Готовый перевод Страж Империи / Guardian of the Empire: Глава 6

Chapter 6
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We reached the caи yard very quickly. And the cab driver took us to the Black Pearl, located two blocks from Crab's house, in just fifteen minutes. Silver works wonders. And in the tavern, I had to explain myself to my friends. Roald immediately understood why I needed to hide in the port, but Veld... The redhead dug his heels in and refused to believe my story about the mess I had gotten myself into that morning. It took me almost an hour to convince him that I had really messed things up with our commandant's granddaughter, and now it was either marriage or the chopping block. At least we killed some time...

And yet, before dusk, I managed to gnaw at myself and curse my imprudence more than a hundred times. I was very concerned about the fate of the innocent little girl. But still, the sun set, we got into the carriage and drove off to visit Crab.

The street adjacent to the port warehouses was lit almost as well as Uter Avenue. The Trade Guild made sure that no shady characters could get to the property of honest merchants under the cover of night. In addition, there was not a single tavern or gambling house here. Only residential buildings, several trading offices, and one building belonging to the newly formed Union of Stevedores.

I stopped the carriage a hundred yards from Crab's house.

“I’ll go,” I nodded to my friends.

"Be careful there," Roald admonished.

“You have half an hour,” Veld reminded me of the agreed time, after which, if I didn’t come out, they would break into Crab’s with the first passing patrol.

Crab owned a tall, three-story red brick house. The mansion looked like it had been stuffed by some giant into the space between two old port service buildings, but it looked quite ordinary. It didn't look like a den or a robber's lair at all.

//‘See, no one is here to meet you. They don't respect you,’ remarked the devil who had appeared. ‘Let's not go anywhere. Let's sell the estate to someone and have a good time!’

//"Let's go," I said firmly. "We have to rescue Kaylee."

//‘Who are you going to rescue?’ the horned one snorted indignantly. "There are plenty of pretty girls around! A dozen for every hundred! So what, are you going to risk your own skin for every girl you barely know? So what if you share the bed with her a couple of times? Did she enjoy it? That means you don't owe her anything! You can calmly walk away from here. To the council. Complain about the robber's tyranny. While you're there, pick up the papers for the estate and drive someone away, before everyone finds out about the moneylenders' claims..."

//“Look, shut up,” I suggested to the tailed bastard, narrowing my eyes angrily.

As soon as I stepped onto the wide porch, the massive stained oak front door swung open hospitably. A burly man with a broken nose peered out, turned his head, looked warily at the passers-by, and, turning his gaze to me, growled:

"Come in."

I came in. And immediately stopped, as another big guy with a short baton on his belt blocked my way.

"Do you have any weapons?" he asked.

I shook my head, but that didn't seem to convince the crab's bone-breaker. He unceremoniously patted me down from head to toe and made sure I wasn't hiding a sharp knife in a secret sheath so I could stab their beloved leader. Nodding, he moved out of the way. The one who had opened the door locked it, bolted it with a thick bolt, and pushed me forward.

"Go ahead." And, apparently realizing that I didn’t know where to go, he deigned to explain: "Up the stairs to the third floor."

As I climbed the steps, I kept thinking about how to get out of this mess. To rescue Kaylee and get myself out alive... But what could I do that would be sensible and without the slightest risk? If Crab didn't have Kaylee as a hostage, then I could take a chance. I could risk my own skin.

The staircase ended before I found the right and safe way to solve my problems. Although maybe it's for the best. There's no need to rush and act recklessly. It's worth waiting a little and figuring out what's what, and then thinking about a plan of action. If, of course, Crab gives me time to think.

" Come on, come in, don't be shy," the last of the lads nudged me gently in the back as the first one opened the door to the room for me.

They were in no hurry to enter. For standing in their way was a dark, red-spotted, healthy dog weighing about a hundred and fifty pounds. And he bared his teeth as if he were about to pounce. In fact, he could easily have done so: there was no chain attached to his collar, which was covered with thick steel spikes. And who would put a Ruvi war dog on a chain? They weren't paid that kind of money to guard yards. These vicious creatures had a different purpose — to protect their master.

Without attacking me, the dog moved aside, clearing the way. My escorts seemed to have been waiting for this. They quickly pushed me into the room and closed the door behind them. They remained in the corridor.

"Come in, guard, since you're here," the owner of the house suggested in a feigned bored tone, turning his head in my direction. Pulling the curtain aside, he moved away from the window.

I did not respond. My attention was absorbed by the scene that unfolded before me. In the middle of the luxuriously furnished hall stood two chairs. A dishevelled young woman was tied to one of them, nervously biting her lips. A man sat on the other chair, his head tilted to one side. His face resembled some kind of gruesome, bloody mask. I did not immediately recognise my rival in the game, Tier Otis, a merchant and part-time cardsharp. Two black dogs lay sprawled on the floor near the captives, one of them busy licking up the drops of blood that occasionally dripped from Otis's chin. Leaning his shoulder against a tall bookcase filled with books, Louis Crab's closest associate stood with his arms crossed over his chest. There was another little man in the room. He looked like a stray who had wandered into the respectable company of noble robbers and scoundrels: small, unremarkable, shaggy. But when I saw him, I shuddered. For a moment, it seemed to me that Shcherbay's relative had risen from the dead and come for my soul. Only he had aged a little.

"Yes, yes, you're right to tremble, foreman," Crab remarked with undisguised malice. "You'll pay for the death of Fury's brother."

"I'll tear you apart and eat you alive," the shapeshifter snarled like a beast. He licked his lips. "I'll rip out your guts and start eating. Eating and listening to you howl"

For some reason, looking into the eyes of this creature, I couldn't bring myself to doubt the reality of these nightmarish threats. The shapeshifter clearly had no intention of scaring me. He simply informed me of his intentions. No more, no less.

Had this happened a few days earlier, I would probably have seriously considered moving to another city far away from Kelma. Without waiting for the shapeshifter to catch me and eat me alive. Gone were the bright days when promises of a violent death could seriously worry me. Now it didn't matter how many of them were eager to put me in my grave.

Shcherbaty's relative moved towards me.

“That’s a little later,” Heron stopped him.

I looked from Crab and his shaggy friend to Kaylee:

"Are you okay?"

The girl nodded quickly, not taking her hunted gaze off me. It seemed she had been scared half to death.

“Your girlfriend is alive,” said Crab and made a meaningful correction: “Yet…”

Picking up a blood-stained club from a low lacquered table, the head of the Night Guild headed towards me. And for good reason. A few moments later, I deeply regretted refusing the painkillers. Crab struck me sharply in the ribs. And when I jumped to the right, dodging new blows from the club, this rabid creature, this Ruvian dog, clamped onto my leg. It nearly tore me to the bone.

“Stay where you are, guard,” Heron ordered me with a crooked smile and threatened: “Or…”

He turned to Fury and gave him a signal with his hand. The shapeshifter grinned and jumped behind Kaylee in one leap. He took a razor from his jacket pocket and, grabbing the girl by the hair, pulled her head back. Looking at me with undisguised malice, he ran the blade across her throat.

"Wait, I'm standing still!" I quickly blurted out, raising my hands. And, unable to hold back, I gasped as I was struck in the stomach with the butt of the baton, bent over, and fell to my knees. But even then, Crab did not calm down. He began to beat me with the baton wherever he could. All I could do was cover my head with my hands, but even that didn't help much...

I woke up in a chair. True, I wasn't tied up. But that didn't make me happy at all. It was as if a mechanical threshing machine had gone over my entire body.

//‘I told you – let's not go! But you said no, how can you leave a girl in trouble, I have to help Kaylee! Did you help her?! – The imp sitting opposite me on the edge of the table teased, swinging his legs. And he prophesied: – They'll beat you to death here, you idiot!’

I didn't respond to the malicious imp. It seems that everything is indeed leading to my demise, and I won't be able to save Kaylee. But what could I do? Break in here, armed and wreak havoc? Kaylee would definitely be killed immediately, and I wouldn't even get to Crab. There had to be a way for him to slip out of the house unnoticed. And then there were the Ruvian dogs... The only way to take them down would be with explosive bolts. But by the time you shot one, two more would pounce on you... And if their collars had kinetic shields built into them, you wouldn't stand a chance. You'd need a full dozen guards, plus a mage, to smoke Crab out of his lair...

“Have you come to your senses?” asked Heron, placing a chair at the table opposite me and sitting down on it.

"Something like that,” I grinned wryly, wiping the blood from the corner of my broken lip with the back of my hand.

Nodding, Crab deftly transferred the ill-fated club from his right hand to his left and asked:

"Do you know how I achieved what I have, guard?" And then he, looking at me angrily, replied: "Because I never allowed anyone to fuck me over! Do you understand, guard? Everyone who ever had the delusional idea that they could steal from Richard Heron and profit at his expense later bitterly regretted their stupidity!" After blurting this out, Crab sucked in air with a hiss and, baring his teeth, asked insinuatingly, "Do you know what I usually do with such fools?"

"No," I shook my head, although I had my suspicions about it. It's not for nothing that people talk about the piers. And the crabs that live under them, which have grown fat on the dead bodies regularly delivered to them.

"No, guard, I don't kill them," Heron replied to my mental assumptions. And he hissed irritably: "Those little bastards... when I catch them... I break their arms and legs. And I let them go... alive. And they remember for the rest of their lives, and tell others, what joy awaits the little shits who decided they could screw with Richard Heron..."

“What does this have to do with me?” I asked when Crab fell silent.

"It seems that once was not enough," Heron shook his head regretfully and, rising from his chair, reassured me: "But we don't have time to reason with you. And you might die accidentally." Approaching Kaylee, he continued, "But we don't really need your friend. Here's what we'll do: she'll suffer for you." And with a swing of his arm, he gave Kaylee a hefty slap across the face.

