Wolfeld was only the first casualty in a string of brutal murders that rocked Starkrar over the next five days. Three corpses in the End, one in the Bird Market, another one in Koposhilka, right next to the railway tracks. So the passengers of the passing locus had the pleasure of contemplating a terrible sight - a skinned human carcass. And that… in one damn night! Like a hurricane-butcher swept over the city. No witnesses, no evidence. All of Starkrar learned about the series of brutal murders. The next night there was a double murder on the border of Cherny and Gary, and an entire family was slaughtered in the Lowlands. Everywhere the same handwriting - severe beatings and pieces of skin cut from different parts of the bodies. A family from the Lowlands were the Dahorachs. The killer broke into their house in the middle of the night, when they are most vulnerable, and was able to deal with two adults, strong and determined, protecting their family. Newspapers clung to this news lik

“It’s… it’s… it’s a sick old turkey, not the great Kulburo Feris!”The creature, lying on the floor under the wall, squirmed as my maid lightly kicked it with the sharp toe of her boot. What we saw was an old sick creature, flabby, with tarnished disheveled plumage and cracked cere. It was once a glittering Arani with bright red plumage, a huge curved beak and a wide wingspan, and now ...“It hurts to look at you, old man.“Then shut up and turn your back,” he croaked, finally waking up and sitting up with difficulty. Feris pulled a long-necked wooden flask from the pocket of his stinking cloak, nuzzled it with his beak, coughed nastily, and put it back. - Who are they? I don't know you... Go...“Kulburo Feris, is that your name?”- It was mine.- What is your name now?- A? Now? Ha! Now more and more often they call me Hey You and the Old Drunkard, and these are only those names that I am not ashamed to recall ... reproduce ... call in the presence of a lady!“Hmm, the day is full of

The next morning I woke up quite refreshed and well rested. Anticipating all the troubles that await me in the coming day, I dressed, breakfasted with appetite and, saying goodbye to the household, which I usually do not, went to Scoalt Yard.Having overcome the cordon of journalists from the capital's newspapers at the entrance to the territory of the Tower, I crossed the courtyard and entered the hall. There was no free space on the walls, floor and ceiling from the piles and crossbeams along which the workers scurried. Marblers from all over the capital are herded into Scoalt Yard in order to give it a proper look as soon as possible.“Did you see this, Thane el'Moria?” - Marcellus Mork, pacing the hall with a bandaged hand, pointed to the front door.– Journalists or flowers?- Both. They do not understand that they are preventing us from working. Although it's all very touching, of course.There were indeed stacks of flowers against the outer walls, and some well-wisher had hung

Later we saw each other more often, and I caught myself thinking that I was only going into the world to see the Thani el'Zornaz. It was so strange not to feel squeamish disgust from the beautiful Tanya. I told her the truth about what I was doing with her feelings, and she silently gave me permission to correct these flaws, which, when they appeared, caused her such suffering. She knew that she was ill, and what her illness was leading to, she also knew. By the will of the moon, I alone was able to slow down and reverse the disease, making Bali forget about unbearable headaches, depression, paranoia, fear of bright lights. We tried not to be noticed, to conduct sessions ... perhaps you can call it therapy, in private, so as not to compromise her. I didn't even notice how the attraction got too strong.- Started a romance?- It's a novel. How do our crooked novelists write there, Sebastina? Were they overwhelmed by a whirlpool of passion?“I don’t know, master, I only read cookbooks a

“You know, Zinkara, I can't help feeling that I saw you once. Perhaps you, like the rest of the palace servants, huddled against the walls, begging for mercy, as I led the soldiers through the corridors to finally end this stupid kicking of your undercountry, which you called the struggle for sovereignty. It is possible that this is a figment of my imagination and we do not know each other, although you know me for sure. Anyway, I can't get rid of this stupid feeling. And I can't remember your creepy face. But I know for sure that you are a bone in the throat of my country, and I will rot you in prison.The tongueless Maldese stroked his beard sedately, holding my gaze, and I could swear I heard his clear and intelligible speech:“Sankarishma will judge us, Thane el'Moria, his punishment is inevitable. You sowed the wind, and the growing hurricane will swallow everything that is dear to you. I swear.I did not call someone to witness and force the ambassador to speak. He will only onc