by Max Candee
“She’s just wandering in the woods on her own? Do you have any idea how risky that is? Even when nothing’s going on?” The cop sounded genuinely worried.
“What is going on?” I asked. “I’m happy to help, but…”
The blond cop took a breath. “Okay, Anna Sophia,” he said. “A girl’s gone missing. Olya Sumarokova. We think she’s been kidnapped. So you understand, when the clerk at the reception desk told us about this girl showing up here all on her own, naturally we thought — hoped — you might be her. You’re not, obviously, but we hoped you might have seen something that would help…”
“We’re looking for a man,” said the second cop, the one with the suspicious eyes. “He was seen near where Olya was last, and no one can remember seeing him in this area before. His description matches that of a man seen near several other cases of missing children.”
I felt my mouth go dry.
The third cop spoke. “He’s tall, with long black hair tied in a ponytail and sharp cheekbones. He tends to be dressed entirely in black, and people feel there’s something odd about him, but none of them can explain what it is. Does any of this sound familiar?”
“No,” I managed to say while trying not to choke. “No, I haven’t seen anyone like that anywhere.”
The blond cop looked disappointed but patted me on the shoulder. “Thank you, Anna Sophia,” he said. “That’s helpful. Now look, we’d rather you didn’t go into the woods to find your friend, just in case. We’ll ask our rangers to keep an eye out for her. If she doesn’t join you here just as planned, alert the front desk. But since you’re on your own, we’d like you to be extra careful. There seems to be a kidnapper on the loose, and we don’t want you to be next.”
“Thank you,” I said.
“Don’t leave the hotel,” said the second cop. “Stick around. If you want to take a boat ride, make sure the person you go with is a hotel employee and someone sees you leave together. Okay? It’s for your own safety.”
“Okay,” I said. “And thanks again.”
They insisted on taking Lauraleigh’s description — and got visibly worried when they learned she was a foreigner and unable to speak Russian. Eventually they left, and I could let myself start quivering with rage.
I knew what had happened. I knew what had happened to Olya Sumarokova, and I knew that these policemen would never find her and her parents would never see her again. Because I knew who’d taken her.
The Black Horseman. He had stolen Olya away and taken her to my grandmother. Because she had to stock her larder, and I made her promise to keep Lauraleigh alive.
That was enough. I couldn’t waste another moment, however much I wanted to relax at the hotel some more. It was time to go find Baba Yaga’s heart so I could stop her once and for all.
I looked out the window. There was the island. It would be easy enough to get to. I’d just have to take one of the boats as the cop had said.
I got dressed and was packing up my things when I yawned. That’s not good, I thought; after all, I slept well… But maybe not long enough. My energy level did seem a bit low. Was it safe to go like this?
I’ll have breakfast here. That should help.
Taking my backpack with me, I went down to the lobby and looked for the dining room. As I spotted it, I saw that Natalia was at the desk again. She glanced up and saw me, and her face fell. Clearly, she’d hoped the police would take me away.
The front desk was a bit of a detour on my way to the dining room, but I couldn’t resist. As I walked in front of her, I turned and gave her a dazzling smile. “Still here,” I said as sweetly as I could.
She smiled grimly, but I could feel the rage burning inside her. She really didn’t like me! I managed not to laugh.
Almost involuntarily, I felt myself taking just a little bit of her energy. It would have been hard not to. Her anger was so strong it was like she’d thrown a bucket of water over me; how could a few drops not get into my mouth?
I felt stronger immediately. That was good; I’d need everything I could get. I suppose I should have felt a little sorry, but Natalia didn’t seem to be a very nice person.
The dining room was almost as gorgeous as my suite, with tall ceilings, light wood paneling, and windows overlooking the lake that were so huge there didn’t even seem to be a wall. One of the servers took me to a table, and I was able to look out at the island while I ate. I was hungrier than I thought, even after last night’s meal, but I wasn’t tasting everything I was eating. I kept looking at the island and thinking, I’m coming for you.
I was pretty much done when I noticed that the voices had quieted down and everyone seemed to be glancing at the entrance. I did the same — and gulped. The blond cop had just come in and was heading for a table in the corner, where a couple was sitting. I didn’t have to be told who they were. I knew at once they were Olya Sumarokova’s parents.
Mrs. Sumarokova didn’t look good at all. She looked like she hadn’t slept in days, and her hands kept twisting a napkin as if she were trying to tear it into pieces. Her husband’s face was drawn, and he seemed in shock. He kept glancing at his wife and looking away, completely unsure of what to do.
The blond cop went up to them and whispered a few words. From the way Mrs. Sumarokova’s face crumpled, I guessed he told them that they hadn’t found her daughter here after all. Had they driven all the way to the hotel just in case I’d been Olya?
I felt hatred for my grandmother burning in my stomach like an ulcer. It was all I could do not to scream and jump through the window to get to the island. But that would be stupid. I needed to go carefully and get the heart. Then I needed to get back to Baba Yaga’s hut as quickly as possible, confront her, and force her to touch her own heart. And if that didn’t work, I would need to fight her.
