I cut my hands with anger and pressed them into the wounds on his body with force.
- Blood to blood! - I shouted fiercely, Power to Power! Voluntarily! Aarem Solem! Just try to die...
Blood from my palms was spreading across his chest, mixing with ashes and dirt. Mixed with his blood. And nothing...
I was greedy to look at his face.
- Come on... come on... wake up...
Silence.
- Rion... Come to your senses, take you! If you don't wake up now, I'll kill you myself...
I sobbed and pulled off my palms. The cuts were tightening too fast, and I frowned. I picked up the blade again, cut a healed wound on my left arm, moved the knife...
- Don't...
The knife fell out of my hands. The archpriest laughed crookedly, looking up at me from bottom to top. The yellow beast's eyes, with their vertical pupils, were slowly darkening, the ghostly darkness shattered the mangled body, changing its shape to human.
The archpriest slowly sat down, resting on his hands. I was desperate to see the burns on his, now human, body.
- Why aren't they dragging on?
- Not so fast," he answered hoarsely and looked carefully at me. I embarrassed myself and was not sure I had wiped my hands on a dirty skirt.
- The source was awakened," I said quietly, saying, "I don't know why. He nodded. He was a little shaken on his way up.
- Where's Alira?
- The villages? We called her the Lady of the Village... I don't know when I came to, she was gone. She must have escaped when I realized it didn't work out...
- Ran away... again. I figured out who she was too late.
The Archarrion looked at me thoughtfully.
- How did you get back from the time loop, Vetriana?
I shrugged my shoulders a little. I'll tell you, but later. So far, we've had bigger tasks. And for starters, I wanted to think about it myself. Knowledge, events, memories... They have to be digested, understood. To understand. To understand how I feel... In the meantime...
I raised my hand, admired the golden snake on my finger and took it off. I gave it to Arghard Archarrion. He gently squeezed the ring in the palm of his hand, without taking his eyes off me.
- We must help the others," I said quietly, and turned away and went to my friends who were coming to their senses. I nodded at Lord Darrell, who was slowly rising with a stunned look, and squatted in front of Xenah.
She looked up at me with red eyes.
- The chicken," she said, crying. I hugged my friend in silence, pressed her against me, gently stroking her back and looking at her aura. And by biting my lip to the blood...
- Well, you guys give! A little bit, right into tears... Here are the dooows... - Daniel said, quacking, behind my back. I waved my tears and turned to him with a smile.
- You fool!" Xenia used to laugh, and we laughed. We even laughed. This night's tension, fear and pain were hysterical. The three of us laughed like mad, sitting in the muddy snow and raising our faces to the already faded Red Moon.
The night of Exodus was coming to an end.
* * *
I must say it was the weirdest night of my life.
The attack of hysterical laughter ended as suddenly as it began. We just suddenly and suddenly shut up, looking puzzled and awkwardly off the ground.
- We woke up? - Lord Darrell snorting in our direction. We nodded confusedly.
- Then get on with it! Funny people! - he rubbed his dirty cheekbone and in a completely ordinary tone, as if nothing impressive had happened, began to give commands - Danila, help the children to get to the gate, they are weak. And find Danina. And see what happened to the others. Vetriana, Xenia, we must remove the traces of the pentagram. There's no need to scare people in the morning... Go on, do it!
- And where's the Archarrion? - I asked, anxiously looking around the yard.
- And where are you going? - Xenia told me at the same time.
The Lord sighed, and then smiled. So happy as a boy at the sight of a sugar cock on a stick!
- And I'll go to the Source. Awakened Source! I can even feel it from here... Absolutely incredible, living Power! It's amazing.
And he turned around and almost ran across the yard, just throwing it over my shoulder:
- Rion is trying to find traces of this haa khmir... Village! Lady, damn her darkness!
We were dumbfounded to look after him.
- That's why, like cleaning, we're extremes? - Xenia was outraged.
I smiled.
- He needs to replenish the Force Reserve, otherwise he'll die," I said, and my girlfriend hunted him down and held her palm to her lips, "I just didn't want to talk.
