заметила Короля Мечей, пришедшего на «Свободный микрофон», чтобы проводить меня ночью до дома. Я перевела взгляд на Романа. Но тот всего лишь провёл рукой по моей спине, отпуская на сцену.
***
Я вернулась домой, зажгла свечи и задумалась: «Что и кому я ещё должна здесь?.. Что принести в жертву?..»
Но почти сразу же змеиное начало зашипело во мне крамольное: «Не много ли жертв ты принесла, Алиса, чтобы так и не понять, за что ты расплачивалась всю свою жизнь, если даже за 33 вечера до…»
Привычная трель телефона вернула меня обратно, чтобы вывернуть наизнанку и окончательно пристрелить:
«Mozna tibie vapros? Ti lioubis deti? Gja xatiel parabotat ese god I patom delat deti… Gja xatiel deti… Esli ti xotchis… Bog dast… Malchik + devachka. Da?.. Kak ti xotchis?.. Skaji minie… Skaji ti toje xotchis… Perevod: ты хочешь детей, Алиса? сколько детей ты хочешь? скажи… скажи мне… правду…»
Я рухнула в постель и взревела.
7. Shot in Vienna
The Blizzard was conjuring outside the window.
«I wanted…» I began, but the Guardian cut me off in mid-sentence.
«To visit once more the rooms, where you felt the Portal!»
«Not today… I wanted to ask you a less formal question,» I breathed out, taking the Guardian by hand as he brought me coffee.
«All ears, my Queen!»
«Have I offended you somehow?»
«You are the most curious creature that…»
«Perhaps… are you jealous of me?»
«Me?!» the Guardian exclaimed in surprise and, without looking into my eyes, laughed… too artificially. «For whom, Alice? For the ninety-year-old Baba Yaga? For the Master of the swamp hellcats? Or for the Waterman from Nowhere? By the way, who is there on the menu tonight? A Killer?»
«The title of the book „A Shot in Vienna“ doesn’t mean murder,» I said meaningfully.
«Yes, I’ve read his story! Even if he didn’t commit a crime in Vienna after all, how much poison did he release into his potential victim while he was chasing her in a thirst for revenge? Do you think he’s not a murderer? The Forces of Darkness have much more servants than those who are officially on the payroll! Besides, your hero fought in the recent war and there…»
Speak of the Devil, and the Killer, a man in the prime of his life, immediately materialized in the hall with a lovely companion. The guests were looking forward to bloody confessions, they had no idea what he would end up shooting at.
While I led the party, as usual, standing with my back to the Giant Mirror, the Guardian was watching me from behind the counter of the sleeping cafe, and the Cat wandered among the guests, sniffing something.
Suddenly, the Witch, the author of «The Devil’s Trill», introduced by me at the first party there, appeared in the hall.
The Guardian gave her a displeased look, which she immediately noticed, being frozen at the entrance. However, as soon as I announced the break for an autograph and photo session with the Killer, the Witch sailed up to me.
«May I take a picture of you?» she asked with a mysterious smile.
«Of me?!» I raised my eyebrows in surprise. «Why? A professional photographer took a billion pictures of everybody, including me, during your own party here!»
«Please, Alice, just one frame!» exclaimed the Witch and added in a whisper, «Hurry!»
Her mesmerizing voice and magical look frightened me no less than «Hurry!» and the Guardian’s bell of the previous night. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed the Guardian hurrying towards us and Roman entering the hall.
«Hurry up!» repeated the Witch, looking around nervously.
I remained standing with my back to the Giant Mirror when the Witch took a picture of me, but the Guardian immediately grabbed her hand.
«Milady?» he said sternly. «Taking pictures of portals is strictly prohibited!»
The Witch mysteriously looked into the Guardian’s eyes, while there was some movement on her phone, something was appearing, flickering and disappearing. When that stopped, she silently handed the phone to the Guardian. He scanned the file folder, but apparently found nothing criminal. The Witch headed for the exit. The Guardian followed her, and I hurried to my table…
«How are you?» Roman asked calmly, and I wanted so much to bury myself in him, so that he would hug me and… express compassion or protect?.. no, there was no such word there and then…
«This Mansion is the most mysterious place in our city I have ever been to,» I breathed out and added mentally, «What’s going on? Do you understand anything?»
«And what other places in the city have you been to?» Roman asked aloud obvious nonsense, in my opinion.
However, I thought about it and got into a wall of fog!
«Aah! Well, of course, to the Union of Writers!»
Roman kept silent, and then, as if gently stroking my back with his eyes, said,
«Let’s go on!»
«Whatever you want,» I nodded obediently.
Task No. 7. SACRIFICE
…The sacrifice is one of the ways to attract the attention of the Higher Forces to oneself. However, you should