“You shouldn’t have done that,” I said through my teeth with cold hatred, trying with difficulty to suppress the rage that overwhelmed me.

"You're mistaken, guard, it was you who did it, not me," Heron replied with a mocking smile, and, admiring the sobbing girl, whose nose was bleeding from the strong blow, he explained: "You're the one who keeps playing the fool, guard, instead of immediately confessing everything and crawling on your knees, begging me for forgiveness."

"Why that?" I quipped.

"Anyway, you can keep going like this," ignoring what I said, Crab remarked and threatened me with a smirk: "Just don't take too long. Otherwise, your girlfriend will soon be in such a state that she'll be able to take her rightful place on the porch. Next to other freaks and cripples."

People weren't lying when they said that the head of the Night Guild was a particularly vile and despicable creature. And the terrifying stories about Crab's particularly notable deeds that circulate the city seem to be more than just idle gossip. Spend a little time with this ghoul, and you'll believe everything.

"What do you want from me?" I hastily asked Crab, who picked up a club from the table and turned to face Kaylee.

"What do I want?!" Crab suddenly flew into a rage and, jumping up at me, jabbed me in the ribs with his club. "What do I want, guard?!" He hit me a couple more times. Then, grabbing me by the collar of my jacket with his free hand, he hissed in my face: "Most of all, I want to tear apart with my bare hands one smart ass brat... Who dares to break my rules..."

“What rules?!” I asked, suspecting that Crab had gone completely crazy.

"The ones established by the Guild for criminals of all kinds!" Richard blurted out angrily and, releasing my collar, straightened up and moved back. "Kelm is my city! I am its rightful owner! And here a mouse cannot steal grain without my permission! And you not only dared to operate in the city without permission, but also stole my loot!"

He was seething with anger.

"You're confusing something," I shook my head. "I'm not a thief or a robber, so I don't have to answer to you. And I didn't touch your loot."

"No, you're confusing something," Crab muttered. "It would be one thing if some guard happened to win a hundred gold coins at my club. I probably wouldn't even do anything about it. It happens. Even a guard can get lucky sometimes. But when a cardsharp robs my gambling club..." Heron bared his teeth and stared into my eyes, leaving no doubt as to who he considered to be that cardsharp. And hopes to get away with it... "It just drives me crazy! After that, I couldn't calm down for a long time. Not until I kill someone!"

"But what does this have to do with me?" I feigned bewilderment. "I won by accident!"

"Yeah?" Heron narrowed his eyes, seething with anger. He moved to the right, grabbed the unconscious Otis by the hair, and, lifting his head, asked me: "Do you remember that little man? The one sitting at the same table with you?"

I didn't deny it and nodded.

"He's one of the best card sharps in Aquitaine!" Heron continued his speech. "And in a couple of years, he might have become the best!" Leaving the poor fellow alone, Crab approached me, leaned over, and asked in a hissing whisper, "Do you understand the problem now, guard? You couldn't win fairly in a rigged game. Even if you were exceptionally lucky."

"Richard, can I start cutting up his girlfriend little by little?" Asked Fury while I was feverishly trying to figure out how to get out of this disgusting situation.

"Wait," said Crab. "You'll have time. The whole night is ahead of you." And he asked me, "Do you have any idea how much work it took me to set up this scam, you idiot? Do you think golden apples like this just fall from the sky? You could live your whole life and never get a chance to score such a big win! And you just snatched a piece from my table!"

//‘First come, first served!’ chuckled the imp, his eyes shining with joy, so much pleasure did the situation give him.

//“Yeah, and now the crabs will eat me,” I responded with a gloomy thought.

"It's all right, guard," Heron grinned crookedly. "You'll pay me back. Every last penny." He feigned a smile and patted me on the cheek. "You know what we'll do, guard? Right now, you'll rush home. You'll bring the papers to the De Marco estate and sign a deed of gift in my name. Then I'll consider that you've repented for your misdemeanour, and I won't kill you. And when you return the five and a half hundred gold coins you won on the first day, I'll probably forgive you completely." Crab narrowed his eyes. "You haven't spent it all yet, have you?"

I gritted my teeth in helpless rage. The ashole knows that almost all of my winnings have been bet in the Great Game and that I don't have a hundred gold coins to my name.

"So bring everything at once," ordered Crab. "The estate papers, the deed to your house, and all the money you have. And if that's not enough, we'll think about how you'll work off the debt. Your girlfriend will help you with that if you can't handle it yourself. Pretty girls are always in demand."

//‘Come on, nod, nod in agreement!’ The imp jumped from the table onto my left shoulder in two leaps and began to urge me on. "There may not be another chance to get out of here! You see, it won't be possible to come to an agreement amicably! We need to be tougher, tougher! Call in a squad of mages and destroy this lair!"

//“I may get out of here, but what about Kaylee?” I asked my horned advisor.

//‘Well, you can't trade her for an entire estate!’ the imp stared at me in sincere surprise, letting out a hypocritical sigh. ‘We tried to save her, tried with all our might. We made great sacrifices. Look how they beat you with a club,’ the horned one decided to clarify these very great sufferings. ‘But, unfortunately, we failed. The innocent maiden fell victim to evil murderers.’ And, folding his paws on his chest, he solemnly promised: ‘But we will take terrible revenge on her killers!’

//"I'm so regret that I got involved with you, you tailed beast!" I cursed in response. "It's all because of you!"

//‘You stupid donkey!’ frowned the imp. ‘If only you had listened to my advice, you would be rolling in money!’

//‘In that frying pan where the most notorious sinners are roasted in the Lower World?’ I quipped.

"Hey, you! Are you asleep, guard?" asked Crab. "I don't hear your sworn assurances to rush back in a quarter of an hour with everything you need."

Sure. Why run back and forth when the same fate awaits you? To believe that you can buy your way out... I'm not that naive! It's clear that they'll take everything, then finish me off and throw the bodies in the water. And that's not right. Not right at all. And you can't leave debts behind. And Crab has accumulated quite a debt today! But what to do?..

“You know, Crab, there’s something you haven’t taken into account,” I said, hoping to gain some time and come up with something worthwhile.

"What exactly?"

"What you should be worrying about right now is the integrity of your own skin, not your profits," I replied, slowly unbuttoning the top two buttons of my jacket and pulling a silver token with black embossing out of my inside pocket. I let Crab and his hangers-on admire it and remarked, "You might get away with killing a guard, but killing a Security Administration employee is a whole different story. They'll dig you up from under the ground and make you wash your face with bloody tears."

"And what do you think, you showed us your trinket and that's it?" Richard laughed nastily, not at all surprised. "Not a bad cover, guard, nothing more! Now it's clear why you thought you'd get away with it. And I was puzzled. I even thought you were connected with the dark ones. They're not afraid of the devil!"

"Now that you understand everything, maybe we can part peacefully while we still have the chance?" I asked. "You'll let us go and pay us compensation. Say, a thousand gold pieces. And I'll have to break your arm for hitting Kaylee. And your jaw, too, I guess."

"You're insolent, guard!" Crab said with a crooked smile, as if praising me. "But there's one thing you haven't taken into account... I don't give a damn about the Security. It's not all-powerful, as you naively believe it to be. All I need to do is get out of the Empire and undergo a magical personality correction, and that's it, you can kiss my ass goodbye. And with ten thousand gold coins in my pocket, I won't regret leaving Kelm at all. I'll buy myself a title in Aquitaine, and that's that. A former criminal becomes a noble sir! And in noble society, you can make a fortune..." Carried away by the story of his dreams, Heron softened a little and added without any malice: "But you wouldn't understand that, guard. You're not one of those people... You'll have the opportunity to rise above your station, but you'll still throw it all away. A lot of people like you are to wear out your boots and do your duty. And your greatest dream is the lifelong right to a free mug of beer after your shift. Your imagination isn't capable of anything more."

I didn't argue about whose imagination worked better. And I wasn't offended by the contemptuous and condescending remarks. Let Crab talk. He's already blabbed so much important information... It's a pity, of course, that the Security badge didn't make the desired impression, but now it's clear what Heron is counting on — to grab the money and run. He has no plans to continue leading the Night Guild. So there will be no chance to get even with him later if I give him everything he asks for now. And you can bet your bottom dollar that they'll kill me as soon as I sign the papers. Although I would gladly sign the estate over to him, there's no point in getting involved with sanctimonious people. One jester, one way or another, will take what they consider theirs. It's not an estate, but a death sentence if you decide to be stubborn and don't return the land to the holy order. The only problem is how to foist these papers on Crab. If I give them away easily, he may suspect something.

"I wonder," I said slowly, gathering my thoughts, "how a fool like you, Heron, was chosen as head of the Night Guild?"

"Go on, repeat what you said." Crab bared his teeth and raised his club.

"You heard everything perfectly well," I smiled. "Why all the fuss over a piece of paper? If you had said you needed it that evening, I would have just given it to you! Wasn't it obvious that I had a completely different interest in the game? And to suspect me of being a cardsharp, you'd have to be a complete idiot. I've never shown any interest in gambling. And now, all of a sudden, I'm a professional cheat, and in any kind of game..."

"There are some inconsistencies, indeed,” Heron said thoughtfully, and slowly lowered his club. “But I think there is a reasonable explanation for this. Some kind of cunning method…”

"It's not a method, just a little bit of luck," I explained indulgently.

"How is that?" Crab was puzzled.

“It doesn’t matter,” I brushed it off. “After what you did, I have no desire to talk about this topic.”

“And if we start skinning your girlfriend alive, then maybe you’ll get that desire?” Crab suggested, narrowing his eyes.

"No, it won't," I shook my head. "It will be too much for you. If you want, take this miserable estate, and that's it."

"You are truly a rich man, guard!" Heron burst out laughing. "An estate worth twelve thousand gold pieces has become pitiful to you? Are there countless piles of gold in your cellars?"

