- What are you doing?
I'd rather guess than see the knife shine in the dark.
- Stay there," her friend told me in my ear and suddenly shouted out loud:
- Chickenpox, look! There's a light!
- Where did I squeal because I couldn't see any light in the darkness. And then something huge wrapped up in the darkness, and it seems, too, turned, looking for this very light, and a friend made a wild scream and jumped on it something!
I shrieked, jumped up, and threw myself at the sound, waving my arms, clenched in my fists. The right one got into something hard and alive, but immediately I got undercut and fell to the ground. Ksenka fell on top of me, wildly scarred, and I was afraid that she would inadvertently cut me in this darkness and tried to crawl away. It wasn't there. Someone had stepped on my braid with foresight, so I couldn't turn my head and just waved my hands trying to punch.
Ksenka jumped off me, ducked down and rushed on whoever was holding me. My eyes, accustomed to the darkness, could barely see the vague shadow that rose above me. The shadow moved a little, and the knife flew out of my friend's hand and made a weak call against the stone wall. But Xenia did not give up, turned around, and flew out of her hood, freeing herself. It was only for a moment that my scythe became free, the shadow shifted slightly and I turned over, got up and threw myself under the feet of the beast who attacked us, dropping it on the ground. At the same moment, Xenia, on the other side of the scythe, fell into the shadow and closed her teeth with all her might.
- Sol moon, a dead gelding! What the hell! Xenya! Let go of my hand, you'll bite it off! - A shadow scolded and a glowing balloon burst into flames next to us. We froze, blinded, and then stared at Lord Darrell. Xenia moved away in a confused way and tried to wipe her teeth off the Lord's palm. Shaider looked at her eloquently, the girl blushed. I got up, shaking my dress.
- Lord Darrell! - I was outraged, and what does that mean? How long have you been sneaking after us?
The Lord serenely fixed his cloak and pulled the jacket away.
- And I'm not sneaking around. I'm not sneaking around. There's so much noise from you, you won't hear a song.
- That's not true! - Ksenia was outraged, we were walking quietly! Yes, we were talking a little... and you might not have overheard! By the way, how did you disarm me so cleverly?
The Lord snorted.
- Disarmed you? To disarm you, to take a bun from a five-year-old... okay, no offense. Well done... for the girls. Don't get confused, we've started attacking. I wasn't expecting that. I'm that scream: "Wind, I see the light!" I even believed for a moment...
- Oh, so it was a ruse? - I figured it out.
Xenya and the Lord looked at me equally sympathetically. I was embarrassed.
- All right, girls. And now you quickly explained to me, for what darkness did you go into the dungeon? Until I took you by the ears and ripped you off properly?
I was embarrassed to look at Xenia, and she was a lord, and somehow blushed again.
- We wanted to help... - I didn't dare say.
- Yeah, to help. And for that, we decided to get lost in an underground maze. Although, of course, I'm surprised we even guessed about him... - Schader looked at us with his hands on his side. But he didn't seem very angry, so we cheered up.
- So it's a maze after all? Have you been here before? Did you find anything? Missing children? Why...
- Quiet! - We were obediently silent. Spider sighed.
- Yes, I knew about the tunnels. I accidentally found them when I was young when I joined Riverstein's inheritance rights. And yesterday, like you, Riverstein, guessed there had to be another way out of the portal room. Secretly. It's a pity the map of these dungeons wasn't preserved, it would have been easier. And so... I ran... um... a wolf, a few branches back at night when I sent you to bed. Many of the passages have collapsed, there's a dead end, but the ones that have survived form a vast labyrinth with many exits. It's going to take some time to look at them all. But the fact that the missing children have been here, no doubt. I could smell it, and I also... found this.
He took a scarlet ribbon out of his pocket, and I remembered Danila telling me about the warden's daughter: "She was wearing a handkerchief with swans, a scarlet ribbon in a braid...". Xenia remembered, too, clenched her teeth.
- The scents are quite old, no less moon and no fresher. Besides, in the tunnels there is a strong smell of "shifter grass", she knocks down the trail and I have to turn into a person. Someone who has done this is smart... and considerate.
