Текст книги "The Mist and the Lightning. Part III"

Автор книги: Ви Корс

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"We said that you and Nikto are together and work against us," Lis said. Asa shook her head.

"Nikto is always alone, he doesn't need me. I don't know anything about him, just like you. He saved my life, helped me to get out of coma, and I paid my debt to him," she glanced at Squint-Eye who stayed impassive. "Now he saved my life for the second time, and it means I will stand by him. But don't tie me to him, I'm with Tol, and… and…" she stumbled, "I was so afraid of that fucking Arel!"

"Are you afraid of Nikto?" Lis asked.

"It doesn't matter, I just know he would never tell about Tol himself."

"Why?"

"Because it is not his business. It is between Tol and me, if I want, I'll tell you, and Nikto has nothing to do with it. He really has nothing to do with it."

"How can it be that Tol is Unclean?"

"Borgan found out everything. He sent his servants to the place where Tol was born, to his estate. His parents are humans, they don't know anything, just like he doesn't and you didn't. Borgan's people talked to the Unclean slaves who lived there. One Unclean, when she heard someone was asking about Tol, was very happy because they didn't hear anything about him for a long time, since he left his parents and went away in search for adventures. She said that she was a maid in the main house about twenty years ago. She was Unclean but very beautiful and looked like a human. The mistress loved her in her own way. This Unclean replaced the mistress's child with the boy of her sister, he looked very much like human, that's why they decided to do it. It worked as she planned, their mistress gave birth to a child – I don't know if it was a boy or a girl – it was taken to the slaves' barrack and I don't know what they did to it."

"I can guess what," Lis said darkly. "What then?"

"Then they put the Unclean child in the baby's place. The master and the mistress didn't suspect anything, they were very happy that the baby was handsome and strong, they named him Ram and loved him very much. They didn't have any more children and doted on him. And the Unclean loved him, too, they dreamed that he would grow up and become a master, and then they'll tell him everything and he'll free them and the estate will belong to the Unclean. But Tol left them and isn't going to come back. He destroyed their hopes."

"What is she saying?" Tol couldn't stand it any longer. "What?"

"She explains that there is nothing between her and Nikto, and you know, Tol," Lis made a somewhat guilty expression that could deceive only Tol, "it seems she made me believe her. Forget everything I said before. I was wrong," he finished quite cheerfully.

Asa was listening worriedly.

"Relax," Squint-Eye said quietly. "Lis will not tell him anything." He smiled. "I suspected it from the beginning. I heard he was 'phoning' at once. But damn it…"

"You won't tell him, will you?" Asa interrupted him.

"No, you can be sure I won't."

"So, Lis, it was your fantasies, right?" Tol asked suspiciously.

"Yes," Lis said simply. "Just imagine, I was mistaken, my imagination got me carried away."

"Really?" Tol narrowed his eyes. "There is something wrong in it. You gave up too quickly."

Lis shrugged.

"What can I do, your Asa is very smart and made me change my mind. She really loves you, she loves you and does everything to secure your future."

"Yeah? Why did she call for him and not for me then?"

"Ooh, it's simple, Nikto has saved her life once, and she says she got friendly with him," Lis smiled at Tol nicely.

"Got friendly?"

"Yes," Lis looked at him innocently. "She got to respect him, stopped putting on airs, is it bad, huh, Tol? You wanted that, didn't you?"

"Yes," Tol said. He was tense, he started getting confused. "What else did she say?"

"Nothing special."

"But she said a lot."

"It just seemed so to you. You know, Tol, learn Unclean and ask her yourself. I don't mind your Asa any more. Is it enough for you?"

"Yes."

"Then keep enjoying your life. Besides, you started it, it was because of your shitty temper Orel got angry, nearly killed her, cut off Nikto's braid, made us think hell knows what about them. He paired Squint-Eye and me even though everyone knows what terms we are on. Squint-Eye wants to kill me!"

"It is not true," Squint-Eye exclaimed quickly.

"True or not but I have written a lot in my farewell letter – in case if I suddenly get killed. One letter is for Orel, another for the royal prosecutor. I've foreseen everything."

