Chapter 28 #2
“No!” I screamed and jumped off the bed.
My hands shaking, I put the key back into the keyhole.
It turned golden, and I rotated it counterclockwise until it clicked into place.
The fireplace logs shifted, revealing the secret door.
I yanked it open, bent down, and yelped in pain as I bumped my forehead on the top of the frame.
But I didn’t care. I needed to put the stone back.
I passed the malachite boxes, found the one with the spinels and placed it back into the pile.
As it landed with a satisfying clank, I sighed in relief.
Then I repeated the motions in reverse, closing the door to the treasure room, turning the key and, at last, sliding the screen back into its place.
This time, I didn’t check to make sure it looked the same, but plopped onto the bed and immediately fell asleep.
When I woke up, light was streaming into the room through the curtains.
I rubbed my eyes and checked the clock. It was eight in the morning, and I sat up in bed.
The house was completely quiet, and I decided to go back to sleep, but then I heard a faint noise.
It was the same rustling sound I’d heard the previous night, right before discovering the fireplace.
I got up and saw a small lizard sitting in the middle of the floor.
It was staring right at me, its bright-green eyes unblinking.
They were the exact shade of Martha’s eyes.
Has it been there the whole night, watching me? Does she know what I’d done?
I walked up to the lizard and noticed a tiny crown on its head.
“Are you Martha?” I asked, keeping my voice low. It didn’t move away, observing me. “Martha?” I repeated my question. The lizard didn’t respond, and I moved closer. I tried to pick it up, but the creature slipped away, slithering to the door and disappearing underneath it.
I went after it, following the lizard downstairs.
It turned the corner and I nearly stumbled, losing it from sight.
I straightened up and looked around, then heard a rattling sound coming from the kitchen.
Without thinking twice, I dashed in and stopped cold in my tracks.
Martha was sitting at the kitchen counter, sipping from a mug.
“Good morning, Ivan.” She raised it in greeting. “Did you sleep well?”
I opened my mouth to speak, but no sound came out. She knows. The thought pulsed through my mind.
“Come, have a seat,” Martha said, pointing to a stool opposite where she was sitting. “You did well last night.”
“What?” I mumbled as I sat down.
“You passed a test. Now I know I can count on you to get me that gold mine.”
“A test?” I rubbed my eyes as if Martha were a vision and could disappear.
“As you found out last night, I have many riches. It took me ages to collect them, but there’s one last thing I still need. It’s the mine of the purest gold in the world.”
“Yes,” I squeezed out.
“You aren’t the first person I’ve asked to help me, of course,” she said, curling her lips into a cruel smile.
“No.” I gaped at the Mistress.
“Of course not. But you’re the first to have passed the test.”
“You mean, the key and everything?”
“Yes, the key and the stones. It was a test.”
“So, you knew I would take the spinel?”
There was no sense pretending.
“Of course.” She shrugged. “Well, it’s never the same stone, you see. In your case, it was the spinel, but a few others fell for the rubies. Most men love red. But every single time, they take something.”
“I’m sorry.”
“No need to apologize. You did well.” She took a slow sip from her cup. “You were the first to put the stone back.”
“I was?” I asked. Her statement wasn’t exactly a compliment, and I shivered under her gaze.
“Oh, yes.”
“But how did you know that I would figure it out? I mean, find the fireplace and the rest?”
“Oh, not everyone I tested got to the treasure room. Of course not. But quite a few.”
“So, what happened to them? Did you get the stones back?”
“Of course. You don’t think I would have let them escape with the stones. Grayson helped me collect them, but in some cases, I just summoned the stones, or asked the person point-blank to return what they had taken without permission.”
“I see.” I nodded. “Were there many of them?”
“You are the twenty-seventh. I should have known it would be a lovely number like that, but I didn’t want to believe it would take that many. But then again, I realize just how tempting it is. All that treasure.” Martha’s eyes shone as she was speaking, but I shared none of her excitement.
I wanted to be out of that kitchen, to get as far away from her as possible, to leave the Mistress and her home and to go back to Fernwood. How I missed the days I’d spent there with Lisa and Harry. How sweet and uncomplicated our lives had been.
“I don’t keep track of them now.” Martha waved her hand indefinitely in the air. “But they do have one thing in common.”