"You really are a fool," I said, looking at Heron with sympathy, and snorted contemptuously. "Gold... Ugh!"

++"What do you think isn't bad luck, then?" Crab twisted his lips into a smirk. He seemed to be enjoying our conversation; he didn't even move his club in response.

“The opportunity to have everything,” I answered mysteriously.

"How is that possible?" Crab was now seriously puzzled.

"That's how it is. You wished for it, and your wish came true!" I smiled.

"What is this… You mean to say that you won simply because you wanted to win?" Crab stared at me incredulously, having guessed what I was getting at.

"In reality, everything was somewhat different," I replied. "But that's not important. I'm not going to let you in on the essence of the matter."

"Fury!" Richard said, not looking at the shapeshifter. The vile nonhuman bared his teeth and began to cut off Kaylee's ear. Malviyka, who had been sitting quietly as a mouse, began to scream.

“Wait!” I cried out, my face changing.

Crab immediately stopped the execution with a wave of his hand and turned to me with a gentle smile:

"Maybe you can tell us everything?"

"You're a freak, Crab," I exhaled with hatred and, biting my lip, as if tormented by doubts, nodded: "I'll tell you... You'll still get out of Kelm. But only you alone!"

"Come on, guard, don't be shy, speak in front of everyone," Heron grinned. "I have no secrets from my friends. We came here together for profit, and we'll leave Kelm together."

"Friends are good. But I swore an oath that I would only share the secret with one person. I'm not going to sacrifice my soul to save a girl I barely know." Seeing Crab frown, I hastily added, “However, you can tell this secret to your friend later. And he can tell another." Here I forced a crooked smile. ”If he wants to, of course."

"What nonsense are you talking about, guard?" Crab grumbled angrily, frowning and shaking his baton. "What secret, for demon's sake?"

"Such that it allowed one simple guard to fulfill his dream." I leaned forward and said very quietly, trying to make sure that no one except Heron could hear me: "Listen to the story. Once upon a time there lived a guard. He simply lived, without grieving. But here's the problem: he really liked beautiful girls. And not simple ones, but real ladies. Alas, the beautiful ladies did not notice him."

Crab became interested and even moved closer to hear my quiet speech.

"But one day, he found a way to make any of his wishes come true. He wanted to be successful with the most amazing women. And on the same day, he became close to an exotic beauty, a Malvian girl. He had liked her for a long time. The next day, he was even luckier. It seemed like a coincidence, but he managed to do a favour for a lovely golden-haired girl. She was very, very grateful to him." Here I am, smiling smugly, winking at Richard so that he would have no doubt what kind of gratitude it was. "And the streak of luck ended with a strikingly attractive lady who adored black dresses coming to the guard with an unambiguous proposal. So now this lucky guy will have to marry her..."

"She came to you herself? With an unambiguous proposal?!" Geron laughed, immediately catching on to my hints. "The younger de Mens?! The Black Rose of the Empire?! Who thinks so highly of herself that she immediately rejects proposals of marriage not from some unknown commoners, but from kings?! You're delusional, guard!"

Without realising it, that bastard really hurt me with that remark. My last hopes for a favourable outcome in the upcoming proceedings with Caitlin vanished in an instant. If the bitch doesn't want to be queen... But I didn't let it show. I just smiled lightly:

"Perhaps my bed, on which she had been lying only this morning, she liked more than the royal bed."

"It's like a fairy tale," Heron said uncertainly, ruffling his hair with his left hand.

“De Mans was actually with him this morning,” Louis said, coughing softly.

I quietly rejoiced. My calculation had been justified. The night folks were watching over my house, and my story began to look quite truthful.

“You are so distrustful, Crab,” I said condescendingly. And, to finish off the doubting head of the Night Guild, I declared smugly, “May my immortal soul be damned if the lovely and charming Catelin de Mans did not visit my bed this morning. However, if you don't believe that either, ask Sir Roderick. He caught us at the scene of the crime. Thanks to his appearance at the most inopportune moment, the matter is now heading towards a wedding."

"And the commandant was there," said Louis. "Cost couldn't have been mistaken; he saw them. In fact," he assured Heron.

"Well, let's say... let's say..." Crab said slowly. "But what about luck in the game?"

"It was pure chance," I shrugged. "Apparently, it was the shortest way to make my dream come true."

"But... How?!"

"That is the secret," I replied, "I can reveal it only to one person."

"Fury, keep an eye on the girl," Crab ordered. "Louis, drag this crook to my office." And he warned: "Don't even think about resisting if you don't want it to end in blood and pain."

“Okay, okay,” I raised my hands.

Louis took me by the arm. His help was really needed: Crab had beaten me up with his club. My body ached. But it wasn't as bad as it looked. Rapid regeneration is a miracle of some kind. Of course, I grimaced and winced, showing how difficult it was for me to move. But in reality, I could have overcome the pain and even run. Or stopped abruptly, grabbed Louis's arm, and twisted it. But there was no point in doing that. A couple of nasty Ruvian dogs were following us.

Here, on the third floor of the house, behind the next door, Crab's office was discovered. Quite decent. With a high ceiling. Furnished with taste, well lit by a crystal chandelier.

Louis threw me into a leather chair by the table and, following a movement of Crab's head, walked out the door. The dogs remained.

"How about a drink?" I asked cheekily, after I had comfortably sprawled out in the chair and, looking around, noticed a bar by the wall filled with bottles with beautiful labels. "My head is spinning. I need to keep from losing consciousness."

"Why not pour it. I'll pour it," Crab muttered irritably. Without asking my opinion, he poured some drink into a low glass and handed it to me.

"Thank you very much," I grinned, carefully tasting the treat. Cognac. And quite decent.

"Tell me," Crab demanded, sitting down opposite. "And don't you dare beat around the bush."

"First, swear on your immortal soul that no one will ever know who told you this secret. You will pass it on to only one person and on the same terms," ​​I said, twirling the glass in my hand and wondering whether to try to attack Crab. Jump and hit him on the forehead, knock the edge of the glass off, and press it to the scoundrel's throat. And exchange it for Kaylee. The risk, unfortunately, is too great.

“I give you my word,” Crab waved his hand dismissively.

"Oh, no," I shook my head. "Either you swear an oath, or there will be no conversation. I'm not going to risk my soul."

Heron played with his jaw muscles and glared at me for a while. However, seeing my calm and confidence, he finally made up his mind. He gave the necessary oath. And impatiently demanded:

"Talk!"

"How do you feel about demons, Crab?" I asked with a grin, taking a sip of cognac.

"To demons?!" Richard was taken aback and, squinting, asked cautiously, “Why do you ask?”

"And the fact that my secret is simple. I know the true name and the ritual of summoning the demon who fulfills wishes," I said, looking with superiority at the confused Heron.

"What kind of wish-granting demon?!" Crab got angry and hissed as he rose from his chair: "Do you think I'm an idiot?!"

"No," I answered calmly, sipping my cognac. And I remarked, "What, do you think of another explanation for my incredible luck? Do you think that by sleight of hand you can pull off such a scam to get Caitlin de Mans?"

Crab sank back into his chair and, staring at me, began to slowly drum his fingers on the table.

"Well, let's say..." he finally squeezed out. "Let's say you summoned a demon. And he didn't eat you. But why damn would he fulfill your wishes?"

“Not for free, but for a fee,” I looked condescendingly at Heron.

"For what?" he immediately asked.

"For what they usually demand," I replied in a low voice, leaning towards Heron. "Demons need souls." And, raising my index finger, I quietly clarified: "But not ordinary souls, the souls of the Gifted. And the stronger the slain mage, the better. I just knocked out the master, you hear?"

"But you are not as simple, guard, as you seem at first glance," Heron said thoughtfully and leaned back on the back of the cross. And suddenly he asked, wanting to catch me in a lie: "Why haven't you sorted out our problem, too, since you're having affairs with such a powerful demon?"

"Heron, Heron," I sighed and shook my head. "You have no imagination..." And I raised my voice: "Think about what attracted Caitlin de Mance's attention to me... Don't you know? My deed! The way I handled the prize I won! And now I have a great chance to rise even higher in her eyes! What do I care about this little girl? I don't need her for free! But her release at a high price is a deed! That's why I came to you! I thought you were a reasonable person and we could come to an agreement, to our mutual satisfaction. You'll get the estate without any hassle or subsequent problems, and I'll look like a hero: I didn't spare a fortune to help a girl I barely know!"

"Yes, I underestimated you, Steini, I greatly underestimated you," Heron chuckled. "So I give you the girl, and you just sign over the estate to me and then don't raise a fuss?"

“That’s right,” I confirmed. “I won’t even scold you for an unfavorable deal, let alone go to court and challenge its legality.”

"Okay," Crab agreed after thinking about it. "I'm happy with this arrangement. But I've suffered some losses, you've beaten my men... You'll have to teach me how to summon this demon."

"Oh, no way," I snorted. "Your people aren't worth such expensive knowledge."

"And is your life worth it?" Heron asked ingratiatingly. "Who, except me, will stop Fury from taking revenge for his little brother?"

"Let him take revenge," I brushed it off. "Just as I dealt with one shapeshifter, I'll deal with the second one, too."

"And yet you will have to share your secret, Steini," said Crab, and without being asked, he rose, took a bottle from the bar, and filled my empty glass. "So that we may truly part as friends."

"If I have to act in a friendly manner, then I am ready to reveal this secret to you for ten thousand in gold," I decided after thinking about it.

"Are you crazy, Steini?" Geron got angry. "What ten thousand gold pieces? You said you didn't need money!"

"I don't need an estate," I corrected Crab. "And cash never hurts." And, frowning, I said worriedly: "Although, of course, I can't carry that amount of gold on me..." Then I smiled, as if having solved a difficult problem. "I think bearer bonds will do."

