looked at him fearfully. "Nik, I'm afraid a little."
"Don't be afraid," Nikto took off his bandage and looked closely.
"What's there? Tell me, don't torment me? Did it burst again?"
"No, no, it won't burst, don't worry," Nikto made him toss his head back, examining his swollen eyelid.
"Aah, hu…rts, it hurts!"
"Quiet, quiet," Nikto let him go. "It's all right but it's going to heal slowly. If you stayed in bed for a few more days…"
"But you see I can't afford it!"
"Yes, I know. I just warn you that it will heal slowly, that's all."
Nikto applied a thick layer of the ointment over the eye and bandaged it again. Orel touched the bandage in distress but didn't say anything. Lis looked at them.
"Now you look like him" he said nodding at Nikto. "Just as disfigured."
Orel tensed.
"Yes, I was tired of being the only one ugly among you," Nikto agreed. "I decided that Orel would keep me company."
"I don't doubt," Lis looked at him darkly. "Who's next?"
"Squint-Eye doesn't suit, Tol and Enriki are wounded. So, it's you."
Lis lowered his eyes.
"What will you do to me, if it is not a secret?"
"It's not a secret," Nikto bared his teeth. "I'll cut off your tongue."
Orel laughed.
"Ni-i-ik, but why?"
"Because he talks too much."
"You're shit," Lis said, "I'm not afraid of you."
Nikto walked around Orel's armchair and stood there, leaning with his elbows on its back; his eyes sparkled impishly.
Lis looked at him, smirked. "You think you're cool, huh?"
Nikto leaned to Orel, hugging him around the back of the chair. "Lis, enough, I know you're just jealous of me."
Orel laughed, pressing his cheek to Nikto's. "Lis, is it true?"
"What? Do you believe the bullshit he says?"
"He is jealous and envious," Nikto said. "That's why he is angry."
"Cool!" Orel looked at Lis with interest, waiting for his reaction.
"Envy you?" Lis snorted. "That's something! You're nothing, you just pretend being tough but you really are an empty place!"
"Really?"
Lis laughed. "Exactly. I think you have nothing I should envy."
"And I think I do," Nikto said.
He moved away from Orel and standing behind his back for Orel not to see what he was doing he showed Lis his finger with the royal ring on it.
Lis's face flushed, he got up, turned away. Asa who watched this scene laughed. She was dressed and smoked now leaning against Tol's legs; Tol slept, full of medicines.
"Nikto is an animal," she said. "Lis, come to me, I'll pity you."
"Fuck off!" Lis snapped.
He came up to a little table and grabbed a statuette from it, threw it at the wall. It shattered into small pieces.
Orel clapped his palms. "Well done, Lis! You've amused me!"
"Glad to hear," Lis said through the clenched teeth. He returned to his corner. Asa said something.
"What does she say?" Orel asked.
"She says we behave worse than the Unclean," Nikto said.
"Tell her to shut up!" Orel said and poured more wine. "Why don't you translate?"
"She has learned this phrase."
"Enriki is wounded, Tol is wounded, Asa is wounded, you're wounded," Lis shook his head. "I think we're in trouble."
"It is not so bad. I, Tol and Asa will be okay tomorrow. You, Nik and Squint-Eye are fine."
"Squint-Eye is not here, maybe, something happened to him."
Orel didn't answer looking down.
Asa lay down next to Tol and hugged him closing her eyes. It was quiet in the room. They sat like that for an hour, everyone submerged in their thoughts. At last Lis raised his head.
"It's getting lighter," he said, "we'll need to go to the camp soon. Squint-Eye is not here yet."
Nikto got up. "I need a shot." He took his bag and walked to Orel's bedroom.
"Check how Enriki's doing," Orel said.
"All right."
Nikto left, and just a minute later they heard a soft knock on the door.
"Who's there?" Lis jumped up.
"Lis, it's me, Squint-Eye."
Lis quickly opened the door letting Squint-Eye in. He nearly ran in, his face was anxious.
"Arel, you're here! What happened?"
"What do you think?" Orel asked in an icy voice.
Squint-Eye looked around, saw Tol and Asa sleeping together on the sofa.
"Asa is here, too," he said getting even paler and tensing. "Bey?"
"Where have you been?"
"Arel, I… I was fulfilling the order… in the Upper City, you know…"
"You're losing qualification," Orel said. "For you to spend so much time for one lousy order – don't feed me this shit, Squint-Eye!" Orel's only eye glared.
Nikto returned to the room.
"Enriki is delirious," he said, "but I think he'll survive."
"Did you hear?" Orel said to Squint-Eye. "Pray gods for him to survive!"
"Arel, look, his clothes are all wet," Lis said looking at Squint-Eye. "Did you fall into the river?"
Squint-Eye grabbed his head convulsively as if trying to cover it from their stares. His black hair parted in the middle clung to his cheeks. Lis took his wrist roughly, turned his hand towards Orel.
"Look," he said. There were a few fresh scratches on Squint-Eye's arm.
"I scratched myself by accident," Squint-Eye said in a trembling voice. He looked at Nikto fearfully who met his gaze but said nothing.
"Do you believe him, Arel?" Lis said.
"No," Orel was turning a cigarette pack in his hands.
"Orel, for gods' sake, forgive me! I'll pay!"
