“How do you stay so calm?” Tereza asks me, both of us laying back in her bed.

“When you have faced death as many times as I have, you learn to not let it get to you.”

My friend tilts her head to look at me as I stare up at the crystal mobile hanging above her head. Watching as the rainbows move around the room. It was the only thing keeping me calm; despite what I said, there is no way to keep calm. Red Eyes wasn’t some legend mothers tell their daughters to keep them from acting out. He was real.

Not that I remember Red Eyes at all. All that I knew about him came from the stories papa told me about the night my mother and sister died.

Playing with the ring on my thumb, I sigh, taking a moment before moving to sit up. It felt like hours had past, but thankfully that was all it took to calm her down.

“Why don’t we take an evening to ourselves?” I ask, offering her a smile as she raises her eyebrow.

“Shouldn’t you be reading cards?”

“I should be…but Nic will understand why I’m not at the stall tonight.” I chuckle. “After all, he’d probably just be happy that I’m keeping you safe.”

It takes a while to get Tereza out of bed and shoes on her swollen feet. The joys of the later parts of pregnancy. But once she was settled, giving me one of her floral shawls to cover my bare shoulders, we were off to enjoy the festivities. Playing games we knew we would never win since they were rigged. But that didn’t take the joy out of trying to win a prize for Nicolae.

“You’re doing it wrong.” The hair on the back of my neck stands up as Nicolae plays with my wavy red strands. “Want me to show you how it’s done?”

“Be my guest.” I scoff though I’m smiling. “Win Tereza a plushie, and I’ll make sure to reward you after the show.”

The show he should be getting ready for, but wasn’t. Not that it seemed to bother him at all as he paid for the balls. Smirking, he handed two of them to me before facing back towards the milk jugs--confident that he would be able to win this game. But, like the rest of us, he was shivering, even if it was just ever so slightly.

Usually in the cold winter months we travel through towns like Beggars Hole or Dalhurst. But this year, we detoured and came back to our home: Riverstrand. And though I loved the cold, and loved the snow that came with it, it didn’t help you win rigged festival games.

Yet despite the odds, Nicolae managed to knock them down. Going for one of the bottom corners as Tereza squealed. Clapping her hands in excitement before picking her prize: a stuffed elephant.

“William is going to love this when he’s born.” She grins, giving Nicolae a kiss on the cheek as a thank you.

“I hope so,” he murmurs before he gives me a kiss. “I’ll meet you back at the caravan after the show, Dragul meu.”

“Okay,” I breath, watching him walk away as Tereza knocks her hip against mine.

“I can see that look. You’re planning your wedding already, aren’t you?”

“We’ve been together for two years,” I muse. “It’s not out of the realm of possibilities, but I, for one, am not planning a wedding.”

“Spoil sport.” My friend huffs, puffing out her cheeks before she links her arm with mine. Leading me off to go only knows where.