Ви Корс - The Mist and the Lightning. Part III

"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!"