Squint-Eye went pale.

"So, Tol, next time before you argue with Orel, think twice and follow the example of Enriki, me and the others: we don't dispute. Orel is our master and we have to do what he tells us."

"Look who's talking," Tol muttered.

"Tol, what are you saying?! I always obey Orel," Lis was extremely incensed.

"Fine, ask her once more, is there something between her and Nikto, let her answer honestly. I'll forgive her, I promise."

"As you wish." Lis turned to Asa. "I didn't tell Tol anything, I'm covering up for you. But please admit, did you know Nikto before?"

"I only heard about him, have never seen him."

"You're lying, bitch, you had to see him, he's your Borgan's friend!"

"So what? When he came, I wasn't there."

"If you don't tell the truth now, I won't believe that you're not together."

"Lis, I'm tired of it! Fine, I saw him a couple of times from afar, he didn't even notice me. Is it important for you?"

"Yes, it is." Lis turned to Tol. "Here you are, I asked her again, that's right, there is nothing between them, they didn't even meet before. Do you believe me?"

"I dunno," Tol drawled doubtfully. "You say one thing at first, then another…"

"Well, forgive me for that, I'm a suspicious son of bitch, I was wrong. Do you forgive me?"

"All right," Tol smiled, a little strained.

"Then let's drink for it!" Lis reached for the bottle. "Let's drink for peace and friendship among us."

"Let's drink," Squint-Eye agreed. He walked around the table returning to his place.

"What shall we say to Orel?" Enriki suddenly asked barely audibly.

"We can tell everything, we can tell nothing," Lis filled Enriki's glass to the brim. "I think he and Nikto will make up soon, right, Nikto?"

"I would like to."

"I don't doubt." Lis filled his glass, too.

Before going to her place, Asa walked up to Nikto and gave him his braid. Nikto took it without saying anything. Asa returned to the table.

Lis raised his glass.

"Let's forget everything! No more suspicions among us. We are a family! For us and for Orel!"

Their glasses touched. They drank: Tol and Vil who didn't know Unclean and didn't understand anything; Enriki who knew Unclean very poorly but understood everything; and Squint-Eye, Lis, Nikto and Asa.

"I will never, never listen to you again, Lis," Tol said wiping his lips.

"Right, Tol. You should think with your own head," Lis agreed lighting a cigarette.

"And have your own opinion," Squint-Eye added.

"And do you have your own opinion about it?" Tol looked at Squint-Eye.

"Of course, I do."

"And what is it?"

"It is mine. It is mine and I don't have to share it with anyone. Lis can say whatever he wants, it's his right. If I wanted, I could have said something, too, but I don't, and it's my right.

"And what do you think, Enriki?"

"I think we are all right," Enriki made himself say. "It was Lis's fantasy about a conspiracy."

"I also think so," Tol started, and Lis smiled barely noticeably when hearing how confidently Tol said it. "I also think that Nikto cannot be in conspiracy with the Unclean against us, because he hates them. And he likes us, he even likes you, Lis."

"Now, Tol, you have your own opinion, congratulations." Lis took a deep drag, narrowing his eyes, hiding sharp glitter in them behind his auburn eyelashes.

Tol smiled and leaned to Asa, hugging her.

"I'm so glad you're with me," he purred. She smiled back at him.

"Make her learn Black," Lis said to Tol.

"Yes, Lis, you're right," he agreed. "But I can't make her! It's the same as if someone made me learn her fucking Unclean – I'll never do it! We're both alike, both are stubborn."

Enriki wanted to say something but turned around, hearing steps on the stairs. Mina walked down to the hall. She was dressed up lavishly: in a white fur coat, with strings of pearls in her golden hair.

"Where is the master?" Her voice was tender like a creek water. "He ordered me to come down by this time, he promised to take me to 'Backara'." She was confused and a little upset but tried not to show it.

"If he promised, he will," Lis said confidently. "Wait for him."

"If he leaves his room today at all," Squint-Eye added.

"He will, Nikto will take care of it," Lis said. "Nikto, go to Orel."

"Don't order me what to do," Nikto snapped. "I'll go to him when I decide it."

