The Verge Of An Empire

6

Palace of Law at Scoalt Yard. Or simply the Tower, as it was called by individuals who were not eager to get inside. Biting into the winter sky with a sharp spire, a well-defended gigantic fortress, built of gray slabs produced at the construction enterprises of the hinops. Getting through the high iron gates is much easier than leaving them without permission.

The carriage drove not into the main southern entrance, but into the eastern one. We went inside the Tower following the inspector.

Noisy work is in full swing in the vast hall. Hundreds of constables move every minute in line to dozens of podiums, behind which sit traffic control officers, taking shifts and issuing assignments for those who are just on their way to duty. The loudest screams signal that one or another patrol is sent on an urgent call for reinforcements. Six out of ten such reinforcements are always in a hurry to the northeastern regions: Koposhilka, Klopovnik, Chern, Gary, Lowlands and Clay. Less often, but steadily, the attention of the servants of the law is attracted by incidents in the Imperial Pits and the Zafs Docks. The more prosperous parts of Starkrar, such as Oakvale or Aldorn, where I live, cause little trouble, not to mention the always prosperous Imperial Gardens and Summit.

I chuckled to myself, thinking how much cheaper the fabulously expensive land in the almost most privileged district of the capital would be when the news of the death of de Moranzhac and his family appeared on the newspaper pages. Although ... all this is nonsense. Land in the Imperial Gardens will always be expensive.

The doors of the elevator with a noise like the rumbling in the belly of a hungry lups opened before us. Somewhere nearby, a steam engine hissed loudly, and the elevator went up. Sebastina giggled. This invention of the chinops has an inexplicable effect on my maid. As soon as there is a strange feeling in her stomach, she cannot help laughing and giggles into her fist all the way. I have never heard her laugh anywhere else in my life.

“Toomes prepared the latest reports?”

- A? Yes! Aberlein, who had been watching Sebastina curiously, started up. - Latest autopsy reports. I will just hand them over to you, but I must warn you in advance that everything is clean.

- Hee! As you expected, master. Hee!

Scoalt Yard is made up of several departments. Above the rest, on the upper floors of the Tower, is the headquarters of the state security department, the Night Guard of the empire. You can't get there by a public elevator and without special powers. I, as the head of the Night Guard, have such powers. Below in the hierarchy is the Department of Magical Crimes, which investigates the illegal use of combat magic and the circulation of prohibited artifacts. Even lower is the Criminal Investigation Department, where the Tower's bloodhounds, senior and junior inspectors, and commissars are engaged in an invisible war against ordinary but immortal crime. Further, there is a representative office of the Corps of State Magicians, facilitating cooperation between the two instances in the field of protecting the law. Forensic magicians and combat patrol wizards, trained to fight in urban areas, also work there. At the lowest levels of the Tower is the Constable, which contains an army of rank-and-file constables guarding the streets, as well as units of osh-zan-kai, special forces fighters trained in harsh conditions and ready to fight in the event of a riot or large-scale unrest. They occupy a separate barracks wing. More than seven tenths of the osh-zan-kai are lups, which, after all, inspires respect for this service, yes, very, very inspires. In addition to lups, representatives of many other species, including zheszuls, serve in Scoalt Yard. But the latter are not enough to everyone's joy. They occupy a separate barracks wing. More than seven tenths of the osh-zan-kai are lups, which, after all, inspires respect for this service, yes, very, very inspires. In addition to lups, representatives of many other species, including zheszuls, serve in Scoalt Yard. But the latter are not enough to everyone's joy. They occupy a separate barracks wing. More than seven tenths of the osh-zan-kai are lups, which, after all, inspires respect for this service, yes, very, very inspires. In addition to lups, representatives of many other species, including zheszuls, serve in Scoalt Yard. But the latter are not enough to everyone's joy.

The elevator stopped at one of the floors of the legal department, spitting us out into a vast gray room lined with desks where constables filled out reports and sorted through papers.

“Here, my thane.

