Chapter 10 #2
“It’s a type of school, but you go there after finishing high school.
” Lisa pulled away and picked up the metal bowl, placing the wooden stick into it, then stashed both items on a shelf in the corner of the room.
I noticed a small red notebook on the shelf next to them.
Following my gaze, Lisa explained, “This is where I write down the sequence for each class. By the way, Ivan, how old are you?” Lisa stopped moving and stared at me.
“I don’t really know. Why do you ask?”
“Oh, it’s just, Kelly, you know. She was wondering.” Lisa touched her chin. “So you don’t know at all?”
“I’m probably around twenty-seven years old, just about. No one really keeps track of my birthday. My two older brothers have to get married first, you see. So I know how old they are: Ilya is thirty and Peter is thirty-one. And I just help around the house and tend to the horses.”
“Of course, of course. I was thinking, how about we get you some new clothes?”
“But what about these?” I ran my hands over the caftan, adjusting the sash.
“I think it’s best to wear something else. So you fit in. No one really dresses this way around here. And you probably need new shoes as well.” Lisa glanced at my lapti, bast-made shoes.
“These are perfectly fine,” I said, shuffling my feet. “No need for anything else.”
“I’d like to show you the kinds of shoes we’ve got here.”
“Are they invisible?” I asked, glancing at Lisa’s feet.
“Oh, Ivan, this is too much.” She let out a low, guttural laugh.
“I just teach yoga barefoot, but we have great shoes these days. And you really don’t want to walk around in bast shoes.
People will think you ran away from a reenactment or something.
I actually had to tell Kelly you were part of the Renaissance festival.
” Lisa walked over to the closet and got out a broom.
It was smooth, with the bristles neatly fitted together.
“I’ll do it,” I offered. Hesitantly, Lisa handed me the broom. “This is great, so much better than any broom I’d ever seen before,” I noted as I swept.
“Thank you, you’re so sweet. And I’m sure you don’t know what a Renaissance festival is, do you?”
“Not really.” I looked up at her.
I’d just collected the trash into a dustpan and moved to empty it into a bin I saw by the door. Now, I stood surveying the clean floor. This was easy and familiar, and I finally felt like I didn’t need to ask for instructions or explanations. I felt good.
“What have I gotten myself into?” Lisa sighed, observing my actions. “Come on, let’s go see Harry and figure out how we’ll do this thing.”
She pulled the curtains back, and we walked down the hallway to her apartment.
Lisa and I found the horse shifting nervously on his hooves in the corner of the room. He gave me an expectant look. By then, I’d quite nearly forgotten that Harry and I had agreed to back out of the plan.
“There you are.” Lisa rushed to the pony and patted his muzzle. “You’re looking so sweet. Are you hungry, Harry? Let’s just quickly go over the plan and then we’ll go find you some fresh hay. How about that?”
“Thanks,” Harry mumbled as he gave me a long, careful stare. “Did you and Ivan speak?” he asked Lisa.
“Of course, and I’m so glad the two of you made up and decided to plan ahead. But I think it’s best if the three of us do this together. Now, let’s make a list of provisions for your trip,” Lisa suggested and immediately opened up her magical device.
“So, this box you have here, does it have a name?” I asked, mustering the courage to question her and ignoring Harry. I would speak to him separately, I decided.
“This is called an iPhone. I can call people and even see their faces, and I can research information. I can also watch lots of videos,” Lisa noted, and immediately moved her fingers over the device.
She flipped the magical box so I could see it better.
An image moved across it. I reached for it, but Lisa pulled the magical box away.
“It’s better that you don’t touch it, Ivan,” she cautioned.
“Anyway, I’ll probably have to teach you how to use it.
I’ve got my old iPhone 11 lying around somewhere. ”
“What is an iPhone 11?”
“That’s an older model. I am now thinking it’s not a bad idea—you should be using an iPhone, and that way you and I can communicate. What do you say?”
“You mean we can talk to each other using this box? My old nurse told me there was a mirror you could use to do that. A magic one.”
“See, so you’ve heard of things like that. It’s like that magic mirror, but anyone can use it. I’ll just have to set it up, but that shouldn’t take too much time.” She bit her lip. “So how about you and Harry leave in a week’s time?”
“I don’t mind,” I said, adjusting my sash.
“Wait, we’re leaving in a week? Already?” Harry neighed. I swear, the pony was no fun at all.
“I think that’ll give us enough time to prepare,” I said, and then nearly jumped. “But what about the moon?”
“The moon?” Lisa gaped at me.
“Yes, what moon phase is it going to be? We need to make sure it’s not the waning crescent.”
“Oh, wow,” Lisa gasped, putting her hand to her mouth. “So, in Zorya, you pay attention to the moon?”
“Of course. I’d like to make sure we don’t leave during an inauspicious time. Before the new moon,” I noted gravely. I was surprised Lisa could forget something as fundamental as the moon phase and wondered if she wasn’t trying to trick me and Harry by sending us off on a fool’s errand.
It would have been fitting, considering my nickname, of course.
Harry’s words had left an impression. Though I resisted believing him, the pony had managed to plant a shadow of doubt in my mind about Lisa and her intentions.
“Let me just check the moon phase.” Lisa opened the box back up. “We definitely aren’t as closely connected to the moon as we should be,” she muttered as she moved her fingers on the box, then announced, looking up at me, “The new moon will be in two weeks.”
“So Harry and I can leave after that.”
“Sounds good to me. That’ll be plenty of time to prepare.” Lisa clapped, and my heart sank.
My unease was mounting.
Was I really equipped to help this beautiful woman and bring her back the Fabergé egg with the deed and the magical ring she so badly wanted? Did the ring even exist? And once that happened, did Lisa have the magical powers to help me get the Firebird?
Whatever doubts I had, it was too late. I’d gotten in way over my head, and the only thing to do was to live up to my promise to this beautiful woman.