I stared at her hand with growing dismay.
"Pia," Magda said, nudging me with her elbow.
I nodded, knowing exactly what she wasn't putting into words. If another Zorya was chosen, Kristoff and Alec would simply go after her, possibly even killing her if she put up a fight, as Anniki apparently did.
That wasn't the only reason I was hesitant. "I might not be the most honest and moral person in the world," I said slowly. "But Anniki asked me to make things right, and I promised her I would. I don't think she'd view me handing over the job to someone else as righting the wrongs done to her."
"That is not your decision to make - " Kristjana started to say when she was interrupted by Frederic.
"You said Anniki was bleeding when you found her. Did she - this sounds strange, I'm sure - did she touch your mouth at any point?"
I stared at him in surprise. "No."
"Hmm." He was silent another few moments. "She did not harm you in any way? Cut you? Scratch you?"
"Anniki? She was dying!"
"Yes, and she must have known that, so she would make every effort to pass on to you the mantle of her responsibility. She would have instigated a blood exchange."
"Well, she didn't do anything like that," I said, shuddering slightly. I remembered the grip she had maintained on my hand and held up my palm. "Other than dig her nails into me."
Everyone looked with interest at the three faint crescent markings on my palm. Although the wounds weren't deep and had closed almost immediately, faint marks could still be seen.
"Ah, I thought it must be something like that. Very good."
"It may be good to you, but frankly, I'm more worried about her transmitting some horrible disease because I had her blood all over me."
He smiled. "I can assure you that you will not receive a disease. What you witnessed firsthand was simply the passing of the light from one Zorya to another."
"That does not apply here," Kristjana protested. "She is not of the Brotherhood."
"Nonetheless, she has been chosen," Frederic told her.
"Maybe you need to explain that a little more to me," I said, still wary.
"There is normally a blood tie between Zoryas, as our learned sister says. But in the cases where there is not, one can be created by the exchange of blood between two individuals."
"Is that the only way a new Zorya can be made?" I asked, rubbing my palm.
"No," Frederic admitted. "The stone itself can choose a Zorya."
"The stone can?" Magda asked, clearly disbelieving such a thing.
"Yes. It does not happen frequently, but it can happen in cases where a blood relationship is not possible."
Magda looked thoughtful. "So Anniki was putting her seal of approval on Pia by digging her nails into her hand and making her bleed? That sounds painful, but pretty definitive."
"It is indeed." Frederic made one of those European bows that men here seemed to do so well. "Welcome to the Brotherhood, Zorya Pia."
"Thank you," I said, heaving a sigh of relief. So far, so good.
"Now, perhaps you will tell me again what happened to Zorya Anniki," he added smoothly, taking my elbow and steering me toward a back room.
"Again? I thought I went over it well enough already." I glanced back over my shoulder at Magda, who was following close behind. "There's really not a lot more I can tell you."
Beyond Magda, Kristjana marched with a determined set to her jaw. I had a feeling she wasn't buying my tale. Mattias, on the other hand, looked positively sunny in comparison.
Frederic escorted me into a tiny, dimly lit office, holding out a chair for me before seating himself behind a thick Victorian desk. Magda took the chair next to mine. Mattias leaned against the wall, shooting me an anticipatory smile every now and again. Kristjana stood next to Frederic, her eyes veiled.