Winding through a labyrinth of corridors, as if made for games with clerical rats, we came to the office of Inspector Aberlein. A small office with a glass door.

“I'm here, tani, as promised,” said the young inspector, opening the door.

In front of the desk, sandwiched between a small window and a file cabinet on the floor, sat a tani, a tenkris. I think I even groaned softly when I saw this beauty. Tanya, with skin the color of light chocolate cream, with a mop of wavy red hair and a tear-stained face (a trail of blue-black mascara running down her cheeks), looked at me with eyes the color of sparkling silver. Noble blood, pure and ancient as the world itself. For these eyes alone, without a title or status, the doors of all the noble houses of the capital should have opened before this Tanya - tenkris feel the ancient blood, respect and exalt its purity. But me with my burkalki, even if I were the Emperor’s own nephew, I would always have to wash spit off my back.

- Tanya, my respect. I raised my hat and bowed. “Allow me to introduce myself, Brian el'Moria at your service.

– Tanya, this is Tan Brian…

Are you really Brian el'Moria? she asked me, looking with her huge eyes into the darkest depths of my sinful little soul.

Fear, hope, prayer enveloped me in crystal fragments of emotions and flashed in an incredible kaleidoscope! Great Moon, how beautiful were her emotions!

- Indeed it is. Enchanted.

She made a strange sound, half sobbed, half laughed, but the overabundance of joy that washed over me made my head spin a little.

- Glory to the Moon! I found you!

I smiled politely, nodded to cover my surprise, and looked inquiringly at the inspector. The young man watched my reaction with interest. He is generally a very observant and inquisitive young man, looking at the world through the eyes of a natural scientist. I wonder what he expected to see? Astonishment? Fear? Nervousness? Anger?

- Tanya, if you don't mind, I'll tell Tanya the essence of the matter.

She nodded and sat back down in the uncomfortable government chair.

“The patrol spotted the Thani in one of the streets of the Bottom, Thane el'Moria. She said that - he looked at her sympathetically - she does not remember who she is, nor what she does in the Day. And Tanya was looking for you.

- Yes! Here! She handed me a washcloth she kept crumpling up while Aberlein briefed me on the matter. Upon closer examination, the rag turned out to be a soiled kimisir handkerchief, on which, if you carefully peered into the ink blots, you could read Brian el'Moria. - That's all I had! All I know is your name, Thane el'Moria! Tell me, do you know who I am?

Was Tanya alone?

“Absolutely, my thane. The constables ensured her safety from the rabble that roams the Bottom, looking for easy prey, but they were in no hurry to take her away. No one missed Tanya, although there were interested persons.

A story that deserves to be described in some now fashionable literary horror film that stirs up the stagnant blood of bored girls from the nobility! A woman, alone, not remembering who she is or where, without protection and support, found herself in one of the most dangerous and deadly areas of Starkrar, among those who can kill just in passing, out of habit. Those who mercilessly dismantle living beings into organs for sale to the Paishoan alchemists at Little Zankog or experimental medical practitioners. Those who do not disdain to eat human flesh, those who do not raise their eyes from the ground, because their eyes reveal the intentions of the owner to anyone who stealthily looks into them. If you are not from the Bottom, then you will not linger in the Day. We live for sure. Tanya saved the eye color. All citizens of the Meskian Empire know from childhood that it is better not to meet tenkris on a narrow path, and if the meeting could not be avoided, then it would be wise to yield, rather than run into the Voice of the lord of fire or a shapeshifter. Silver eyes drove away cannibals, and organ sellers, and rapists, and hunters who take girls from poor families for the brothels of Koposhilka and Klopovnik. They were afraid to mess with Tanya and her probably very dangerous Voice. And behind every pair of silver eyes is a noble house. Did I believe what I heard? Undoubtedly. Luckily, I can't be fooled. And behind every pair of silver eyes is a noble house. Did I believe what I heard? Undoubtedly. Luckily, I can't be fooled. And behind every pair of silver eyes is a noble house. Did I believe what I heard? Undoubtedly. Luckily, I can't be fooled.