At least she would go down fighting. Filled with a sort of desperate courage, Maria lowered the caftan into the water.
Lost in a fathomless sea of sleep, Finist stirred restlessly. Someone was touching him, touching his heart…
Deep within the forest, small green-eyed beings nudged each other and giggled softly, and the leshy stood staring at the scene his magic showed him, and began to laugh…
Maria froze, staring in disbelief at the caftan. She had only touched it to the water, and the dried bloodstains had simply melted away, leaving the silk shining and un- harmed.
Dazed, terrified and joyful in one, Maria turned to Ljuba. The sorceress was stunned, face blank with shock.
It lasted only a moment. Then the beautiful eyes went cold and flat as blue marble. «Why, well done, girl.» It was an urbane croon. «You shall be truly rewarded.»
Maria's heart gave a frightened leap. Rewarded—by death? Everyone in the realm knew the terms of Finist's spelclass="underline" Only the woman who washed the caftan clean with her own hands would be able to wed him.
Only she and Ljuba knew the truth about what had just happened. If the sorceress let her live, no matter how far away she sent her, Ljuba would never be free of the fear of blackmail. And, as far as the sorceress was concerned, Maria was a nobody, a nameless peasant, quite expendable…
She doesn't dare let me live, Maria realized in horror. All she has to do is get rid of me, tell everyone she cleaned the caftan, and she can wed Finist and live happily ever after!
Ljuba raised an elegant brow. «I promised you a reward for cleaning the caftan. Come, name your price!»
Maria shivered, only too well aware of how easy it would be for Ljuba to see that she disappeared: an accidental fall down a palace stairway, a stumble off the edge of a parapet… Who'd notice the death of a peasant? Ljuba wouldn't even need to risk using magic.
«Come, girl, speak!» There was the faintest edge of menace to Ljuba's voice. «Name your reward!»
Akh, she couldn't seem to think straight. The only thing that came to mind was a thought of Finist—that if she could just reach Finist's side, all would be well—
«I only want this," said Maria boldly. «I've heard so much about our magical prince, how kind he is, how much he's done for everybody—well, now that he's sick, I want to do something for him. I want to spend the night at his bedside, try to heal him.» Seeing Ljuba's disbelieving gaze, she hurried on, «I've got some simple songs we use to soothe the sick children back home. Who knows? They might soothe him, too.»
Ljuba gave a short, contemptuous little laugh. «Is that really all you want? Are you sure you don't want to try to help yourself to some royal jewels as well?»
«Oh, no, lady!» Maria's indignation was genuine. «I said I wanted only to help the prince, and I meant it — "
She broke off abruptly, staring at Ljuba, who had become as alert and fierce as some deadly hunting cat. Now what—? Maria glanced down at her hands, and gasped. Those broad, coarse, convincingly peasant fingers were blurring, becoming more refined, returning to their true shape. Terrified, she remembered Vasili's warnings about the fragility of the disguise spell. Dear Lord! When the magic binding the caftan had unravelled at her touch, the disguise spell had begun to unravel as well! Maria stood, stunned, as the last of it dissolved, leaving her defenseless.
Ljuba's glance sharpened in recognition.
«You!» It was almost a scream of rage. «You didn't die in the forest!»
«Ah, no, I — "
«Don't try to talk your way out of this one, fool! Not now!»
Ljuba's eyes blazed with blue fire. «You've been the thorn in my side all along, but that's over. Now there aren't any forest demons to protect you. Now, Maria, you will die!»
Chapter XLVlll
The Lisunka's Egg
It was so soothing here in darkness, no fever-fire scorching mind and body. Here one could float in peace-fill, mindless sleep…
But something was wrong. Finist heard the faintest echo of sound, felt it stirring and prickling at his psychic senses… Someone was in peril, someone he loved… Maria!
Finist fought a battle that was no less fierce for being of the mind alone, fought to master his will, fought to wake— But the iron bound him, cruel as any chains. Despairing, he felt himself sliding, bit by bit, over the edge of consciousness once more… felt himself drowning in the sea of sleep, the endless, peaceful, mindless sea of sleep…
Maria could feel the Power gathering about Ljuba, the death‑magic that was going to strike her down, and there wasn't anything she could do about it. Ljuba had her in a corner of the room, there was nowhere to run, to hide, to even try to dodge! Frantic, Maria thrust her hand into her pouch, trying to find something, anything, that could be used as a weapon. And she came up with—
The little wooden egg the lisunka had given her.
What good could such a toy be against sorcery? But Maria refused to doubt forest‑magic, especially now, and fiercely held the little thing up.
Ljuba froze, staring, as the wooden egg cracked open on the girl's outstretched palm.
No, she cried in silent terror, it can't be!
For the forest was flowing out of that little egg, the forest was all about her—the terrible darkness, the Power that was so much greater than anything she could hope to wield! The forest was crushing her—the demons were mocking her, reaching for her to tear away her soul and leave her trapped in avian form, forever a mindless crow-
Bewildered, Maria stood watching as Ljuba, her eyes wild, turned and ran, screaming.
What could she have seen? Maria didn't see anything at all. It must have been illusion—and it must have been a masterpiece!
But Ljuba's panic wouldn't last forever, and as soon as she regained composure, she would return twice as deadly.
Maria hurried anxiously through the maze of rooms that was the princely suite, expecting at every moment to be stopped by palace guards. But there didn't seem to be any guards. Ljuba must be very confident in her ability to guard Finist.
Finist, Finist, where are you? Maria worried. Desperate, she flung open a door, and found herself at last in the royal bed‑chamber. There lay her love in the great canopied bed. At his side sat a plainly clad young woman, who turned at Maria's entrance to stare at her with dull, bovine eyes.
«Come here!» Maria ordered. «Hurry!»
«You—you aren't the mistress. How did you — "
«Of course I'm not! She sent me to get you!»
«Where is she?»
«Come here and I'll show you! She's waiting for you, right through this door!»
«I dunno. I'm not supposed to leave my post.»
Maria bit back a scream of impatience. «Do you want the mistress angry at you? Well?»
That did it! With a fearful look around, the servant got to her feet and hurried forward. A little closer, thought Maria, come just a little closer to me… Yes!
«I don't see — " began the servant, peeking warily around the half-opened door.
But she got no further. With a mighty shove, Maria pushed her out of the bed‑chamber and bolted the door.
She was bound to yell for help, but at least Maria had bought a few moments alone with Finist.
But for all the need for haste, Maria could only stand by the bedside, looking at the sleeping Finist, quite overwhelmed by the force of her love, and her shock, too. Even knowing how desperately ill he'd been, she hadn't really been prepared for this:
Oh, my dear, my poor dear! So wan, so painfully thin!
But all would be well now. As soon as he woke, and saw her, all would be well. She didn't dare let herself think otherwise.