"Steini, you're going too far," said Crab. "Ten thousand is a huge sum. I can give you five hundred. In addition to the six hundred you stole from me on the first day. Believe me, it's a good offer. Your product is too specific."

"This is ridiculous, Heron," I said indignantly. "What do I care about your five hundred? For a real opportunity to get anything in this life?"

"But first you'll have to pay," Crab reminded me. "With the lives of the Gifted. And it's very difficult to get such a victim."

We argued. We even quarreled a little. Greedy bastard. It wasn't easy to get money out of him. But we agreed. We settled on five thousand in bearer bonds. And we shook hands on it.

"Then expect me in a couple of hours," I rose from my chair. "With the papers."

"Why did it take so long?" Heron squinted. "You came by carriage. That means you can easily turn around in half an hour."

"The papers are kept in the safe at the Office," I explained. "What if the centurion has already gone home? I'll have to go after him. It'll take a couple of hours to get there and back." And I reassured Crab so he wouldn't suspect a trick: "But that's for emergencies. If Got is at the Office, I'll turn around quickly."

"Well," said the Crab menacingly. "We still have the girl. And if you try to turn us in, all you'll get is her corpse."

"But we agreed!" I was surprised. "Why should I renegotiate a good deal?"

“Okay, then go get the papers,” said Heron and shouted, “Louis!”

The assistant came in, and Crab ordered him:

"Escort our guest to the door. Carefully and with all respect." He grinned.

I finally made it out of Crab's lair. Alive, though a little battered. I looked up from the porch and sighed in disappointment. Heron's house towered above the neighboring buildings. Each floor was at least five yards high. Shuffling my feet slowly so that anyone watching would see how difficult it was for me to walk, I trudged toward the waiting carriage.

//"Phew, we got out!" The imp wiped the non-existent sweat from his forehead, skipping along the pavement next to me. And he praised me: "You're a great liar! I didn't even expect that from you!"

//“Uh-huh,” I grumbled, not at all pleased by such praise.

//"I hope you won't bother these bandits again?" asked the horned one. "It won't be so easy to leave a second time..."

//"Are you crazy?" I feigned surprise. "But what about our five thousand in gold? We can't count on the estate, we can't hold our own against the Chutch. But it would be a sin not to make Crab and his crew pay for our ordeal."

//"That's it!" the imp triumphed. "That's how well my mentoring is influencing you!" And he continued with enthusiasm: "So we'll make a real man out of you, you'll see!"

//"I was just kidding, imp," I grinned, looking at the horned rogue who was about to start dancing. "It's just a trick. To get Kaylee out. And what happens next is not so important..."

//“Well, that’s a shame,” the imp snorted angrily, not liking my joke, and muttered: “How can you refuse gold that just floats into your paws?”

//"We're not giving up on it," I reassured the horned one before he disappeared and refused to help out with something. "But first and foremost, Kaylee."

//“Why do you need her when you brag to everyone that you’re about to marry a beautiful aristocrat?” the imp teased me.

//“Because it would be wrong to abandon a man who got into such trouble because of me,” I answered and flattered the horned one: “Listen, imp, you know a lot of things...”

//"That's true," nodded the tailed rogue, puffed up with importance, but, catching himself, warned: "Don't count on my help! I won't help you summon demons! I still value my own skin!"

//"Why do we need demons, exactly?" I was amazed and shook my head. "No, imp, we don't need them! But some heresy, only remotely similar to the ritual of summoning a demon, would be useful..."

//"I know what you need," the imp put on airs again. "I once knew a demonologist..." And, unable to restrain himself, he burst out laughing: "Well, that's what he called himself! Although in three decades he never managed to summon a single demon!"

//“That’s great,” I rejoiced. “One of this demonologist’s rituals will do just fine for us!”

//"Well then, listen! In order to summon a demon, you need..."

//"Wait," I interrupted him. "We'll get some paper now and write it all down. We can't repeat it all to Crab a hundred times until he remembers it. And the written words will look more weighty."

//“Then it would be better to write on thin parchment of exceptional quality,” the imp suggested. “And whisper to the bandit in secret that it is human skin!”

//‘Good idea,’ I agreed with the imp and added, before he could think of something else: ‘But we'll write with ink, not blood!’

“Of course,” the imp laughed.

Roald and Veld seemed to have had enough of waiting for me to drag myself to them. The cab moved off and rolled up to me.

“So, what?!” my friends asked the most appropriate question in this case at the same time, when I climbed into the carriage and settled into the seat.

"Let's go to the Office," I ordered the cab driver first. And only then I said to my friends: "As you can see... They let me go. For money. Or, more accurately, for the papers for the estate."

"And Crab, of course, promised to let you and Kaylee go as soon as he got what he wanted!" Roald snorted.

"He won't let you go! He'll kill you both as soon as Kar signs the papers!" the redhead declared heatedly.

"That's not the point,“ I dismissed. ”The main thing is that there's a real chance to get Kaylee out of there. And then I'll manage somehow." And so as not to torment me by pointing out the danger and destructiveness of such self-confidence, I reminded. "I have a Taliar. So now my capabilities are much greater than before. In any case, it's very difficult to kill me. And Crab only has two assistants and three Ruvian fighting dogs there. The couple of lackeys at the entrance don't count."

“And that’s a lot,” Roald noted reasonably.

"But not much," I said. "And if you help me, then it is quite possible to deal with Crab's gang."

"As soon as Kaylee comes out, we burst into the house and start killing everyone in a row?!" Veld suggested.

"No," I interrupted my friend's bloodthirsty plans. "Your task is to take Kaylee, and a little later, raise a ruckus and cover me when I run out of the house."

“And if you can’t get away?” Roald asked.

"Then…" I thought for a moment. "Let's figure out the time. Let’s say you give me five minutes, and if I don’t come out, you’ll start breaking into the house. I’ll be able to talk Crab and his buddies into thinking that way for that long, and then I’ll have a head start. At least for a few moments, but the bandits will be confused when you start the attack."

"All in all, the plan isn't so bad," Roald noted. "But then it would be better to call someone else from ours. At least a couple of people. Stan and Tim, for example. To make sure that not a single rat gets away from us."

"That's possible," I agreed. "Only, no one must know about it... God forbid we scare Crab away."

"We'll drop Veld off now, and while we're moving to the Office, he'll get the guys out of the house," Roald decided. "And I'll grab a couple more bolt throwers from the armory."

"No, Roald, you shouldn't take anything from the Office," I objected. “It seems to me that Crab has never been caught in a raid for a reason, even when there were reliable tips. Someone is warning him. Let's go to Murkos and buy weapons from him. We have money, so it's not a problem. Besides, he has something more interesting than our bolts with Frostbite.”

"Without a properly executed permit, he won’t sell anything worthwhile,” Veld noted. “Even for triple the price. My uncle Kirst wanted to buy some crossbow bolts with “Chain Lightning” in case he met some valkers on the road, but he couldn't persuade Murkos to do anything. Even though he was an old friend."

"I wouldn't even sell a crossbow to a shooter like your uncle Kirst," Roald snorted. "He might accidentally shoot his own people."

"I think we can get a warrant for the guard's needs from Timir,“ I replied. ”After all, one of Crab's henchmen is a shapeshifter. We can legally raid Heron's place. It is our foremost duty to fight the inhuman."

“Yeah,” Roald grunted. “You know how to surprise, Kar. A shapeshifter is serious business. We need to prepare well.”

I didn't contradict the foreman. I nodded in agreement. Although my plans didn't include a real assault on the bandit's lair, there was no point in plunging Roald into unnecessary worry.

Veld immediately remembered the weapon he had given me. He suggested stopping by my place to grab, if not the crossbow itself, then at least a quiver of arrows. I couldn't get anything more lethal than the Blades of Light right away anyway. There was just one problem: we weren't going to a duel. And chasing every thug around the house to get a clear shot with the crossbow was not an option. It was better not to take any risks and use more brutal and effective methods to clear the buildings. True, such methods are usually used in uninhabited buildings. But let's assume that only monsters live in Crab's house. And you can kill them however you want. Including using powerful spells from the Fire sphere. However, just in case, it wouldn't hurt to grab my crossbow.

Leaving the Port District, we dropped Veld off at the intersection of Seaside and Merchant Streets. We told him to be back in an hour, with Tim and Stan. It was a simple task, really. We didn't even need a car; half an hour would be enough to pick them both up and bring them back. That is, if the guys were home, of course.

Roald had to go with me to the Office. If he had gotten out near Murkos's shop and started buying weapons for our small detachment, we would have finished the business faster. But it is better to go to the centurion together. The words of Roald, who served in the guard for fifteen years, will be much more important for Timur than mine. My story is such that not everyone will believe it...

We were lucky in one thing: Tier Got was there. He was just about to leave when we intercepted him. Otherwise, we would have lost God knows how much time looking for the centurion.

"What happened to you again?" Timir immediately suspected something was wrong as soon as he saw my gloomy face.

"Kar's girlfriend was stolen," Roald immediately stunned the centurion. "And now they're demanding a ransom."

"Well, well..." the centurion cursed. "Who came up with such an abomination? Could it really be Crab?"

“That’s him,” the foreman confirmed.

"So..." the centurion thought for a moment. "That means we need to immediately raise the duty unit, call the magicians, and move out."

"No need," I interjected. "No need to cause a fuss."

"How could it be otherwise?" Timir was indignant. "We can't let Crab get away with such lawlessness!"

"Kar doesn't want to alert everyone because he's afraid Crab will find out," Roald explained. "We plan to do everything quietly so that the night folk don't suspect anything until the very last moment."

“It won't be quiet,” the centurion said regretfully, spreading his arms. “We'll have to inform the Third Department anyway. They're handling the kidnapping cases.” And he added with annoyance: “You understand. There's no other way. Otherwise, Lance's friends will devour us and, most importantly, all the guys who were involved in the case.”

