Anna Alexander: queen of fire

© Alana K. Solomo, 2026

ISBN 978-5-0067-7692-0

Created with Ridero smart publishing system

Chapter 1.

Unusual images

Herman Alexander was a man with a settled, sometimes whimsical, outlook on life, where he most often found solace only in his secret work.

Short, and sometimes long, journeys with Sanya, his faithful companion who was genuinely devoted to their shared endeavor, the intrigue of cities, and the whisper of distant stars brought a gentle and measured movement forward into their lives.

According to their host, Owner, the two of them gained not only riches but also invaluable experience from traveling to distant shores. This enriched both the entire clan they served and themselves, opening up new horizons for personal growth.

All of this granted them serenity and contentment, meant to ease their difficult lot and at times dispel the grayness of everyday life.

However, a recent event darkened Herman’s heart, leaving an indelible mark on his mind. Now he had to bear this burden, and the future would reveal how this situation would affect his life, as well as the fate of Sanya and Anna, their daughter.

– What a wonderful house! Whose is it, Dad? – rang the bright voice of nine-year-old Anna, cheerfully walking beside the stern, tall man.

Herman flinched immediately, as if struck, realizing his blunder. He quickened his pace, trying to lead his daughter away from the house they were passing for the first time.

– Dad, why are we in such a rush? We went out for a walk while Mom is busy with lunch! – the girl persisted.

Tormented by anxiety, Herman hurried to leave this marvelous place as quickly as possible. His annoyance at his own carelessness gnawed at him. Fury boiled inside, and when only the top of the roof remained in view and the blurred reflection of the windows still shimmered in the distance, he stopped sharply and began looking around.

The thought that they could have been seen there haunted him for a long time afterward.

Crossing the street between the quiet lanes lit by lanterns, the girl noticed a pair of eyes watching from the window of that very house. Their bluish gleam and alluring beauty mesmerized her. And even though she didn’t know who was looking out at that moment, the house radiated warmth, and she couldn’t help but smile.

– Dad, why aren’t you answering? – Anna asked again.

Herman Alexander seemed not to hear her, and perhaps he really didn’t, for his thoughts were elsewhere: to instill in Anna’s soul such fear that the mere memory of this place would drive her to flee.

At that moment, the calm and timid man transformed into someone cold and unfamiliar to her. His eyes darted around as if he had acted recklessly, and barely restraining himself from rudeness, he sharply grabbed his daughter’s hand, causing her mouth to open in surprise.

– Listen, Anna, our walk here was a huge mistake! You know we don’t go places like this! I beg you, don’t come here again, neither with friends nor, especially, alone. No one has lived in this house for a long time, and who knows who might have taken it over while it’s falling apart! – Herman snapped angrily.

– Okay, Dad. If you ask me, I’ll do it, – the girl replied.

– And another thing, don’t say a word to Mom about us being here. She’ll scold us! You know we have to listen to her, right? – he added after a pause.

The girl nodded, while the man continued to ponder the situation he had put himself in. His usual self-confidence, which normally served him faithfully, had now turned against him, weaving a complicated web of contradictions. He was used to solving any problem with ease, as if they were simple tasks, but this situation exceeded all his expectations.

– How careless I am! Sania will never forgive me if he finds out! But the main thing is that Anna keeps quiet, and I won’t say a word! – he muttered to himself so loudly that the girl kept peeking at his face.

The memory of that day is etched in my mind, like a photograph. How I longed back then to see the silhouette in the window, the one who was watching us! What warmth was hidden behind those walls, which I felt from afar!?

Over the years, my interest in that house never faded; it only grew. From a distance, I would always steal glances in its direction, hoping to see someone nearby. Since then, all my thoughts were connected to that building and the eyes I saw from afar. They haunted me in sleep and in waking life, intertwining into whimsical patterns on the canvas of my imagination. I tried to explain to myself what I had seen, to understand what exactly made such a strong impression on me.

