its end and took a contemplative drag. The moon cut a sliver in the star-prick

his reflection in the moonlight and cast his cigarette into the water. His image rippled:

ut this was a bit too degrading. What in thrice nine kingdoms was he doing babysitting? Morozko looked into the water, with half a mind to drop Anya in. Giving h

d below. Morozko walked away, banishing all thoughts

rusalka's flesh shone fish-silver in the darknes

g fowl over a fire. She had never so much as drowned a single peasant or taken a vodyanoi merman to bed, though there were many rowdy vodyanoi that fancied the airheaded rusalka. In fact, she had probably been dented on t

ike I am a ghost. What are you

. He tripped on a root and fell to the gr

oke, cr

"Rusalka are barren. But now I can finally have a daughter.

is Baba Yaga's brat. Why

er eyes. "Why did n

o turned to Elizaveta. "The hag has gone demented, that is why. She wants us t

wirled. "Anya, eh

ountry babushka does not raid children from. From what I can tell, Baba Yaga thinks

how. Leshys have such a strange magic. Oh, mooncalf, you p

n your fishy head! Mooncalf isn't her name. She is Anya, and she is mine. She will make a ni

wanted to

nged m

just h

ko re

t child," Elizaveta crooned. "Little Annushka. You are sweet as a fish's tail, m

rolled h

's cheek, but paused

eta glared at Morozko. "What the hell did you do

at a tree. He

ol

r witch's brew.

! How could you hurt such an inn

ys. Witch's brew will strengthen her. It is a harsh world that Anya will live in. Better to

heir own, just as lovers on Ivan Kupalo mark their union by mixing fern flower nectar. She is bo

The hag cannot have her all to herself. An

silenced them. They

it, it is Dima," he said.

ragtag forces. Their icy arrows and frosty spears and icicle swords brought the fury of nature down upon Buyan. Morozko tucked Anya into his coat and let steam pour from his skin, ridding her of the c

rry of animals - foxes, caribou, bears - spiraled out from the birch. In the distance a great figure, tall as the

h frost. The leaves in his green-gold hair formed a halo in the buffeting wind. Birds nested in his

on Morozko. The wolves that thronged rou

ng marrow. The last thing he want

r head out of the clouds and come home with us. There is fresh

he was the size of a burly man. Dmitri buried his hand in the mane of a white wolf. He spread his other arm wide in welcome. "Kolya

ozko. "Help. This is y

of lightning he was at Morozko's side. "I smell a child on you, son." The

or humans - that banniks delight in trespassing souls - but this is inexcusable. I pardon your unappetizing habits on Earth, but this is the realm of nechi

pped her into my arms like a demented stork. She is meant as a present t

Dmitri b

" Morozko muttered. "She would