"They won't," I reassured Timir. "I didn't report the kidnapping. But I'm going to write a letter about the shapeshifter in Richard Heron's house."

"Do you want to set him up?" The centurion looked at me carefully.

"If that were necessary, I would have set him up without a second thought," I replied. "But the shapeshifter really does exist. The older brother of the one I killed this afternoon."

"That's a different story!" The centurion rejoiced and immediately asked with concern, "Roald, can you handle it on your own? Maybe we should quietly drag Olm out of the house?"

“We’ll handle,” Roald answered, glancing sideways at me.

I added:

"No one will go looking for trouble. We'll raise a ruckus, pull Kaylee out, and then we'll act as expected: call for reinforcements and surround the bandit's den according to all the rules."

"Then I will stay at the Office and wait for news," the centurion decided immediately. "And as soon as I do, I will immediately raise everyone."

"Just don't tell anyone," I asked. "The hell knows who's shitching for Crab here."

“It’s okay, we’ll find out sooner or later,” the centurion promised and grinned unkindly: “And we’ll deal with him in our own way.”

"Okay, let's get down to business," I hurried. "I need to pick up the papers for the estate and get permission to purchase magical weapons for the guards' needs."

"I'll write you a permit right now,“ Timir said after thinking for a moment. ”No problem. And as for the papers on the estate, I suggest we do the following: register them as extortion and mark them accordingly. Then, even if Crab gets these documents and forces you to sign the deed of gift, you'll get them back in no time. Without any years of hardship."

"Not worth it," I refused. "Let him choke on this estate, if it comes to that." And I grinned maliciously.

"Don't be silly, Kar," Timur frowned. "I understand that you don't feel the value of an estate that you got so easily. But still, it's not right to throw away such wealth. Especially considering your troubles with Sir Roderick's granddaughter."

"I know what I'm doing," I said confidently, to stop Timur's new arguments. "And that's it."

“Well, as you wish,” Timur said coolly and began to write the necessary permission.

In less than a quarter of an hour, we had finished the most important thing. Having got into the carriage, we rolled to Murkos. Or rather, to the first Kelm merchant of magical weapons, only Roald went. I ordered the cabman to stop at Brown's shop, which sells books and stationery. I still had to pick up some things. And so I said to Roald:

"You go ahead and get Murkos up. I'll buy some stuff from Brown and come over."

“What do you want from him?” Roald looked at me in surprise.

"I need something," I replied evasively. And I added, seeing the foreman frown. "Believe me, I know what I'm doing. Go wake Murkos, and I'll be right there."

After sending Roald away, I looked up at the windows on the second floor, which were directly above the shop. Seeing that they were lit, I climbed onto the porch and began banging on the door. Brown was in no hurry to come down. I was so impatient that I almost started chipping away at the slightly peeling varnish on the door, which glistened in the light of the street lamps. The merchant would do well to repaint it; otherwise, bad people would come and write abusive words on the front of the shop. Then, whether you like it or not, you'll have to put everything in order, but it will be more expensive: the magistrate's agents won't stand on ceremony. However, the need to keep the facade of the building in decent condition is not the most burdensome duty of the residents of the central district.

Only Brown's appearance prevented me from damaging his property. The merchant leaned out of the window, yawning, and shouted:

"What do you want?"

"Tier Gudrim, please come down!" I asked, lowering my voice slightly to avoid any questions from the merchant. "It's very important!"

“Okay, I'll come down now,” Brown nodded, looking at me and seemingly recognizing me, and closed the window. Not tightly. I could hear the merchant's wife's dissatisfied remarks:

"They wander around at night, as if the day is not enough for them..."

But the merchant himself, opening the door, showed no dissatisfaction. He simply asked:

"Well, what great need has brought you to me, sir, at this ungodly hour?" He smiled. "Surely you don't suffer from insomnia like me and can't fall asleep without an interesting and informative book?"

“No,” I shook my head. “I need the best parchment and first-class ink.”

"Ah, youth, youth," sighed Tier Gudrim with an inexplicable regret. “A very important matter. And then you will reproach yourself until your dying day for writing that ill-fated letter and sending it to your sweetheart. When you realize that it would have been better if she hadn't known about your feelings, and her father didn't have irrefutable evidence of your relationship with his daughter." And he waved his hand: “Anyway, what's the point in explaining... Let's go.”

Tier Gudrim let me into the shop and, taking an alchemical lamp from a pedestal at the entrance, shook it. The merchant seemed afraid to use oil lamps. His merchandise was too flammable. But the pale blue glow emitted by the alchemical mixture sealed in glass was sufficient for our needs.

"I need parchment," I repeated when the merchant opened a large cabinet, all of whose shelves were filled with neat stacks of clean sheets of paper.

"Why?" Tier Gudrim was surprised. "Here, take some excellent coated paper. It is much better to write on than on parchment. And its price is significantly lower..."

"I don't mind the money," I reassured the merchant. "The main thing is to give me what I ask for."

"Okay," said Tier Gudrim, shrugging. He opened another cabinet, smaller than the first. And it was filled with more than just parchment. There were also several stacks of lined ledgers in sturdy leather bindings on the shelves.

"And ink," I said, taking a couple of parchment sheets of surprisingly fine quality.

"Perhaps Tavrin ink would be preferable?" suggested Tier Gudrim, pursing his lips. "It is certainly expensive. However, all noble individuals..." Interrupting himself, the merchant chuckled and continued: "...and those who consider themselves as such... prefer Tavrin ink specifically for its exceptionally black color and resistance to moisture."

"Let's do it," I decided. "And a quill."

"It will cost six silver coins," warned the merchant, having gathered everything I needed.

I silently counted out the required amount and paid for my purchases. At any other time, I would have turned around and walked away. A tiny jar of ink, barely enough for a couple of pages of a letter, costs six silver roldos! Okay, I knew that parchment was expensive and had to be paid for in silver. But ink!

“Let me borrow your table for a few minutes,” I asked the merchant, calming my indignation, and slipped him another silver coin.

"If you want, I can write your message for you," said Tjer Gudrim. "My hand is steady, so there won't be any smudges or blots. Tarvin ink requires skill."

"Thanks, I can handle it," I declined Tier Gudrim's offer.

The merchant left the lamp on the table and walked over to the bookcase, while I sat down, pulled the parchment toward me, and called out to the evil spirits: “Imp, where are you?”

//Here I am! – instantly appearing before me, replied the horned creature, grinning broadly. And he ran across the table. He crumpled the parchment in his paws, stuck his curious snout into the inkwell, and condescendingly commented on my purchases: “It'll do.”

//"Well then, go ahead and dictate," I ordered. "Just don't choose the most idiotic summoning ritual! And provide a space in some phrase, so that it looks as if the demon's true name should be mentioned there."

//“We’ll do it,” the imp said in a businesslike manner and rubbed his paws.

But nothing good came of it. This damn Tarvin ink is a hundred times worse than the normal one. It smudges so badly that it's impossible to write letters properly.

//Damn!.

//“Let me write down everything we need,” the imp immediately suggested. “Otherwise, the gold will never wait for us.”

Without hesitation, I agreed. And the imp did not disappoint. He scribbled a few words carelessly on the sheet I had spoiled, apparently adjusting himself, and, pulling a clean piece of parchment closer, began to write at an astonishing speed. And not just any usual messy handwriting, but a very complex, old-fashioned script that is difficult to master, calligraphically precise, and accurate. He didn't miss a single stroke or curl. I even felt a twinge of envy.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/0DoBU3UG7Yk

Tavrin ink has another undeniable advantage. It dries instantly. It seems that its liquid base contains some kind of fast-evaporating substance, such as spiritus.

I rolled up the parchment with writing on it and took it with me. I left the damaged one on the table. Maybe the merchant would clean it and sell it to someone cheaper. Or throw it away. Having thanked Tier Gudrim one last time, I hurried to Murkos's house. Although it was only a short walk, three hundred yards at most.

I did the right thing sending Roald ahead. The foreman had just persuaded Murkos to open the armory. All in all, we were lucky. Tier Fronst is a stubborn man, and once he sets his mind on something, it's impossible to convince him otherwise. Threats won't help either. At just under fifty years old, he's as strong as a bear. He can still beat anyone he wants in a fistfight, which happens at the autumn fair. And he's fearless, so threatening him is pointless. Apparently, he fought his way through two years in one of the Red Pennants assault units. These units consist entirely of convicts who have been granted the mercy of atoning for their misdeeds with blood. And eight years in the imperial guard leave their mark on a person's character.

"Ah, Karridan,“ Murkos recognized me. ”Are you also going on a night hunt with your foreman?" And then he remembered: "Oh yes, I almost forgot! You're the foreman now!"

“Yeah,” I responded without much joy and asked about the main thing: “What about the weapons, Tier Fronst?”

"Take whatever you want," said the armsmaster, waving us into the shop. "But if you break anything, know that I'll charge you the full price!"

“Yes, we’ll pay right away,” I assured Murkos.

"Have they started paying you such a large salary?" Murkos grinned into his beard. "We'll have to raise this issue at the council meeting."

It wouldn't be difficult for him to do so. He is a member of the city council representing the interests of independent merchants. In reality, of course, it won't come to that — the armsmaster is just teasing us.

"Murkos, get to the point,“ Roald urged him. ”We didn't come here in the middle of the night out of some great desire to annoy you. We need weapons."

"Well, let's get down to business," the armsmaster said in a deep voice, smoothing his neatly trimmed beard. "What do you need?"

"A couple of light bolt throwers that meet imperial standards, like the ones we get issued in the service," I started listing, "eight extended magazines for them, two dozen armor-piercing and high-explosive bolts... Pausing for a moment, I took the permit forged by the centurion out of my pocket and, handing it to Tier Fronst, continued: “We also need bullets with a magical component...” And again I fell silent, thinking about what to choose from the rich assortment of the shop.

