“Some powder…What is it?”

Iryna opened the tiny, plastic pouch she’d received from Valery alongside the leather hairband. Taking a pinch of the brown powder inside and rubbing it between her fingers, she sensed a familiar scent. It was the smell of dried plants left inside a thick book for the whole winter.

The powder left a greenish stain on her skin.

What am I doing? Hesitating for a few seconds, Iryna turned to the two cups of tea on the kitchen table and emptied the bag into one cup.

The heap of powder darkened along the edges, soaking and crumbling. Soon it drowned into the hot depths like a tiny Atlantis.

Holding both cups, Iryna came into the middle of the kitchen to stand right beneath the ceiling lamp. In its bright light, she could see no visible difference between the drinks. Smelling each cup, she discovered that the scent was also identical, as though the herbal powder had vanished completely, not just dissolved into the tea. Let’s hope I won’t confuse them.

Putting the cups down on the table, she pulled up the one without the powder.

“Anya! Tea!” she called, pouring crackers onto the plate and glancing (probably for the hundredth time during the course of the evening) at the clock.

9:35.

Valery’s supposed to come around eleven tonight. He asked me to send Anya to bed as early as possible. She’s not going to like that, that’s for sure.

Iryna felt like a traitor, a poisoner…and a complete fool. I will kill him. No, I will kill them both—Valery and Marina—if anything bad happens to Anya. Deep in thought, she took a sip, and the scorching tea burned her lips.

Their conversation over tea was strained.

Judging by the surprised glances Anya kept casting at her, although she was doing her best to behave naturally, Iryna was overdoing it. She could see annoyance and confusion on her daughter’s face while she looked for the symptoms of the herbal powder to take effect. I wish I knew what the symptoms were. What a stupid thing I’ve done.

Finally, with a weary voice, Iryna tapped her cup on the table and announced, “Well, Anya. Time to go to bed.” Her words came out a bit louder than usual.

“Why? It’s too early!” The girl protested, lifting her piercing eyes at Iryna, but, meeting her mother’s steel gaze, she decided to adopt a different tactic. “Mom, please. Tomorrow is the first day of my break.”

Deep in her heart, Iryna felt relieved at her daughter’s protests. At least one thing in this house is the same. “Anya,” she said, softening her voice. “You didn’t get enough sleep last night. I see dark circles under your eyes. Please go to bed earlier tonight. And tomorrow you can stay up as late as you want.”

“Okay. But I’m using the nightlight again. I’m not going to bed without it.”

“Alright. You can have it.” Iryna stood. “Good night.”

The battle over the nightlight was worth losing in order to win the war of getting her to bed while letting Anya save face. Fifteen minutes later, the girl was already in bed though apparently unhappy about it.

Check.

Iryna glanced at the clock on the wall. 10:15.

Coming into her bedroom, she sank into the armchair. Taking her cell phone from the bedside table, she put it on silent as the scared animal raised its head deep inside her again. Her racing heart pounded in her throat, each throb coming with a question. God, what am I doing? To Anya? To myself? Why should I trust him? What if Anya’s still awake when he comes? What is he going to do? What if he makes things worse? Oh goodness. What could I have possibly done so wrong to deserve this, to end up here?

All these questions popped up in her mind like soap bubbles, inflated and useless at the same time. She had no answers, and they burst, leaving a viscous trace of anxiety.

Iryna wished she could reach out to someone and spill her heart out. Dial Marina and ask for her advice. But Valery had forbidden that. Don’t say a word to anyone. Not to Marina. Not even to Anya.

The buzzing phone jolted Iryna back to reality. She answered immediately. “Yes?”

“Good evening,” the wizard on the line said calmly.

“Good evening, Valery.” She sighed with relief, swallowing her skipping heart.

“How are you? Is Anya asleep?” His casual tone was soothing.

“She’s in bed, but I don’t think she’s asleep yet. She’s too used to staying up much later.” Pausing, Iryna asked, “What was that powder you gave me? Some herbs? What are they for?”

“It’s Murava grass,” Valery muttered, then said assertively, “I’ll come in twenty minutes. I’ll call you from the landing. And one more thing, Iryna…” His voice warmed a little. “Whatever you see and hear tonight, please think about it as if it were a game. Or an interactive performance.”

