Chapter 29
The Confession
I climbed the steps, crossed the landing, and stood in front of the door to the blue room, where I’d left Lisa the night prior.
It was as if years had passed since I last saw her. Vasilisa. My beautiful princess. She’s probably sleeping fitfully. I didn’t want to wake Lisa up, but it was time for breakfast.
I was about to knock, but I heard rustling behind the door. Only then did I remember the key to Lisa’s room was in my pocket, and I slid it back into the keyhole.
“Who is it?” Lisa’s voice sounded weak, and I assumed it was because a door separated us.
“It’s me, Vanya,” I said. Using my nickname felt right at that moment.
Immediately, Lisa opened the door. She was wearing her yoga outfit: tight black pants and a top that revealed her shoulders and arms. She looked wide-awake, but there were dark circles under her eyes.
“Come in,” her voice cracked.
“Lisa, you’re up,” I said unnecessarily.
“I couldn’t sleep,” Lisa said as I walked into the room.
She peeked onto the landing and then closed the door firmly behind me.
“I tossed and turned all night, and then I just gave up in the morning and did yoga. It actually helped. I did a full vinyasa flow, the extended one.” Lisa spoke fast, rushing to get the words out.
“But I heard noises all night long. It was awful and so scary. I was afraid to leave my room.”
“You really are Vasilisa the Wise. You were right about last night,” I said, reaching to embrace her.
“What do you mean? Did something happen?”
I hesitated.
I didn’t want to tell Lisa about Martha’s trickery and how I’d almost stolen the spinel, but there was no way around it.
Lisa needed to know everything. Including the deal I’d made with Martha.
I couldn’t conceal this from Lisa, not after what had happened the night prior.
And certainly not after the conversation I’d just had with the Mistress in the kitchen.
I thought of the twenty-six men before me that she’d punished by killing their will to live and realized how close I’d been to losing it all.
Lisa was the most important thing in my life, my one and only love, and if I couldn’t tell her the truth, what was the point of anything?
“Please tell me.” Lisa looked at me, and I saw her eyes fill with tears. “What’s going on, Vanya? Is your life in danger?”
“No, it’s not that.” I shook my head.
I led Lisa to the bed and took her hands in mine. And then I told her everything that had happened with the Mistress, from the moment Martha had asked me what I wanted more than anything in the world. Lisa listened silently, her eyes fixed on my face. She didn’t interrupt me once.
“Is that the whole story?” she asked softly once I stopped speaking. I nodded. “Oh, Vanya. You mean to tell me you got into this whole thing just so you could win me over? Just so we could be together?”
“Yes.”
I expected Lisa to be angry. I’d engaged in trickery, had betrayed her trust. And now that she knew the truth, I was certain she’d be upset with me. Things were probably over between us, but it was better to know now than to keep lying. I was prepared to pay the price.
But what happened next was a thousand times worse. She collapsed on the bed, burying her face in her hands. Her body shook with quiet sobs. Her reaction paralyzed me, and I couldn’t think of how to respond. But then she whimpered, and I spoke, hesitantly at first.
“Lisa. Please forgive me.”
“Vanya.” She looked up at me. Her tear-streaked face was beautiful.
“I’m sorry, Lisa. I know you probably don’t want anything to do with me, but please don’t cry. I’m not worth your tears.”
“I’m crying because of how amazing you are. It’s the sweetest thing to ever happen to me.”
“It is?” I gaped at Lisa in confusion.
“Yes. You told me that being with me is the one thing you wanted most in the whole, wide world. And it’s so touching and wonderful. I’m just overwhelmed.”
“Is that why you’re crying? You mean you still want to be with me after all of this?”
“Yes,” she said, her voice gentle. “Of course I do. It’s just that I’ve never been with anyone so pure and so good to me.”
“Lisa, you make me the happiest man in the world.”
“I do?” Lisa looked at me in surprise.
“Yes.”
“Even when I’m crying?” She wiped a tear that rolled down her cheek.
“Yes.” I kissed her tear-streaked face. I felt hopeful, as if a huge weight had just fallen off my shoulders.
“Promise me that you won’t do that again,” Lisa said, looking me straight in the eye. “Please don’t hide things from me. I don’t think I could handle it.”
“I won’t,” I said with conviction. “I love you, Lisa.”
“Quinn lied all the time. About everything. So trust is a big thing for me. It takes a lot for me to trust someone, and just one little thing can destroy it. And I trust you, Vanya. I wouldn’t want things to turn sour.”
“I understand. But, Lisa, I have a question.” I bit my lip. “Do you think you would still love me if I hadn’t made a deal with Martha?”
“Are you saying I’m only in love with you because of her?” Lisa pulled back, her voice full of indignation.
“No, not like that. But before, you weren’t sure. And now you are. And I’m just worried it’s because of Martha.”
