- No, you fool, ah! - splashed with Xenya's hands.
- And I'll follow you anyway! - With desperate determination, the guy exclaimed! - I'll go!
- He'll follow us to the Devil," said the Archarrion, smiling.
- Like in the Devil? - Danila turned pale.
- How..." Xenia mocked, "I'll tell you how...
- And even in the Devil, Daniel shouted stubbornly, but in the Abyss!
Lord Darrell and the Archpriest looked silently. The demon grinned, and Shyder shook his head. Despite the incomprehensible animosity between them, they understood each other without words.
- Okay, stay..." Lord sighed, "You're not gonna get away with it anyway... except to kill you.
- That's a good idea," said Archarrion seriously.
Danila hurriedly crawled further away from him. But hope was already burning in his eyes," said Archarrion.
- You will not regret it, my word! I will help you! I can do anything! Horses, there's cleaning, water, clothes to fix... And I know all kinds of weed, my mother taught me! And I'm strong! Vaughn, look! Now...
The guy jumped up, shook his white-head, and under our astonished glances, embraced the trunk of the fallen tree and tried to lift it. His face blushed from nature, the blue under his eye turned purple... Daniel looked terrifying. True, scared not praise its silhouette, a heavy log has not moved, and a promise to fall down without feeling the tension!
- Danila..." Xenia called, "Didn't you fall out of the cradle for an hour when you were a child? Didn't you hit your head? One, er, heels? A contract?
The guy let go of an intractable log and, not being at all confused by the failure, rushed to the horses, laced and peacefully dozed off.
- Then I will clean the horses now! And I'll feed it! And water... yes!
- Calm down already," said Shaider, "hero... I'd rather take good care of Kairos... I'm good, too, and I found someone I can trust with purebred yarn... here, darling man broh...
- Come on, Lord Darrell! - You know how I took care of your Kairos, don't you? I took care of him with hay and oats... And the stable in the inn! All for him!
I took a good look at the guy's face. Yes, he fed Kairos well, but he seemed to have been sitting on the dry mat for three days. And slept where he had to, all wrinkled up, and the stables smelled... Of course, where did Danila get the money for the long drive, the toll bunk and a hearty lunch? I was as interrupted as I could.
I gave him a scrap of bread and a piece of cold meat. I can always tell the difference between a hungry glint in my eyes after living in a shelter.
Danila nodded gratefully, and took a half at once, noisily swallowing and lapping. And painfully blushed from the sounds I made.
Ksenka snorting mockingly, and the guy almost choked, coughing excruciatingly. I patted him on the back and threw my fist at his friend. She snorted again.
- Danila, eat calmly, don't worry," I reassured the boy, "and then you can sit over there by the fire. And there's still a hot herbalist in the pot!
- Yeah, but before he washes, he goes," said harmful Xenia, "or manure will spread all over the forest!
- Ksenia! Stop it!
- I've also found camomile," Danila said, smelling himself secretly.
- That's right! - The girl was happy, - you sniff, sniff! Does it cut your eyes?
- Oh, you...
- Silence," said the Archharrion quietly and all at once silenced. - You," he nodded at Danila, "went to the spring to wash and sleep. You're both - he's the one for us - just sleeping. Immediately. We're fed up.
And we slowly sprawled in different directions. Somehow we disobeyed the demon and we didn't have a thought.
- It's strange," Shaider said thoughtfully, taking the saddle off his stallion, "why is Kairos so calm? He can't stand the Dark One...
- That kind of dislike for the Dark One, did you train him personally? - The Archharrion was informed.
- Yes, he did! He tried... and here he stands next to the Lord of the Dark, and he doesn't even twitch... Hmm...
I had some suggestions about it, but the demon said to sleep, so I'm going to go to sleep. Let them think for themselves, since they're so smart!
Chapter 15.
In the morning, a thin strip of dawn barely fell on the horizon, the Archarrion woke us up. Does he really not sleep at all?
Soon we washed up with cold water from the spring and had a snack, we sat down again on the horses and set off. Only now Lord Darrell was sitting on Kairos, and Danila was on Lord's pedestrian horse.