Mina sighed and sat down on the bottom step of the stairs.

"You're very beautiful today," Lis said looking at her. "Do you like it when Orel takes you along somewhere?"

"Yes!" She got animated for a moment, alit with some inner light; but it was just a moment, then her face fell again.

"We'll go to 'Backara' anyway, even if Orel doesn't. I can take you along, do you want it?"

Mina got up fearfully.

"I'd better go."

"Why are you afraid of me?"

"I'm not afraid, why should I be afraid of you? What can you do?"

"You're right, I won't do anything to you. But I'm worried about you. Lately Orel kills one of his slaves nearly every day."

"I know, the master does it from time to time. We all learned to live with it and I'm not scared any more. Sooner or later it'll happen to every one of us. You are worried about me because you feel guilty over Shela, she begged you to buy her out. You could have done it but you didn't, and she got despaired. She was trembling with fear every day – she only thought about it happening to her. She was afraid of pain, we saw what he did to other slaves, and Shela always repeated 'I will be the next, I will be the next' – and she drove herself to the state when her heart gave up. I don't want to think about it, it kills you before the death comes."

"These are the wise words, but still, try to be more careful. And don't leave, drink with us." Lis gave her a glass.

"Yes, drink with us," Tol joined. "Let's drink for all of us once again!" He started pouring wine.

"How lovely! A touching picture!" Orel stood atop of the stairs and looked down at them.

"Orel, come down to us!" Tol greeted him happily. "It's good you're back!"

"Indeed." Orel walked downstairs and sat down in his place at the head of the table. Tol quickly filled his glass. "I was waiting for someone to come up to me, to wonder what's happening to me but you care shit, you're sitting here, drinking wine. 'Arel is freaking out, doesn't matter, we'll have fun!'"

"It is not true," Tol said, "we worried about you. Nikto was going to go make up with you. You know, we were investigating, investigating if he had something with Asa – but we figured out he had nothing, Asa is just a stupid wench."

"What did you investigate? I knew that, that's why I'm here, I was afraid for Nikto! I thought you'd kick him to death, what a fool I am! You're nearly kissing with him here!"

"We picked on him, picked on him and then we made up. Because there was nothing between him and Asa."

"Really?" Orel pretended to be surprised. "There is nothing between you, is there?" He turned to Nikto still looking at him with resentment.

"Really," Nikto said raising his eyes and meeting Orel's gaze. "I just fucked her a couple of times, big deal."

"Whaaat?!" Tol shouted, and Squint-Eye, Lis and Enriki started laughing.

"Come on, Tol, it was a joke," Squint-Eye said.

"I don't like this kind of jokes at all." Tol was displeased.

"Enough about it," Orel ordered. "Time to go." He finished his wine, poured some more and gulped it.

"Arel, don't drink like this," Lis said carefully.

"Drink like this? 'Like this' is how? I have the second glass, is it a lot, you think?"

"And how many did you have upstairs?"

"Lis, fuck you! I hate you all! I hate you!" Orel got up. "Let's go. Mina, come to me, and you, Nikto, don't even come closer!" He made a show turning away from Nikto and walking past him. Everyone else followed him, including Nikto. Vil was the last to go. He came even with Enriki.

"Enriki, what shall we do in the Lower City tonight?" There was concern in his voice.

"I don't know," Enriki said indifferently. "Do you care?"

"Probably not," Vil whispered.

"What?" Enriki asked.

"No, nothing."

* * *

They walked down to the yard. The servants had their horses ready. Orel ran down the stairs and mounted his horse, ready to leave at once. His horse danced under him impatiently.

"What are you waiting for? Faster, faster! Let's go!" He turned to his friends and saw Nikto still standing on the top of the stairs, unable to walk down the iced steps.

"Nik," Orel called for him impatiently.

Nikto started forward instinctively, following this call, but he couldn't make even a step, or he would've just rolled down the stairs. Orel saw his face – pale as always and lost – as if Orel was going to leave him now, go away without him.

