spread his hands:

“I don’t know, master sorcerer, but it seems that magic hasn’t been here,” he lowered his voice. “The witch looked like a mummy, although she disappeared last night.” We called the magician from the capital. We have not had such cases here yet.

- Lyubava, Lyubava, who took your life, my beauty, - as if Michael himself muttered himself, moving away from the policeman.

Squatting beside Crying Dully, he gently touched her hand:

- Girl my, kresis, I will certainly find your mother's killers. - And already addressing the neighbor hugging the girl, he asked: - Did the girl get a soothing decoction?

“No, lord sorcerer,” the plump, breadmaker looked at him in alarm.

“So,” the sorcerer began to dispose of, “take the girl into her room, now I will find the broth.” You, Mr. Policeman, will send strangers out of the house; now the girl needs peace. And keep me informed, I intend to take part in the investigation into the murder of Lyubava.

No one even thought that it was Michael who killed the city witch Lubava. He was actively involved in the search for the murderer and unobtrusively but persistently took over the custody of the grief-stricken Duljana.

****

Time went by. Lubava's killer was never found. And Michael completely began to take care of Divlyana. The townspeople admired him, his care for the girl, disinterested help to people. And they closed their eyes to some oddities in his behavior, periodic absences in an unknown direction, writing off everything to witchcraft.

Divlyana gradually came to life, the pain of losing the mother softened, the girl smiled again. She practically replaced her mother, making potions for the townspeople. And Michael became for her something more than a friend of the mother and guardian. His every touch, every warm smile made the girl thrill. In her heart matured love, the first in her life, love for a man.

The sorcerer spent a lot of time with Divlyana. He gradually cultivated the feelings of the girl. Gradually awakened her sensuality. Being engaged with her in preparation for entering the academy, he constantly touched the girl. Her hair, hands, hugged the thin waist, sometimes, as if by chance, touched the elastic hemispheres of the breasts. Hiding a contented smile, the sorcerer watched the girl's embarrassment, how she blushed, how her breath got off. “How sweet you smell, girl! Soon, very soon you will be mine! Your innocent blood of an uninitiated witch will be my highest reward! ”- Michael squinted, anticipating pleasure, almost physically feeling the taste of Divlyana’s magic, fresh and bright, smelling of spring flowers.

****

For two years, Michael taught and took care of a young witch. For two years, Divlyana poured magic power. And all this time the sorcerer encouraged pure feelings for him growing in the girl, pretending that he did not notice anything. And the day of the eighteenth anniversary of Divlyana approached. Michael planned for her a luxurious holiday, inviting him almost half the city.

- Why, Michael? - asked the girl. - I do not want a noisy holiday. It is better to mom go to the grave.

- Divlyana, you are the future witch! You have to get used to attention, - Michael was adamant. - You will study in the capital, you will have to leave the academy with the rest of the students for the royal balls. So get used to it, my girl.

In fact, Michael simply deflected suspicions from himself in case the disappearance of the girl suddenly comes up.

- Good. But I still go to my mother in the morning, - the girl smiled sadly.

“Of course, honey,” the sorcerer hugged and hugged the girl to himself, “let's go together to Lubava.

Feeling the girl's thrill, he gently kissed her cheek, stroked her back. Divlyana threw her blue eyes at Michael, involuntarily leaning towards his touch. And then she was embarrassed, flushed, but she did not pull away, but she bent her head on the man’s shoulder.

"I love him! Love And he treats me like a girl! ”She thought. - “How I want him to love me too!”

“Soon, very soon you will be mine, Divlyana!” - the wizard thought at the same time.

****

The eighteenth birthday for Dlyany began with a visit to the grave of the mother. Michael accompanied the girl, helping to bring a huge bunch of white lilies, favorite flowers Lubava. Divlyana quietly cried, kneeling in front of her mother's grave:

- Mom, how so? Why did you leave me, honey? How I want to see you for a moment, hug, cuddle up to you ...

Michael silently stood behind the girl, patiently waiting for her tears to run out. When Divlyana stopped crying and only sobbing from time to time, the sorcerer picked her up from the ground and, turning her face to her, first kissed her lips. Touching Divlyana's lips with his lips, fleetingly stroking their tongues, he felt her trembling. Gentle sponges opened themselves, but Michael had already pulled away and sent a handkerchief out of his pocket. Wiping away the tears of the girl, he said softly:

“Do not cry, my girl, you break my heart,” in one phrase giving birth to the hope in Divlyana that her pure love is mutual.

- Michael, I love you! - broke from her lips before she realized what she was saying. And then she looked frightened at the man.

He smiled gently at her and said, as if there was no confession now:

- Come on, Divlyana, you will have a magical evening!

And in the evening the real magic began in the city. The tent spread out in advance on the main square was filled with flickering lights that painted everything around in iridescent reflections. Magic illusions flashed in the air here and there, depicting scenes from the favorite books of Divlyana. The orchestra played wonderful melodies. All residents of the city, dressed up in the best outfits for the sake of such a holiday, could enjoy the luxurious dishes, drink expensive wine, and dance. But the real miracle was waiting for the townspeople at the moment when Divlyana appeared. She walked along a path of illusory colors, light, airy, like a fairy. Her snow-white dress with a scattering of brilliant dust shimmered in the light of multi-colored lights. Diamonds in her shiny black hair flared like dew drops in the sun. The girl was met with enthusiastic cries of citizens, congratulations and health resorts in her honor. Embarrassed by such attention to herself, she nodded and thanked for the congratulations, but at the same time she saw only Michael standing at the end of a flower path with a box in her hands. A wave of the sorcerer’s hand and silence spread around. Everyone froze, waiting for a new miracle.

The velvety deep voice of the sorcerer was heard by everyone, as if he were standing next to each guest:

- Dylyana, my girl, today is your age of majority. Everything today is just for you, all the flowers of the world, all the stars of the universe. And I want to give you another gift, you deserve it like no other.

Michael opened the box, and from there flew two small flower fairies, raising a scroll with the seal of the royal academy of magic and witchcraft.

Divlyana gasped and hid her face in her palms.

- Dear townspeople! Dear Divlyana! - Michael said solemnly, - This is an order to transfer Divlyana to the first year of the academy. Without exams. Exam you passed me, girl. And I witnessed your knowledge, skills, abilities with my authority. Be proud, people, that the future great sorceress was born in your city.

Everyone gasped in delight, accepted shouting congratulations again, and, of course, the fun continued.

The birthday of Divlyana, the day of her majority, became a real miracle for the town and its inhabitants, which was remembered for many years. He also became her last holiday in life ...

****

A day later, Michael, like a hurricane, bursting into the house of a young witch, commanded:

- All my girl, collect things, tomorrow we go to the capital!

- Already tomorrow? - the girl was surprised.

- Yes. The path is not close. From the things take only the most necessary, the rest I will buy you in the capital.

And Michael as quickly as he came, rushed off in an unknown direction, leaving Divlyana in the middle of the room alone.