Staring so closely at the one causing all my problems wasn’t what I’d expected.
I couldn’t see him as the creature they’d painted. He controlled the underworld, the dark beings, had attacked me, but looking at him standing there in front of me, so calm as he studied me, he didn’t seem to fit the profile.
“I’m not yours. I don’t belong to anyone.” I spoke through gritted teeth, wanting to squash any wrong ideas he might have. I’d called him here for a reason, and that was it.
“I understand. You’ve been exposed to this human love thing your whole life and don’t grasp the grandeur of belonging.” He spoke with flourish, taking slow steps around me, circling like I was his prey, and I didn’t like it one bit.
“Human love?” I echoed his words. “And you, Koschei, what are you?”
“I’m many thin