Xenia nodded slowly, looking at the Lord who had left.
- To clean up, to clean up," she said.
I hummed and walked toward the black grooves that form the pentacle. I reached the center of the star. Even now, I still felt a terrible force fading here. I looked at the sky slowly glowing in the east. A pale strip of light had already spilled by the horizon, and the Red Moon was melting, pale.
The wave brought back memories. A small house with a straw roof, ringing maples and a wild rose by the fence... The Archarrion is right, my strength depends on emotions. And I let this sadness enter me, spill over my gut...
The wind wrapped around me with a faithful dog, spread his hair, hanged his skirt. I smiled at him. And he shattered: scattered lumps of earth like a silly puppy, pulled off the snow lying down, from somewhere in the woods and put on dry needles and last year's leaves. And where did he find it, you rascal?
The light snow circled, densely covered the torn ground, the stone fence, and Riverstein, which was in flames. The fluffy snowflakes wrapped in the dance, touched my lips, hair, hands with their furry legs, calling for themselves... They slipped tenderly onto my eyelashes, kissed my eyes, and melted, melted, flowing down on my cheeks with salty moisture, tickled my skin...
I opened my eyes and smiled. Everything around me was white, white. So pure, so untouched, so beautiful.
And Xenia, covered in snow, with fluffy loams on her head, shoulders and eyelashes, smiled too.
We were alive. And it was good.
When we entered the shelter and went down to the lower hall, Danila tried to calm down the frightened children and the coming mentors. Mistress Beaujolais was sitting on the floor, shaking her head perplexingly. The flying cap was lying next to her, her hair fell apart, but the prioress did not even seem to notice it. Aristarchus was next to her. He was thoughtfully rubbing his goatee, his long skinny legs sticking out from under the murmur of the arena.
The novices came to their senses, clapping their eyes, awkwardly lifting up and shaking their plague heads, trying to understand what had happened and how they found themselves on the floor, in such ridiculous poses.
I went around the hall so fast. Among the figures sleeping on the floor, there was no Avdotya, I hope, in the Wastes, with her beloved. There was no gatekeeper or Rogneda yet.
Xenia and I had a quick look around.
Mrs Pava scratched her blindfolded eyes, trying to see us.
- Chickenpox? Baby... what happened? - Somehow, suddenly, she asked me a human question. I was even confused by that treatment!
- You, uh... fell asleep... yes...
God and Aristarchus crawl out of the corner and stare at us, too.
- How did you fall asleep? - GARLICK: GARLICK: The Arae. He must have woken up - why should we fall asleep?
- So the Night of Exodus! - The darkness is testing you, Master!
- Yes, it is. And the holy elders are protecting you. So they've put you to sleep so you don't suffer," said Lord Darrell in a sneaky way down the stairs.
The mentors were staring at him suspiciously, sensing a trick.
- The elders?
- Yes, they are.
- The grace has gone down..." said the youngest Prior of the Look and solemnly wrapped her head in a holy half-moon.
/> Bozhena frowned, trying to figure out what embarrasses her in a slightly smirking capital curator, but Aristarchus already liked this explanation too much. He sank out his lean chest with a wheel, shaken his lips, wrapped himself in half a sun, and announced:
- This is what the sacred word does! Remember this night! This is the night when the holy word triumphed and cast away the darkness! This is a new milestone in the history of our blessed Order! Let us rejoice...
Lord Darrell yawned frankly.
- He did," he said, "rejoiced.
And he went upstairs. Xenia and I sneaked in as discreetly as possible. And Danila followed us until the mentors finally regained consciousness and started asking questions about what he was doing here.
- Where are the kids? - I pulled Danila's sleeve.
- He's in the hospital. The Lord had already visited them.
Xenia and I took a look around and chased down the hallway fast Schyder.
- Are the children all right? - I asked.
- They're all alive," Lord Darrell smiled, "and, amazingly, there's not a single wound on their bodies. Only thin scars on their wrists. - He looked suspiciously at me. I didn't say anything. - And there wasn't a drop of Force left in any of them," Syder finished with a sigh.
