- The hole is bigger than the rooftops," Xenah said, glumly, without looking at him.
- Why are you sitting under it, then? - Daniel immediately stopped smiling," he said, "go out in the rain, since you don't like my roof.
- You forgot to ask. Wherever I want, I'm sitting there. And don't tell me, you bastard," said the girl obstinately.
- Oh, so..." Danila gleamed with her eyes, led her hand, and there was a rift right above Xenia, and rainwater was pouring down on her.
She shrieked, jumped up, and with one movement pulled the acanar out of her knives.
- You jerk! - She screamed, and I'm going to cut you to pieces.
- Well, cut it," Danila said quietly. Suddenly Ksenka was silent, and somehow she stuck the blade back in the scabbard. And she sat silently by the fire, not looking at anyone.
- I'm fed up with all of you," she said, looking thoughtlessly at the smoldering coals.
- We're actually here for you," said Lord Darrell.
Xenia jumped up and looked at us with a frank anger.
- Maybe I didn't ask for it! - She shouted out, and I don't want any of this! And I do not need anyone! And I don't want to change anything in myself, I'm fine with it, okay? And there's nothing to change, there's no darkness... And in general... I want to go home! I hate... everybody!
She kicked a fallen tree, turned around and went into the forest, not paying attention to the rain. Danila stopped me, throwing herself in the back.
- I'll catch up, stay.
And I left behind. I was upset to sit by the fire.
- Xenia has changed so much," I said, "we must get to the Eternal Forest as soon as possible, I hope they know how to return the lost part of her soul.
Lord Darrell shook his head.
- Chickenpox... I'm afraid to upset you, but even if we do find her, are you sure this will help? Perhaps what Xenia is now, it's just... Her essence? Maybe she's always been like this and you haven't seen her?
- She hasn't! - I looked at him stunned, Xenia wasn't like that! We've been friends since we were kids, she's the closest person I've ever had!
- Well, people grow up, they change. Usually for the worst, alas," said Shaider without looking at me, "you may not have noticed. You only see the good in Xen, so you don't want to believe that she's... different. By herself, not by the darkness. And this trip... I don't think we can help Ksenia...
I got up, pulled up my skirt.
- Lord Darrell, I understand we're distracting you, you've already given us too much attention. On our part, that is unforgivable impertinence. I think we can take it from here.
He jumped up too, grabbed my hands.
- Chickenpox, why are you doing this? How do you not understand? - desperately, he said, don't you see? Xenia is just... angry! Do you understand? And she's not your friend... I can see the way she looks at you! Sometimes I want to shut you out of her sight! She's just a jealous evil girl, that's all! And you run around with her like a little girl, clinging to a friendship that doesn't exist!
I broke out, backed off one step.
- Xenya's not evil or jealous! - I almost shouted out, - don't talk about her... like that! You know her too badly to judge!
- Oh, come on...
- And what should I understand, Lord Darrell? - I suddenly felt so cold that it shook me, and I wrapped my arms around myself trying to get warm, - what? And most importantly, what am I supposed to do?
He looked upset and stepped again, trying to hold my hand.
- Chickenpox, I don't mean to offend... But maybe it would be better if I just went back to Riverstein...
I turned my back. The protective dome was slowly melting over my heads and was barely able to escape the rain anymore.
- Come back, Lord Darrell," I said, "come back. To Riverstein or to Eloar. We'll move on.
- I know you don't like to hear this," he said quietly, "but I'm much older, and I have a life experience...
I looked into his nut eyes.
- Then I'm glad I don't have that kind of experience," I said quietly, "that would allow me to leave Xenia in trouble.
- And you can be cruel," he said, surprisingly.
- Maybe you don't know me well either, Shyder. - I answered and turned my back on the horses, started moving the saddlebags just to get my hands on something. Shyder still stood behind me and went to the fire, muttering the spell quietly. Immediately above the clearing, a resilient and strong protective dome instead of a holey one spilled out, and I was enveloped in warmth.
Chapter 21.