- So the killer stopped using this portal? But why did he stop using it? Did he do what he wanted to do? Or was he scared?
- Maybe... or he's had enough of those kids who've already fallen into his trap.
- Well, that's the way to look! - excitedly exclaimed Xenia, - to gather people, to go down to this dungeon, together we can find the children!
- We can't! - her lord broke it off, - no one can be involved in this. We don't understand what's going on and why the murderer wants these children, we'll just scare him. And besides... we don't know who we can trust.
- And no one can know that I have the ancestral artifact of the Lord of Chaos," I barely heard.
Spider slowed down, but then he nodded.
- Yes, Vetriana. You've got it right. This is too serious. The Rainbow Empire and Chaos are in such a fragile truce that any clash can turn into a new war. You can't let that happen. I'm afraid many would want to take hold of Argyard without even knowing what he is and seeing him as a symbol of power.
- So you and the Arch'Arrion are in this together?
- Strange as it may seem," shrugged the Lord.
- So you don't care about the lives of these children, but only about some artifact? - Xenia was angry.
- They do, Xenia, they do. The lives of missing children and the life of the Vetriana. We're trying to figure it out, but without attracting too much attention. I don't want to risk anyone's life, believe me.
Xenia nodded, put her head down.
- So what are we going to do?
- We're going to go to breakfast," said the Lord firmly. - Then you will go to class, and I will continue to explore the tunnels.
And he moved forward decisively, we followed. As it turned out, we didn't get away from Riverstein at all, as we thought we did, but we walked just a little bit, and in a circle. But the Lord took us another way, not wanting to appear out of the hole in the portal room. We walked through the dungeon, which was soon a little lower, but it was a clear drag of fresh air, turned a couple of times, and suddenly we saw the light and climbed out of the hole in the embankment on which the shelter building stood. From the outside the exit was tightly covered with creeping hazelnut branches and juniper bushes, so that without knowing exactly where the hole was, it was impossible to find it.
Above us was a fence wall, followed by Riverstein.
- Shake off your dresses," Shaider said, looking critically at us. But he didn't go through the main gate, he went around, through a breach in the wall. Right, I'm so used to these breaks that I'll soon forget how normal people walk.
- Chickenpox," the Lord turned to me, "and why didn't you make a light in the dungeon?
- I couldn't," I confessed embarrassedly, "but all the power seemed to be flowing. And I could hardly feel it...
Shyder stopped, took a good look at me. He mumbled a curse through his teeth and darkened.
- Go into the building," he said abruptly. Xenia walked obediently, and I stayed late.
- Is something the matter, Lord Darrell?
He nodded grimly.
- You're getting weaker too fast, Vetrjana. We thought there was still time, but... We must find a way... here's the darkness!
And he punched as hard as he could on the masonry, knocking down his knuckles. I was afraid to twitch, not expecting such a flash of rage from him, and I felt guilty for my too weak body that could not resist destruction.
- Forgive me," I
repented. The Lord looked incomprehensible, then slowly approached and raised my chin, forcing me to look him in the face.
- What are you sorry for? - silently he asked, - that's the Abyss... how did you live here, that you're sorry for dying? Perhaps I should return the corporal punishment. Only with respect to your mentors!
I unwittingly imagined Lord Darrell chasing Harpy, God and other Priors around the court with a whip at their heels. They squeaked and fled faster, and the Lord laughed. I smiled. Spider let go of my chin and moved away.
- Go to the refectory, Vetriana," he said without looking, "go!
I turned my back and went quickly to Xenia, who was standing at the break.
* * *
Of course, by lunchtime, we decided to explore the tunnels. We stocked ourselves with an oil lamp, a piece of chalk, matches and bread and cheese, dressed warmer and went to the breach in the wall. We decided to start not with a room in an abandoned wing, but with a hole behind the gate. First, we didn't want to draw attention to ourselves; second, there was no desire to fall into the climbing hole.
I even grabbed pure parchment, on which I intended to mark with coal the way passed and all the branches.