"Damn you!" Orel dismounted but Lis was faster. He ran up the stairs and gave Nikto his hand, helping him to come down. Orel walked up to them. Nikto avoided his gaze. Orel silently took the mask hanging on Nikto's chest; Lis quickly pushed Nikto's hair away from his face and Orel put the mask on Nikto, hiding his face and eyes behind the black.

"Let's go," he said.

* * *

They swirled along the streets of the Upper and the Lower City like a vortex. Orel was the first one – with his face unhidden and his hair streaming in the wind. He pressed Mina to his chest. In her white fur coat she looked like a fragile toy in his arms.

When they reached 'Backara' Dim and Berta joined them.

"Prince Arel," Dim shouted, "I'm chasing you since the Upper City, why are you in such a hurry? Do you want to break your neck? It's insane!"

Orel smirked, holding his horse.

"I know the way like my own palm and the horses have spikes on the hooves, they won't slip."

In a difficult battle against Bey Enriki is lethally wounded and Vil couldn't help him.

Bey gets back some of his territories.

Chapter 2

In the Castle, Afterwards

«What should I do? What should I do?» Orel rushed about the room like a beast in a cage. «I hate them! I hate them, damn them!» He fell on the floor, on the fur carpets, hugged a bear head pressing his face to it, then started back at once, hissing in pain. His corroded skin made any touch painful.

"Easy, Arel," Nikto said.

He sat on the bed with his good leg bent; his lame leg lay straight and lifeless.

"'Arelh'!" Orel mimicked him. "My name is Prince Arel! And I can't defeat this shit! A simple commoner! I'll kill Enriki for it! I'll kill him! It is his fault! His, Vil's and Squint-Eye's! They set me up!"

"Enriki is already dying," Nikto said calmly.

"Let him die! I hope he'll die sooner! I'll spit on his grave!"

"You will be able to do it in a couple of days."

"Are you mocking me? Laughing at me? Get up!" Orel came up to Nikto, yanked him up by his wrist. "Get up, I order you!"

As soon as Nikto got up, Orel wrapped his arms around him from behind, pressed onto his shoulders forcefully, making him kneel. Nikto resisted.

"You're fucking mad, Arel! Leave me alone!"

"Nik, I order you!" Orel whispered hoarsely, leaning forward, pressing to Nikto. Without saying another word Nikto knelt with his face on the bed, unbelted his pants and pulled them down. He couldn't help but hiss something in Unclean with a sudden push. Then he fell with his face on the bed; his hair spread over the bed cover. He waited for Orel to move faster, as fast and hard as he could, then back away, panting, fall face down on the floor trying to calm down his racing heart…

* * *

When Enriki's sister left in tears, Lis, Squint-Eye, Tol and Vil exchanged glances.

"We have to do it," Squint-Eye said. "Otherwise he'll just burn out in front of our eyes."

"A warrior cannot die in bed," Tol added.

"Yeah, and that's why we'd better make a carrion out of him!" Lis said coldly.

Squint-Eye glared at him with his only eye.

"Lis, you know I'm right."

"Why should I?"

"'Black water' is the only thing that can save Enriki. Don't pretend to be an idiot, you wouldn't be alive without it yourself!"

"Lis used 'water'?!" Tol asked in surprise.

"No," Lis said without a blink. "Never. Squint-Eye simply wants to turn everyone into carrion because he is a carrion himself."

"Lying bitch," Squint-Eye hissed and dashed towards Lis, grabbed his hand quickly, pulling the sleeve up. "Looks nice, Lis, an armband from wrist to elbow! What is it covering?"

"Nothing." Lis yanked his hand free, hiding his steel incrusted bracelet under the sleeve again.

"Why cannot it be taken off then? You can take off the bracelet on your other arm, I know it."

"Fine. There is a tattoo under it."

Squint-Eye laughed.

"Lis, it is not smart, I expected better from you! You don't hide your other brands. You have decorations cut on your both upper arms and you don't hide them under bracelets, why?"

"Scars of the Red and the brand Orel gave me are not tattoos."

"Orel gave you a brand?" Vil asked. "But why a brand?"

"Because I'm a Red half-blood, for fuck's sake! You make your tattoos with black paint but the Red don't. They cut the lines on their skin, cut them meat deep, or burn out. Orel doesn't know how to make scarring, no one among the Black can do it, so, he just branded me."

