Returning to us, she placed a bowl in front of me. Chunks of succulent meat and vegetables floated in the golden broth. “Eat. You look like you could use a warm meal and a good night’s sleep.”

As Irina gave Mikhail his bowl, a drekavac’s shriek echoed past the fieldstone walls. The creatures sounded as though they waited just outside. I tensed, peering into the darkness on the other side of the grated window.

The screams didn’t seem to bother Irina as she began eating. Taking that as a sign it was safe to begin my meal, I blew on a spoonful of soup to cool it and took a sip. Delicious. The broth was richened with herbs and silky duck fat.

“Where exactly are we in the Edge?” Mikhail asked as Irina fed bits of meat to the dog, who wagged its fluffy tail and accepted each morsel with a soft whine of pleasure. “I’m afraid we’ve strayed from our original route.”

“You’re in the northern interior,” she said.

“How far from Groznaya?”

“Six days by wagon from their northwestern border or one by train. Unfortunately, our railroad lines have never quite recovered from the Groznaya War. The nearest international train depot is in Detskaya, and meanders south through the border’s mountain pass. It’ll be quicker to simply take a wagon.”

Six days. Just six more days, and my mother and I would have crossed the border. I had never realized how close we had gotten to Groznaya. How would my life have gone if we’d made it?

“Whose control is this area under?” Mikhail asked as I scratched the dog behind its ears. “The loyalists or the Fraktsiya?”

“It changes all the time.” Irina stirred her soup absently. “Each day, there are more and more refugees.”

I decided to interject. “We’re looking for two men with an up—”

“With a large, suspicious bundle,” Mikhail interrupted. “One has a beard. The other has blond hair. Could they have passed through here?”

“I haven’t seen anyone like that, but it’s certainly possible. You’ll want to check in the next town over. Everyone who goes down this road will pass through there.”

Whether it was the next town over or the next country, I swore to myself that I wouldn’t give up searching for Galina. I’d pursue her to the world’s edge if I had to.

8

The next morning, Irina refreshed our rations of food and water and sent us on our way. She couldn’t provide us a horse, but she told us that the town of Kupalo was less than a two-hour walk, a good five thousand strong, and that we’d be able to find someone there who would be willing to accept our money for transport.

In daylight, the cemetery and monastery weren’t nearly as eerie as they had been at night. The drekavcy had left small handprints in the mud, like children had come out to play while we slept. When I saw the handprints, my heart ached for Galina. She must be so scared. Was she even still alive?