Xenya and Danila came back in half an hour and even relatively quiet. Ksenia wasn't happy with her lips tightening, Danila turned away, but I'm used to it. So you could say that everything was fine, and we went back on the road.
Lord Darrell came with us, and secretly, I was relieved.
By evening, we had reached a small settlement. Only three dozen wooden houses, even without a tavern with rooms. Fortunately, there was a cordial old lady who agreed to shelter tired travelers for a few coins.
- But if you have any coins, go to that house with the wing, the eldest one lives there, and he'll always have harches! Let the boys go over there! - and a traced old lady nodded at Xenia with Danila. Ksenia's eyes sparkled and Danila laughed funny.
- So let's go, don't go! - He answered and winked at Xenia. Come on... boy?
- I'm gonna kill you for sure," a friend whispered through your teeth.
- I'll go myself," said Shaider. "Danila, you better get some water from the well. Xenia, look what's left of the food in the saddlebags.
They came out, and I saw with a smile a small house covered in clay, with a large oven occupying most of the main room. In the second, small, there was only room for a narrow bed with a straw mattress.
- A little girl, and you are not local, I see," she stretched out her grandmother, "and does not look like an elf, human ears, and an unusual face. A half-breed, isn't it?
I didn't want to tell you, so I just smiled.
- I don't know, I'm an orphan.
- Oh, that's a bitter smile... Well, it happens. And this tall one, your spouse? So where are you going with this?
I sighed. Oh, I guess the old lady wasn't flattered on coins, she was flattered on a chance to chat, but to gossip!
- No, not a married man. We're heading for the Eternal Forest.
- Oh, I've been there, I've been there! When we were young... You won't be far away, you'll get there tomorrow night. Oh, I remember when I was young, I smelled magic in me, I thought I'd be a great sorceress! I persuaded Luka, my neighbor to go to that forest to get the water maiden, saying that her scales of magic increases and knowledge opens the unknown ... Vogh, evil!
- So, let's go? - I got interested.
- And what about - it's important to miss my grandmother's toothless mouth, - the cat with the bread was taken and let's go! And let's go, even took a little walk there... But they didn't find any water maidens. We found only a tiny lake, where only the sandpipers have to splash, and nothing else. Although, maybe they didn't get there, the Eternal Forest... And then they didn't...
- What?
- Oh, baby... That's the kind of Luca shebutnoy turned out to be, who would have thought... - Granny smiled slyly, - that's the forest we made our firstborn... So, you can say, we didn't go for nothing, even if we didn't get scales.
- And did you become a sorceress?
The old lady had a hard time sitting down on the bench, holding her cheek with her hand.
- What kind of sorceress am I? All I had was half a pinkie. No, baby, she wasn't. There's no need for that magic, and it's good to live without it. You're sitting on the doorstep, you're trampling your legs for nothing!
I sat down, and my friends came back almost at the same time.
- Chickenpox, let's go," said Shaider, as he stepped across the threshold, "the local elder calls us into his house. We'll sleep over.
The old lady was clearly upset and turned her
back.
- Come on, kids, come on," she said, "the oldest one's doing well and is full.
- I'll stay. You guys go ahead, there's no room for anybody!
- Oh, baby," Granny said, "Oh, come on... It's the oldest one with the delicious and the featherbed...
- I'm used to it," I smiled and waved to Shaider, who was frozen in the door, saying go already! He looked displeased, but left, luring Xenia and Daniela after him.
- Oh, you've got an angry husband! - Granny joyfully said, having already forgotten my answer, - and I'll buy you berries now, and I'll buy you mushrooms! I collected them myself!
And she swept through the hay, gathering tricky snow on the table. As I did not try to convince her that I was not hungry, it was impossible to stop the old lady. Missing communication, she even took out a jug with sweet cranberry tincture from under the floorboards and solemnly poured it into mugs. When I asked about her name, she waved.
- That's how everybody says Frosta's grandmother, baby!
We drank the old lady a mug of tincture, eating soapy cabbage with lingonberries and sprinkled porridge. Behind the little window, the first candles of heaven were already lit when I asked carefully.
