“Where the Fern Blooms” is a novel by Lena Butusova in the genre of romance fantasy / Slavic fantasy. Lubomira is a student of a village herb woman. She has no parents and no fiancé—her only wealth is a little brother and a house-elf under the stove.
One of the festive summer nights fate brings her together with a brooding hunter living on the edge of the village. They leap over an ritual bonfire at the same time and must now spend the night together—yet instead of a fine, sturdy young man, Lubomira sees in the flames the image of a terrifying beast: a bear-werewolf… In fear, the girl runs away, breaking their agreement. At dawn, the geese-swan carry off from the house her little brother.
And no one dares to help the orphan in her search—except the one she promised to give her maiden purity to.