Chapter 17
The Dream
Lisa was right: I was exhausted.
“I’ll just walk Harry back to the stables,” I said. I would have gladly let Harry walk back on his own, but I wanted to speak to the horse alone, hoping he had some insights as to why Lisa was acting so strangely all of a sudden.
I felt as if my eyelids were about to close of their own accord. Fighting the urge to collapse, I approached Harry, who was standing in silence, shuffling his hooves.
“Let’s go, Harry,” I said, and the pony followed me out of Lisa’s apartment.
“You’re making a big mistake,” Harry said as soon as we stepped out of hearing range.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, I don’t think you should go back to Zorya.”
I’d almost lost my composure hearing those words.
“But why?”
“It’s dangerous, and you’ve got a good thing going here.”
“I do?”
“Yes, you absolutely do.” Harry stopped and stared at me, and I shivered under his gaze.
“But I’ve made a promise to Baba Yaga. I can’t exactly disobey her orders.”
“What makes you think you have to go back? This whole thing with the Firebird, have you thought this through? Did you even pay attention to what Lisa was saying back there?”
“Didn’t you warn me not to trust her earlier?” I raised my voice and immediately stopped myself, catching a side-eye from one of the resort residents.
“I just thought maybe she was after something and would trick you. But now I understand Lisa quite well. And there’s something else. It seems like you’re denying our magic.”
“What magic?”
“Have you met a flying horse before?”
“Oh, that,” I mumbled, scratching my head. “I guess it is pretty awesome.”
“It sure is,” Harry said. We’d just reached the entrance to the stables.
“So, I don’t get it. Since I can’t stay here, would you want to come with me to Zorya?”
“No, of course not. You have wolves there. I can’t live in a dangerous place like that.”
“So, you see, Harry? I’m not the one denying anything. We’re just different, that’s all. And we come from two different places.”
“Have you considered that maybe you and Lisa—” Harry started to say and then stopped himself. “Never mind.”
“What are you saying?” I pricked up my ears.
“Go get some rest. We’ll talk in the morning.”
There was no sense arguing with Harry, and I was too exhausted to push any further. So, I returned to Lisa’s quarters dumbfounded, feeling disconcerted at Lisa and Harry both trying to convince me not to return to my homeland.
* * *
I woke up to the sound of Lisa and Harry arguing in loud whispers.
“Good morning,” I said, sitting up.
“Ivan! You’re all right.” Lisa ran up to me, her expression focused as she examined my face. Harry also fixed his eyes on me. His ears moved back and forth as they did when he was preparing for a confrontation.
“Of course I’m all right.” I took a look around the room, noticing the curtains had been drawn. “What time is it?”
“It’s nighttime.”
“So how long had I been asleep?”
“For over a day,” Lisa exclaimed.
“That long?”
“Yes, for thirty-three hours, to be exact.” Lisa swallowed hard. “We didn’t know what to do.”
“Lisa, Harry,” I started to say, but my stomach rumbled. Strong hunger overpowered me, twisting my insides. “I have to eat,” I mumbled, doubling over.
“Yes, Ivan, yes.” Lisa walked up to me and handed me a glass. “This is mango juice. It’s very sweet and is so good for you.”
“Thank you.” I took a sip, then another and emptied the cup within seconds. My relief was immediate, and I looked at Lisa gratefully.
“Would you like some more?” she asked.
“Of course he’d like some more. Can’t you see he needs to eat?” Harry urged. I noticed that their relationship, though it hadn’t been entirely fixed, at least had moved on from icy mistrust to open confrontation, which was an improvement.
“Sure, Harry. I know he needs to eat, but I’m not sure what I should give Ivan now.” Lisa put her hands on her hips.
I rose from the couch and walked over to the bathroom just so I could avoid listening to their argument.
I could see that the two of them cared for me, and for that, I was grateful.
But I also didn’t want to get involved. After washing my face, I came out of the bathroom to find a steaming bowl of soup on the table.
Harry stood silently, the corners of his mouth drooping, and Lisa sat at the table, waiting for me. Both were quiet.
“What’s wrong, Harry?” I asked.
“While you were sleeping, Lisa and I figured out exactly how to get the Firebird. Lisa read me all the Russian fairy tales, and now we know what to do,” the pony said, his tone somber.
“Really? You guys did all that?”
“Yes. Because we care about you. But we also agreed on one thing.” Harry blinked fast.
“What is it?”
“You shouldn’t go back to Zorya,” Lisa interjected.
I frowned. “But, Baba Yaga’s orders.”
Lisa shook her head in frustration. I hadn’t seen her so flustered, not since the episode with Kelly.
“Harry, tell him what he needs to do to get the Firebird.”
“You still have the feather, right?” Harry turned to face me.
“Yes, of course.” I nodded and immediately reached into my pocket, producing the glowing feather. It was just as bright and warm to the touch. I ran my finger along its sides, admiring it, forgetting for a moment where I was. It had that effect on me, pulling me away from reality.
“Well, the feather is a good start. But it’s not enough—there are some other instructions.
” Lisa opened her eyes wide. “You need to wait until the full moon, then you place the feather in the middle of a garden and draw a circle around it with pomegranate seeds. And the Firebird is supposed to come exactly at midnight. It always comes back for its feather, just like you said.”