“What is it?” I asked as an awful thought had crossed my mind. Were they all dead? My face must have revealed my emotions, for Martha chuckled.
“Please, Ivan, do you take me for a cruel woman? I didn’t kill them. Of course not. I only killed their will to live.”
“Their will to live?” I repeated as the realization of what she had done sank in. I’d never thought of not having the will to live. It was just there. But what if it went away? What would happen to me then?
“You get it, don’t you?” Martha’s lizard-green eyes stayed fixated on my face. “It’s the kind of punishment that still gives you a chance at redemption. Eventually.”
“So, you killed their souls? Is that what you mean?”
“I suppose you could put it that way.” Martha gave me a cold stare. “Rather, I froze them. Put their will to live on hold.”
“But isn’t that worse?”
“You’re a smart one, Ivan. I’m quite impressed.
” She smirked as she placed her mug of coffee to the side and rose.
“It’s time for breakfast. How about, since you’re already awake, you help me make the eggs and set the table?
In case you’re wondering, I only use the magical tablecloth on special occasions. ”
“Yes, of course.” I nearly leaped to my feet, relieved that the uncomfortable conversation had ended. “I’ll be glad to help.”
“Here are the eggs.” Martha opened the refrigerator and produced a carton with a hen drawn on the cover. The bird appeared downright fantastical, almost how I’d imagined the Firebird would look, with bright feathers and a red beak.
“They come from heritage hens—there’s only one farm in Virginia that produces these, and I know the owner well. They deliver every two weeks,” Martha explained. “Take a look, see how they are blue?” She opened the carton of eggs, demonstrating very large, powdery-blue eggs.
“I’ve never seen blue eggs before. Not in Zorya. This must be one of your inventions in Virginia,” I reasoned as Martha handed me a pan. I set it on the stove, lighting it. It took just mere seconds and was so much faster than getting the pechka going back home.
“This farm claims these hens have been around since the founding fathers.”
“Do you know if they got unfrozen?” I asked, reaching for the butter Martha had placed on the counter. I cracked several eggs open, and they landed on the pan with a satisfying sizzle. Grabbing a spatula, I moved the eggs around slightly, leaving the egg yolks untouched.
“Who? The hens?” Martha walked up to the stove, placing her hands on her hips as she observed me. “Oh, you mean those men?”
“Yes, the men. Their souls.”
“Like I said earlier, I don’t keep track.”
I couldn’t stomach any more of the conversation. The eggs were done, and I turned off the stove.
At that very moment, Grayson sauntered in. In his mouth, he was carrying what looked like a bloodied bird. The wolf carefully placed it at Martha’s feet and looked up at the witch with devotion.
“It’s a wild turkey, just like you wanted,” he growled, then nodded at me, acknowledging my presence.
“Thank you, Grayson,” the Mistress said, petting him behind the ears.
“Good morning,” I greeted Grayson, thankful Harry wasn’t there to witness this delivery, which was just another proof of how violent the wolf could be.
It was then that I remembered Harry had spent the night in the kitchen, but the pony wasn’t anywhere in sight.
Had Grayson harmed Harry? The terrible thought pierced my imagination.
“Where’s Harry? Wasn’t he here last night?” I asked, my voice trembling.
“Grayson took him to pasture this morning. They left together at dawn,” Martha responded.
“Grayson and Harry? Together?” I opened my eyes wide.
“Yes, it was a lovely outing.” I heard the familiar whinny, and Harry appeared on the threshold. Though he wrinkled his nose at the turkey, I could tell the pony looked happy. “I’d just found the best field, and all thanks to Grayson.”
“Really?”
“Oh, yes.” Harry nodded eagerly. “It was a bit of a stroll, but once we made it to the top, it was really worth it.”
“See, and you didn’t want to come this morning.” Grayson chuckled good-naturedly, winking at the little horse.
I couldn’t believe my eyes. Overnight, the two had become the best of friends.
The wolf and the humpbacked horse spoke animatedly about their morning adventure, and I decided it was just as good a moment as any to slip away to get Lisa.
“I’m just going to go check on Lisa,” I said. “I’ll be right back.”
“Sure thing,” Martha said. “Please do tell her to come down for breakfast.”