Chapter 15

Aron rubbed his temples with his palms, trying to drive away the fatigue accumulated over the past day. Mea-tael's story turned out to be too long, and at the same time too short, and the new knowledge about himself, which Aaron tried to keep in his head, strove to slip away.

And Vend was waiting for him.

When they left the tower, the castle was already waking up. Vend, who had apparently not closed his eyes during the previous night, did not look happy after his release. Yes, and he was not yet free - Aron, not prone to excessive risk, used instead of the fetters of the Shadow. They hugged Vend like a gloomy cocoon, allowing him to move, but only within the limits outlined by the magician. As long as the prisoner does not try to do something stupid, the presence of the Shadows will remain for him, though visible, but imperceptible.

Vend was silent, Aron also did not feel much desire to communicate, listen to curses and try to prove something. He understood only too well that if he were in Venda's place he would not have believed a single word.

The horses were ready, Aaron himself led and saddled them, not wanting to talk to the servants. Two horses for them and Vend, one more for luggage. Opening the gate, the guards silently bowed to Aaron.

The horseshoes of their horses and Vend clattered loudly over the bridge thrown over a deep ditch with water. And then they were surrounded by a forest where the birds had not yet sung and the wolves had already calmed down. Calm and quiet. Even too quiet, as if all the small creatures hid somewhere, froze, waiting for people to drive far enough.

- Why do you need all this? Wend's voice broke the silence. “These vile witchcraft experiments, the death of people? What do you want to achieve?

What? Aaron shrugged his shoulders. He himself would not refuse to know why Tongil had turned from this reality into a monster.

“I would also like to hear the answer to one question,” Aaron said quietly. "Why did you kill Mea-tael's mother?"

- I?! Wend sharply pulled the reins, and the Shadows, sensing defiance, hissed angrily and moved closer to the man. - What are you talking about?

“Both she and his little sister died because of you. Forgot?

- I do not understand...

I see that I forgot. The shadow wrapped around Vend's wrist, squeezing, not to the point of pain, just a reminder that a man should let the horse go on. “But if you value life, don’t get in front of Mel in the future, because he remembers ...

The trees parted to reveal a small clearing. The shadow, fulfilling Aron's wish, slightly pushed the prisoner, suggesting that he should dismount from his horse.

“Here I will leave you. - Aron, looking around, chose a suitable tree, wrapped the reins of Vend's horse and clockwork around the trunk. Wend stood beside him and looked at him gloomily.

What spell have you cast on me? he asked, although it was clear from his intonation that he was not expecting a sincere answer.

Aaron sighed.

“I didn’t do anything to you, the way you came is the way you leave.” All weapons are in saddlebags, you can get them later. There's also a map and supplies. And one more thing…” Aaron removed a small amulet from his belt, a pendant in the shape of a wolf's head on a silver chain. “This is protection from the creatures that live in the local forests.

"I don't want anything from you!" Wend shook his head furiously.

- Don't be stupid! Aaron felt himself starting to get angry. “You can’t get out of the woods without an amulet.

- Excellent! I'd rather die than take anything from you!

- How you were a stubborn fool, and remained! Aaron couldn't resist. — Die to your health! He took a deep breath, reminding himself that this Wend had good reasons for hatred and distrust, and added: “I will leave the amulet. If you don't need it, throw it away. Still, he is tuned only to you. And one more thing: you will be in this clearing for the next two hours. Then you can leave, but only in the direction opposite to the castle.

Vend burned Aron with an evil look and turned away.

“Great,” Aaron muttered, jumping into the saddle. “Two horses will be enough for you, I hope. In extreme cases, you feed one to the wolves - without an amulet, the gray ones will become interested in you very quickly.

I froze for a moment - I wanted unbearably to say goodbye to my friend in a human way. Say something. But between them, a wall of hatred rose almost tangibly, and no words could change that.

***

“That's how I ended up here. Rosana sighed. “It turns out that being a reader for the noble Arimir, the order of the most radiant Lanny, is not the easiest job. I'm surprised I haven't gotten my voice up yet.

Ryan was silent. All the time his sister was talking, he could not get rid of the ambivalence. On the one hand, in his heart he still blamed Rosana for being with Tongil. On the other hand, she was the only one who did not want to bury him in advance, like the rest of the family. She ran away from home, traveled in conditions that were not at all befitting an earl's daughter, was not afraid to enter the Dark Magician's castle. And all for him.

“Ros, I can’t leave with you,” the young man said quietly. Her sister jumped up, staring at him incredulously, then shook her head decisively.