"He didn't tattoo you because you don't deserve it," Tol interrupted him. "One cannot tattoo a Red with black paint, it would mean to consider him equal with us. The Red are burnt with their fucking fire they like so much!"

"Perhaps it is so," Lis said contemptuously, "I won't argue. I learned to live with your humiliating laws and with your attitude to people like me. What else can I do? The Black judge people by their looks, not by what they are."

"You'll do anything just to drive the conversation away from the sensitive topic," Squint-Eye interfered. "You're lying to us! Your bracelet hides the traces of 'black water'. The traces that will stay forever!"

"You want Enriki to have them?" Lis asked looking straight at Squint-Eye; his gaze was very serious, without a shadow of his usual slyness.

"I want him to live!"

"Live?!"

"But you live! Nikto does, too, and many others."

"You want to destroy him, he will never be like before!" Lis lowered his yellow eyes that didn't seem sly any more.

"Lis, if you could get through it, why don't you believe that Enriki will? Just one time, and he'll have hope to survive. It's his last hope!"

"It is not hope, and Enriki would never agree to it! He will become a living dead, what can be more hopeless?"

"What a pity that he cannot make his own choice now," Vil shook his head.

"That is why we'll have to make it," Squint-Eye said firmly.

"I know Enriki, he would prefer to die, and I'm prepared to lose him." Lis was implacable.

"Shall we vote?" Tol asked.

"Yes," Squint-Eye sighed. "I can imagine, Lis, what you had to go through but we need it."

"No, you can't imagine," Lis said very quietly.

"Just one injection, and Enriki will live?" Tol looked at them. "Is it for sure?"

"For sure, don't doubt," Squint-Eye said. "Why do you think the Unclean addict their human slaves to the 'water'?"

Tol was silent.

"At first a man becomes very strong and sturdy, he can work day and night, without food or rest. Then the downfall comes, and the Unclean inject him more 'water', and do it as many times as he can bear. But we are not going to do it to Enriki, we'll inject it to him just once."

"And it will save him?"

"You can ask Lis if you don't believe me, but I don't hide anything from you, I'm telling the truth."

Tol looked at Lis questioningly, and Lis nodded at him silently.

"And when the downfall comes – he won't die, will he?" Tol still was in doubt.

"When the downfall comes, he'll be strong enough to survive it on usual restorers or strong alcohol, and that's all."

"Then I'm for it," Tol decided at last. "The main thing is for Enriki to live, and we'll help him to quit the drugs!"

"Well said," Squint-Eye smiled.

"Help Nikto or Squint-Eye to quit, and Squint-Eye doesn't even use 'water', just normal restorers, as he calls them," Lis shook his head.

"But you did quit? If Squint-Eye tells the truth and you used 'water' – you did quit?"

"You're a fool," Lis said bitterly.

"Can I vote?" Vil asked gingerly.

"Yes. Don't ask silly questions. Since Orel made you his, you're one of us."

"I'm against 'black water'," Vil said. "It's a sin, and Enriki will never be able to go to gods. We cannot take this opportunity away from him. He was lethally wounded in a battle, and the gods wait for him in heaven. Although I love Enriki very much and he is very dear to me… It is because he always treated me kindly, we should pray for him and let gods decide whether to let him stay with us or not. I also was lethally wounded," Vil glanced at Lis quickly – Lis sat frozen, like a stone figure, "but I survived without 'black water'. It was gods' will! Listen to me, they saved me…"

"They?" Squint-Eye asked ironically. "Maybe, someone just the opposite?"

"I will pray for Enriki," Vil said and lowered his head.

"So, we can't decide anything," Tol summarized. "Two against two. We need to ask Arel and Nikto."

"Orel said he doesn't care and won't participate in anything." Squint-Eye lit a cigarette.

"Did he say exactly something like that?" Vil asked doubtfully.

"Noo," Squint-Eye drawled, smirking. "He said much worse, cursed me all over, and Enriki, too, by the way. He thinks we are to blame for everything. Me, Enriki and you."