- What does that mean? - Xenia jumped in frightened.
- It means that the first part of the ritual had worked and Selenia had received the awakened Power of Ten. Alas...
Ksenia and I are in perfect harmony.
- But she's crazy! And she dreams of bringing back Saarkhard! She has to be stopped!
Spider hummed.
- I hope Rion can find her traces.
- This unforgettable Power... How powerful is it?
- I don't know, Vetriana. Do you think we practice these rituals every day? This ancient magic, forbidden... I've never heard of it before. I couldn't have imagined that the Lady of the Village would be that priestess, it didn't seem likely. I began to guess that it had to do with the Shit settlement here, but I still didn't understand anything. And then I got caught, like a boy, in a tenderly offered cup of herbal tea. And the cup is a portal. Instantly threw it into the Devil, didn't even get a shot. And the archimagist, Maa Sol Thara! I couldn't smell the portal! Fuck me! It's true, it's a concealment spell I've never seen in my life... And not just me.
- And then what? - I greedily asked Xenya...
- Then a very evil demon found me. The Archarrion, of course. They threw him out there, too. They led us like two puppies, uh... Rion wouldn't drink tea with anyone, okay, but he paid attention to yours, Vetriana, he picked up the ribbon...
- How did you get back? Villages said it wasn't possible until the portal collapsed, that she tied you to Hell.
Lord Darrell gloomed, remembering, nodding.
- He did. Only she didn't seem to know what a very, very angry demon could do. And also in conjunction with one angry archimagist. Anyway, we broke the portals, took them apart, but you were already in the pentagram. And I think you were dying. Or you were already dead...
He was staring at me without breaking away. So I got uncomfortable.
- I'm glad... you're alive, Vetriana.
I was embarrassed to look away, my face was cold as a bird's wing... Xenia...
- And I was supposed to pass the dedication today," Danila said offended.
- We all almost died, and you only think about yourself! You're a self-loving man! - Xenia threw herself at him. I think it's a bit zealous.
- Am I the selfish one? - The guy was worried, and his face was filled with indignant blush, - I'm... you... how are you!
- Danila, don't worry, Xenia didn't mean to hurt you. Anyway, you're doing great. It helped me a lot today!
Danila deflated, and turned his back on Ksenia. And he looked at the Lord with hope.
- So, how about that one at Elloar? Is there still time?
Spider shook his head.
- to Ellloar, I can't, unfortunately. I've added to the reserve, but it'll take days to restore my abilities. And before that, I can't even light a light. It's not like doing a portal.
Danila threw his head up and clenched his teeth, trying not to show how upset he was.
Lord Darrell conspired to wink at me.
- But who says a dedication to the Source must necessarily go to Eloar? - He laughed, come, great gift. It will be the night of the Red Moon!
Danielle did not believe, stared at Schader, translated the incomprehensible look at me. I smiled and nodded.
- I laughed and laughed. Go, Danila, don't be afraid.
- Go where? Go where?
- To the Source of Power. You'll be surprised when you see it!
Shaider smiled and turned to me:
- And you're Vetrena? - He looked carefully at me, - I don't see your aura at all... Yes, my recovery is going slower than I would like... Don't you want to go through the initiation?
I smiled. I've already passed my initiation... and shaken my head like no other living person has...
- Well... then rest, girls. And Danila and I will go to the sanctuary. It's a good thing on Exodus Night no one's gonna stick their nose out till morning... come on, great magician! We'll talk to you afterwards.
- Where is the source, Lord Darrell? - I was excited to ask Daniel if he wasn't here. I know all the places here. I grew up in the Wastelands. The Source would have noticed! I'm not blind! There should be a temple like the one at Elloar, with white walls... and fountains around! And things that glow... And guards, sure! There's no such thing in the Wastelands! There was no such thing, I know it!
- My head is about to explode," said Lord Darrell.
Danila was confused, but not for long.
- No, I don't understand...
Their footsteps were frozen behind the curve.
- The source? - Ksen asked suspiciously, looking at me, to Riverstein?
I nodded and pulled my friend's hand.
