I only hoped the village had been so lucky.
"Merry Christmas, Solnyshko."
"Merry Christmas, GM."
GM gave me a present-a little wooden bird with fanciful scarlet plumage that was suspended from a loop of gold string.
"It"s a Firebird," GM said. "I found it in the hospital gift shop while you were still out. The Firebird is said to be able to heal any ill-I thought it might bring you luck. It"s supposed to be a tree ornament, but you can use it for any purpose you wish."
I gave GM a hug.
We went into town a little while later to have lunch with Maksim.
I was relieved to see that Krov, like our house, had escaped attack.
I knew, of course, that the fact that Krov had not been attacked last night was no guarantee of future safety. There was no reason that the village could not be attacked tonight or the next night, or the next.
And there was no sign of William.
GM and I stayed in Krov for two more days-she wanted to make sure I was truly fit for travel-and then we left for Moscow.
The hybrids did not attack, and William did not appear.
And I felt his absence more keenly every day.
Once we arrived in Moscow, we lingered. GM was still nervous about my health, and she contacted my school to see if I could come back a few days late. GM wanted to stay in Moscow through New Year"s Day, and I was due back in school the very next morning.
GM was able to get me an excused absence, and New Year"s Eve found us once again in Red Square. The night was very cold, but the square was beautiful-it was all lit up, and I felt as if I had walked into a celebration in an enchanted land.
The square was full of people, and I watched a couple walking arm in arm, their heads bent together. I thought of William.
I felt a pain so profound that I thought it would tear me apart.
And then suddenly, impossibly, I saw William walking toward me through the crowd. I blinked. I was sure I was seeing things.
But William did not vanish, and he kept moving toward me.
Soon, he was standing right in front of me, and he gave me the crooked smile that I loved so well.
"h.e.l.lo, Katie. h.e.l.lo, Mrs. Rost."
GM eyed at him warily.
"h.e.l.lo," she replied.
"Mrs. Rost, may I take Katie for a walk? I promise you I will bring her back safely."
GM seemed resigned. "Very well."
"Forgive me for noticing," William said. "But you don"t seem at all shocked to see me. It"s almost as if you expected me."
"I did expect you," GM replied. "I knew you"d be back."
I looked at her in surprise. I had known no such thing.
"We"ll be back soon, I promise," William said.
We walked off into the crowd, and I clung to William"s arm.
I was half afraid he would disappear again.
"How did you know where to find me?" I asked. Despite what his presence implied, I was suddenly struck by doubt. "You did come here to see me, didn"t you?"
"Of course I came here to see you. I know where you are all the time now."
"Where have you been these last few days?" I asked. "I was worried-"
"About the hybrids?" William asked.
"Yes, I was worried about them, but I was worried about you too."
"Well, the hybrids are a real worry," William replied. "And I"m glad you"re getting out of the country."
I felt a chill steal over me. "The hybrids weren"t all killed off?"
"No, they weren"t," William said. "We managed to destroy about forty of them. But the rest of them survived. And they"ve disappeared. We have to find where they"re hiding before they"re strong enough to attack again."
"I heard that headless bodies were found by the keep," I said slowly. "And that one of those bodies was Timofei Mstislav"s. Is he-did he-"
"He survived," William said grimly. "Along with the other hybrids that the villagers found. They took the bodies to the morgue, and they all disappeared before we could get back to them to destroy them."
I couldn"t help shivering, and William put his arm around me as we continued to walk.
"I"ll look after you," William murmured into my hair. "You"ll be safe while you"re with me."
"And what happened the night of the festival?" I asked. I couldn"t help shivering again. "I was sure I would die. And that you would too."
William"s expression grew harsh and a muscle worked in his jaw.
"I thought you were lost to me," he said. "I saw Timofei throw you into the valley. I saw you crash against an outcropping of rock as you fell. I leaped forward and caught you. I set you down, and then a rage came over me. I took out one of the discs. I hacked him to pieces. I-"
William broke off. "Once I was sure Timofei wouldn"t come after us, I took you to the hospital. I"ve stayed by you ever since then. Even if you didn"t see me."
"Why did you hide from me, then?" I asked. "I was terrified that I would never see you again. William, I need you. You have to know that by now."
William looked away. "Katie, I didn"t come to see you because of what I"ve put you through. It"s been hard for me to work up the courage to tell you this."
William stopped and I waited. Something was clearly tearing him apart.
"Katie, I"m sorry," he said. "I"m sorry I left you alone in Elspeth"s Grove. I thought you could call me-I had no idea you were cut off from me. I had no idea that I couldn"t get to you if you were in danger. I can"t believe what nearly happened to you because of me. Katie, I hope you can forgive me."
"I forgive you," I said.
William looked at me warily, as if he suspected a trick. "Just like that? After all you"ve been through?"
"Just like that-I forgive you."
William hung his head. A muscle worked in his jaw again.
We walked on in silence for a time.
"I"m not used to being forgiven," William said in a low voice.
He stopped walking and pulled me in closer.
"So, how does that work exactly?" I asked. "When I call you and you appear-or how did it used to work?"
"It"s a little complex," William said. "Katie, I"ll never leave you again. You"ll never have to rely on that call. I will always be with you. When I thought I"d lost you-"
He stopped.
"I will always be with you," he said again.
"I will always be with you too," I said. "I love you."
"I love you," William said.
He looked around. "I think we"re far enough away now." His crooked smile had returned.
"Far enough away for what?" I asked.
William bent his face close to mine.
At last I had my kiss.
The end.