"If Orel doesn't want to," Tol said, "let's leave him alone. Then we need to ask Nikto."

"No!" Lis got up abruptly. "It will mean his choice will be decisive!"

"Don't jerk so, Lis," Squint-Eye sat in the armchair and looked at him with narrowed eyes.

"I don't understand, Lis, do you want to take away his right to vote?" Tol was exasperated. "He is one of us!"

"Lis, perhaps Nikto will support us," Vil said.

"Yeah right," Lis laughed mirthlessly.

"I'm against deciding it without Nikto," Tol continued. "Besides, he has some experience in it."

"I'm also against deciding without Nikto," Vil added. "We cannot decide for him."

"But we can decide for Enriki, right?" Lis shouted. 'I'm against the 'water' and Nikto there!"

"Then we'll never come to anything," Tol got angry. "I'm going to bring Nikto and, maybe, Orel will come, too."

"I hope they're fucking each other and won't come," Squint-Eye hissed. "I'm sure, Lis, sooner or later you and I would come to an agreement."

"No, we wouldn’t! But it doesn't matter, everything will be as the Devil wants!" Lis fell into the armchair and unclasped the foxtail hair clip, letting his wavy reddish hair fall over his shoulders. He looked tired.

For a while they sat silently and waited for Tol and Nikto. Suddenly Lis raised his head.

"I've changed my mind. I'm for it. Squint-Eye, do it!"

"What?!" Squint-Eye didn't understand.

"Do what you wanted to! Do it now and let's be done with it!"

Squint-Eye didn't ask anything, got up quickly taking a small black bottle out of his secret pocket.

"You cannot!" Vil screamed seeing Squint-Eye's preparations. "Lis, what's going on?"

"Shut up, we're tired of you!" Lis got up and punched Vil's jaw. Vil didn't expect it, waved his hands losing balance – and another immediate blow made him fall on the floor. The third blow – a shattering kick of an iron-heeled boot – followed, and Vil lost consciousness.

Squint-Eye didn't even look back.

"I don't want him to interfere at the most important moment," Lis explained.

Squint-Eye walked up to Enriki and without a moment of hesitation, the way only he could do it – it was his special talent – quickly and calmly injected him 'black water'.

It was all they had time to do.

When Tol and Nikto entered the room, they understood everything at once.

"I've changed my mind, Tol," Lis said calmly; his eyes glittered again.

"What a shit you are!" Tol was infuriated. "You did it on purpose, just not to let Nikto vote!"

"What if I agreed with you, Lis?" Nikto asked. He stood in the doorway, leaning against the doorjamb, stood and looked at Lis. And Lis looked at him, at his face crossed by a scar, a scar that disfigured him so much, at his tousled fair hair.

"I don't want to trust you," Lis whispered.

"Why? You and I, we both went through it, we know…"

"I don't know anything!" Lis screamed.

"And who knows? The first and the best warrior of the Red – Sigmer?"

Lis started back.

"You're a traitor, Lis! A traitor!" Vil got up from the floor heavily. "You betrayed Enriki! I hate you! I don't know what kind of a man you were when you were called Sigmer but I know that now, when you're called Atley Alis, you're a real shit!"

* * *

Thick shining candles lit the room pleasantly making it warm and cozy. Obeying this soft play of shadows, the furs with animal heads didn't just bare their teeth but smiled. Leaning over an unconscious slave, Orel said:

"Come round, you dumb bitch!" and punched her belly again trying to make her regain consciousness. The slave didn't move.

Nikto who sat on the bed yawned. His arms were fully unwrapped and smeared with healing ointment from wrist to elbow.

"Are you going to come round, bitch?" Orel slapped the girl's cheek with such force that her head jerked aside unnaturally. "Shit! She's got on my nerves, Nik!"

"What do you want?"

"I want to love her! And she doesn't come round!"

"Fuck her."

"It's boring like that!"

"Really?"

"Don't laugh at me! Or you'll join her!"

"I'm so scared." Nikto reached for his precious lacquered box.

"No," there was plea in Orel's voice, "don't leave me! You're just sleeping and taking drugs, nothing else! I'm all alone! I don't want to get used to being alone! Do you hear me? Do you understand me?"

