a different voice. It sounded feminine, but also eerily hollow.

“No, no, Sova,” the rumbling voice she called Medved said impatiently. “This is the one we have been seeking. Have you forgotten already?”

“Hmm,” said Sova. “What about the horse? Can we eat that? It appears they have an extra.”

Medved sighed. “Perhaps. Once our business is finished.”

“Who are you?” Galina’s attempt at a stern tone was not as convincing as she would have liked. “Show yourselves.”

“My apologies for remaining concealed, Galina Odoyevtseva,” said Medved. “But before we show ourselves, I must warn you that some humans find our forms to be… unsettling. I want you to know that we mean you no harm.”

“I will bear that in mind,” promised Galina, because there was really nothing else she could say. These two strange people had her at a terrible disadvantage. And yet, it seemed likely these were the supposed allies to whom Olin had been leading them.

A woman suddenly appeared perched on the empty saddle of Olin’s horse. She had large yellow eyes, which gleamed oddly in the dim light that filtered in through the trees. Her hair was short and white, clumped together so that it looked like feathers. Or no, as Galina’s vision strained, she saw that they were feathers. Galina recalled that sova was the Old Izmorozian word for owl.

There was a rustle in the bushes, then the largest man Galina had ever seen emerged. Except, like the woman, he was not entirely a man. He had shaggy white fur on his head instead of hair, small dark eyes, and large rounded ears. Medved was Old Izmorozian for bear.

“You’re Rangers,” Galina said quietly.

“I am Andre,” said the man. “And this is Tatiana.”

The woman did not say anything, but only stared at Galina and slowly blinked.

“You are the ones Olin was taking me to?” asked Galina. “You wish to form an alliance?”

Andre looked thoughtful for a moment. “Dark times are upon us, Galina Odoyevtseva. So that we could once again aid our people and serve our goddess, Tatiana and I asked the Lady Marzanna for the boon of restored youth. But the cost was… high. We have difficulty… remembering things. Thinking strategically has also become difficult. We still wish to serve, but we require guidance. The wisdom of humanity.”

“Ah!” Tatiana leaned forward, looking at Galina with more interest. “So, Andrushka, this is the rebel Kukla?”

“It is,” said Andre.

Galina still did not like being called a doll, and saying it in Old Izmorozian did not make it any more palatable. But she understood that she was on very dangerous ground, so she chose not to voice her objection.

Instead she asked, “You have heard of me?”

Andre nodded. “The Lady bade us seek you out.”

“The Goddess of Winter knows who I am?” Galina asked sharply. She was both astonished and horrified by the idea.

“Not only the Lady, but the people as well,” said Andre. “Most do not know your name, but speak of you as Mistress Kukla who joined with our troubled little sister to drive out the empire.”

“Ah, yes, Sonya…” Did they know she was gone now? More importantly, did they know Galina had a hand in getting rid of her?

“The Lady told us that Lisitsa has her own path to walk, and that in her absence we must take up her cause here in Izmoroz. And so we have chosen you.”

“Chosen me for what?”

Tatiana hopped in a distinctly birdlike way from the riderless horse to a tree branch just beside Galina’s head. Galina noticed the Ranger wore no shoes, and instead of feet had the sharp talons of a great bird of prey. She leaned sideways, anchored by her claws, and stared at Galina with her large owl eyes.

“We have lost so much, Kuklushka,” she said. “Our humanity. Our minds. Our very souls. We have decided that you will be those things for us. You will guide us as the strong hands you lack. Together, we will take Izmoroz as the Lady commands.”

Galina noticed that she had not been asked for consent to this arrangement. Apparently, arrogance was not merely a flaw in Sonya’s personality, but a general trait among Rangers. And this alliance was not without risk. By their own admission, these two were no longer in full control of their faculties. They might turn on her in a moment of beastly passion.

And yet, Galina understood that Olin, bless him, had been correct in bringing her here. It had become increasingly clear during the last few weeks that if she wished to drive out the Uaine, she needed a miracle. And she’d just been given one. Perhaps literally.

“You will obey me in all things?” she asked.

“So long as it does not contradict the will of the Lady,” said Andre, “there is nothing we will not do for you. We put ourselves entirely in your hands.”

Galina turned to Masha, who had remained pale, trembling, and silent this entire time. Masha had always seemed overawed by Rangers. But now Galina understood that the awe the peasants held for the Rangers was not one based on respect, but on fear. An undoubtedly well-founded fear.

“What do you think, Masha?” she asked her maidservant. “Shall we once again ally ourselves with Rangers in Izmoroz’s time of need?”

“I wouldn’t like to think about the alternative, miss,” Masha said bluntly.

“Well said,” agreed Galina. These two Rangers had just admitted they were so lost in their strange animalistic magic that they no longer trusted themselves. It did not bear thinking about what might happen to Izmoroz if someone did not guide them.

And why not her?

She drew herself up. “Very well, Andre Medved and Tatiana Sova. I will take you into my care.”

Andre knelt before her. Tatiana hopped down beside him and knelt as well.

“We deliver ourselves to you, Galina Kukla,” they said.

Galina winced. Apparently this was not a nickname she would be escaping. She supposed it was marginally better than the name of a beast.

“Together we shall not only free Izmoroz of its current difficulties,” she told them, “but usher in a bright new future so that our glorious land will never need to fear foreign aggression again.”