- Grandma Frosch, have you heard anything about scheets?
- They are, child," she said, wondering, squinting.
- The people were like that," I sighed, "only long ago. They were able to summon the wind. Either rain with snow, or turn the water around...
- Hmm... - the old lady was thinking, - I don't know... I heard about the blue-eyed people who lived somewhere behind the Big Water. They had power over the elements, everyone had their own. Are you asking about them?
- I guess so. You're saying they had power over the elements? What kind of elements?
- That's what you know, child. Six of them all. Always has been and always will be.
- Which ones?
- Ahem... Air, earth, water, fire, life and death.
- What happened to these people, you don't know?
- No, baby... All the tales and tall tales. Maybe they weren't there at all, so people thought of nothing to do, but foolishness. There's no such thing as people and then they're gone? Where would they go? What do you want them for?
I shook my head sadly, but luckily, there was no need for an explanation. Frosh's woman fell asleep with her nose wrenched in food and tincture. I gently pulled her to the stove and helped her get settled in. After a moment, the old lady was sound asleep.
I took her wrinkled palm, gently poured the Force into her, which made Grandma frosty and breathe easier. And I went to the other room to sit on my mattress.
* * *
I felt the presence of the Archarrion before I woke up. So I was not even surprised when I left the room and found him sitting on the bench. Baba Frocha, cheerfully retelling him our conversation yesterday, was embarrassed when she saw me.
- Oh, baby! - An old lady flew by, and I have... a goat!
And she jumped out the doorstep, arguing with her shoes in a rustle. I sat down on the bench in front of the Archharrion.
- Good morning, Vetriana, take tea over there," he smiled. I remembered the morning in White Stan, but I did not smile back. Instead, I said:
- I thought you'd already gone to Chaos. You said you'd only take us to the Eternal Forest.
- Aren't you glad to see me?
I didn't answer that, considering it unnecessary. He kept quiet, too, looking at me.
- Yes, I was going to," he said, "but I changed my mind. I will help you and Xenia. And then your friends will go home, and you will come with me to Chaos. And you'll stay...with me.
I was stunned to look at him, not believing what I heard.
- What for? Why would you do that?
- I thought so," he shrugged.
I leaned a little, and I looked into the dark eyes. He looked at me with no expression at all. I couldn't even feel the fire inside me now.
- Rion... That's impossible. I don't want to go with you. And I don't want to be with you, either. I, like you, just want to break up the merger. That's all.
Nothing has changed in his face. Did he hear me?
- It doesn't matter, Vetriana," he said calmly, "even if you're telling the truth..." he laughed, "it doesn't matter. You will come with me.
- Yes? And what will I become in the magnificent palace of the Ruler of Chaos? - bitterly, I asked.
- I will do anything to make you comfortable in Chaos...
- Comfortable?! Comfortable at home, in Riverstein!
He almost bowed his head and didn't answer. I sighed, not knowing how to get my feelings to him so that he could hear.
- Rion, I can't, you know? I just can't. The way I look at you... I remember the Time Loop... Always. - I whispered.
Something fluttered in his eyes and immediately dragged on in the dark.
- I know. But it will pass. In time. And even if not... - he turned his back, - you're coming with me, Vetriana. And it's better if you just accept it.
And when he got up, he left without touching the food on the table. And I sat there, feeling a lump of bitterness growing inside my eyes and everything floating because of the unspilled tears.
* * *
But Xenia and Danila were happy about the return of the Archbishop, I was even surprised. Xenia immediately pestered with some questions about combat weapons, and they went behind the whip, discussing the blades. Shaider nodded briefly, and went to the canopy where we left the horses. Danila started to have fun telling me what their local eldest had done to honor them and tell me the stories they heard so I could just nod and smile. And even try to think, even though it was a bad thing.
After saying goodbye to the frowning old lady, we got on the horses and rode out on the road.