It turns out that this place, shrouded in mystery and fear, was referred to as the “Gates of Shadows”. And now, driven by curiosity and fear, I decided to enter that house at all costs and uncover its secrets. But I also understood that this path was full of dangers and trials, for which it was impossible to prepare in advance, yet.

At fourteen, still very young, I spent a lot of time with books. The thirst for knowledge was boundless, as was the desire to learn about the inhabitants of that wondrous house.

Its walls seemed to whisper stories, and its windows, like eyes, watched the world with a wise condescension.

Every rustle of the leaves in the garden surrounding the house felt like a message. Every ray of sunlight filtering through the stained glass scattered into a thousand sparks, each holding hints. What if the house’s inhabitants were indeed guardians of ancient knowledge, keepers of forgotten rituals, or the last of those who remember my true name?

My heart beat with anticipation of discoveries. My hand involuntarily reached for the carved door, decorated with symbols whose meanings were yet to be deciphered. Taking a deep breath of the cool autumn air, I steeled myself to enter.

Stepping over the threshold was a step into the unknown, into a world where reality intertwined with the past and future, where the thirst for knowledge could finally be quenched or perhaps only ignite with renewed force.

The only person who shared my passion for knowledge and home was my faithful friend Lina, my support and fortress. After all, true friends are always few.

A person with a pure soul, angelic gaze, and soft voice, she never complained, scolded, or shouted, except perhaps at me, sensing that some cheeky boy was soon in for trouble.

At fourteen, I learned what loss and pain are. The only person who understood me was leaving, and I felt it so sharply that I began to dissolve in her sorrow myself. Lina had been diagnosed with a serious illness that was rapidly shortening her life.

Lately, the hope for Lina’s recovery had been fading, like a candle burning out in an impenetrable darkness, and one day at her doorstep, I was met by Lina’s older sister. She was trembling with grief, and tears were streaming down her face. It was then that I realized my friend would never hear new stories again.

The loss of a loved one, around whom all your thoughts revolve, is a heavy trial at any age. And the sooner you let go of the thought of a loved one leaving, the easier it becomes. After all, those who have passed must be released with ease, for you will meet again in another form and in another dimension.

I was an adopted daughter, a quiet shadow in my parents’ home, obedient but with a spark of willfulness in my character. My love for my parents was pure, like the first spring flower, and it blossomed with every glance, every word, every sigh from them. Their affection for me also grew year by year, and my love strengthened like the roots of an ancient tree, penetrating deep into the heart.

The life given to me by my family was wonderful; they surrounded me with care and attention, helped me grow and develop, nurturing a personality that was being prepared for the future.

I knew nothing about my real parents. How many sleepless nights I spent trying to understand what could have made them give me up? Where was that line beyond which I became 'unwanted'? But, probably, this mystery will remain unsolved forever. The years dulled the sharpness of the desire to meet them, leaving only a faint echo of curiosity.

– Mom, did you know my parents? – I asked one day, and the woman’s face froze for a moment in a mask of astonishment.

At the time, I didn’t attach any importance to that question. But after a while, I asked my father the same question. Unlike my mother, he didn’t hesitate and replied that he had only seen them once!

– What are these questions about, Anna? You didn’t care about this before, – asked Herman.

A flush of embarrassment touched my cheeks. An unexpected feeling of guilt pierced my heart, though I didn’t understand what I had done wrong.

– I’m just curious about what kind of people betray… – I replied, looking my father in the eyes.

Herman and Sania exchanged glances, and an unpleasant chill ran down my spine. Somewhere deep in their troubled hearts, they understood where their daughter was leading the conversation, but they preferred to stay silent, changing the subject and only said:

– We saw them briefly, just once. And then they disappeared from our lives, and we became happy. So, dear, don’t think about it. It’s the past, there’s no way back. We are happy as a trio, aren’t we?

Anna nodded, feeling the question echoing in her mind, finding no answer.

– Why did I see the shadows outside the window then? – I asked aloud.

They pretended not to hear my question. After all, all questions regarding the past held no significance for them.

I continued to look at my parents, but my thoughts wandered somewhere far away. Sania and Herman were watching me, seeing how a child turns into an adult asking uncomfortable questions.

