Total pages in book: 158
Estimated words: 145341 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 727(@200wpm)___ 581(@250wpm)___ 484(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 145341 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 727(@200wpm)___ 581(@250wpm)___ 484(@300wpm)
Garald moved his body subtly so that when his nod came it seemed natural, as if he were merely changing his position slightly.
Vasilisa hovered over the woman again, this time assessing her injuries. She had been tortured. There was no doubt about it. What was the purpose? Just so Garald would come to her rescue? Just to get him to cooperate with them? Taisiya had something clutched in her fist. Vasilisa could see she was trying to open her fingers to release the object but couldn’t get them to open. Each time she made the attempt, a fresh flood of silent tears would roll down her face, but she persisted. Along with those tears, drops of blood ran down her clenched palm to her wrist and forearm to drip into the snow.
Frowning, Vasilisa floated closer until she was nearly lying on top of Taisiya. That close, she could see the needle and syringe in her fist and fingers sewn to them. Taisiya was desperate enough to use one finger to try to pull at the stitches and pop them loose one by one. It was clear she was doing her best to hide what she was doing, not from the demons towering over her, but she kept looking at trees in the forest. Vasilisa followed her gaze.
Afanasiv. I think I see the demon controlling the others. Taisiya keeps looking fearfully toward one tree in particular. There appears to be a blight growing on it. There wasn’t one before. I know every tree in the forest. That large outgrowth wasn’t there before.
Do not engage, she instantly commanded her brother without thinking. Then, in a softer tone, she told him the reason. She is doing her best to warn you of something. We must have time to figure this out.
He took a step forward and then forced himself to stop when Taisiya shook her head and waved him off with her hand. It was more of a fist wave, but he caught that slight movement. They were trained to catch the slightest nuance of an enemy, so he would no doubt see the tiny hand shaking to warn him off.
Garald’s body shook with the effort to keep from hurling himself at his enemies. He did his best to look indifferent, shaking his head and looking at the woman with disdain. “I have never seen this wretched creature before, or if I have, it was brief, and I do not remember. Why would you bother me when you can see I have business to attend to this night?”
The demon threw back his head and laughed. As he did, so did all the demons with him. He took a step closer to Garald, and again as he moved, so did the other demons, the circle narrowing around Vasilisa’s brother.
The miserable bundle that was Taisiya was nearly within reach of Garald. Vasilisa could see her clearly. She became frantic, ripping desperately at the stitches holding the needle and syringe in place, moaning and crying out occasionally and then muffling the sound in order to keep Garald or the demons from looking at her. More blood ran onto the snow in bigger droplets. The red clashed with the white of the snow, making it impossible not to see, and yet the demons’ focus wasn’t on her. It remained on Garald and his every movement.
Vasilisa didn’t like the eagerness on the demons’ faces, the way their mouths gaped open to show their serrated teeth as if they might leap upon Garald and tear him to shreds. Their eyes had gone bright and shiny, glowing red in the night. Garald was surrounded by them. He had to feel their anticipation, the rising excitement in them, and yet he didn’t break a sweat. He appeared relaxed, his sword loose and even nonthreatening. He looked bored and unafraid, as if the demons were beneath his notice.
“Do you not wish to save this woman? We could kill her for you,” the head demon offered.
Garald’s answering laugh was harsh. “And then I would owe you a favor. I am not a young lad to be tricked by such foolishness. What is it you want from me? Tell me or be gone.”
The demon closest to Taisiya drove his foot with those terrible toenails into her side. At the same time, the demons all chanted three words over and over. Voz’mi yego krov’. They repeated the chant incessantly, swelling in volume. Taisiya screamed, writhing as if she were having a seizure.
“Run, Garald.” She managed to get the warning out before her throat closed and she went into a fit of coughing as she lunged toward him, stabbing with the needle.
Automatically making herself into a thin, pancake-like figure, Vasilisa inserted her body between her brother and the young girl who fought so hard to save him. The needle appeared to lodge in Vasilisa’s artery under her arm and instantly drew blood into the cleverly concealed tube in the girl’s fist. Taisiya’s fist dropped away, and she was rolled toward the demon, who ripped the syringe and tube of blood from her.