Chapter 31

Chapter 31
What the hell was he talking about? I was at the door, ready to leave, clutching the sheet around my body, and now I stood frozen at the threshold.
“What are you talking about? What do you mean my father promised me to some guy? And what’s a Koschei?”
“Not a Koschei, the Koschei. There’s only one, and he’s immortal. There are many legends about him. They call him the kidnapper of heroes’ wives. There are countless stories, but we thought they were just that—stories. Some say he’s a living skeleton roaming around hunting wives, others claim he’s a bearded old man who can’t be killed.” Quanah paused and sat in the chair in front of him, running his hands through his disheveled hair. “But when we slept together that night, he woke up. He knew what happened when we broke the curse and came for you.”
I stepped back into the house and approached him. I needed to know more about this story and would take advantage while he was giving me answers.
“But what are you talking about? How could I be promised to him? My father? What father, when everyone says they have no idea who he is?”
“I was doing research when I had to come back because that thing came after you.” He lifted his face, and Quanah stared at me. “Your father was someone very powerful, a hierarchy far above Koschei. I can’t even imagine what kind of creature could be above him.”
“But the witches said…”
“Either they’re too scared of who he might be, or they don’t even know.” He scoffed and shook his head in denial. “I believe they don’t know anything, because otherwise, they would’ve preferred to hand you over to him.”
“And why do you think that? Why would they want to hand me over? Why would my father do that?”
“Because he feeds on witches’ magic. If you two married, they wouldn’t need to fight. You wouldn’t need to fight! You’d be allies.”
Unfortunately, what he said was true. There was no denying that the witches would take the easiest path. Anyone in their place would do the same. After all, they didn’t hesitate to throw me into his bed to get me pregnant.
“But my father? If he’s as powerful as you think, why would he promise me to another? And why wouldn’t he stay by my side to ensure I didn’t step out of his plans?”
He looked away from me, staring at his hands as if they held the answers to all my questions.
“Too many questions, and I clearly haven’t had enough time to figure it all out. I need to go further south, beyond Salem. There’s a creature who knows many things, older than our ancestors, who knows Koschei’s story and his betrothed well.”
“Then let’s go! What are we waiting for?”
“I’m not taking you anywhere with me. If I need to go after answers, you’ll stay here, locked up.”
“Don’t you see how stupid that is? Keeping me locked up here doesn’t help anyone, not me, not you.” I shouted, furious at his insistence on keeping me trapped anywhere. “Haven’t you seen that this doesn’t work?”
“If you’d stayed in the room where I left you, I wouldn’t have had to run back to save your life.”
I wanted to say I wasn’t in danger—after all, he didn’t catch me fighting for my life but kissing—but I held back.
“That didn’t stop him from invading your territory, even if he was in one of your men’s bodies.”
“Enough! This isn’t up for discussion.” He jumped up from the chair so fast it toppled to the floor. “I never should’ve touched you! Everything would be so much easier if…”
He stopped mid-sentence. His words stung like a slap, but I wouldn’t let him hurt me with them, at least not show it.
“Go on, Quanah, finish what you were going to say! Say it’d be so much easier if they just handed me over to him! Oh, of course, don’t let me forget—you’d only do that if I wasn’t carrying your son. But as long as your precious heir is inside me, I’m worth something, enough for you to bother protecting me.” He growled, baring his teeth, showing how much my words displeased him, but his silence told me that’s exactly what he thought.
Quanah stormed out the door, not caring about leaving me behind. But I knew why—he’d already ensured the cabin was protected from anything.
A tear rolled down my face, and I screamed, feeling my blood rush through my veins like living fire, burning my body from the inside, making my heart pound explosively. I knew it was my power screaming to be unleashed. I could feel it.
He didn’t deserve my tears. No one did.
The witches hid my past, the father I never knew apparently sold me, my mother always lied to me, and now him, the father of my child, who only protects me because he sees me as a human incubator.
What was wrong with me? Why was I never a priority to any of them?
My knees hit the floor, and the walls shook. The ground trembled as I slammed my clenched fists into the wood. My sobs grew louder, and the wind rushed in, flinging open the windows and doors.
I was stronger than this. Quanah wouldn’t keep me in the dark. I wouldn’t stay without answers anymore. I was tired of being deceived, of swallowing lies and half-truths.
So, consumed by my madness and rage, I called him.
“Show yourself! I know you’re there, waiting for a chance to see me up close!” I shouted into the void, but I knew he was listening, wherever he was. “You can’t come in because the spell sealed the house, but without a house, no spell can stop you!”
I raised my torso and lifted my hands to the sky. All it took was picturing the wind destroying the walls and roof. When I brought my arms down, the air sliced through the wood, exploding everything around me, sending it all flying.
“I see you’re smarter than they think.” The voice from my room, the same one from my dream.
I looked around, searching for someone, and there he was, wearing a dark cloak, the hood covering his face.
“You wanted to see me, and here I am. Now show yourself!” I demanded, wanting to end this. I needed to start uncovering the truths about my past, and it began with putting a face to this creature.
“As you wish.” His pale hands emerged from the cloak, and he raised them to the hood.
When he finally lifted it, I held my breath. It wasn’t what I expected, not by a long shot.
A pale man with dark brown hair framing his face, along with a beard. He was young, no older than thirty.
His eyes opened, and his brown irises stared at me for the first time.
“Koschei,” I whispered his name, still shocked by what stood before me. No old man, no skeleton. A tall, strong, and… beautiful man. I shook my head, forcing myself back to my purpose here. “What do you want here?”
“I came to claim what’s mine. You!”