– I’m a little scared for Anna. She is our daughter, and… you know, she’s strong in her… – Sania began, but she didn’t finish.

– It’s better to leave everything as it is, Sania. Be quiet and don’t raise suspicions! – Herman interrupted her.

– We need to consult with the boss. Maybe there’s a way to take us back to… – she fell silent again.

– When will you stop bringing trouble upon us?! Stay quiet until Anna gets to the truth! If she finds out who we really are, we’re all in deep trouble! – Herman raised his voice loudly.

– Who gave her those figurines, Herman? – Sania whispered quietly.

Herman shrugged, silently denying his involvement, and headed for the exit. His thoughts were focused, his gaze concentrated. He didn’t want to interfere in Sania’s affairs, but he couldn’t just let things take their course, knowing her impulsiveness.

Our eyes met for a moment. I, like a lost person, was collecting my thoughts, pretending not to be interested in their conversation. But every word, every movement did not escape my attention. The desire to learn even a little about my real parents grew immense.

– Anna, please come here! – Sania suddenly asked.

I obediently got up and approached her. Herman, almost at the door, froze. He sensed that the conversation might take an unpleasant turn and decided to wait for it to finish.

– Don’t be angry with us, Anna. We only wish you well and are not hiding anything from you, except… – Sania hesitated, as if searching for the right words.

Herman’s pupils momentarily elongated into horizontal slits. Feeling that Sania could ruin everything, he quickly approached us.

– Girls, how about we take a walk? – Herman suggested, clearly bewildered.

Four black pupils flared up in his eyes, their glare was unbearable. The desire to cloud my mind, to make me forget everything, grew in him with every passing second.

– Wait, father. I want to hear her out. She has something to tell, right, mom? – I asked, momentarily looking into my father’s eyes.

Herman, beside himself with rage, was covered in a cold sweat. He knew that if he didn’t fix the situation, all his efforts to keep the family together would be in vain. Clenching his fist until the bones cracked, he slowly rolled his eyes, and when he opened them, I was scared as if a monster was before me. Staring at him in disbelief, I asked:

– Father, what’s wrong with your eyes?

And just then, I fell into darkness.

About an hour passed before I woke up. The sleep was brief, but my mind was clouded, heavy thoughts making it difficult to view the situation through the eyes of a teenager. I vaguely remembered what had happened, why I had fallen asleep in the middle of the day, and I didn’t remember either the conversation with my parents or my father’s strange eyes…

I had forgotten everything that had happened some time ago, and upon waking, I found neither Herman nor Saniya at home. All I wanted was to take a walk down the spring street, inhale the scent of blooming lilacs, bask in the rays of the sun to dispel my distraction, and perhaps clarify the situation I had found myself in, a situation that I might not even be aware of.

Chapter 2.

Strange creatures

Anna walked up the road, winding like a river stream, cutting through the narrow streets of the quiet village of Mikhhau. Meeting her was an old man, slightly bent under the burden of years, his face marked with wrinkles like a map of lived years. Quiet fragments of a melody, seemingly forgotten by time, escaped his lips. He moved with a confidence and calmness more characteristic of youth than of an old man. In his hands was a small box, which he tossed from palm to palm as if playing dice with fate itself.

Unbeknownst to her, as if enchanted, Anna found herself at the house. Her mind was calm and serene, like the surface of a wonderful lake.

Surfacing from the stream of thoughts swirling in her consciousness, she discovered that she was standing before it – the house, magnetic in its pull.

Words could not convey the strange mix of feelings that overwhelmed her. Her heart raced like a bird caught in a cage, and her breathing became intermittent. She had always felt that this house was infused with magic, just like its ancient inhabitants. Even on the gloomiest day, in the midst of a snowstorm or intense frost, it radiated warmth, giving her strength and filling her with life energy. It was no surprise that her feet had led her here, on a path that deviated from her usual route.