These words made her uneasy. “Why?”

“For the sake of your own sanity. And remember the hairband. See you.” Valery hung up.

Iryna spent another minute staring blankly in front of her. Then she stood and tip-toed out into the hall. Passing by Anya’s bedroom door, she stopped to listen. The room was silent. Is she asleep?

Retrieving Asp from her bag, Iryna used it to tie her hair up. Again, she couldn’t help noting just how pleasant the leather material felt to the touch.

Opening the door for Valery, Iryna was stunned by the sight of his terrible scars. I totally forgot he had those.

He shot a glance at Iryna’s hair to check if Asp was in its proper place. “To the kitchen,” the wizard said briskly, crossing the hall with his leather case in hand. “No. Don’t turn the light on.”

He seemed to have excellent night vision. Pressing buttons on the kitchen range, he turned on the two tiny bulbs over the stove, diluting the dark with their faint, cozy yellow glow.

Putting his leather case down on the stool, Valery retrieved a card deck and a small parcel.

“Please take a seat, Iryna.” He gestured at one of the chairs, the one where Anya usually sat, and he took another. “Don’t ask any questions. Don’t overthink what you see. Pretend you’re just watching a movie. You’ll get used to it soon.” He passed Iryna the deck. “Shuffle it, please.”

His cards were different from any she’d ever used. They were much broader, their shape close to a square, and there were many more than in a regular deck.

Iryna shuffled the cards awkwardly. She was never really into card games; she’d only played Durak with Anya once or twice.

“Enough.” Taking the deck from her, the wizard put it down on the table and closed his eyes. For half a minute—which felt like an eternity to Iryna—he sat still. Then he took the top card, turned it, and mouthing the word “BOOM,” dropped it on the table.

The card showed a smoking, crimson crevice in the ground.

Hearing Anya’s bed creak, Iryna shot an anxious glance at the bedroom door, then looked back at Valery. With his eyes half-closed, the wizard turned another card and dropped it on top of the first one, babbling something unintelligible in a surprisingly high-pitched voice.

Dancing on this card were little pink devils that looked a lot like young pigs. The next moment, Valery covered it with another, this one portraying a smirking horned monster with empty red eyes. His babbling stopped instantly.

The crushing silence was so deep, Iryna felt like she was drowning in it, losing her sense of reality. Valery lowered his head and uttered a growl that sent shivers down her spine. Then he babbled more words in a high-pitched voice.

Over the horned monster, the fourth card fell. Seeing what it showed (a ring of raging blue fire), Valery put the deck aside and unwrapped the parcel. Inside was a small figurine made of clay.

Then the wizard looked up at Iryna. As though obeying a silent order, she stood and went into her daughter’s bedroom.

Anya was sitting on her bed, her legs pulled up under her chin. Shivering all over, she stared at Iryna with scared eyes. Iryna removed Asp from her hair and coming up to her daughter, tied her hair up with the strip.

Taking Anya’s hand, Iryna led her to the middle of the room. The girl followed obediently.

Cupping the daughter’s face in her hands, Iryna looked into her eyes and said, “He came for you. Run. Leave your fear there. Then come back and prevail.” To the leather snake, she whispered, “Keep her safe, Asp.”

Kissing Anya on the forehead, Iryna stepped back and walked out, closing the door behind her.

Returning to the kitchen, Iryna saw Valery putting the clay figurine on the largest burner of her gas stove. As he lit the burner, the blue flames soared with a soft pop, hiding the figurine from sight.

Silently, Valery sat back at the table. Iryna took a seat by his side. When he passed her the deck, she shuffled it again, barely aware of what she was doing.

Taking the deck from her, Valery turned the top card. It showed a shaggy red dog baring its fangs and behind it a dark hooded figure with a scythe. Death, Iryna mouthed with dried lips and she looked up to see the wizard approach the stove again.

He stopped the gas. The figurine was still on the burner.

Catching her helpless gaze with his merciless black eyes, he instantly released his grip on her mind. But first, he put inside her mind cold, petrifying knowledge: Anya is no longer in her bedroom.