“Rien, my grandfather and I have thought of everything! Don't be afraid, it won't look like an escape at all, Tongil will have no reason to say something to his father and demand compensation. You are supposed to die in a fire. Grandfather created a magical golem: a charred body will be found instead of you, even Tongil himself will not suspect anything. Here, look ... - The girl rushed to the bag, leaned over and began to hastily look for something there.

"Ros," her brother interrupted, "I'm not going with you." And I won't set fire to it either. I can't go back.

- But why? Rosana straightened up, holding a jug sealed with black sealing wax in her hands, then put it back and went to her brother. Thin arches of eyebrows converged over the bridge of the nose. “Because of what, Ryan?

Then her eyes widened in horror, the girl pressed her hand to her lips.

“They said in the caravan that the magician… was with the boys,” she whispered. "He and you...too?"

Rien already opened his mouth, about to protest furiously, but did not say anything. Despite the shame that flushed across his face at the mere thought of such a thing, Rosana's guess was a better explanation than the truth. How can you tell by looking into your sister's eyes that he has the Dark Gift? What, it turns out, from the very birth of his soul is gnawed by filth, and one day, if he lives, he can turn into the same monster as the master of this castle?

How can you say that?

Let him think that Tongil put him to his bed. It is shameful, but such rumors concerned many noble families, even the imperial family did not bypass. It can be experienced.

Now he needs to wait for the full awakening of the Gift, then learn how to hide it. And if no one but Tongil finds out about the Gift, he will still have a chance to return to his former life.

Rien did not answer Rosana's question, only lowered his head. The girl sighed convulsively, then sat down beside him and carefully put her arm around his shoulders.

"You're still just a child," her voice trembled. How could he? What... what...

Rosana didn't have enough strong words to express her anger, and she only hugged Rien tighter. She whispered that he was not to blame for anything and she loved him very, very much, and everyone in the family loved him, and these months would be forgotten like a bad dream, and everything would be fine. Everything will definitely be fine.

Rien listened to her, unable to raise his eyes from shame for the lie, and was silent. And he tried to think of what to say next.

“I cannot return while Tongil is alive. If he tells anyone about this... me then... - And, swallowing, he added what, probably, her sister was most afraid to hear. - I then only in the loop.

He felt how Rosana froze in horror, and added hastily:

- Go away, okay? Just tell me at home that you couldn’t get to the castle, lost your way and returned. Please don't tell them anything!

“Rien, brother ...” The girl began to cry openly, and the young man looked at the floor and felt himself starting to hate himself. But still, to be sure, he added a rumor he once heard.

“Those who were with him, he magically marks as his own. So don't run or hide.

The sister was saying something, it seemed she was swearing to find a way to destroy Tongil, and Rien was silent and thought: isn’t it the beginning of plunging into Darkness that one has to tell one big lie to a loved one?

Then, when she again put on the amulet of the mask and left - slipped into the impenetrable darkness behind the door of his room - Rien put out the candles and stood at the window for a long time. Stars shone brightly in the dim northern sky. They were far away, small and cold. And it was just as cold in his heart.

***

Rosana hurried up the stairs, angrily blinking away her tears. She will destroy Tongil and bring her brother back. There must be a way! Definitely a must!

In summer, the northern nights are short, soon after its first rays the sun itself will appear, it will be more difficult to hide from the eyes of the guards and the awakening servants.

Taking out a long braid of gold and silver threads intertwined in a special way, Rosana tied it at her waist under her clothes. Amulet to avert eyes - grandfather gave them several, to him and Rien to escape. She did not think that she would have to leave alone.

This amulet was special, on solar magic, and acted from sunrise to sunset. As soon as the upper edge of the star rises above the horizon, Rosana will disappear. Not really - the magic of the nomads is not capable of this, but for the eyes of ordinary mortals and even most magicians it will not. People will look through it as through air. The main thing is not to touch anyone and stay in someone else's shadow, otherwise you can give yourself away. And one more thing... Grandfather doubted whether the amulet would be able to deceive Tongil - this Dark Magician had gained too much power.

The gates leading out of the castle were open, and a line of carts crawled out of them in a leisurely caterpillar. Sleepy drivers viciously scolded the same sleepy horses, but they did not pay attention, continuing to slowly rearrange their legs. Rosana climbed onto the last cart filled with empty barrels and huddled in the gap between them. The girl did not doubt the power of the amulet, but still shuddered every time the eyes of the bored guards glided past her.

When the line had already gone far enough from the castle, Rosana jumped over the edge of the cart and slid under the green crown of the forest. She put a path indicator on her wrist, closed her eyes, imagining what she was looking for, and the arrow, freed from the influence of Dark magic, made one circle after salting and froze. Rosana shook herself and walked resolutely in the indicated direction.