“I don’t think it’s because of Martha.” Lisa bit her lip.
“But I understand what you mean. If Martha put a spell on me, maybe you and I are just doing what she wants us to do. I definitely had feelings for you from the very start—” She paused.
“But spells are tricky, and I’d rather make sure everything is perfect. ”
“Me, too,” I said, my heart sinking. Had I ruined my one chance at a relationship with Lisa by telling her the truth about what happened with Martha?
But telling the truth was the right thing to do.
And what if Lisa found out later that I’d hidden information from her?
What then? As if reading my mind, Lisa said, “I’m really glad you told me when you did, Vanya.
Truth will out, as they say.” She gave me a sad smile.
“You know what?” I sat up. “I have an idea. How about we ask Martha?”
“You mean, ask her about the spell?” Lisa furrowed her brow. “Just like that?”
“Yes, exactly. I mean, she’s right there, and she said she’d help with the Firebird. So she’s already involved in something we’re doing together. So let’s just ask her.”
I fidgeted in my seat, ready to spring into action. But Lisa wasn’t so quick. For a few moments, she said nothing but stared at a spot in front of her, unblinking, in contemplation. Then, she let out a deep breath.
“I think we can trust her. Let’s do it. I don’t see how it could make things worse, and it might actually help. I don’t appreciate that Martha did something against my will, but it’s better to confront her about it. At least I can now understand what’s going on a little better.”
“So, you agree? Let’s do it? Now?”
“Yes, why wait?” Lisa rose from the bed and was about to leave the room, but I stopped her.
“Just one kiss before we go.”
We embraced. She leaned into me, and we stood with our arms around each other, saying nothing. Lisa laid her head on my shoulder. The comfort of simply being together was more than words. Nothing needed to be said. Just our two beings intertwined.
* * *
Lisa and I walked into the kitchen holding hands.
We found Martha alone, sitting at the counter, a steaming mug of coffee in front of her.
Her thick braid was flipped over her right shoulder.
I was starting to wonder whether the position of the braid meant something, and if the right shoulder was a good sign.
“Good morning.” Lisa pulled a stool out and sat down across from Martha, right where I’d sat that morning. I stood behind Lisa, as if I were her bodyguard.
“Hello there. How was your night, Lisa?” Martha took a long sip from her cup, unfazed.
“Not bad, but I kept hearing strange noises.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. Normally it’s pretty peaceful here.”
“Well, I guess last night wasn’t normal, then.”
“Ivan already told you?” Martha raised one eyebrow.
“Yes. And I thought we could just ask you about the spell you’d put on me. Whether my feelings for Ivan were real. Because they feel real, but I’m worried and now I don’t know if I can trust them.” Lisa drummed her fingers on the table.
If Lisa’s question surprised her, Martha managed to act completely unperturbed, almost as if she expected the conversation to happen.
“As far as whether you can trust your feelings, Lisa, I think you know the answer.”
“I do?”
“Yes, you do. There is no spell. The only thing preventing you from trusting them earlier was your fear. All I did was remove that fear. That is all.”
“Really?” Lisa blinked fast.
“Yes.”
“But that sounds so easy.”
“That’s the beauty of true love. It makes everything easy. Doesn’t it?” the Mistress said. Lisa and I exchanged glances.
True love.
“It does.” Lisa nodded. I didn’t answer. I was captivated by Vasilisa, how pretty she looked in the morning light.
“Very well, then. You must be hungry.” Martha pushed her chair back. “Ivan made some eggs and there’s freshly baked bread. So let’s eat.”
“Should we get Grayson? And how about Harry?” Lisa asked.
“They went for a stroll. It’s their second one this morning,” Martha responded, walking over to the stove to bring the eggs I’d prepared earlier.
“Together?”
“Oh, yes, they’ve gotten to be good friends.” Martha placed the skillet on a trivet in the middle of the table.
“Really?” Lisa opened her eyes wide.
“Oh, yes. And it’s probably for the best, since the five of us have to work together to get Ivan that Firebird,” the Mistress said, and I nearly dropped the plates I was carrying over to the table.
“I can’t stand thinking about separating from Ivan,” Lisa said curtly as I took a seat next to her.
“Me neither. I don’t really want to leave,” I echoed.
“Staying in Virginia isn’t an option. But I think all of us want Ivan to come back as soon as he’s delivered the Firebird to Baba Yaga. Right?” Martha produced a large wooden board with the bread and set it next to the skillet. “Though, of course, for different reasons.”
“Correct.” Lisa nodded as she squeezed my hand. I squeezed it back gently.
“So then, we’ll make it work, and I’ll do everything in my power to help,” Martha announced. Her green eyes sparkling, she picked up a knife and sliced the bread in one swift motion.
It was better to have this witch on my side, that much was for sure.