“But that doesn’t sound too bad.”
“Once it lands and starts eating the pomegranate seeds, you have to catch it and stuff it into a cage and you’re done.” As she said this, Lisa’s eyes were glistening the same way they had the day prior. I couldn’t stand seeing her so out of sorts.
“Lisa, are you upset?” I asked.
“Are you blind or something?” Harry stomped his hoof indignantly. “Of course she’s upset. I’m also upset.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re about to leave us,” Lisa responded, her voice a near whisper. She sniffled and looked away from me.
“But I don’t have a choice.” I took a step back, crossing my arms. I couldn’t believe my eyes: The two of them were ganging up on me. I had misjudged the situation, and now Lisa and Harry had united against me, trying to convince me to disobey the scariest witch in Zorya.
“Ivan, listen,” Lisa said, her voice cracking, “How about we all go and check out the Seven Birches resort? I was thinking it might be a nice trip for the three of us, you, me, and Harry.”
Hearing Lisa’s proposal, something sank inside me.
“But I thought we agreed that as soon as I brought you back the egg, we’d get the Firebird.
” I turned to Harry for moral support, hoping that the pony hadn’t fully taken Lisa’s side.
Harry had warned me against this very thing, that Lisa would trick me.
That she wouldn’t honor her word to help me capture the Firebird.
And now the very scenario was unfolding.
To my utter shock, Harry neighed eagerly. “Lisa has been telling me about the resort, and it sounds like a very nice place. I think going there is a great idea.”
“It is, it really is. It’s downright magical, Ivan.” Lisa clapped. “How about it? It’ll be a nice little adventure for the three of us.”
I shook my head.
“There’s no way, Lisa. What about the Firebird and my promise to Baba Yaga? She’s a dangerous witch and I can’t cross her.”
“We’ll come back in a day. It’ll be a quick trip. I’m off tomorrow, and then we can just fly there together with Harry.”
“Yep, sounds like a great plan, Lisa,” the treacherous horse declared.
“Wait a second, Harry. You mean you are going to take both of us there? Me and Lisa?”
“Yes,” Harry said. “I think it’s a good idea.”
“But guys, we had a deal,” I pleaded, throwing my hands up in the air.
“I’m just going to tell him.” Lisa darted her eyes at Harry, then, turning to me, said, her voice grave, “Ivan, look, this is an intervention. While you were sleeping, Harry and I read all the fairy tales, and in all of them, bad things happen to you in Zorya. So we decided it’s best for you to stay here.
It’s safer. If you go back, you’re risking death.
Not to mention, the actual Firebird is a treacherous thing.
Nothing good happens to the person who actually possesses that creature. ”
“But we had a deal. I helped you with the deed, and now you have to help me get the Firebird,” I insisted. “I need your help to get the Firebird. I can’t do it without you, Lisa.”
“Um, I also helped to get the deed,” Harry interjected, but Lisa and I ignored the pony.
“I know, I know. But if you stay here, you don’t have to face Baba Yaga at all.
Because in the fairy tales, even if you make it out of her hut alive, you’re going to be confronted by your two brothers.
And those two don’t like you, Ivan. Harry and I read several versions of the story, and your brothers will try to kill you. ”
“Kill me? But that’s ridiculous. I’m going to be totally fine. My brothers love me.”
I pictured the faces of Peter and Ilya contorted in anger, their kicks, their taunts, how they’d treated me when I was younger.
Was Lisa right? But then I pushed this preposterous idea out of my mind.
That had been the case when I was small and helpless, but now I was their size and the two of them were no match for me.
Sure, they still teased me and called me names, but they loved me nonetheless.
And even if they wanted to hurt me, I would come equipped with the magical feather, just like Baba Yaga had promised, so my brothers would be happy and supportive.
“Oh, Ivan, you’re so naive,” Lisa said, shaking her head.
“He’s a true dimwit!” Harry neighed. “Come on, Lisa, just let him do what he wants to do.”
“Guys, please just listen, I think you’re making a mistake. I’m not really a fairy-tale Ivan. I’m just a regular guy, and I only happen to fit the description of that character. It’s not going to be like that,” I said, deciding to appeal to reason.
“But I’m still Vasilisa,” Lisa said. “Remember? None of this is a coincidence. Harry and I discussed that, too. The humpbacked horse appears in several fairy tales and helps Ivan. Everything fits. The story checks out. Don’t you get it?
This is exactly where you’re meant to be, Ivan. Where we are. Your true friends.”
She stared right at me, and it was as if her gaze was burning through my very core.
I looked away. And then, a brilliant idea struck me.
“You know what? How about this: We’ll go and capture the Firebird, and that way we can test our magical powers. And then, after I return the Firebird to Baba Yaga, I’ll come right back? Deal?”
Lisa and Harry exchanged glances. Lisa shrugged. Harry shook his head.
“We’re doing this. Harry, come on. Let’s get everything ready.”
“I told you it wasn’t going to work,” Harry mumbled.
“It was worth a try, wasn’t it?” Lisa said and petted Harry between the ears.
Neither one looked me in the eye.