Soon she came across a wide animal path, along which the inhabitants of the forest went to a watering place. The path wound whimsically, now and then bending around the mighty trunks of centuries-old trees. And now, passing between two such giants, Rosana heard the echo of male voices. Two people were talking, and one of the voices sounded familiar. Moreover, memory, without giving out a name, whispered: it is better not to meet with its owner.

Rosana retreated from the path, slipped behind the dense young growth and mentally rejoiced at her own foresight: from the one who was now traveling along the path, her grandfather's amulet could not hide her.

Tongil looked a little different than at the emperor's spring ball, but Rosana could not tell what the difference was. Next to the magician rode a man vaguely familiar to her, a warrior in bearing, shadows swam around him in gray waves ... A prisoner?

Rosana swallowed hard. She had never seen such magic before, but she had no doubt that the magic had a dark origin.

- Why do you need all this? the warrior asked with bitterness in his voice. “These vile witchcraft experiments, the death of people? What do you want to achieve?

The magician threw a fleeting glance at his companion, shrugged his shoulders indifferently, not deigning to answer.

Frozen, Rosana watched the retreating figures and dared to straighten up only when they disappeared behind the trees. She looked at the amulet of the path - the arrow clearly indicated where the riders were heading.

The magician and his companion, as it turned out, did not go far. Rosana almost took a step openly into the clearing where they stopped, hurriedly backed away and hid again, this time behind the wild raspberry bushes.

Tongil finished talking about some kind of amulet, irritably wished his companion to feed the local wolves ... What exactly to feed - Rosana did not hear. Then the magician led the black to the path. But the warrior remained.

Tongil had long since disappeared from sight, the clatter of hooves had subsided, and Rosana still could not make up her mind to come out of her hiding place. The arrow of the amulet pointed stubbornly at the strange half-acquaintance, moving in time with his steps. And he, like a kharg in a cage, still could not stop, crossing the clearing over and over again. Sometimes his face was distorted with anger, then again became the same, almost calm. The man did not say a word aloud, but it seemed to Rosana that a storm was raging in his soul.

She stared at him for a moment, then closed her eyes, trying with all her might to push the memory. Where and when did she see this man? Come on! Where and when?

Wend stopped, took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. From the fact that he went around the entire clearing fifty times, nothing has changed for the better. And it won't change.

Approaching the horse, in whose saddlebag Tongil had thrust his demonic amulet, Wend felt for it and fished it out by the chain. The wolf's head swayed on the pendant, grinning maliciously. Wend looked at the amulet with hostility for a few seconds, then, muttering a curse, threw it into the distant bushes. Someone stirred there, a branch crackled, but everything quickly died down. Wend grunted, thinking that he had disturbed a small forest animal.

Not even a quarter of the time measured by the magician had passed.

Wend sighed, pulled blades and a whetstone from his saddlebags, and sat down on the grass. Monotonous movements subdued anger, leaving only bitter reflections. Now he is a failed killer of a powerful magician, the bearer of a curse, neither the essence nor the main victim of which is known. Tongil could take it down with ease, but let it go like bait for a bigger fish. Lure for whom? What is the meaning of this action? Moreover, the phrase about Mel's relatives ...

Wend shook his head, not understanding. He saw Mea-tael's mother only once in his youth, when the half-breed invited him and Aron to stay with his tribe. When they returned to the capital, all of the Mel family were in good health. A year later, the life paths of the three best friends finally diverged ... to converge here after a decade and a half.

However, Vend learned about the true essence of Tongila four years ago, when the previously unknown Dark Mage destroyed the Great Alaric Nercas and his students and apprentices, who did not manage to escape in time, after which he occupied the Light Mage's castle and appropriated his possessions.

The emperor and the court magician were silent, the indignant representatives of the nobility suffered the fate of Nerkas. And Vend, who at that time was the foreman of the imperial guard, with amazement, turning into horror, identified an old friend in the Dark Magician. The same one who for several years fed gullible youths with tales about a doctor-mentor and about his own weak Light Gift, which did not allow him to advance further than medicine.

Soon after that, the native village of Venda with all its inhabitants ceased to exist ...

At that thought, Wend's hand dug into the hilt of the dagger. How I wanted to cut the deceitful throat of the warlock, to make him choke in his own blood! Did not work out. Neither the enchanted blades nor the invisibility spells created by the Light magicians helped. They were surrounded even on the approach to the castle, they threw on a magical trapping net. The other two warriors managed to kill themselves, Wendu was unlucky...