The warmth streaming from the walls, thickly draped in emerald ivy, was painfully familiar, as if something dear and close was hidden behind them. Not a single leaf rustled, creating a feeling of seclusion, as if she had found herself in the heart of a dense thicket. Trees surrounded the house on all sides, shielding it from prying eyes. Through their intertwining branches, timid rays of sunlight broke through. There wasn’t a single cloud in the sky, and this calmness felt ominous. In a fraction of a second, her whole life flashed before her eyes. Squinting, she discerned a group of people in the distance, animatedly chatting about something. A sweet scent of lilacs lingered in the air. Her mind was clear, which initially frightened Anna, for it was here, by this house, that strange things always happened to her.

Every time she left the house, whether for school or a regular walk, it ended with her being here, and all her feelings and sensations changed fundamentally.

She dreamed of this house, not knowing the reason for this desire, but she knew that entering it was forbidden. Day and night, she longed to inhale the scent of old furniture, to feel the fragrance of flowers planted by someone else’s hands, to lie on the grass in its shady garden.

Something inexplicable began when her father accidentally turned the wrong way and they found themselves near this house. Since then, she could not find peace or focus on anything more important than this strange, dilapidated house.

– There is a place in life for events where everything happens when you desire it the most but least expect it. This is the law of the universe, the law of attraction. Call it magic or enchantment – it’s up to you, but however you name it, it will invariably fulfill your wish, – her astronomy teacher once told her.

And to be honest, our life is a true miracle.

Anna hastily veered off the path forbidden to her by parental command. A chill of foreboding settled in her heart: if even one curious eye noticed her creeping like a shadow by the walls of the cursed house, the ire of her parents would descend upon her with the relentless force of a tempest.

That day etched itself in memory as a dazzling shard of magic, woven from unreality and dreams. After the walk, time seemed to disperse into myriads of moments, eluding awareness. She remembered neither the way back nor the events that left a mark on that enchanted day, as if someone had erased those moments from her memory with a snap of their fingers. The only thing she remembered was the eyes watching her from the window, eyes full of kindness and warmth.

– Why is the world arranged this way? – she asked Lina, and there was genuine pain in her voice. – How much beauty perishes in the shadows, just to gleam once in the rays of someone else’s recognition, to conform to imposed ideals, to rise above others or, on the contrary, to bow down humbly. Is it really impossible to just live, radiating kindness, finding happiness in simple joys, without chasing after the elusive shadows of perfection?

– Perhaps the time will come when those questions will be answered by people wiser than we are now, for the world is changing for the better. But for now, seek only the good in this beautiful world, – Lina replied.

This is how I lived, anticipating a happy life and wonderful moments that I still had to discover and see.

As for Anna’s parents, Sania and Herman were hastily preparing for a trip. They rushed about as if a whirlwind swept through the house and flew out the door, not having the chance to truly talk to their daughter.

– Don’t forget to feed the cat, we’ll be back tomorrow evening! – Sania managed to shout to her daughter, who was watching them in surprise, her mouth slightly open.

At that moment, the girl was standing with a glass of milk in her hands. Puzzled, Anna looked at her departing parents, not understanding what was happening.

– I wish I could talk to someone… I really have no one to talk to, – Anna whispered as soon as the front door slammed shut.

The expression on her face was one of torment, as it was hard for a teenager to admit that she was completely alone in this huge world. She sadly remembered Lina, who was probably happily sitting on a throne next to the angels.

Time passed, and Anna gradually stopped tormenting herself with loneliness. Most likely, she even grew to love it, since one must live in harmony with oneself. The girl found the strength within her to overcome the fear of being without communication, and after everything she had been through, a pleasant surprise awaited her. She knew there were many activities that brought peace to the mind and body… but…

The next day, when sunlight lazily penetrated her room, the silence was shattered by a strange sound coming from the hall. At first, she thought it was the neighbors who had stopped by for a visit, calling out to their family, who, finding no one, had left silently. Only silence remained, interrupted by the creak of old parquet under invisible footsteps, and an unexplainable emptiness, as if the house held its breath, waiting for something. A ghostly rustle, like the breath of the night, and a strange, muffled thud, as if a huge, predatory cat was stalking from corner to corner in unquenchable thirst, reached her ears.