And what a surprise was our surprise when we came across Danila near the wall on the side of the spruce tree! Who had the most thoughtful view of this wall.
- Danila! - I cheerfully exclaimed, what are you doing here?
- Girls! I was thinking how I'd like to see you guys! And mamanu. They won't let me in, your gatekeeper promised to look up if I don't stop looking at the gate. Can you imagine? Wicked as a chain dog, and a disgusting molester of innocent souls called me... bastard! And all I did was ask the equalist to call... or you. He also threw lumps of dirt at me!
I smiled, Xenya laughed openly.
- Well, you didn't go to the pub, but to the women's shelter! You're a disgusting molester! - She's the one who tricked me into it. Danila's blush is absolutely gorgeous. I, who already had the pleasure of seeing this wonderful phenomenon, looked with a smile, and Xenia opened her mouth. The truth is, my straightforward bully didn't comment on it, well done.
- So how did you end up here? You're supposed to be at Elloare, right?
- Were you there? - I greedily asked Xenya.
The guy's eyes turned into a dreamy haze and there was such a blissful expression on his face that I wanted to kick him.
- Girls! You have no idea how great it is! It's unbelievable! Lord Darrell assigned me to the Pledge Force Management School, by the way, you know he's a master? He's one of the strongest... I'll share a room with an elf, he's a normal guy, but his ears are sharp and he's dressed like a fool, so nothing, not an asshole. I thought elves were such wing babies! It's like fairies! And they don't have any wings, I checked," Danila was confused, rubbing her cheekbone with a bruise spilled over her from the "check". But I shaken it immediately. But the coolest, of course, are from Chaos ... you should have seen them fighting with swords! And all sorts of fiery things they do, even without any training. It's in their blood, the power of fire.
- I thought only light people were trained at Elloar. - I was surprised.
- Uh-uh. Well, mostly, yeah, sure. But there are also dark ones, they have, like, a courtesy of the Empire, strengthening friendly relations. But only the dark still hold on to the mansion, but the strong... unrealistic! And I also watched them turn into combat uniforms... aah!!! That's something! Horns, claws, wings, it's crazy! I was really scared at first, as I saw it, I thought there she was, death came for me, and then nothing, casually... it's even a shame that I was born human.
- He was born without horns and claws, and he regrets it," Xenia said, suddenly angry. I've seen these demons in the picture, you insufferable people! I would run away from such a thing without looking back, only my heels would sparkle! And he's the same! Wings and horns wanted!
- But do you know how strong they are? And what's scary... well, it's like watching, some of them, nothing... like. When you look at them. And in human form, you know how girls look at them? Even these... like their... woods!
- The Dryads, the village!
- Xenya! - I was surprised - how do you know?
- What do you think I can't read? Well, but they taught me the letters of the mentor! I read them in books! Which the lord brought...
I patted my eyes in astonishment. Xenya? Did you read it? In books?
I think I missed something.
- I'm not a village," offended the guy, "I have this, by the way, like his... sweat... potential, here! That's a lot of strength! The Master Master himself told me! And the fact that I don't know any clever words, that's not a big trouble, I'll learn! I've already been given books... some interesting, with pictures, and other clever - creepy! I don't understand a word... all the words are like this... well, that's how you sometimes say it. I don't understand anything and I want to give it to my eye!
- I'll give it to your eye now! - I promised Xenya, and I got drunk.
I tried not to laugh.
- But Xenia has martial arts skills," I stood up for my girlfriend, "Lord Darrell told her. In fact, we have her... fighting!
- I've noticed that! It's combat! Like a goat at Glory's grandmother. She'll put her horns down, her tail down with a dope, and she'll fight! What's there to be afraid of?
- I'm a goat? I suffocated from Xenia's outrage, you... you!!! - and not thinking long, she cracked a guy on his white head with a handkerchief wrapped in it.
- Ow, ow! I told you, goat! Cheerful! - Danila was rusting, with his hands covered.
- The lamb himself!
