Page 49 of The Sirin Sisterhood (The Sons of Echidna #2)

Lucy

Freya quickly unbolted the door leading into the cellar, careful to ensure that no other students saw them. Lucy glanced into the pitch-black space and sobered up a little from the giggly excitement.

“Please tell me it doesn’t lead to hell.”

Freya blinked at her. Slowly. As if questioning Lucy’s sanity.

“Don’t look at me like that,”Lucy huffed defensively. “Back home, it goes all the way down. It’s how Aris delivers...”She paused, remembering that she was supposed to have defeated the head of the family, and corrected herself. “How Aris used to deliver hellhounds.”

“He’s not actually dead, is he?”Freya asked, taking the first step inside since Lucy had hesitated.

Was Lucy really that bad of a liar? She’d tried, but it was difficult to pretend that she had murdered someone she cared about.

“How did you know?”Lucy sighed, following Freya in, feeling in the dark for the first step. Her heart sank as the wooden plank squeaked under her foot. Lucy held her breath, testing her weight on it. It seemed to hold.

“I didn’t.”Freya grinned back at her. “But you’ve just confirmed what I had begun to suspect.”She led the way down the steps, one hand holding onto Lucy to guide her.

“You could learn from Lai, if you want to be a good liar. He is very convincing; I’ve never met someone so appropriately named before.”

“You know, luring me into a pitch-black cellar and telling me that you know we are all liars suddenly makes me very nervous.”Lucy forced a laugh as she finally reached the bottom step, glad to be back on the solid, tightly packed soil.

“Are you getting rid of your competition? Be honest with me. Because I won’t put much of a fight at this poi—Ah!

”Lucy squeaked as she walked face-first into a spiderweb, the sticky silk clinging to her skin.

“Shh!”Freya’s hand pressed against her mouth, quickly brushing away the loose strands. “If I wanted to get rid of you, there are a million less obvious ways to do so.”

“That’s not reassuring.”

“Here, I have something for the dark.”

Lucy heard the rustling of fabric before a bright glow filled the small room. In Freya’s fingers was a feather—the same one she used to warm their hands in the forest.

Lucy was mesmerized. It was perfectly still in Freya’s palm, but it flickered with the light and heat of a living flame.

Shadows danced away over earthen walls filled with shelves of preserves and bottles of clear liquid.

Sacks with potatoes, onions, and carrots were piled in one far corner, and large jars of pickled vegetables filled every last inch of space.

The chill that permeated the cellar was chased away by the feather’s magic, but the light suddenly vanished, plunging them back into darkness.

Lucy quickly figured out why; Freya had covered it back up, pressing a finger to Lucy’s lips, warning her to be silent.

Above them, the wooden floor creaked under someone’s weight, their footsteps followed by hushed voices.

She held her breath, listening to Sabira and Agata’s conversation. Both women sounded agitated, pacing as they spoke in hushed voices, but Lucy had no idea what they were saying as they chattered in their native tongue.

Was it about her? About Freya? About the trials? Neither of the witches could speak their names, so she couldn’t even pick those out of the conversation for a clue.

The tone shifted from irritated to anxious. It sounded like Sabira was either pleading with Agata or confusing her. Both voices died down as the sound of footsteps carried the conversation away to another part of the hall, out of reach of the cellar.

The tip of the feather peeked from its cloth cover, letting in just enough light for both women to see each other. Lucy studied Freya’s face for a hint about the heated discussion.

“They were speaking about the second trial,”Freya whispered grimly. “My sisters were worried that I might not pass it and that you will die.”

“That doesn’t fill me with confidence. So that means they know what the trial will be?”

Freya nodded, heading over to a shelf. She picked up a bottle and tucked it inside her dress. “Baba threw something into the pond. Something glowing.”

“I can swim, you know.”

“There are monsters.”

Lucy swallowed. First the forest, now this? Maybe they didn’t need to get the manor back at all, not if this place was determined to be exactly the same. “With tentacles?”

Freya gave her a look. “What are you on about? We haven’t even started drinking yet.”

“Back home, we have a lake with a monster, only she’s old and really nice. Big hugger.”

“Not ours. Our lake is full of man-eating creatures, rusalki . These celebrations are in their honor. We bring them gifts and food; in exchange, they do not lure the students to their doom. But even with that arrangement in place, we don’t go near the lake.

There are no rules or agreements in the water. ”

Freya motioned towards the steps, helping Lucy climb back out. The harsh sunlight, after the darkness of the cellar, blinded Lucy for a moment as she shielded her eyes.

“So Baba Yaga will ask us to go into the lake?”She asked. “For what? To die? That’s not fair.”

“To obtain the rusalki ’sfavor. That’s what the trials are named after. The very first was won when the rusalki spared a witch’s life and gave her their blessing.”

Lucy sucked in a breath, and Freya nodded in agreement.

“How do we get a favor from man-eating water monsters? Could I offer them, Lai? He’s got some meat on his bones.”

Freya laughed, following Lucy back toward the cottage. “That could be an option. A favor from them means a mark or gift, anything to prove that you’ve dealt with them and survived. I’m going to assume we’re supposed to ask them for whatever the old witch tossed into the lake.”

Lucy frowned, digging her toes into the soft dirt. “If it was home, I’d offer Martha a frozen fish block. That would keep her busy for a while. So, perhaps we could give them something to distract them? What do they like?”

“Eating men and luring young maidens to their death?”

“Perfect!”

Freya stopped, turning to face Lucy with her arms crossed, the liquor bottle peeking out from the top of her bodice. “Perfect? Are you seriously considering feeding Lai to them?”

“No! I’m young and could pass as a maiden if you squint.”Lucy grinned. “I can distract them while you swim. If they try to hurt me, I’ll just use my magic. It should buy you enough time.”

Freya bit her lower lip as she considered the plan. “That counts as wit, right?”

Lucy shrugged. It was the only plan they had.