Page 42 of Ironheart

"Why? Was he… He didn't hurt anyone?"

"Oh no, nothing like that. We thought it would be more peaceful for him. He has many nightmares and sometimes doesn't know where he is. It is good that you are here. He needs a familiar face."

The healer led Vladik through the softly lit wards and to the far western side of the temple. She opened a door for him. "Go ahead. I only ask that you don't wake him if he is sleeping."

"I pulled him out of hell. There's no way I'd wake him," Vladik assured her. The room was decorated in soft blues and lavenders. Misha was lying in a comfortable looking bed with fluffy white blankets tucked around him. A diffuser was puffing in the corner, sending scented clouds of serenity into the air.

Vladik sat in one of the soft guest chairs and stared at his big brother. Someone had trimmed his beard and brushed his long hair. The gray that was now streaking it made him look more like their father than ever. He had a little color to his skin but was still far too skinny. Eyes the color of storm clouds opened and focused on him.

"Hey, big brother," Vladik said softly.

Misha's brow lowered. "Vladislav?"

"Yeah, it's me, Mish. How are you feeling?"

It was the wrong thing to say. Misha's face crumpled, and he burst into tears. Vladik moved to the side of the bed and hugged his brother as he cried and cried.

He'd never seen Misha cry. Not even when they were children. He was always the biggest and bravest. If he got knocked down in training, he got back up without a whimper.

"You're okay, brother. You're safe now."

"None of us are safe. They are going to kill us all any chance they get!" he shouted.

Vladik held his brother's face. "Look at me, Mish. I got you out of that tower. None of our people are ever going in there again. We will make a plan and wipe it off the fucking map. I promise we will get revenge for what they did to you. You only need to focus on shifting into your gargoyle so you can heal."

"I don't… I don't know how. He's gone, and I don't how how to bring him back out," Misha sobbed.

Vladik hugged him close again. "Don't worry, Misha. He's not gone. You will shift again. I know it."

"How? I'm a fully grown adult who can't shift. I'm a freak."

"Actually, you're not the only one I know at the moment," Vladik told him.

"What? What are you talking about." Misha lifted his head. "Who?"

Vladik rubbed at his neck. "Well, there's this girl I met. She was the one who helped me get you out…"

They sat side by side in Misha's bed, just like when they were boys, and Vladik told him all about Zoria. His princess locked in the tower. It was hard to believe so much had happened in a few weeks. By some miracle of the goddess, both his brother and Zoria were now safe from Chernobog's minions. Vladik knew his brother, and if anything would bring out his beast again, it would be the idea of revenge.

"I heard whispers in my imprisonment of the girl. She's not the only one that thevolhvhave. There were two others that were taken the same time as Alisa, and that was over twenty years ago. There could be others like Zori out there," Misha said once Vladik was done. There was a feral light in his stormy eyes that had always meant someone was about to get their asses kicked.

"We know. Zori found information about them and overheard Maxim talking about another one. Zori isn't going to let it go. She was so furious about it. Irina will be forced to act on it."

"Good," Misha growled. He looked at Vladik. "I really need to get better. If anyone is going to be huntingvolhv, I want to be in on it."

Vladik nudged him with his shoulder. "That's my big brother."

22

Zori stood in Irina's small, frozen garden while her grandmother looked on. Zori's nose was numb, and she wanted nothing more than to go inside and sit by the fire.

"Again, Zoria. You must focus," Irina said, her voice all high priestess.

"I'm trying to!" Zori adjusted the black cape of feathers around her shoulders. If Irina had her way, Zori would be naked, trying to shift. Irina said that making Zori uncomfortable would force the swan out.

Zori had flat out refused to stand naked in the snow in the hope that her magic would work. She shut her eyes and tried again.

"Imagine your power like a lake inside of you. You want to draw water from it, a little at a time," Irina coaxed.

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