There was another rustle in the distant bushes where he had thrown the amulet. Wend frowned and weighed the blade in his palm. Not a "sting", of course, but you can throw. And then take a closer look at who is suspiciously twitching there.

The blade flew into the dense branches, causing a thin, almost childish scream. Wend instantly jumped to his feet, with horror imagining that he had hit a child. The gods were merciful. Firstly, a boy of sixteen years old is already difficult to attribute to children, and secondly, he didn’t make it. That is, he hit, but did not hurt.

Probably, the two hours measured by Tongil had already passed, since Vend managed to step outside the clearing.

Behind a raspberry bush, an unfamiliar black-haired young man was sitting, leaning against a tree trunk, and with a confused look looked first at the blade lying nearby, then at the tail of a strange scythe, which he pulled out from under his clothes. This braid was small, hardly as thick as a finger, and woven from many intertwined threads, shining with silver and gold. If you do not pay attention to the material, then it looked like the famous shamanic amulets.

“You could have killed me,” the stranger said with such bewilderment in his voice, as if it was about something unthinkable.

“Could…” Wend stopped, looming over the young man. Why were you spying on me?

“I didn’t spy,” he protested. - I was wondering! And you ruined my amulet!

- Yah? Bending down, Wend picked up the dagger. “Didn’t they tell you, boy, that it’s not good to lie?” Although I believe about the amulet. Wend chuckled. The hole in the guy's clothes had clearly appeared only now, and if there hadn't been a two-tone braid under it, he would not have survived until sunset.

- Who are you? Wend demanded. The young man sighed, rose to his feet, shook off the adhering forest rubbish. His movements were graceful, but without the predatory grace characteristic of warriors.

“I am Resan Evnike, reader... that is, the former reader of the noble tar of Arimir,” he said.

- How did you get here? Wend did not believe the young man's words, but did not dig into the truth. Will have time.

He hesitated, then sighed.

- I ran away.

- That is? Where did you run away from? “The only candidate for jailer here was Tongil. It is doubtful that the boy managed to get out of the dungeons of the Dark Magician. Not to mention the fact that being in a dungeon is not conducive to such a well-groomed appearance and blush on the cheeks.

- From the castle. The young man shook his head in the intended direction. Then he complained: - The amulet would have hidden me from the chase until sunset, and you broke it.

“Indeed,” Wend agreed with the accusation. “Still explain plainly why you set up an ambush in the bushes?”

“Because of him…” The young man extended his right hand with a thin metal bracelet around his wrist. The bracelet was adorned with an oval of large transparent crystal, inside of which hung a golden arrow pointing towards Vend.

“This is a signpost made by my grandfather. I asked to find a person who could help me, and the amulet pointed to you.

— Are you kidding? - Wend said without much hope, but he stumbled upon a puzzled look and added: - Guy, put yourself in my place. Here you appear, no one knows who, no one knows where, and declares that I should help you. Doesn't this seem strange to you?

"You shouldn't, but you can," Resan corrected him judiciously. - If you want. I'm not imposing, but suggesting. Traveling together is more fun. And you also have two horses.

- Travel? Wend chuckled. - The fact that I'm going somewhere to go, and a no brainer. But what makes you think that our paths will coincide?

“There is only one road to the very bend of Trirta,” the guy remarked. - It's almost a week's journey. On all other sides there are lakes and swamps, where you can’t even walk on foot.

Wend frowned at the young man's touchingly reasonable face, and then, unexpectedly for himself, waved his hand in agreement. I really didn't want to travel alone. Perhaps the guy is not lying about the escape, only he is not a reader, but one of the hostages. And if he deceives, if he is an enemy subterfuge, then it is not clear why Tongil worked so clumsily, if he could simply cast a tracking spell on his former captive. But still, if sent, then Wend's weapons are always at hand.

The youth looked utterly pleased, directly glowing with joy that he managed to achieve his goal, and this, probably, an invisible harmful demon began to push Wend.

"You're a brave fellow, I hope," he said casually as he watched Resan untie the reins of the horse assigned to him. He froze and turned around, looking worried.

- And what?

“Aren’t you afraid to ride next to the damned one?”

Resan winced.

- That is, how - with the damned one?

“You don’t think Tongil just let me go, do you?” Wend smiled wryly. - Dark magicians do not suffer from bouts of nobility.

"What's the curse?" Resan asked plaintively.

The warrior shrugged.

The mage didn't say that. Decided to make a surprise.

"So you can turn into a monster?" The young man paled visibly. Or start killing everyone around? Or...

“Well, yes, something like that,” Wend interrupted him. If you change your mind, leave. You can even take the horse.

Resan swallowed and looked at the amulet. I sighed.

He's still pointing at you. I will stay.