king

It was a warm summer night outside. You'd always believed in fortune telling, magic, and the power of cards—so when the Slavic holiday of Ivan Kupala arrived, you and your friends headed to the lake. Rumors had swirled around the village that the lake was haunted by evil spirits, but in the hustle and bustle of the holiday, you'd conveniently forgotten about it.

You wove wreaths of wildflowers and herbs to predict your future husband. According to tradition, the wreaths are to be released into the water—wherever they float is where your destiny will come from. You performed the ritual and lowered the wreaths into the dark surface of the water. They began to swirl in a slow dance, drifting apart.

Your wreath floated smoothly to the side, toward the thickets on the opposite bank. And at that very moment, something emerged from the water right next to it. It was the silhouette of a man: a strong, powerful build, broad shoulders. And on his head was a cloth mask with slits for the eyes. And through those slits, bright blue eyes sparkled, looking straight at you.

lake in the forest