The handkerchief turned around and a piece of bread fell out of it on the snow. Danila picked it up unceremoniously and took a bite of half a piece of bread.
- And our provisions are also eating! - I was worried by Xenya's impudence.
- That's what I said with Danila's mouth full yesterday," said Danila joyfully. - Are you going on a hike?
- To the underground tunnels," I said seriously, "to look for missing children.
They got serious right away. Danila even stopped chewing. The truth is only for a moment. But as soon as Xenia reached for the rest of the rye, he immediately put the edge in his mouth and waved his hands.
- Oh, come on! - I frowned, brawlers. Children are dying somewhere, and you're dogging!
- Sorry, you're right," Xenya sighed. But she wasn't happy about the guy.
- Danila, did you pass the initiation? Maybe you saw something new?
- Almost nothing... The consecration is not until three days later, at the time of the Red Moon, and before that, nothing.
- And your dreams?
- It's stopped. That's why Lord Darrell brought me back here, he says, in Eloar, this as his... magical background is strong, so I stopped seeing. It kind of prevents me... from... the flap there, sort of... the flap there... the flap in my mother's furnace, so that the smoke doesn't come out... just for power, not smoke!
- We get it! - Xenia said it's a pesky thing to say.
- I told you... to...
- What? You again? - The girl moved her eyebrows.
- Go... braids!
- Don't you get it?
- The braids, I'm telling you, they're... beautiful!
Xenya looked suspiciously at the smiling guy, snorting and, proudly hanging up her chin, started twisting her handkerchief with provisions.
I told Danila everything we had learned during his absence.
- Yes, it's a bit liquid," he commented.
- It's a little liquid..." I agreed, "so we decided to explore the tunnels. Maybe we'll get lucky and find something. Still, it's better than sitting and waiting.
- Then I'm with you," Danila volunteered. "They won't let me see my mother anyway, at least I can help you here. Eh, it's a pity they didn't take enough bread..." He looked at the kitty.
- I won't give any more," said Xenia.
- Give it to him," I laughed, "and let him eat. He's hungry. Would you
like us to ask the cook for more food later? She's kind, she'll let us. Especially since they don't starve when the Lord comes to Riverstein.
Xenia took out the leftovers of bread and cheese and Danila greedily stuffed them in his mouth almost entirely, chewing and chewing.
- The village! - a girlfriend snorting. But she giggled relentlessly, and she couldn't help herself.
- I'm cold," said the guy with his mouth full, laughing.
- Come on! Cold! We're gonna ice this place down, listening to your stupidity!
And we climbed into the hazelnut. The raven on the wall shaken his humpback beak...
* * *
Still, it's a good thing we met Danila. The boy grew up in the village and climbed all the surroundings, including the caves above the Glinka River, near the Wastelands. And this experience was very useful to us today.
In addition, he immediately felt at the head of our company and as a leader began to give instructions.
- Vetriana, get out your pisulses, you'll mark the direction. What did you draw here? What's that? No, you draw it like that! The crosses are gonna be dead ends, the circle is gonna be the entrance. Yeah, that'll do it. Come on, why is it so crooked? Ksenka, don't just stand there! Take the lamp and shine on me! And take the chalk, you'll draw arrows on the wall so you don't get lost. Are you out of cheese, too? Ew, greedy! Get the lamp! You can't see anything! Oh! Where are you going? You stepped on my leg!
- The chickenpox... - Xenia whispered in a terrible whisper, - I'm talking to him now... yuck, I've got words! I'll kill him now! And then I'll hide him in a little corner, and nobody will find him!
- Hold the mare! I'm a rare gift, by the way! And then, you won't have much strength, you little goat!
- That's it! - I can't do it anymore, Xenya! Why did you even get involved with us?
- Why are you even involved with us? - Danila was truly amazed, you can't understand without me! You'd be lost through the beam! You're an orphanage, and you're also girls, so you're brainless at all...
- Aah! Here you go, you bastard!
- You fool! I was just kidding!!! Why fight immediately?
- You fool!
- Quiet, you! I shouted, the passage is widening. Do you see?
The Wind of the North Page 23