“Who are you planning to hunt?” Murkos asked briskly. “Not some kind of monster, I hope?” He waved his hand sharply, as if dismissing our evasive answers before we had even uttered them. “I'm not asking out of curiosity. Maybe I can give you some useful advice from my experience, and help you choose your weapons, if I know who you're going after. But if you don't want to tell me, don't. It's up to you."

"We're going after the shapeshifter," I said, deciding that Murkos could be let in on some details of the upcoming operation.

"That's what I thought," Murkos said with satisfaction. "As soon as I heard about the explosive bolts, I immediately thought it was either shapeshifters or vampires." He continued in a businesslike manner: "So what magical weapons would you like to take?"

"We need at least ten bolts with Air Ram," I decided to take advantage of the favourable situation and recruit more than we needed. "The same number with Air Strike Sphere..."

Roald nodded approvingly when he heard my requests. Everything was in accordance with the instructions for combat operations in urban areas. Windows and doors are blown out with ‘air rams,’ and then all intruders in the stormed room are taken out. The ‘air strike sphere’ is no joke. The layer of compressed air that instantly expands sideways is not always stopped, even by walls. Especially if the masonry is poor or the room is much smaller than the optimal perimeter of the spell's effect. In general, the poor wretches who come under attack will have a hard time: in the best case, they will get away with broken ribs and limbs.

But I didn't stop there. I thought and blurted out:

"Let's also take ten bolts each with Flash of Light and Devouring Flame."

“I'll sell you bolts with a blinding spell,” said the frowning armsmaster slowly. “And spells from the Air sphere, too. But as for the ‘Devouring Flame’ from the Fire sphere... I don't think you should use such dangerous spells in the city. You'll start a fire. It's fine for villagers to use such radical methods— say, burning down the deep lairs of the volkers... But we don't have any dungeons in our city." He suggested, "Better take something from the Water sphere. ‘Whirlwind of Water Blades,’ for example. No shapeshifter will survive when it's chopped into small pieces."

"We'll take the ‘Whirlwind of Water Blades too," I decided right away. "But we won't give up the Devouring Flame." And, to convince the gunsmith to sell what he needed, I clarified: "For the most extreme case."

And Roald finished:

"Murkos, do you think a burnt-down house is more valuable than human lives? Do you want the guards to risk their lives just because they're afraid of burning down some old wreck that's worth a single gold coin?"

Roald, of course, slightly underestimated the cost of the Crab's house. Even ten gold pieces won't do. It will cost about a hundred, despite the fact that the area is a port. But Murkos did not argue anymore, turned around, and began collecting our order.

Soon, we had bolt throwers with empty magazines and arrows packed in small wooden boxes in front of us. Ten in each box.

"Two crossbows cost five and a half gold coins..." the armsmaster began to calculate. "Armor-piercing and explosive bolts cost six and fourteen silver coins per ten... That means we add another eight silver coins... And then there are the bolts with magical fillings... The ones with fifth-level spells cost one silver coin each, and the rest are three times as expensive..." Quickly calculating everything in his head, he summed up: "That makes a total of seventeen gold coins and three silver roldos... “This hunt is going to cost you a lot, guards,” he grunted.

"The main thing is that everyone stays safe," Roald reasonably noted.

"That's true," agreed Murkos. "Here's what you do... Once you've dealt with the shapeshifters, immediately draft a petition to the magistrate to reimburse you for the cost of the weapons you purchased. Of course, they won't reimburse everything, but at least half of what you spent can be returned. I'll raise this issue at the council meeting so that the magistrates don't get cocky."

"Thank you, Tier Fronst," I said, taking gold coins out of my purse, which was full to the brim, "but that's later. First, let's get the job done, and then we'll decide how to recoup the costs."

"Look at that," Murkos marveled at my immeasurable wealth. "So it's true what people say, that you brought Silver Ringing to ruin?" He shook his head. "Things, things... How could Heron let that happen?"

"Just don't mention Crab," I winced and, gathering the boxes with bolts into a pile, dragged them to the exit. And Roald, thanking Murkos, picked up the bolt throwers and moved after him.

We climbed into the carriage and, instructing the driver to take us to Dawn Street, to my house, began to prepare the cartridges. It was not a difficult task, but we still had to figure out how to distribute the arrows in order to make the most effective use of such a rich arsenal. And that was quite a challenge... We quickly sorted out the armor-piercing and explosive bolts, arranging them in four enlarged cartridges in alternating order. We also fiddled a bit with the charges and the “Devouring Flame.” Regular bolts will take a break today. Their place in the standard clips will be taken by punitive measures from the sphere of Fire. If things get really tough, we'll burn down this nest of extortionists and scoundrels. But first, we'll gently caress them with Air and Light. And then again with Air, but with a more powerful spell. And then we'll see whether we need to bring someone to their senses with Water or not.

With difficulty suppressing my bloodthirsty thoughts, I forced myself to calm down. It wasn't worth overplaying my hand and staging a full-scale assault on Crab's lair. If only my life, which at that moment was worthless, had been at stake... Then it might have been worth the risk. But not now. Once we get Kaylee out, then we'll dance. And we'll show Crab what a mistake he made by getting involved with a dead man...

"Look, Kar," said Roald, climbing out of the carriage first at my house, "and here they are waiting for you..."

//“I’m screwed…” a joyless thought flashed through my head, causing me to fall into hopeless despondency.

When I saw the Roggi brothers shifting from foot to foot on the porch of my house, my spirits instantly lifted. They weren't the military commander or his granddaughter, dealing with whom could ruin all my plans to rescue Kaylee. And the fact that these thugs worked for Trim the Rat was, in my circumstances, a mere trifle!

“So what do you want here?” I asked the brothers, whose honorable duty it was to knock debts out of their moneylender’s clients.

“Well, some bad rumors are going around town… They say you have some problems with Crab,” the youngest of the brothers, Gooch, said lazily, without even taking the toothpick out of his mouth.

“So what?” I feigned incomprehension.

"And the fact is that they'll cut your throat any day now," Stai explained, leaning his shoulder against the wall. "That's why you should pay back Trim right now. All twelve coins."

"Won't Trim's face crack?" I asked venomously, utterly outraged by the moneylender's demands. He decided to make two gold coins in three days!

"He doesn't, but you might," Stai grinned.

"You know what?" I got angry at these idiots, who were wasting my precious time. I took out my Security Administration badge and shoved it under Guch's nose. He was standing closer. The grin instantly vanished from the big guy's face. “Sooner or later, I'll deal with Crab, and then I'll go see Trim... To talk about who owes whom. Tell him that! Got it?!”

"What are we? We're nothing! We just came over to talk!" the brothers shouted in unison. "No problem. We'll pass on what you said to Trim." And they quickly left my house, not wanting to get into trouble with the Security Service.

After watching them go, I came to my senses. Not wanting to waste another moment, I quickly ran into the house and, having found my bolt thrower, swept back out onto the street.

“Head for the intersection of Seaside Street and Merchant Street,” Roald instructed the cabbie as soon as we settled into the carriage. Then he whispered to me, “You shouldn’t have gotten involved with Trim…”

I brushed it off:

"No time for that now. I'll deal with the money lender later."

Roald just shook his head. But he didn't try to teach me. And so we drove to the necessary crossroads in silence. And then...

"I barely managed to catch up with Tim! He was already leaving the house when I showed up!" Veld jumped into the carriage at the crossroads with such a jerk that he almost flew out the opposite door. We stacked empty boxes on the floor so they wouldn't take up any seats. Veld foolishly jumped on them and slipped. Luckily, Roald caught him by the collar.

"Be careful here," grumbled the foreman. "You're pushing like an elk in spring rut." And he turned to the guys sitting opposite us: "Did Redhead explain to you properly what we're going to do?"

"Deal with Crab and his gang," Stan shrugged. "He said there was a serious reason."

"Well, in that case, we're in," Tim chimed in. "We should have taken care of that Crab a long time ago!"

"At least he didn't tell you any nonsense here," Roald sighed with relief. "Otherwise, he might have said that we were going with Heron to demand compensation or to raid the Night Guild's treasury."

"What, do I have no sense at all?" Veld took offense. "What ransom? You can't negotiate with kidnappers..."

"Okay, I get it," Roald cut him off and told the boys, "Take the bolt throwers." And he began to assign each of us roles in the upcoming assault. He didn't touch me, of course. My task is simple: get Kaylee out of the building and try to escape in the confusion.

A quarter of an hour later, we rolled up to Heron's house. Long before the deadline, so that Crab wouldn't get worried. Maybe it would be easier to negotiate with him...

The carriage had not yet stopped when it was as if someone touched me. So lightly, as if I had only imagined this touch. If there were no sensible explanation for this…

"A magician!" I exhaled in amazement and explained to my friends who were staring at me in bewilderment. "The magician is probing us!"

"Damn!" Roald exclaimed in frustration.

"Maybe Crab brought that skinny kid who was watching the game at the Silver Ringing?" Veld made a reasonable guess.

“No,” I said with annoyance, feverishly thinking about how to get around this obstacle. “He can't handle fifth-level spells from the Life sphere.” And I slowly said, “We'll do it differently. There won't be any storming.” I'll go in and negotiate for Kaylee's release. You give me five minutes. If she doesn't come out, you simulate an attack on the house using arrows with weak spells from the Air and Light spheres. I think the noise from the flying windows and doors will be enough. And it will blind someone. Those damn Ruvian dogs, for sure. And I'll try to escape with Kaylee in the commotion. If Crab lets the girl go, give me another ten minutes and again create the appearance of an assault. And when I escape, then you can use the area-of-effect spells."

"A risky plan," Roald said doubtfully. "Are you sure you can handle it?"