A couple of hours later, when the sun was already up and our backs were warm and the watchtower was out of sight, we reached the edge of the Devil.
The border with the Black Earth was felt by the whole gut. The air here was denser and drier, hanging with dry mare. The vegetation was completely gone. The grey ash covering the ground was no longer in torn shreds, but in a flat, endless blanket.
Danila, who was as unskilled a rider as I was, tried to stay close to me.
- Why would we go there? - scared, he asked.
I quietly brought him up to speed, told him about Xenia. For a while, the guy kept silent, thinking about what he heard. Then, to my amazement, he got excited.
- So Xenya's so mean because the Dark has settled in her?
Holy elders! Well, that's the logic...
- No, Danila, I'm sorry," I hummed, "I'm afraid Xenia is so mean, because... mean!
The guy was embarrassed.
- Well, I mean, I thought... I meant... Eh!
We were silent, each thinking about his own.
- Oh, my God!!! Well... go on, silly! - suddenly yelled at Danila because his horse wiggled its head and stood up, refusing to move on. My brown filly bounced up and stopped, too. So did Kseni. Only clever Kairos was still moving forward, and the stallion of Archarrion was stepping over his legs. But the last one, more of a fear of his rider.
- It's not coming! - shouted out Daniel. I nodded. Xenia, who jumped forward, turned the filly and came to us. In the opposite direction, the horse went without any problems and even gladly.
- Horses feel the Devil, they are afraid," said Shaider as she approached us. Kairos was worried underneath him too, spinning his ears and whipping his tail on his strong sides irritably.
- So what do we do? Not leave them here, then?
- We'll have to hurry and lead the horses," said Archarrion, "and try to blindfold them and hang hay torbas from their faces.
We nodded and climbed to the ground, holding the frightened horses. They were nervous, sobbing, sniffing, and stabbing backwards.
- But-but... Where did you go! - Ksenia wrapped her filly tightly around her, - stop!
- Quiet, my good one, don't be afraid, it was me who persuaded mine, don't be afraid...
Hardly, but we managed to calm the horses down. Blindfolded, they could no longer see the black sand that frightened them, and the smell of the desert interrupted the hay with the stinking grass root added by Danila. People could not stand the sharp smell of this weed, but for some reason animals liked it very much, especially ungulates. So Danila remembered her znakhar stocks in time.
Next thing you know, we're walking, leading the horses on. And still the trotters were worried, so I held my filly as hard as I could. Even Echo was worried, beaten by the wind in the palm of my hand, confused in the hem of my dress. With my free hand I held my air beast and mumbled the words of encouragement to the animals.
Even to realize that we were not entering the Devil itself, but the gap, the narrow strip of land free of black sand, was creepy. The grey ashes were lying so tightly here that the boots fell into it like snow, and gray swirls flew up at every step. The archpriest ordered that the handkerchiefs be removed from his hair and tied to his face, his mouth closed. Stepping on the ashes, we realized the validity of his order.
Soon we were fully clothed with gray ashes and everywhere we could look there was only this endless torment. It even began to seem to me that in
the Black Earth itself it was more joyful, there was at least some movement, but here...
It was impossible to talk, as soon as you opened your mouth, gray flakes were immediately stuffed into it, even a handkerchief did not save you. So we went silently. Several times I tried to call in the elements, pulled the wind to dispel this gray, but it did not work. The power of the Devil had an effect on magic here, too, drying it out.
The sun was slowly crawling across the sky to the west, and we all walked and walked, and it seemed like there was no end to our journey.
Our hands were tired of clutching the reins of a clutching horse, our throats were perching and we wanted to cough, our eyes became dry, and even frequent blinking did not help. At some point, my horse felt the cause weakened and twitched, and stood on its feet in a desperate attempt to escape from the Devil. I recoiled, frightened. And immediately the reins intercepted the Archharrion. Under his firm hand, the horse died and the ponuro froze.
- Thank you," I said through the handkerchief.