And in the afternoon we saw a strip of giant trees on the horizon. We were approaching the Eternal Forest. And already on the way up to it the weather changed dramatically: it warmed up, the blue clouds as if passing by the forest in a wide arc. The wind became warm, summery, and the pretty leaves and slush were replaced with silver grass. Soon we took off our cloaks, and Danila also pulled off his boots, and now he sparkled with his bare heels, cheerfully fitting his horse with them. Xenia snorted scornfully, but kept silent, and I also took off my clothes and hung my legs. The grass was getting taller and tickled my bare feet, so the tips of the fluffy meteleys tickled my bare feet, and I was blissfully squinting at it.
When we entered the field, dotted with huge red flowers, even the stubborn Xenia couldn't stand it: she also pulled her boots down and even rolled up her pants like Danila. That's what he hummed eloquently. Our horses shaved barely - barely, and it was lazy to drive them. Most of all I wanted to fall into the grass, spread my arms and legs and thoughtlessly look at the floating clouds. Flowers smelled so sweetly, so attracted to themselves that there was simply no strength to resist. My horse was barely spitting with its head in the grass. The red flower petals trembled a little as she passed by, and their fragrance became even sweeter.
- Stay awake! - suddenly evil shouted out the Archarrion and I met him. I did not notice how I put my head around the horse's neck and closed my eyes.
- We're not going to pass," Shaider said anxiously, "we need protection! Danila!
I wanted to ask what they were talking about, but suddenly I realized that I wasn't interested. I put my head around the horse's neck again.
- Huh? What? - Danila asked me sleepily, rubbing his eyes.
- Danila, don't you sleep! Can you make a protective dome? Above us? And I'll make him follow us... - Spider yawned wide and shook his head, - can you?
Danila was looking perplexed.
- So why do we need the dome, Lord Darrell? It's not raining... It's good, sunshine, flowers...
- Flowers! We're going to sleep all over these flowers for ever! The darkness! You should've put the dome in before! Hey, wake up, everybody!
Kairos was angry, rusting with his black head. Then he sno
rted a snort and, as if measured, put his face in the grass.
- The horses won't go any faster," said Archarrion, "and we'll all fall asleep while we move this field. It's chickenpox! Open your eyes, now!
I shook my head. I didn't want to wake up at all.
- Chickenpox, can you pull up that cloud? We need the rain!
- What for? - I was surprised. Thoughts in my head were hard, reluctant. The Archarrion was angry again, all right... I'm used to it. And Shyder shakes his head so funny, it's like he's got water in his ears. And yet Danila fell asleep. Thank you...
The Archarrion roughly shaken me by the flap.
- Go away, please... I flipped through. He looked into my eyes.
- If you don't make it rain, we will die," he said clearly, "all of us. Do you understand?
I didn't understand, but I felt a vague anxiety about his dark eyes. The words came to my mind as if through a few laggards full of rubbish.
- Shaider, put the dome on the Vetriana! That's enough reserve? - The Archarrion asked and turned around when he didn't answer, - There's the Dark!
Lord Darrell crawled down from Kairos and slept in the high grass. As I slipped into my sleep, I thought he was right. Still, the grass is more comfortable than a horse... Tearing off his wines and water, Archarrion poured half on Schader, and he sat down sharply and moaned.
- Cher dabur! - He shouted out.
- Put the dome on the Vetriana! - The demon ordered it.
- You think she can?
- Do we have a choice? Put it down!
Spider moaned again, then he stood up and shouted a spell...
...in my dream, I was standing in the same blooming glade with red flowers. Only now, behind the silver grass, I could see the house, wrapped in wild rose and finch, and the path by the house was somehow covered with maple leaves. And I was even surprised, because there wasn't a single maple nearby... But it didn't matter. I mean, they were waiting for me inside. And I even knew who. I looked at my hands, the little hands of a five-year-old girl, laughed funny and ran forward. But as much as I did not try, as much as I did not go over my legs, already exhausted, a wonderful house did not approach. On the contrary, with each step I took it farther, hiding behind a foggy haze, melting ... And I cried, feeling terribly alone among these strange flowers that smelled too sweet ...
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