year I gave her on thought has not yet passed. For the year she could change her mind. I took out of the frozen hands of Rose an ax, went to an ominous oak, swung and made a small cut on a thick trunk.
«In memory of what we met here,» I explained to Rose.
I tried to smile, went to Rose and took her hand to kiss, but in this moment, a fluffy gray lump was disturbed from somewhere. The sharp claws slammed me down the cheek, and the bat rushed away. Not that bat, whom I sent.
«Everything is in order, you can go,» I pressed my palm to the cheek, so that Rose did not see how the bleeding wound heals itself.
«And you?» Rose turned on the go.
«I am a predator and I want to turn the head to this animal.»
Having waited when she left, I began to listen. Somewhere here there was a staircase leading under the ground. My gnomes would not work here, it was someone else. As if in response to my thoughts, I saw Henri. He seemed materialized from the emptiness.
«At least she could drop her scarf,» he said with a light reproach. «I never met such a cautious girl. Usually I can take from any at least an earring, but not from this.»
«What else did you start?» I just remembered that I still kept an ax in my hand.
Henry had not a helmet, although the rest of the body was covered with armor.
Do you like?» he grinned. «I decided that in this armor I would look more impressive.»
«Did you?» In my opinion, at least in the armor, at least in the cloak, at least in the costume of Harlequin Henri remained all the same restless fighter for his rights.
«Did you use even a spy?»
«The intelligence never hurts,» Henri nodded with the type of philosopher. «In addition, I decided to add to my own possessions an abandoned watchtower from the most borders and, imagine, no one tried to prevent me. The most endless members of my order work under the ground make the tunnel, and everyone does not care for it. People are accustomed to live on earth, not under it, so my idea is unlikely to represent interests for someone.»
«What is the idea?»
«The underground city,» informed Henri victoriously. «After the full moon in your empire, I began to feel much better and bright ideas appeared. Daylight is too destructive for creatures, as we, it would not be easier to have spare asylum in soil layers – a city with many tunnels and labyrinths. Personally, I like this idea.»
«A stupid idea,» instead of the expected praise, I as usual honestly expressed what I think. «If you prefer lifestyle, like a mole, then this is your personal matter. By the way, were you hurt.»
«So, I was hurt about the root of the tree,» Henri tried to pretend that the wound is nothing.
«Is there a progress on the battlefield?» I asked him with a light irony.
«No, there isn’t,» Henri snapped. «You do not help us.»
He got angry again.
«Till the meeting,» he grunted angrily. «I’ll win without you.»
«As you like,» I noticed diplomatically and shouted to him. «Why do you need a princess’ thing?»
He did not want to answer, but not without the help of my spell stumbled on the root and spread out on earth.
«Here is rubbish,» he cursed, rising and rushing a strong oak with his foot. Better from this did not become anyone, only Henri frowned from pain. He obviously forgot that he was in armor.
«It’s hard to move in this armor,» he complained. «You seem to ask about her thing? I want to try out one probing spell, which I bought from the old predictor of fate. You know, the most amazing thing that he managed to predict was the epidemic of the plague in Lara. He told about it before it began, but naturally only a few people believed. And now he says that a violinist will soon break free.»
«If you want to know your destiny, so come to Viniena. The provider returned, and he remembers you,» Henri mockingly laughed. «A young man with an angelic appearance, inside whom the beast sits, who was it besides you? And the creature who loved to play the violin? I don’t know anything about her.»
He quickly disappeared behind the thick trunk of elm. Is it possible to understand the plans of this fraudster?
In any case, he disappeared from the surface of the earth, and I remembered my desire to turn the head of a nasty animal. No bats would have decided to attack me if it would not affect other strong sorcerer. In order to find out what I needed to have only to turn the ring with the signet, return to Lara, and threatening Vincent thoroughly if he had not had time to escape from the house. Oddly enough, he was already waiting for me on the threshold and first thrown with reproaches.
«You yourself said that none of us should approach this girl?» Vincent rarely lost control over himself to pour it out, it was necessary to hurt him for living.
«Where did you get such an obedient bat?» I asked.
«On the bell tower left a dozen of these nasty creatures. They do not look better, but they have sharp claws.»
«It seems you envy the fact that my skin is not dismissed with scars, like your throat.»
«Everything heals on you, like on a dog,» Vincent snorted and looked guilty. With the time of time and the acquisition of more experience in the sorcery he himself changed. Chestnut hair has become silky. Even the smallest mimic wrinkles under the eyes and those unfolded, and the eyes themselves instead of dark-brown acquired a warm walnut shade. If he looked at least sometimes in the mirror, he would not have envied anyone. There were scars on the neck, but they could always be covered with a scarf. In any case, the transformed Vincent, who stood in front of me now, was very handsome.
Vincent did not try to fasten the opening camisole’s collar, he understood that I still knew about his largest failure.
«Do you burn me with the house or do you use your claws?» He asked tiredly.
«I would be happy, but I don’t want to make a mess in my own home,» the grim humor and this time did not let me down.
Vincent regarded it as a joke and smiled radiant.
«So I’m forgiven,» he concluded.
«It was for the last time.»
From the street came some kind of noise and Vincent fearful looked back towards the window.
«For some reason, I have such a feeling that someone flew here and he was ready to cut my throat,» he admitted. «Probably, there were a few days of bad weather and the fact that the hunch-back in the mantle and crown wandered over the square. It seems to me that he is looking for you in the same way as the dog goes along the trail.»
«Is Camille with him?|
«Camille regularly visits „the Marionette“, but after Rose has gone from the stage, the play no longer uses such success.
