Ivan shook his head. "I can't put my trust in some unidentified fate that's pushing us around. It wasn't fate that brought me back to you. It was my own desire."
"Yes," said Katerina. "And your goodness, and your purity. The very reasons you were chosen."
"And now?" said Ivan. "Are we weaker because we're not so pure?"
She shook her head. "It doesn't work that way. We're married, so our coupling isn't impure. In fact, it strengthens us. Makes each of us as strong as if we contained both souls within us. And... if we've made a baby, if I have a child inside me when I face her, then I have a power she's never had. Well, she's conceived babies, the people say, but the children were always born monsters who died at once, and now her husband isn't the kind who's likely to give her a baby."
"You never know, with gods," said Ivan. "There are tales of swans and bulls."
"If we've made a child," said Katerina, "there will be magic in it. Power."
He was silent for a while.
She understood the silence. "No, Ivan. That's not why I came to you last night."
He pretended that wasn't what he was thinking. "It would be all right if you did."
"No," said Katerina. "It would not be all right. A child shouldn't be conceived as a strategy in war. What do you think of me?"
He took her in his arms and kissed her, long and hard. "That's what I think of you."
"Is that what you call thinking?" Then she kissed him back, even harder.
"So," he said, when he could breathe again. "Even though we'd never do it as a strategic move in war, would you like to try again? Just in case we don't already have a baby started?"
"And miss the rest of the fireworks?" she said.
He grinned and dutifully turned back to look at the fireworks. A big one went off, red, white, and blue.
"All right," she said. "I'm done now."
"See one rocket go off, you've seen them all," said Ivan.
She almost dragged him back to the house. Piotr and Esther had to come out later to put the bonfire out. They didn't mind. They knew their son had finally moved on beyond them. Even if he made it back from Taina somehow, he would never again live as a child in this house. It was just the two of them now. But they were comfortable with each other. The prospect of sharing the rest of their lives held no dread for them. And the things they did dread - losing their only child, for instance - they did not need to talk about, at least not now, for every word and movement between them carried their history and their future, like background movement, shaping each moment even when they weren't aware of it.
Baba Yaga
She might not be able to get past their defenses, but she could still listen to their conversations, and so she knew they had a ticket scheduled for the next day's flight. Within a couple of hours she was at the airport, and a helpful clerk stayed late to arrange her own reservation on the same flight, though afterward he had a terrible time trying to explain to his wife why he was so late getting home from work, having no memory of the time he spent with Baba Yaga.
She spent the rest of the night at the airport, preparing the spells and charms for the next day's work. Ivan and Katerina were going back to Taina, yes, but on her terms, not theirs. Baba Yaga would not come home empty-handed. She'd get the princess because she had the scholar - for now that Ruthie had uttered his true name in front of her familiar, he would not be able to resist her when she put a binding on that name.
Not only that, but she was determined to bring back one of the huge flying houses that moved on chicken legs. All the kings of the earth would bow down to her when she had a castle that carried her wherever she wanted to go, even into the heart of their kingdoms.
Chapter 15
Hijacking
Ivan and Katerina didn't pack much for the return trip. Katerina had quite a lot of American clothes now, but she wasn't going to be wearing them long. They knew they had to get back to the bridge as soon as possible. Once they left the protection of Mother's house,