Nikto raised his grey eyes, looked at Orel somewhat questioningly.

"You don't need to answer," Orel turned away.

He leaned to the slave again, didn't find any changes and yanked her by the hair abruptly, raising her like a big doll. He slammed her head against the back of the bed. The massive bed shook and Nikto froze with a needle in his hand.

"Arel, move away from the bed," he said very quietly.

"She'd dead," Orel said watching blood leaking from the slave's nose.

"She is the fourth this week, Arel."

Orel kept silent.

"You didn't fuck any of them, you just kill them. Do you hate women?"

"I love them."

"Leave them alone, they won't help you."

"Do you forbid me?"

"Forbid you? No."

"You're leaving me in it, too!"

"Do you want me to tell you what to do?"

"Yes!"

"No."

The slave gave out a long quiet moan.

"Fucking shit! She's alive! Oh you little whore." Orel took out his knife. Nikto who watched him shook his head and injected a needle into his vein.

"I don't know where to make a hole in her to love her," Orel said thoughtfully running the blade over the girl's body. A thin nettle of cuts was turning into a strange bleeding ornament according to the insane fantasy of its author. Orel watched it, mesmerized.

"Cut out her eyes," Nikto said, "you like doing it."

"I did it only once! Don't remind me about it! I don't want to recall that shitty time, I had to turn my head ten times more to stay alive. Shit! I wonder how Squint-Eye can stand it!"

"His eye is used to working for two, but yours was lazy."

"Lazy? Then what are your eyes that don't see shit at all?"

"I'm not whining about it."

"Am I whining?"

"All the time."

Orel threw his boot at him. Nikto barely could dodge.

"Arel, don't! My fucking leg shoots my head when I move suddenly."

"Ugh," Orel just sighed sticking in a triangular blade slightly above the girl's pubis. Her moans got louder – one could wonder where her strength still came from. Orel widened the opening a little. Now she was not moaning, she was screaming madly, there was nothing human in those sounds.

"This cunt isn't going to die at all!" Orel smiled. "She is strong." He shoved his hand into the bloody wound.

"Ooh," Nikto drawled.

"Stop me!"

"No."

"Why don't you stop me? Why?"

"Weren't there enough people who tried to stop you?"

"Yes." Orel tossed his head back in delight; he squeezed something inside the slave in the way that made the girl scream so loudly that Nikto couldn't stand it and covered his ears. The girl tried to get up: not to get up but to run, to escape, it was not conscious, just the last instinctive attempt to save herself. Orel hit her in her temple with he free hand.

"No one can stop me!" he said. "I will do whatever I want. I will do whatever I want – to spite you all!"

Nikto closed his eyes falling into drugged sleep slowly. He heard the slave's moans; he knew it would be going on for a long time: Orel would pause, drink, talk to himself, and the slave would be screaming and dying slowly. Blood would soak the furs with smiling beast heads. Orel would fall asleep by the morning. He would sleep hugging the slave, hugging her with all the tenderness and love he was capable of.

Chapter 3

Bert Dallen

"You found your son, now go away!" Squint-Eye said rudely looking at his brother askance. "And next time watch the brat better for him not to run to the city and especially not to come here, to Orel. He has nothing to do here."

"I wanted to talk to you."

"About what?" Squint-Eye interrupted him. "You also have nothing to do here, Berk, leave!"

"Is it so difficult? Just to talk? We haven't seen each other since you got free last time."

"Fine with me! Forget about me, I don’t have a brother!"

"Yes, you have," Berk said firmly and sat down in the armchair. He was not going to leave at all.

"Go to hell!" Squint-Eye almost screamed.

"Why are you driving me away? I said I won't leave until I talk to you."

"Shi-it!" Squint-Eye clasped his hands nervously, turned away from Berk and looked at the window.

"Stop pouting, Bert, I wish you no evil."

"Look," Squint-Eye didn't turn back. "I'm grateful to you that you gave me my part of inheritance despite father disowning me. I took the soldiers I needed. Thank you once again, nothing connects us any more."