Keymaker's Mark: Urban Fantasy The Land Beyond North Wind by Anya Stassiy

Author:Anya Stassiy [Stassiy, Anya]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-03-24T16:00:00+00:00

13

Hyperborean Sisters

"Yadviga, no, you are not a child anymore. You can't dig in the ground and play with worms. You are thirteen. It's time to learn some responsibilities and leave playtime for children." I take my sister by the arm. Her hands and face are covered in dirt. "Have you gathered everything I need to prepare medicine for chest colds and the belly pain remedy? There are many people here who need it. If we help them, maybe we can stay here for a long time. I am tired of moving from place to place. Show me." I tug on her basket, but she resists. "Of course not. I'll tell our father that you don’t listen to me." She frowns and sticks her tongue at me. A croaking sound comes from her basket, and when I give her a look of puzzlement, she just shrugs her shoulders and looks away.

"Let me see," I order her. Yadviga sighs and pulls back the cover. Instead of herbs, the bottom of the basket is covered with small grayish-green, shiny and wet frogs. They climb on top of each other, trying to jump high to escape.

"Yadviga!" I exclaim admonishingly.

"What? Father said that he'll teach me how to make magic potions and elixirs, so I needed to bring him as many frogs as I can." She looks up at me from underneath her brows, her eyes are getting shiny. She is ready to cry.

"Don't do that, Yadviga. No need to be upset. I am the one who should be upset with you. I have been trying to teach you everything I've learned about the healing power of herbs so we can both help the people of Hyperborea, but instead, you chose to dig in the ground for critters and catch frogs. I don't understand why father has been encouraging you. You have both been so secretive lately. What does he tell you?" I kneel so I can be on the same level as Yadviga.

"Nothing, really." She shuffles her foot and twists her fingers.

"Don't lie to me, Yadviga. I can see it on your face when you are not being truthful. He is teaching you magic, and you enjoy those lessons."

"You have your plants and your animals, and your knowledge and I should have something of my own!" Yadviga pulls her arm out of my firm grasp and crosses her arms across her chest, looking at the ground. "Just because you don't want to deal in magic doesn't mean I shouldn't."

"Is that what father tells you?"

Yadviga nods her head without looking at me. "All you care about is people, their aches and pains. You have been spending all your free time tending to them. Do you know that if you'd use magic, you'd make them feel better so much faster? And if they get well sooner, then you'll have more time to spend with me."

"If you help me, by doing what I ask you, like finding herbs and grasses and assisting me when I go visit the sick, then I'd be done faster and could spend time with you.

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