- Land! - South Amazon Leila was incredibly happy to feel firm ground under her feet again, because she had to spend two weeks at sea to return to her native continent.

She did not even walk fifty steps along the dock, as he caught her eye. A thin boy in rags sat on the pier and masterfully played the flute, carelessly waving his legs tied with bandages. The young man’s hands, with the exception of the tips of his fingers, were also rolled up, his face was hidden by a hood, from under which the snow-white long hair was blown by the wind. The boy immediately caught her attention for its unusual. Firstly, the legs, peeking out from under the rags to the knee, were rather strong and covered with black hairs - so why is the hair on the head white, or rather even gray? He is not an old man - it was evident from his posture and the glibness with which he played. And in general, his very presence here on the pier, where everyone is jostling, fumbling and swearing was at least strange. A good Samaritan passed by and a pitiful copperfish rang next to the lad.

- Thank you very much, really, God bless you! - a ringing youthful voice rang out, and this disheveled miracle began to actively wave its hands to a person who clearly did not pay attention to him. Then, having calmed down, the young man hid the money in the folds of his ridiculous clothes, made himself comfortable and continued a completely different tune.

- Hello, earned a lot?

The boy suddenly turned abruptly at Leyla’s voice and she literally felt his studying tenacious gaze on herself - a strange sensation, especially since the young man’s eye could not be seen. “There is something predatory in this sharp turn and in general in all of it,” thought the woman.

- Greetings, Madam South Amazon! I now have two coppers, if you want, I can borrow ... - the guy cheerfully announced.

- No, thanks, I'll get along. How long have you been sitting here?

“My ship arrived in the morning, now it's noon - seven or so hours.”

- Oh, yes you are not here?

“No, I came here from distant islands, Madame Amazon, on my way to the Vampire Queen’s castle.”

- Oh really? And what did you forget there?

- Well ... a person close to me told me to go there ... In general, this is personal ...

- So what are you sitting here, and not going to the castle?

- Hmm ... I thought here ... on the way, because it is not always possible to hunt, it means that I need money for the road, but I don’t have it - I collect it little by little.

- Yes, the path is not close and at this pace you will reach the castle in two years, not earlier.

- Well, patience and hard work all!

“How can you be so simple? The guy is just blissful of some kind. She answers with such carelessness - you just don't know what to say, ”Leila thought, but said aloud:

- You speak like a monk.

- Well, the monk is not a monk, but a novice ...

- True? And whose? And how does a novice differ from a monk?

- I am a novice of the Eastern Temple of Fire, well, that is, he was, as long as the Temple existed. A novice is different from a monk ... well, because he did not give any vows, like ...

- Like? Hmm ... never heard of the Eastern Temple of Fire ... On the islands you say? And what, vows of celibacy also did not give? Yes, just kidding, I'm joking, don't get excited, boy. And what about the temple?

- Came to desolation.

- True? What a pity ... In general, catch it - Leila threw a bag with her things to the kid in her hands - I am going to the Vampire Queen's castle, so I'll give you a lift. And I will pay for food, and you will be my servant - you will carry my things, entertain me playing the flute and all that. Is going?

- But ... but ... I ... this is the most ...

- Come on, nun - with these words, the Amazon moved on, and the kid trotted after her.

“Um, I told you that it’s not a monk, and generally I don’t entertain with the flute.” I just play for myself, and sometimes I get paid ... now ... and I am not sure that this is a good idea, somehow it is not convenient to live at your expense ...

- Do not worry, man, this is not hard for me, but the company will not interfere.

“Well, then ...” the young man got down on one knee, lowered his head and placed his fist on the ground — all men should behave in front of the Amazons, at least in the territory of their kingdom. - I'm Cain. At your service Madam ... uh ...

- Leila, my name is Leila, and you have been trained in etiquette - I think we will get along.

And so began their journey together, the woman rode, and the young man walked alongside. They chatted all the way. Amazon learned that Cain spent his whole life on the temple grounds and never left its limits. "That is why it is looking at all women so intently - probably, until recently, I have never seen them once." He was planted by the abbot even in infancy She also learned that he is a big fan of Amazons - read all the possible and impossible books about them. All the way, the young man bombarded Leila with questions to which she sometimes did not know the answers herself, and sometimes she learned something new from Cain - usually from the history of her people. “God, the real bookworm! The walking encyclopedia ”—the woman had such an opinion about the new satellite after the second day of their joint journey, when asked:“ I wonder what kind of bird it is? ”- he fell asleep with an incredible amount of facts regarding starlings. They spent the third day in silence, and on the fourth they were joined by Shana, a young priestess, with whom Leila became friends during one hike. “And she grew up, only now she became even more bitchy — she would have already found a man for herself, otherwise this is, perhaps, due to lack of money. However, I also missed the feeling of something more pleasant than a horse between my legs. ”- Leila felt very sad when the acting priestess and“ only ”novice began to argue about which school has the best fire magic - the western or the eastern. Although, all the conversations somehow subsided when a rumor reached the company in one town that a werewolf Baldor with his Mad Dogs bent on the fire magicians. The kids immediately fell silent.

- Now, probably, all sorcerers will be called to the service. You, boy, too - decided to scare the young man amazon.

- No, it will not take. Mages of the East are scientists. Theorists of magic in general. They know its depths, but they do not practice the combat magic of fire, and he is novice at all, not even a monk. Novices do not know a damn thing at all - dropouts.

Cain silently swallowed the insult.

The next morning, Leila woke up quite early, but still did not find her servant on the spot. He always ridiculously rolled up like a dog before bedtime. The guy generally had many dog ​​habits: sometimes puppy-like head tilted when thinking about a question or considering something, eating ordered a lot of meat and gnawing everything to the bones - just a wolf's appetite. And in general, maybe he has no dog habits, but a wolf? Although, a werewolf cannot live and study in the Temple of Fire - these nonhumans cannot spell. And yet, the way he falls, first turns his head, and then the body constantly listens, sniffs and walks silently - everything shows through something predatory, inhuman.

Leila wanted to catch him sleeping in the morning at least once, but he seemed to be waking up to the dawn. The woman went into the bushes, and then went to the side of the pond to wash.Soon she heard a melodious voice singing something in an unknown language. She crept carefully and saw Cain, who while singing, took a morning bath in the pond. He was completely naked and what the Amazon saw immediately determined her plans for the evening.

Thin in rags, which he proudly called a robe, the young man now appeared before a woman in all its glory. The muscles twisted as though taut ropes made his wolfish lean body look like a tree that had come to life. The ears are slightly pointed, the face ... if Leila knew the elves, she might never have thought, but now she saw a guy with a face that looks more like an elf in her measurements — beautiful, nothing less. Eyes ... wow, colorful ...