of the knife down one, of a naked girl smiling at the camera from a shallow basin of bathwater. Another, completely nude, blew her flute to charm a snake from a basket. They were all blond, from top to bottom.
All at once a rustling sound came from the woods behind the cabin. I crouched to the dirt floor near the table, barely able to breathe. My heart hammered against my knees as I strained to hear. The sound came closer and the knife handle grew slippery in my palm.
All at once the door swung open and in the morning darkness I could only see the silhouette against the light.
I stood. “I have a knife—”
“You aim to kill me before breakfast?” said the assailant, stepping back.
“Afon.” The blood rushed back into my arms. “Really.”
He stepped into the room, as if arriving at a fine hotel room, piece of bread in hand, canteen strapped across his chest. “I’ve never noticed this place before.”
I slid the knife back onto the table. “How did I not hear you ride up?”
Afon came to me, still wearing his nightshirt, tucked into his trousers. He looked like a young boy that morning, his dark hair not yet combed.
He smiled. “Guess they should assign me to an army stealth unit.” He took a deep breath in. “Can you believe the larch trees this year, Sofya? That pine scent is like medicine.”
“You should be an arborist.”
“And who would stand up to the German hordes who want our trees?” He glanced around the little house. “We left our son to the care of Agnessa, you know. Raisa had to go see her cousin in town.”
How stupid I was. Max with Agnessa? “Oh no, Afon.”
“Agnessa was at her vanity table, giving him free rein of her jewel case, but before long she’ll be resting on her bed with boric acid pads on her eyes, letting him wander.”
“You could have brought him.”
“It’s my last day as a free man, Sofya. I needed a good ride.” His glance rested on the postcards on the wall. “Who lives here? Bogdan?”
I stepped to the postcards. “I don’t think so.”
He stood behind me. “Quite a collection.”
I pulled the snake charmer postcard from the nail. “I’ve never been to India but I don’t think it’s done like this….”
Afon took the card from me and tucked it in his pocket. “I may need to borrow this for future study of a scientific nature.”
I wrapped my arms around his waist and lay my cheek at his chest. “I’ll miss you.”
He held me away from him. “Stay strong, darling. You mustn’t cry.”
I reached for the canteen strap and he helped me loop it over his head. As I raised it to my lips and drank, water fell to my blouse, revealing the lace below. He brushed the water away. I gathered courage and kissed him on the mouth.
He seemed surprised at first, but returned the kiss. He tasted of black bread and tea.
“Afon, let’s find a better…”
He kissed the hollow of my cheek and worked his way to my neck. “I’m glad you’re an early riser.”
Afon slowly ran his lips down the length my neck, causing me to catch my breath.
He became quite serious as he unfastened the top button of my blouse. “You smell like a whole garden.”
I pulled the pins from my hair and it fell down my back as he released two more of my shirt buttons and slid his hands down the sides of my corset cover.
“I love you in lingerie, Sofya.”
“What if someone happens upon us?” I asked.
He gathered my hair in great handfuls and pressed soft kisses down my throat sending the scent of fresh air, pine, and wood—
All at once from the corner of my eye I spied something at the window. A blur at first. A glimpse of blue shirt.
I breathed in a sharp burst of air. “Afon. What was that?”
“Probably a bird,” Afon said, working his lips down my neck.
“No. I saw something. A man. Watching—”
A shot rang out in the woods, not far from us, so loud I felt the vibration of it through the stone against my back.
Afon pulled me close enough to feel the thump of his chest. We barely breathed there in the darkened cabin.
“Don’t move,” Afon whispered in my ear. “I’ll be right back.”
Afon hurried out the door and ran toward the sound of the shot. I followed and soon we came upon old Bogdan lying on the forest floor, blood seeping through the shoulder of