Disgusting. But his palm is very good. To goosebumps.

Mavka clung to the Magus sideways, but he deftly dodged. He pulled forward through the blackness.

- Come on.

“Where? ...” Aina asked carefully. Sand crunched under the hoofs.

“I don't know,” answered the sorcerer. - This is Wil's nest. Villa, you know, creating unpredictable.

“I know,” smiled smavka, “I, too, Will.”

Spark snorts in the dark. The staff rattled the road.

“I have no doubt,” answered the sorcerer. - Just do not forget that it is not you - Villa. And the fact that lives inside you. All your desires and thoughts are completely human. Passion, experience, this is part of yavi. For the spirit whom you call Vilia, all this is an indifferent tinsel. As for you, his problems do not matter. You gave him a body, he gave you health and the meaning of life.

- Do you want to surprise mummy with tales of mavi nature?

There was silence. Aine wanted to pause something offensive, but nothing came to mind. Human reasoning about things alien to them for some reason always caused irritation in her. Well, you will think, children's superficial babble.

And no, it hurts.

“No,” Spark sighed. - I want you to understand. The one who lives in this bewitched hole, hears his vilyu, feels, and understands. Because for me it is strange and unpredictable. If you are like him, I sincerely feel sorry for you, Aineke.

Anger clawed her heart.

“I don’t feel unhappy,” Mawka said coldly. “Women envy me.” And not just because their husbands want me. One and all. And also because wrinkles will not appear on my face soon. That I have no pain in the loins after a normal day. And does not twist a stomach every month. I will never have to tuck in rags. Keep quiet, Iskor. Yes, I also do not have to give birth, but for everything - its price. And if I could put a living stone block on a chain near the house, I would be even happier.

“And you are stronger, faster and smarter,” said the sorcerer. After a pause, he added: - In perspective. No offense.

Mavka, surprised at herself, took the cue calmly.

- Suppose. And why are you sorry for us?

- Sharing the soul, you divide the body. And the more you give, the more you get in the end. The price for your power, which you are proud of - the soul and self. Villa can not live normally without your body. Without it, a huge part of Yavi will not be available. And the more “you” he gets, the stronger he will become. Our acquaintance with you is a mighty creator. People on such catacombs would take decades. He managed, without any noise, in less than a year. There is nothing to say about a living kamenyuk, for a person this is unattainable power. And now think about the price he paid.

Iskor paused. Silent and Aine.

- I am sure that the villa has devoured everything in it that it reached out to. Not from evil - such is his nature. He may not understand at all what he is doing. Just takes it. And from the person as a result there is a mad stub. And with this stub you are about to meet.

- I, in your opinion, too stub?

- You, in my opinion, you know the answer. Mavki prepared according to a recipe, time-tested. A skilled craftswoman, your goddess, Mavha. Everything that your essence consists of, Aine, is carefully measured. And therefore there is nothing superfluous in you. You are beautiful, healthy and successful. No one helped the wild Vilya, it turned out by itself - unpredictable, sick and dangerous.

Pale daylight loomed ahead. Magus quickened his pace.

“Glory to the ancestors, I am not a stub,” said Mawka, “I am a concoction! And Mavha is something like a cook. Who is insane in this hole is a topic worthy of discussion. I see it that way.

The bright spot took shape in an inaccurate, as if hastily cut down arch. Dim rays fell on the trampled yellow sand, converging at an angle to the walls of the corridor. Draft dragged at the feet, licking the skin.

Smell of freshness.

Anxiety matured in her heart, threatening to turn in panic. And the walls, and the portal, it all looked as real as it was absolutely inappropriate, stupid, ridiculous. Crazy. It suddenly seemed to her that a toothless curse with the sorcerer was the only way to remain in the mind in reality, and not to slip ... Aine herself did not know where she was afraid to slip.

“And whose dish do you think I am?” - Continued the girl. Fear shook my throat, and the words were born hoarse-choked.

Spark stopped. Now, against the backdrop of the arch, Aine saw only his dark silhouette.

“But he was seriously thinking,” Mawka understood with surprise and horror. - "Ancestors, just blissful."

“Epochs,” answered Spark. “She will devour you, and spit out bones into the earth.” And you will think to the end that you have lived your life. This is a beautiful vision, Aineke. Just do not forget that people remember the feast more often than dishes. We have to go.

After that, with the same perseverance, he dragged Mawka to the saving (as she thought) bright spot.

The darkness beneath the invisible ceiling shook. Aine saw it clearly, but not with her eyes. Something else ... a soul? Heart?

“Your savage eloquence,” said a fervent, childish voice, “like a bad play on the harp of a flock of hares.” In the middle of the forest. Hares will not understand, but decent people will turn these very harps on the ridge. How do you live with this?

Mavka threw up an annoyed look.

- Do not consider me a fool. You both.

Behind the archway, a wide hall opened, with a floor covered with stone slabs, separated by rows of twisted, green columns of time and moisture. Between the columns there were tall cabinets with doors that were made not without fancy. Aineke already saw something similar, many years ago - when she lived in the house of the mentor.

Exactly the same as Aine herself nicknamed them, the “dominoes” hid in themselves a bunch of different things. From cunningly hung dresses to hidden in the wooden "honeycomb" scrolls. Later, already in the wild, Mawka preferred the most ordinary chests to the flimsy dominoes.

Thoughts interrupted Iscor. He froze, listening. Unceremoniously pulled out his hand - thin fingers clutched at the staff. With a slight movement of the shoulder, the sorcerer pushed the mawka behind his back.

“If you want to get out of here, don't touch anything,” he grunted, without turning around.

Magus pointed staff in the doorway.

- And you, if you want to live, go out. Not that shy of lightning.

In the darkness of the opening something light flashed.

“Come on, hurry,” repeated Iskor. - I am not smiling at all to get out of here in a hundred years. You know how time flows here.

The sand creaked - on the stone floor I stepped shod a foot in unpretentious skewers. Aine's gaze slid higher, over a long, unpainted cotton dress. Worn out of size - it hung on a familiar figure.

Bozena blinked in surprise. She ran her fingers over a thick, now neatly picked up spit.

- BUT? - cast mawka.

“I’m following you ...” the fair-haired woman said fearfully, nervously licking her lips.

Spark impatiently waved his staff.

“It was, yes, yes, this is a hedgehog,” he said coldly. - Drop the knife.

The girl put forward her plump palms.

- Spark ...

Aineke could have sworn - the fox on the headband bared its wooden teeth.

“A knife,” said the sorcerer with pressure. “I'm starting to think you want to hold us up, Bozena.”

Mavka gently touched the sorcerer by the shoulder. Spark startled. But the look from the blonde did not tear off. Tensed even stronger than before.

Morok? Obsession? Aine blinked for fidelity - once the sorcerer managed to avert her eyes. But then it was different. But if the real Bozhena were here, would you stand in a pose? Or really crazy? Or conceived something bad?

Fox eyes flashed fire. Bozena screamed in fright. Somehow, surprisingly cleverly, waved a pen. A knife appeared right in front of her nose, out of the air. For a moment he hung in the air, then with a ringing sound fell on the stones.

Three stood silently looking at each other.

- And now what? - disappointedly said Bozena. The girl did not seem more frightened. Rather irritated .... Read more →