Dark Goddess

Ivan, more desperately this time. “She is a wolf-killer, and the Law demands her life.”

“The Law, YEzzz.” Baba Yaga pointed at Billi. “She IZZ Like yoU, SvetLANA. No Wonder yOU Hate herr.” She looked Billi up and down, with no more interest than she’d look at a strange insect-curious for a moment. “YeZZ, Kill Zem bOtH.”

Billi gasped. She backed away, knowing it was useless. Ivan scraped up his crutch. Heart banging away, Billi turned slowly, her fists ready. The Polenitsy blocked the only exit.

“Great Mother, I ask a boon!” Olga’s plea stopped the Polenitsy in their tracks.

The old witch raised her head, the noise of her teeth grinding echoed within the limestone chamber and it made the hairs rise up on the back of Billi’s neck.

Olga lowered her gaze respectfully. “She has been blessed by the bite of Silver Paws. The change is upon her. She will be one of the Polenitsy by tomorrow.”

Baba Yaga pointed her claw at Ivan. “AnD ze Man-ChilD, wHatt of him?”

“He is Tsarevich Ivan Alexeivich Romanov.”

“RoMannoFF?”

Ivan gulped as the witch stepped up to him, so close they were almost nose to nose. Her throat rattled with a laugh.

“WElcomme, romaNOFF.” The old crone’s eyes sparkled with amusement. “The blood of MaNy princeZZ and kingzz run in the veinZZ of the PoLenitsee. He wOULD make a FINE consort, do you not tHiNk, SVetlana?”

Svetlana hissed. “I think we should kill them now.” The old crone glided next to Billi. She took hold of her chin and turned her face toward hers.

“The BEASt Callzz, DOes it NOT?” Baba Yaga grinned grotesquely. “Join Uzz, BILLi sanGREAL. Join your Siisterzz.”

Billi glared up at Baba Yaga. “I am not an animal.”

Baba Yaga laughed.

“Have you told them of Fimbulwinter?” Billi asked. “That the wolves will die beside mankind?”

Olga started. She shot a look at the old witch.

“I HONor MY PoliNNItZzee,” The witch drew a fingernail along her chin. “YoU Humanzz aRe full of LYzz.”

“Then tell us how you can eliminate mankind while keeping the Polenitsy safe.” Billi crossed her arms; it was the only way she could stop herself from trembling. Any second now the old witch was going to kill her, but she had to first make the Polenitsy understand that Baba Yaga was deceiving them.

Olga stepped forward, her head low and humble. “Great Mother. How will we remove the curse of mankind and still save the others who worship and honor you?”

Voices rose out of Baba Yaga, troubled and discordant, no longer driven by a single will. They babbled a thousand-a million-things. Baba Yaga glowered, looming over them all.

Billi and Ivan backed away, and even the Polenitsy around them moved nervously, their bare feet scraping on the smooth stone. Many fell facedown, kneeling in terror at the anger of their goddess.

“SILEnZZE!” Baba Yaga leaned close to Olga, her long iron fangs just inches from the old werewolf’s face. The witch hissed. “iT Izz NOT YouRRplace to QUesTion MEEE!”

Olga bowed low. But unlike many of the other Polenitsy, she did not kneel.

“I meant no disrespect, Great Mother.”

“ReMmember who zervezz wHo, Olga. Who zervezz Who.” Baba Yaga gazed deep into each of the werewolves’ eyes, a gaze full of evil malice and anger. “I Am YouRR godDD and iT is Not fOR morTalzz”-she hissed the last word, spiteful and contemptuous-“to QuesTion the WiLL of theirrR godZZ.”

She swung around. Svetlana, who had been beside Olga, shot a look of anger at her grandmother, then took hold of Vasilisa. Baba Yaga tapped her way back into the darkness of the caves. “Go Noww.”

Only when Baba Yaga had gone did the Polenitsy’s silence lift. Billi watched them, perched in the alcoves and ledges above. Some glared down at her, their hatred clear. How dare she question the goddess? Others looked uneasy, whispering and arguing among themselves.

Svetlana met her grandmother as she crossed the pool, pulling Vasilisa behind her.

“Ty dolzhna byla naklonitsa pered boginyey!” said Svetlana.

Olga looked coolly at her granddaughter. “My zhe Polenitsy, nye ryaby.”

Svetlana turned abruptly and stormed out. Billi caught a glimpse of Vasilisa reaching out to her with a free hand as she was dragged away. She wanted to be safe, so she reached for Billi. Hadn’t Billi crossed Russia to find her? To save her?

“What did she say?” Billi asked Ivan.

Ivan’s eyes narrowed as he watched the Polenitsy depart. He whispered, “The red-haired one said she should have got to her knees before the goddess.”

Yes, that had been strange. Olga, almost alone among the Polenitsy, had remained on her feet. She had been practically defiant.

“What was Olga’s reply?”

“That they were Polenitsy, not slaves.”

“Come,” said Olga, sounding weary. Three other Polenitsy came down off the ledge and escorted them back out.

Billi’s mind churned over the options.

Her dad was coming, but when? He had no idea how many Polenitsy were waiting here in the forest. The Templars would be slaughtered.

There would be no last-minute rescue. She and Ivan were on their own.

The sky was darkening as Billi crawled back out. But already the moon hung over the treetops, casting its pallid light over her. Sharp pangs shot through her stomach and across her chest. The Beast Within tore at her, trying to break out of her skin.

“I am not a beast.” The pain made her drop to her knees.

Ivan bent down beside her and locked his arms around her.

Eyes closed, Billi rocked gently in his embrace. She was not a beast, not yet. She had one thing to do before it was all too late.

“I’m all right,” she said. It wasn’t true; she was anything but.

Vasilisa.

It hadn’t been so long ago that she’d been at home with her family, safe and ignorant of the monsters outside. Through no fault of her own, through a freak of birth, she was now at the heart of the Bataille Tenebreuse.

I’m sorry, Vasilisa.

As the Polenitsy waited impatiently beside her, Billi pressed her fingers into the snow, willing the cold to leech into her blood and freeze her heart. She had to turn whatever pity, whatever compassion she might have, to ice. There was no room for it now.

There was only one way to stop Fimbulwinter.

Billi would kill Vasilisa tonight.

35

OLGA WALKED BESIDE BILLI AS THEY EVENTUALLY made their way back to the camp. Ivan had fallen a few paces behind with the other escorts; it wasn’t easy getting through the snow with his injured leg.

“I suppose I should thank you. For saving our lives,” said Billi. She didn’t get it, though. With all that had happened, why had the old woman protected them?

“I was honoring a debt, nothing more.”