Chapter 10 : A Game of Riddles

Elena and her companions were relieved to have freed the children from the Baba Yaga's cages. But as they turned to leave, they heard a low chuckle coming from behind them.

"You think you have won?" the Baba Yaga said, stepping out from the shadows. "Think again."

Elena drew her sword, ready to defend herself and the children. But the Baba Yaga did not attack.

Instead, she gestured to a nearby table, on which sat a pile of riddles.

"A game, my dears," she said, her eyes glittering. "A game of riddles. If you can solve them all, you may leave with the children. But if you fail...well, let's just say that the consequences will not be pleasant."

Elena narrowed her eyes, suspicious of the Baba Yaga's motives. But she knew that they had no other choice. They could not leave the children behind.

She stepped forward, picking up the first riddle.

"What is it that has a heart that doesn't beat?"

Nikolai and Anna looked at each other, uncertain. But Elena knew the answer.

"A artichoke," she said, her voice steady.

The Baba Yaga's smile faded slightly, and she handed Elena the next riddle.

They worked their way through the riddles, each one growing more difficult than the last. But Elena's mind was sharp, and she was able to answer them all.

Finally, the Baba Yaga handed her the last riddle.

"I am always hungry, I must always be fed. The finger I touch, will soon turn red. What am I?"

Elena thought for a moment, but the answer eluded her. She looked to Nikolai and Anna for help, but they were equally stumped.

The Baba Yaga's smile widened, and Elena felt a chill run down her spine.

"Time's up," the witch said, her voice dripping with malice. "The answer is fire."

As she spoke, the room began to grow hotter. Elena realized that the walls were closing in, and that they were trapped.

She looked to the children, who were crying in fear. She knew that she could not let them down.

She closed her eyes, focusing on her magic. Slowly, she began to summon a powerful spell.

As she chanted the words, flames erupted around the room. The walls retreated, and the heat dissipated.

When Elena opened her eyes, she saw that they were standing outside the hut, surrounded by the children.

The Baba Yaga was nowhere to be seen.

Elena breathed a sigh of relief, but she knew that the Baba Yaga would not give up so easily.

"We have to keep moving," she said, her voice urgent. "We can't stop until we're out of this forest."

Nikolai and Anna nodded, and they set off through the woods once again. But as they walked, Elena knew that the Baba Yaga was still out there, watching them from the shadows.

She knew that this was not the end of their battle. But she was determined to see it through to the end, no matter the cost.