After all, it wasn’t as if I could tell the cops who had taken the children, was it? My insane old grandmother who lives in a hut on chicken legs in the woods? They’d lock me up.
No. I had to do this on my own. I’d always known that, and this just made it clearer.
If I didn’t find Baba Yaga’s heart, there was no way I could take her Koschey’s. I would never let her take over my father’s power. I’d fight her first. She might beat me, but at least she wouldn’t be able to manipulate me into working for her again.
To fight Baba Yaga, though, I’d need a lot more energy than I had.
I guess the birds Vodyanoy had talked about had laid their lucky feathers on me after all. Just as that thought occurred to me, Natalia walked into the dining room.
Sorry, I thought, but this is necessary. I shot a blast of magic at her feet. One of her heels snapped off, and she stumbled right into a server carrying an enormous platter of full coffee cups. The platter went flying, and the coffee spilled all over the nearest table, most of it landing on a big man dressed all in white, who leaped up with an angry roar.
“What did you do that for, you stupid pig?” he yelled.
As I’d expected, Natalia’s temper snapped.
“Who are you calling a pig, you overstuffed, overfed, fat cat?” she yelped. “You think accidents aren’t allowed to happen in your sacred presence, bolvan?”
“Do you know who I am, you little hick?” he bawled at her.
But before he could go on, Natalia was screaming at him again, and he was yelling back. They were calling each other things that I’d never heard Uncle Misha say, things that would have had Sister Constance reaching for a bar of soap. I couldn’t even understand half of what they were saying. The server was trying to get Natalia to calm down, the big man was yelling right back at her, and the people at the table were trying to clean up, some of them shouting as well. It was starting to look like they’d be all be hitting each other soon.
I could feel all their anger, their hatred, everything they were letting loose. They were spinning out of control, even if they didn’t know it, and I could feel myself growing stronger as I let their energy flow into me. There w
ere tingles up and down my arms and legs; this was better by far than the breakfast, the showers, or even the bed.
If I get closer, I thought, I may be able to get more.
Picking up my backpack, I carefully edged toward them, but I didn’t even have to use magic to keep them from noticing me. No one was paying me any attention. Even if they were weakening by what I was draining from them, they hadn’t noticed yet because they were still yelling. The closer I got, the stronger the energy I was able to pull from them. Then I felt something different in the mix and looked. The blond cop was coming in to try to restore order. He was angry, too, but also worried, and there was something else in his emotions: maybe sorrow…
It may be time to go, I thought as I crept around, when suddenly I felt a completely different, overpowering emotion. I started sucking energy from it at once without even thinking. There was more power in it than in all the rest. Where was it coming from?
Suddenly I understood and looked up. For a moment, I hesitated. Mrs. Sumarokova was weeping in her corner, silent tears pouring down her cheeks. It was her grief I was feeling, grief being made worse by the stupid, pointless fight that had just erupted near her.
This didn’t feel quite right. But there was so much power in her energy, and I’d need it — need it to avenge her.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered, “but this is for your own good, I promise. I need it to help you. For Olya.” For a moment, I thought she was looking directly at me, but I closed my eyes and drank as deeply as I could from her.
The yelling seemed to grow fainter in my ears. I could feel so much power coursing through me as if I could feel every drop of my blood going through my veins.
When I stopped and opened my eyes, I found that there was still an argument going on, but the blond cop’s voice seemed to be in control. Mrs. Sumarokova was bent over the table. I couldn’t tell if she’d fainted or was still crying. Neither could her husband. He was leaning over her, shaking her shoulder. I tasted his worry and drew off some of his energy as well. Every little bit helps, as Granny says.
Things were calming down, and the blond cop might notice me at any moment. I’d better leave before anything else happens. I slipped out of the dining room while everyone was still looking at the fighting and made my way to the doors leading to the docks.
As I reached them, I felt a bit sick. Did I really have to do that to Mrs. Sumarokova?
It would help, I reminded myself. It was for everyone’s own good: No other mother would ever have to feel like that again. Moreover, I hoped I had taken the edge off her grief, making it easier for her to endure.
I pushed the doors open and walked out into the sunlight toward the docks, feeling more powerful than I ever had before. I was almost surprised that I wasn’t sparkling, that there weren’t currents of energy visibly flowing up and down my forearms. I was ready for the next step in my quest.
For a minute, I thought about sending Squire to fetch Knight and my mop and bucket, but I decided that would be too risky. If I tried to fly to the island, people might notice. So a boat it would be.
There were a bunch of teenage boys with their shirts off lounging around the boats, a couple of them playing cards, one or two of them cleaning one of the craft or checking its rigging.
“Hello,” I called out.
They looked at me. The card players exchanged a couple of lazy comments and returned to their game.
“Are you who I talk to about boat rides?” I asked.
“Sure are,” one of those cleaning the boats called back. “You one of the guests at the hotel?”