- Go," he nodded, "and I will drive.
I nodded thankfully to him. It was much easier to walk without a ripping mare.
Still, when the silhouettes of rocks came out of the grey mare, and instead of flakes under my feet there was black earth, I was almost lying down with fatigue.
* * *
But we had to go about an hour before we got to the foot of the Free Mountains. And we simply fell from fatigue on the ground, greedily breathing in such wonderful smells of the earth and the foliage. Or rather, people fell, and the demon only shaken and led the horses under the overhanging rocks. Shader, who had a little breath, also got up and went to help Archharrion.
Next, Xenia rose, but Danila and I were lying for the longest time, spreading our legs and hands and looking at the rapidly dark sky. But my conscience tormented me, and when I sighed, I also got up, shook off my dress as I could, and went to help.
The horses that had been freed from the tracks were joyfully snapping hay and greedily pulling water. We, too, washed sparingly with water from wines, trying not to spill it in vain.
The night sank rapidly to the ground, and from the east pulled the dampness. Thunderclouds were gathering there. I reached out and tried to push them away, but it didn't work. The power of the Devil was still taking the magic.
Echo was turning at his feet, and I let him go. The air beast broke off, swept my hair and swirled along the rocks.
Ksenia and I rushed to pick up the dry brushwood and drag it under a rocky canopy, looking anxiously at the clouds where blue flakes were already visible.
- Ooh! It's gonna blow! - Danielle was very thoughtful.
- You've already guessed it without you, you bloated seer! - besieged him by Xenia.
- Why do you keep clinging to me? - The guy is outraged, I like it, so say it!
The girl suffocated outraged.
- You? Me? Do you like it???? No, you're definitely knocked!!! I wasn't, you'll be like that now!
- Leave me alone! The goat is cheerful!
- Oh, you...
I reached out to the cloud again, trying to contain the impending storm. I closed my eyes and even bit my lip with tension.
- It won't work," said Archarrion behind my back. When did he get this close? - The devil is too close. There's no magic in these places.
I turned to him.
- Have you been here before?
- Yes, a few years ago. That's when I found the rift. It was an accident. But it was wider then...
- Is the gap narrowing?
- Looks like it. Last time I didn't feel Sandy this close, it means the passage is getting closer. And a hundred years ago, it wasn't even here at all.
- What do you mean?
- The devil's not stable, it's always on the move. There's more sand somewhere, less sand somewhere.
I looked to the side where it was still pulling dry, and occasionally the grey ashes came out.
- Where did it come from, anyway? The hell did it come from? The first time I hit it, I thought it was alive... Stupid, of course.
The Archarrion responded with a thoughtful look.
- I don't think I'm sure of it," he said calmly, "she's alive. Unfortunately, no one can stay in the Devil long enough to understand what she is. Black Sands isn't just space... you know, even on a map of the underworld, the Hell is drawn only approximately. And inside it moves, lives, moves... It's always been, from the beginning, maybe from the moment the Abyss blew out of its womb the Underworld and its first demon children.
- Aha! So the first were demons? Why is that?
The Archarrion looked at me and suddenly smiled. I was so surprised at his smile, I smiled back. And then I was embarrassed.
- That's why! - funny he said, because demons are the strongest and most enduring race, so who else could burp the Abyss first?
- Hmm..." I pretended to be thinking tensely, but I was sneaking around, "what about the people?
- For a long time people, especially those who do not have the Force, were considered the lower race - the demon shrugged his shoulders - but no one knows why almost all races: sirens, demons, werewolves ..., all the second hypostasis is man. And no one knows which of the forms is true. Although it's common to think that it's not human...
- What do you think?
He smiled.
- Just like that.
I was gonna ask you something else, but there was such a ruckus over my head that I jumped out of the blue. And then the sky broke open, and there were streams of water on us!
It's raining! It's raining! It's fresh! It's strong! The grey ashes that wash off our bodies and souls!
What a lucky thing I couldn't get rid of that cloud and it rained down on us! And let the dress of my hair get wet, but with every drop, it is as if the power and the life returned to me!