“I’m sure,” I nodded and pointed to the third-floor windows on the far left: “That’s where they’re holding Kaylee, and next to that is Crab’s office. These are the top targets.” And I decisively opened the carriage door: “I’ll go.”

And I went. Although I didn't feel the slightest confidence that I would leave Heron's house alive. I only believed that I would be able to free Kaylee. And then the cards would fall. After all, it was better to die in confrontation with the enemy than to die on the chopping block.

The door to the house was opened again as soon as I stepped onto the porch. And again, they did not fail to search. Cautious rats…

"That's not right, Steini, that's very wrong of you," reproached Crab, when I found myself in the ever-memorable hall on the third floor with the same actors. Only Tier Otis had disappeared along with the chair. "What did we agree on? And you brought a whole pack of friends with you. Did you really think that their presence would frighten me?"

"This does not affect our agreement in any way," I remarked calmly, smiling encouragingly at Kaylee, and tossed the papers to Heron at the estate. "Here are your documents."

"Documents are good," Crab noted, easily catching the papers rolled into a tube. "But I'm still curious - why did you bring along completely unnecessary people here?"

"Just in case," I smiled, looking into Crab's eyes. "For example, so that no one would be tempted to deceive the poor, poor guard."

"And what will your friends do if such a misfortune suddenly happens?" Heron narrowed his eyes.

"They’ll storm the house. What else can they do?" I shrugged.

“Well, well,” said Crab, smiling faintly and asking, “How did you persuade them to commit such an illegal act?”

"Yes, it's all very simple," I smiled broadly. "A certain townsman testified that a shapeshifter is hiding in your house. So it's all legal." And, squinting one eye, I looked at the ceiling: "By the way, we have very little time. Three minutes, no more.

"What are you talking about?" Crab became wary.

"That you need to let Kaylee go immediately."

"No problem," Richard responded immediately. "Sign the papers and she's free."

“Well, there you go,” I sighed disappointedly. “Time will just flow away in vain. Richard, what the hell? The girl will leave, but I’ll stay! And don’t you think I understand that I won’t get out of here alive if I refuse to sign the papers, even if our entire council storms your house? Why the hell would I need such a heroic death, pray tell? When you and I have already agreed on everything, to our mutual satisfaction.”

"Sign the papers and the girl will leave," Crab muttered.

"As you wish," I made an indifferent face, "but then it will be too late to rush about. If Kaylee doesn't come out on the street in a couple of minutes, then it will be impossible to play everything back. My friends will start an assault without thinking twice. And you and I were planning to quietly and peacefully get our business done."

"Louis, take the girl outside!" Crab barked at his closest assistant and said through gritted teeth, boring into me with a distrustful look: "Well, watch out, guard... If anything happens, your death will not be easy."

"Don't be silly, Richard," I said condescendingly. "Pour me some cognac instead. It's really good. And give me the inkwell and pen - we'll sign the papers." And I walked leisurely past the grinning dogs to the nearest chair. But then I remembered: "Oh, right! The cognac is in your office!" And I guessed, looking around and not seeing writing utensils: "And the ink is probably there too."

“Let’s go!” Richard muttered irritably.

We followed Louis and Kaylee out of the hall. Crab's thug went down the stairs with the girl, and we went to the office of the head of the Night Guild.

Holding back my excitement at the successful execution of the first part of the plan, I watched Kaylee walk away and turned my attention to my companions. Crab walked calmly ahead of everyone, not the least bit concerned that I might attack him from behind and break his neck. Fury, walking last, was quiet as a mouse. He didn't even glance at me. It was as if he had suddenly forgotten his promise to avenge his brother. Only the Ruvian war dogs remained vigilant, slapping their clawed paws on the wooden floorboards and glancing at me with interest from time to time. It was as if they were asking whether they should grab me, or better yet, bite me. But I had no intention of giving them a reason to do so. The dogs were certainly a problem, but somewhere here, a mage was also hiding.

"Sign! " Richard ordered me, throwing the papers on the table and, going to the window, moving the curtain a little and looking out into the street.

Having plopped down in the chair next to the desk, I slowly unfolded the papers and, moving the inkwell and pen closer, began to copy the deed of gift to Heron. Not forgetting to inquire in passing:

"So, is Kaylee out?"

"She's out," grumbled Crab. A few moments later, he deigned to inform me: "Your red-haired friend has dragged her into the carriage."

"That's great," I said sincerely, pushing the signed document away from me. "I kept my word. Take your estate."

Richard grabbed the papers, quickly looked through the notes I had made and immediately calmed down and became kinder.

"Excellent, Steini, excellent. I see you are a man I can do business with."

Carefully rolling up the documents, he put them in the inside pocket of his fancy suit. Then he suggested:

"Now let's get to this summoning ritual of yours..."

“Let him get off,” I nodded, pointing at Fury, and then caught myself: “But first, let him pour me some cognac. Then he can go.”

I thought I heard the distinct sound of teeth grinding. Judging by the shapeshifter's impassive face, you wouldn't think that my requests had infuriated him. He didn't even bother to show off, but looked at Crab, waited for his affirmative nod, poured a glass of brandy, and handed it to me. Then he left. And he closed the door quietly behind him.

"Are you satisfied?" Crab asked and said: "I want you to tell me absolutely everything about the ritual of summoning this demon of yours, without missing a single insignificant moment."

"I have a better option," I smiled, took the parchment with the ritual described on it out of my pocket, and threw it on the table.

Heron swooped down on the parchment sheet, unfolded it, and began to read quickly. And I sipped some really good cognac and tried to shake off the stupid obsession with attacking Crab. What stopped me, perhaps, was that I didn't have a sturdy club at hand to give that freak a good beating. And also the fact that the filthy mage was lurking somewhere. He was a freak, too. Otherwise, why would he get involved with thieves and murderers? After all, even a person with a weak gift can easily make an honest living. He would be honoured and respected.

"Is this really all here?" Heron asked. And after I nodded, he asked: "And the demon's true name?"

“And the money?” I asked in response.

Heron grinned. Without looking, he pulled out a drawer from the desk, took out a thin stack of bank bills, and casually threw them on my edge of the desk:

"Take it."

"I should count it," I said with a grin, putting down my glass and grabbing the securities.

“Well, well, go ahead,” Heron grumbled without any offense or ill will.

But it didn't come to counting. I only touched the magic seal on the first bill, and my face stretched. Nothing like the sensation of hundreds of tiny biting sparks poking into your palm. An even spot of warmth. As if you were touching not a magic seal, but a coin warmed by the sun.

You bastard! You decided to fool a naive guard! I quickly checked in the most reliable way – with my own hands – a couple more magic seals on the bills of exchange, and finally convinced myself that I was looking at forgeries.

With a crooked smile, I casually tossed the bills of exchange onto the floor. And I declared to Crab:

"This won't do, Richard! I don't need these worthless pieces of paper! You'll shove them to some blockheads! But I want to get real promissory notes for five thousand in gold!"

"How did you know?" Heron looked at me, puzzled. "It's an excellent fake."

"But your papers don't smell of gold - that's their problem," I said, not even thinking of revealing my secret to this bandit. "Give me real bills or you won't know the demon's name!"

"What if I call Fury? Maybe he'll make you change your mind?" Crab looked at me with hostility.

"And you'll be left with nothing," I shrugged. "You don't have much time, and I can hold out for a while. If I don't come out in fifteen minutes, my friends will get worried and storm your house. The most you'll get is my corpse, which is completely useless to you. And no demon to grant your wishes!"

"Even in fifteen minutes, I can make you change your mind!" Crab glared at me angrily and hissed. But none of his hangers-on came to his aid. He twitched the corner of his mouth irritably and declared, "You've completely lost your mind in your high circles, guard!"

"Why is that?" I was genuinely surprised.

Geron grimaced. "Five thousand in gold! Do you even realise how much that is?!"

"Well, I think that for this amount you can buy the eastern city block for personal use," I suggested, immediately guessing what Crab was getting at. And I asked sarcastically: "What, is the Night Guild so poor that it doesn’t even have five thousand in gold?"

Heron winced as if he had tasted a sour apple and muttered angrily:

"If there were such a profit here, I would have collected the necessary amount long ago..." Interrupting himself, he offered. "I can give you five hundred. And let's leave it at that, guard."

"No way!" I snapped categorically. "Rake out all your thieves' treasury, but give me five thousand!"

"I don't have five thousand in gold, you idiot!" Heron cursed. "I haven't! At most, I've managed to scrape together a couple of thousand over the eleven years of the Night Guild's existence!"

"Are you lying?" Squinting my left eye, I stared at Crab. "What about the Silver Bell? That one alone is probably worth a thousand."

"The club is valued at eight hundred and fifty!" Crab grinned. "And that's because six hundred in gold is sitting in the bank to secure the bets."

"Well..." I thought for a moment and nodded decisively: “Since the Night Guild is in such dire straits, I agree to make some concessions. Let it be four thousand in bearer bonds. And on top of that, write off the Silver Ringing to me!”

Heron almost choked with indignation. He clenched his fists. Of course – I was encroaching on his beloved brainchild! But he held back. Although I was sure that he would lose his temper and my plan would fail. No, Crab is strong, what can I say? He calmed down, thought about it, and, giving me a snake-like smile, said affectionately:

"Guard, are you listening to what I'm saying? I don't have that kind of money. I have about three thousand, if you include the cost of the club."

I looked closely at Crab. He doesn't seem to be lying. And he's right: five thousand gold pieces is a huge sum. Only part of what thieves and robbers steal goes to the Night's Guild treasury. But what does that matter to me?

“Okay, give me everything you've got,” I agreed. “The promissory notes for two thousand and the club documents.” And I mercilessly finished off Crab, who was as gloomy as a storm cloud: “As for the five thousand that's missing... You're a serious man, after all... I am ready to accept a signed promissory note for two thousand in gold. And when you sell the estate, you will pay it back."