Downstairs on the first floor, Anna froze, struck by an unexpected guest. At her feet, propped up on its hind legs, stood a squirrel. Its tiny claws softly clicked against the parquet, and an unusual, almost plaintive squeak escaped its throat. Anna, forgetting everything, decided to lead the forest creature back home, but catching it proved to be no easy task. After three dizzying laps around the house, her attention was drawn to the squirrel’s strange behavior. In his movements, there was not so much fear as a desperate hunger. The thought of what to feed the little creature firmly took hold of her heart.

– So what should I do with you, and most importantly, what should I feed you? – she asked her new friend and was surprised that she was trying to talk to a wild animal.

– I would like some birch juice, Anna! – he squeaked.

– Right now, mommy! – followed her unconscious reply.

Stopping, Anna realized that something strange was happening in the room.

– Now I will feed you, and you will run back home, right? – she said, and her eyes widened in surprise.

– Of course, Miss Anna! – the squirrel again hissed, changing in appearance.

She looked at him in fear. After all, you don’t see something like this every day, let alone in real life!

In the blink of an eye, his eyes rounded, ears and nose took on human features, paws elongated into hands, and his body became male. The squirrel transformed into a man she had never seen before.

– I am the servant of the gentleman who sent me to you, asking to deliver this letter, – and he rummaged in his pocket.

A few seconds later, he handed her a white sheet of paper, folded several times.

She stood like a statue, unable to utter a word. His movements were quick, making her head spin like a globe.

– Here, I found something else for you! – said the strange companion, extending a small pencil that resembled an ordinary wooden stick.

– What kind of pencil is this? – she whispered, holding the light stick in her hands.

– Review this letter and give a response to the gentleman; he is impatient, – squeaked the little squirrel, sparkling its eyes. – And hurry up, time is money, and it is very valuable to me!

Anna was in a daze, her mind refusing to piece together what was happening into a coherent picture. He had appeared as if out of nowhere, and in every word of his, there was such unyielding seriousness that it was impossible to deny it. Disbelief paralyzed her; it seemed like unreality, a bad dream, and the main question was – why her?

Unfolding the paper, she read the following:

Miss Anna, I beg you to hurry! The heart of our village keeps a quiet aquarium on Karaliokha street ∞. Time is quicksand, do not wait a moment! I.L.

– What does this incomprehensible address mean? And in general, there is no such address in our village; apparently, your master has confused something? – she said.

The squirrel chuckled, and then a slight tremor pierced through him. The strange metamorphoses began again. He stretched upwards, like a young tree, then dissolved into the air, becoming almost an elusive ghost, then produced strange, otherworldly sounds, reminiscent of the whisper of the wind in an empty pipe…

– Please hurry, I need to deliver the answer as soon as possible; it is very important! – he replied in millions of strange voices, merging into one incomprehensible roar.

I raised my hand, and the pencil, like a captured bird, fluttered in my fingers. Struggling to suppress a shiver, frightened by its unusual liveliness, I felt the graphite tip, like a tiny spark, burn my skin. And then, obeying an unknown impulse, it began to dance across the paper, and the pen, as if possessed, traced whimsical signs. In an instant – and beneath the initials I.L., a concise response emerged: “Good.”

A sudden ray of sunlight pulled my guest’s face out of the shadows, and before me, as if nothing had happened, stood the same little squirrel, clearly pleased with the effect he had created. He hesitated for a moment, then nodded toward the door, indicating that it was time for me to follow him.

Like an arrow released, he darted away, leaving me to swallow the dust of his swift run. Casting aside modesty, I dashed after it like a child entranced by the dance of an elusive ball. Soon we found ourselves by a modest earthen mound, barely discernible in the green grass of the meadow – a secret concealed beneath a veil of ordinariness.

The hill, rising above the even grass by no more than three and a quarter elbows, resembled an anthill more than an entrance to a dwelling. A tiny door and a window, each no taller than an elbow, did not match the image of the mysterious place described in I.L.‘s letter.