- Let's go visit the kids. And then we'll talk.
Chapter 13.
In the hospital, next to eleven frightened kids, Danina was already fussing. Ten, the ones lying next to the pentagram and the eleventh, Roxy. She held her sister Lana close to her and they both sobbed and sniffed their noses.
- Chicken pox! Xenya! My girls! - Danina splashed her hands, - How glad am I to see you? What happened? Danila broke in, I can't imagine where he came from, brought the kids... And ran away! No, that's what you call it? Then Lord Darrell showed up, looked around, stroked the kids on their heads and left, too! Can you at least tell me what happened?
- We don't know what happened," Xenia said, lying boyishly, "nothing! We don't know anything! What about them?
- They don't remember anything either! Only their eyes clap and cry with cloudy eyes! Are the Belenes full or what? And the kids aren't all ours... The ones from the wasteland, the orphanage girl, and I don't know the ones... - Danina looked into my eyes and lowered her voice, - those are the ones, right? The missing ones? They mumble about the dungeon and the terrible monster...
I nodded and put my finger to my lips.
- We have to calm them down somehow, think of something. The little ones are still...
Danina's eyes flashed joyfully.
- Found them, then! That's the joy... That's how I knew the Lord would find them, that's how my heart felt he'd come to Riverstein for a reason! Where can you see that the lord of the capital has been in our frontier for so long, without the antimony... To know that the king himself sent him, to understand our iniquities!
- Yes," said Xenia, "the king. That's what he sent.
- That's what I thought," Danina nodded. - or else you will! Some kind of suppostat of our children's dungeons to hide themselves in the dungeons! Wow, him!
She plunged her fist severely into the invisible soupostat and, pulling off her skirt, resolutely turned to the children. We had a look around. There was no doubt that we were found in good hands!
We still crumpled in the door and
went out.
- Where to now?
- Shall we go to my room? I've got bread hidden under my shoe if the mice haven't been stolen yet. Would you like some?
- When did I refuse to eat? - Always hungry Xenya blurred in her smile.
In the blue room, I pulled out the hidden provisions and honestly split them in half.
- If you hadn't told me, if you hadn't underlined that line in the book, I wouldn't have guessed it. - I said, "Although, to be honest, that didn't help me either. - I sighed and sat down on the bed next to Xenia," I couldn't help but guess at the very last moment when it was too late. The villages had already begun preparations for the ritual, and Lord Darrell and Archarrion were locked in the Devil. And how did you know who the killer was?
- I didn't understand, Rogneda blabbed. - Xenia answered and it was her fault she turned a blind eye... You know, she thought that we were girlfriends now... Forgive me, Vetriana... I smiled encouragingly, I was... I was jealous. Lord Darrell. It was a terrible feeling... I thought I knew you didn't do anything to make him like you, and sometimes I got so angry... It was like someone was sitting there ugly in me, whispering all kinds of nasty things about you. I was even afraid to look at you sometimes. And with Rogneda, it was easy. She understood my feelings, moreover, shared them completely. And she was so eager to hurt you, she couldn't help herself, she told me about Lady Village. Really, she immediately regretted it and was frightened. And she kept an eye on me, all I could do was to underline those words in the enchanted book and throw them on your bed. And then she dragged me downstairs...
Xenya waved her head as if she was dropping off a veil of memories.
- You know, she was so strong! It's incredible... I was smiling at her, and I was thinking how else to find out about the kids, where they're kept... and she blew some powder in my face. And that was it. She just woke up in the yard. And there's this red star burning, and the kids are bleeding out, and you're in the middle... it's awful easy. I was so scared for you! I'm so scared for you!
I squeezed her hand.
- Ksenie, I'm so sorry!
A friend pulled away a little, shook her head.
- You don't understand... I knew how bad you felt and I didn't talk to you on purpose. I even wanted... I wanted you to feel bad, to suffer... - she ended with a complaining whisper, - and now... I don't know what's happening to me, Vetriana! It's so cold inside sometimes... angry... it's like I'm not me, another...
The Wind of the North Page 31