Crab's face turned crimson, and he began to shake all over. You could tell from his expression that he would gladly kick me to death. But he was a strong man... He resisted the temptation to kill the guard on the spot. He slowly rose from his chair, got out from behind the table, and walked over to the cabinet. He blocked his hiding place with his back, rustled and shuffled around, and pulled out a stack of papers, with which he returned to the table.

The stack of bills of exchange handed over to me turned out to be much more impressive than the previous one. It was simply that the bank obligations were written for much smaller amounts. Mostly for fifty to a hundred gold roldos. Often there were two or three dozen coins. But these bills of exchange were real!

It seems Crab has ruined the treasury of the Night Guild. And silently, flexing his jaw muscles, wrote Silver Ringing off to me. And when I stared expectantly at him, holding in my hands the bills and documents for my club, Heron, grinning crookedly, wrote off a promissory note for the missing two thousand gold roldos. He handed it to me and demanded:

"Name!"

"Azar-Talgot! The Great and Terrible!" I blurted out, snatching the paper from Crab's hand with a sharp movement.

“You’re not lying?!” Heron asked, squinting.

"Why should I lie?" I was surprised and shook the receipt. "You still owe me two thousand. The demon's true name is Azar-Talgot. But he prefers to be called the Great and Terrible."

“I really, really hope you weren’t lying,” Crab drawled menacingly. “Otherwise…”

"I'm not lying! Check it out and you'll see!" I blurted out indignantly and rose from my chair. "Well, the deal is done, we have nothing more to discuss... I think I'll go..."

"Yes, yes, go ahead, of course," said Heron, and for some reason began to cough in earnest. Tears even came to his eyes. It's a good thing he covered his mouth with his fist.

After a slight hesitation, I slowly moved toward the door, glancing warily at the dogs sprawled on the floor. If I hurried, the ten minutes would soon be up. And then I would have to break through with a fight. But who could have thought that everything would go so smoothly that there would be no need to storm Crab's house? Perhaps an ambush awaited me behind the door?

The ‘Air plate’ that collapsed from above took me by surprise. I didn't immediately understand what was happening. An insurmountable weight fell on me, and my legs buckled. And what can you do without magical protection? I collapsed onto the floor, sprawled out like a flounder, or rather a starfish. The pressure was so great that I couldn't move.

Laughing loudly, Crab remarked sarcastically:

"What's the matter, guard, is the gold too heavy?" Laughing, he continued to mock me: "I see this load is too heavy for you." Clicking his tongue regretfully, the vile creature said, "No, you can't carry that much. And no wonder, since it's five thousand full-weight gold coins!"

"You vile deceiver!" I exhaled with difficulty.

"What are you saying, guard! There is no deception here," the cheerful Crab pretended to be indignant and advised: "Try throwing the papers, you'll see - it will immediately become easier."

"I won't throw it," I snapped. I'll wait a little longer. It'll be over soon. And dealing with the Air Stove is no problem — it's the simplest spell. The main thing is that the mage doesn't hit me with something deadly afterwards.

"Drop the papers, guard," Heron's voice grew stern. The scoundrel stepped on my hand with his heel, in which I was clutching the documents. "Drop them, I beg you nicely."

"You bastard!" I yelled when Heron started twisting his heel, trying to crush my fingers. It hurts like hell! And it's impossible to concentrate on merging with the element of Air!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The dull thuds of the Air Rams that fell on Crab's house instantly dissolved in the sound of shattering glass. A hail of glass shards and wooden fragments that had recently been a window frame rained down on me. And Crab seemed to have gotten his comeuppance - he screamed and cursed intricately.

"Activate the kinetic shield!" someone shouted, and with some difficulty I recognized Lemas by his voice.

"I did!" Crab responded irritably and ordered the magician: "Do something with the friends of this impudent guard, otherwise they really will storm the house!"

"Let them try!" said the mage. "I've drained all the energy from the storage units into the traps on the first floor. Lightning will burn a hundred of those guards before anyone can get through. And the closed Reflection Curtain makes shooting from the street pointless." And he urged Geron: "While they're fighting it out there, it's high time we got out of here."

"I'll just pick up the papers." Crab leaned over me.

But I wasn't going to let them go. Enraged, Heron jumped up and started kicking me in the ribs, trying to force me to hand over the documents. But I didn't give in to the pain. I closed my eyes and continued counting my heartbeats to myself: ‘Seven, eight...’

The flash of insanely bright sunlight that appeared on the ninth count blinded me even through my closed eyelids. The ‘Reflection Curtain’ is certainly a useful item and consumes very little energy, but it simply repels flying objects. Firing magic-infused projectiles becomes practically pointless, as spells are activated upon collision with an obstacle, but the ‘Flash of Light’ remains no less effective.

Blinded, Crab recoiled from me and began to swear obscenely. The Ruvian war dogs howled loudly. And I dissolved into the element of Air, feeling completely weightless for a brief moment. Easily breaking through the thinning ‘Air Plate,’ I jumped to my feet and, as if on the wings of the wind, rushed to the window.

Perhaps it was this extraordinary lightness of my body that allowed me to decide to take this step. Or the fact that I had no time to think about the consequences. On reflection, it is difficult to decide on such a thing - to jump out of the window when it is almost ten yards above the pavement.

The heart stopped and did not beat during those terrible, long moments of falling.

The hard collision with the stone pavement pierced my body with such an explosion of pain that it felt as if my eyes had been illuminated by a flash of light again. The second blow, to my left shoulder, was no less painful. Fortunately, I did not break my neck. But I could not get up on my own.

"Kar!" Veld rushed towards me.

"Let's get out of here," I managed to croak. "There's Lemas with Crab..."

"Quickly, drag him into the carriage!" Roald ordered Veld and Stan as he ran up to them. "And let's get out of here!"

They picked me up and carried me. I didn't resist. Although my body was cut by pain.

"Put it here, put it here!" Kaylee exclaimed excitedly. She was standing next to me, for some reason holding my amazing bolt thrower in her hands.

"Damn..." The guys almost dropped me on the step of the carriage, seeing something shaggy jump down from the window.

The transformed shapeshifter took the fall much easier than I did. He instantly jumped to his feet, bared his wolfish teeth, rushed towards us and, pushing off, leapt... At that very moment, there was a dull click above my ear, and mirror-like blades struck the unusually large wolf flying towards us. They pierced through the white veil of personal protection that had appeared around the non-humans, pierced through the shaggy carcass, and stuck into the wall of the house. And the werewolf fell at my feet. In pieces.

"What?" Kaylee was embarrassed under the sight of astonished glances, clutching my bolt thrower. "He wanted to eat us..."

"Hurry!" Roald urged us, firing an arrow with the "Air Shock Sphere" at the Crab's house.

The lads quickly pulled me into the carriage. The cabbie whistled sharply and drove the horses so fast that Roald and Tim had to jump in while it was moving.

"To the Office?" Veld asked the foreman.

"Stop! Stop, I tell you!" Roald shouted to the cabby. He was still dangling on the step when the carriage reached the first crossroads, and then answered Veld: "Only Kar and Kayley will go to the Office. Well, and you. Keep an eye on Kar so that he doesn’t do anything crazy. And tell the centurion to send reinforcements. In the meantime, we’ll keep an eye on the bandits so that they don’t run away.

" Don't forget about the mage," I managed to say, grimacing in pain. "And don't go into Crab's house — it's full of traps."

"Go to the Office!" Roald ordered the confused cab driver as soon as Stan and Tim jumped out of the carriage. "And hurry up!"

The carriage rolled on. Veld and Kaylee, taking advantage of the extra space, began fussing over me, trying to make me more comfortable. However, I was fine as I was. It hurt, of course, to the point of grinding my teeth, but there was nothing I could do about it. No matter how you sat, the jolting ride along the cobbled streets was inevitable. And then my restless friend started patting me on the shoulder, exclaiming enthusiastically:

"It was badass, Kar! Really!" Finding no understanding in my face, as I involuntarily grimaced in response to the painful blows, he turned to Kaylee: "He tells us, he says, as soon as I jump out, start the commotion! Understand?! As soon as I jump out! We thought he was going through the door! And Kar jumped from such a height! Can you imagine?! From the third floor of such a tall building — right onto the pavement!"

"Veld, calm down, will you?" I asked plaintively and handed him some papers to keep him occupied until his excitement subsided. "Here, take care of these documents."

“What is this?” the red-haired man immediately asked curiously, trying to make out what was written in the dim light of the street lamps that penetrated through the small windows on the carriage doors.

"Veld, stop bothering Ker!" Kaylee exclaimed indignantly. She sat down so that I could lean on her instead of the hard seat back. And with touching tenderness, she said, "Can't you see how badly he's been hurt, poor thing..." She hugged me carefully so that I wouldn't bounce around in the bumpy carriage like a lonely herring in a barrel.

"What will happen to him!" Veld waved his hand. "Kar has a Taliar! We won't even have time to get to the office, and he'll already be on his feet!"

"Really?" the girl asked somewhat sceptically, having already figured out Veld's character during their brief acquaintance and logically classifying him as someone who likes to brag and tell tall tales. Especially to young, pretty girls.

"That's the truth!" the red-haired man assured her fervently and, finally remembering another interesting moment of the evening, praised her: "And you did a good job with the bolt thrower! You caught the shapeshifter right in mid-air!" Veld shuddered. "And I thought that was it, he would tear us to shreds right here!"

"I was just lucky," the Malvian girl said, embarrassed. "I don't really know how to shoot a bolt thrower. I used to only pick it up for fun."

I felt sick from the terrible shaking, and the rest of the conversation between Veld and Kaylee turned into an indistinct muttering that reached me as if through a thick layer of water. However, it was unlikely that they discussed anything really important, so it was no great loss.

* * *

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Переводчики: Camrad_RIP