“Of course,” I said. “I wouldn’t ask otherwise.”
“You’d be surprised how many people try to use the hotel’s things when they’re not staying there,” one of the others said. He had dark greasy hair peeking out from under his cap, which he wore backward.
“Well, I am,” I said. “I’d like a ride to the island, please.”
For some reason, they all burst out laughing.
“What?” I said, irritated. “What’s so funny?”
That just made them laugh harder. This wasn’t funny.
“What?” I shouted, holding my magic back with difficulty. After a while, they quieted down although they were still grinning.
“Which island is it you want to get to?” said the kid in the cap.
“That one right there, of course,” I said, pointing. Then I looked closer.
The island wasn’t there.
The look of shock on my face set them off again, while I stood gaping.
“Hey, come on,” said the boat cleaner, getting up and coming toward me. “She’s just a kid.”
I bristled, provoking a fresh burst of laughter.
“Oh, I don’t think she likes being called a kid, Lyoha!” one of the card players called out.
“She’s still too young for you,” said the kid in the cap.
“And even if she weren’t, you know we’re not supposed to mix with the guests!” said a third.
I was moments away from blasting them all into the water when the guy they called Lyoha — which is a nickname for Alexei — spoke up.
“Hey, shut up, you guys!” he said. “Don’t be jerks.” Then he looked at me. He seemed kind enough.
“Look,” he said, “you’ve got to understand, this happens pretty often. We keep expecting people to know, but a lot still don’t, so it’s always funny… I’ve been telling them they should let all the guests know as soon as they arrive, but for some reason they don’t.”
“Know what?”
“Well … the thing is, for centuries, people have said they’ve seen an island there, on and off. But it’s not real. There’s no island there at all. Just a lake that’s hundreds of meters deep.”
“What do you mean?” I asked. “I saw it clearly enough yesterday when I got here, and it was still there when I looked from my balcony. And from the dining room just now!”
“Yeah, I know, that’s the weird thing about it,” Alexei said. “Sometimes people see it from all directions at all times of the day. But it’s only from the water that you realize it’s not there.”
“So why do people see it, then?”
“Well, it’s… Do you know what an optical illusion is?”
He really does think I’m just a kid, doesn’t he? I thought.
“Don’t treat me like I’m stupid,” I said coldly. He might look about three years older than me, but I wasn’t going to let him think he could impress me.
“Sorry, sorry! It’s just … we get all kinds here; you’d be amazed how ignorant some rich people can be. Anyhow, that’s all the island is: a weird optical illusion. It has something to do with the magnetic fields around here that are off because we get many earthquakes. We know because we’ve been sending boats after it for years. Centuries, probably. Every once in a while we try again, just in case, but there’s no island there.”
The boy in the cap spoke. “This one time, a friend of mine went to look from the hotel roof while I took a boat, and we each had our cell phone, right? So he could definitely see the island, and he directed me, but it wasn’t there. He saw me plow right through the island, but from where I was, it was just water. It creeped him out big time.”
I swallowed. Surely this couldn’t be. Had the apple made a mistake?
No, I thought. A disappearing island is exactly the sort of place where Baba Yaga would hide something.
But how could I get to it?
I stared at where I knew the island had been, and I thought.
“Look, I’m sorry,” Alexei said. “We shouldn’t have laughed. But if there’s anything else we can do for you…”
As the boys lost it again, whooping and laughing at him, I closed my eyes and felt around me with my mind. Was there anything unusual here?
Yes — there it was. A disturbance in the air which felt familiar. It was like some sort of wave or a breeze only I could notice. Almost like a hum, actually. And it felt like…
Even with my eyes open, I could still feel it. It wasn’t rigid; it seemed to pulse as I concentrated on it. Pulse like a heart.
Alexei had just turned back to me.
“Okay, Alexei,” I said cheerfully. “Could you just take me out on a boat ride?”
“Call me Alyosha,” he said. “And sure. Where to?”
“Oh, just around,” I said. “I’ll let you know, Alyosha.”
He looked a little confused, but he said, “Right,” and went to pick a boat for us.
I breathed in deeply. This was it. I was sure of it.
Baba Yaga’s heart was nearly mine.
Chapter 23
Dear Diary,
I have to admit Grandmother is clever. Hiding her heart on an island that doesn’t seem to exist is smart. But of course, that wouldn’t be enough for her, would it? No, there had to be extra guards as well.
I’m very glad the apple didn’t let me go on last night. It’s now quite clear that if I’d arrived at night, my heart would have been ripped to shreds.
These may be the last words I write you. I just had to take a moment. As soon as I’m done, I’m going to pick up Grandmother’s heart.
And I’m really not sure what will happen then.
* * *
When I stepped onto the small boat Alyosha had powered up, I felt sure I was on the right track. Being on the water made me feel the island’s magic even stronger. It was like a huge stretched-out banner; all I had to do was get ahold of it and pull, and I’d get to where it sprang from.