It's so good!
I laughed again, putting my face in the rain, and catching the drops with my lips. And still having fun, I looked at Archarrion. But he wasn't smiling anymore. In the dark eyes, the Abyss was spilled again. The dark fire burned me again from within.
The demon turned away and retreated into the darkness, beyond the veil of rain.
And I stood still, though I was soaked to the thread until Lord Darrell came with a warm cloak and ordered me to go to the fire. Die.
* * *
We got back in time for the shed. Just when Xenia was trying on a heavy pot to Danila's head, and he in turn held her by the braids, not letting her get close to him. Our shelter was announced by the selected scolding of a well-educated novice and a list of all the village animals performed by Danila. Especially the guy apparently liked horned and ungulates. At least he remembered them most often.
- Well, what didn't you share again? - I had a cold.
- That bastard promised to come to me again in his sleep, can you imagine? - Xenia got angry, reached out and still cracked Danila with a pot. Leftovers of water spilled out on the guy, for the cold.
- The witch is a redhead! - He screamed, I'll show up in spite, you'll know! And I'll show you this... this...!
- Yeah! It's like I can't make your face! - Xenia shouted pesky, - ahh! You're gonna rip my head off, let go!!!
- Did you dream of getting me warmed up again?
Ksenia was silent for a moment, and her brown eyes were immediately moistened.
- Let me go... It hurts... she complained.
Danila let go of her braids and sat down frightenedly in front of the girl who had eaten.
- Ksenochka, I'm sorry, huh? Where does it hurt? Tell me, where does it hurt?
And at the same moment, sly Ksenka turned and cracked the guy on the ridge. And when the one who did not expect such meanness, hunted and fell to the ground, Xenia saddled him, grabbed his hair and began to methodically knock Danila's forehead on the ground.
- Will you still drag me by my braids? - she asked, will you call me a goat? Are you gonna walk in my dreams? Will you?
I looke
d back at Lord Darrell's frankly funny Lord.
- Stop it," I said, and called Echo. The air beast rushed under the canopy, pushed Xenia into its side, and she couldn't help but fall off Danila. I smiled. Even if there is no magic, there is Echo!
- Danila! - I looked at the guy harshly. Why did we take you with us? So you guys could dog all the time?
- So she's the first..." He woke up and looked sadly at the gap in his shirt.
- Stop it! Both of you!
Xenia looked at me with resentment and moved away to the far wall. Danila, taking her tulip to the opposite. And both turned away without looking at each other.
I nodded. That's good. And I lured Echo, asking him to dry the dress on me. The air beast kicked Xenia a couple of times in the side, then Daniela, and rushed to me, wrapped himself in a ring.
Lord Darrell kept an eye on me and smiled as if to bow his head like a raven. I smiled, too, and went to the saddlebags to get the provisions.
* * *
The night was quiet and peaceful. I couldn't sleep for a long time, staring at the continuous curtain of rain. The Archarrion wasn't returning, and I was worried, even though Schader hadn't expressed any concern. He shrugged his shoulders, muttering "more visible" and lay down, wrapped in his cloak.
Danila had fallen asleep almost immediately, and Xenia had long turned and waved something under her nose about "the stupid rain and the colicky cold. I gently sent Echo to warm her up. The beast wasn't happy to turn, but it obeyed me. Soon Xenya fell asleep.
I wrapped myself more tightly in a cape and wrapped my arms around him. It was raining and raining, knocking peacefully on the rock in drops, rustling on the ground, and to the lullaby sounds of it I fell asleep, trembling a little bit from the cold.
Somewhere in the middle of the night I felt something big and hot hugging me and thought through the dream that Echo had returned, and it was only by the edge of my mind that I realized that hugging an air beast was too material. And the measured heartbeat under my cheek could not belong to the wind. I even wanted to wake up, but someone inside me forbade me, ordering me to sleep briefly and powerfully. And I obeyed. Besides, it got so delightfully warm and good that I slipped into my sleep and slept all the way to dawn.
The Wind of the North Page 37