The Verge Of An Empire

7

- Gracious Tanya, now I will ask a stupid question, but I can’t help but ask it, because the order obliges. Do you have somewhere to go?

"Thane el'Moria, I don't know my name...

- Not everything is lost. You remember how to speak, remember what happened to you lately. This means that you have not lost your short-term memory. Doctors say that in this state the patient has a chance to recover his memory. Now, when I found out that you have no roof over your head, I can make you an invitation. Tanya, if you deign to accept the offer to settle in my modest home, there will be no limit to my happiness. I hasten to assure you that I will do my best to find out who you are and where your loved ones are - if there are any, I thought.

“I don’t have anyone in this huge city… No one I can remember about!” No friends, no shelter... Oh! Excuse me, I beg you!

“I am also judged for thinking out loud. Put on my raincoat, please, you are not dressed for the weather. Inspector, I hope you've already put Tanya through all these procedures so that we can quickly leave your stuffy office? No offense, but the builders cheated with ventilation.

- I know ... Eh, yes, my thane, we took the metric data and wrote down the signs. If Tanya is put on the wanted list...

Of course, it is hard to imagine that no one will miss this diamond of Maharaja Kalmir. In a world where pure blood is so highly valued, where the ruling class is most afraid of degeneration, such heirs are more precious than the treasures of the crown. For tenkris never forget, unlike people, that true wealth is in children, and not in bins. By the way, I'm used to thinking that this is why the ratio between us and other species: one in ten thousand - fate plays a trick on us.

“Sebastina, take care of Tanya.

On the way to the elevator, the men, as if on cue, looked up from their work, no matter how important they considered it, and tried to fix their eyes on the red-haired tanya, like hungry lampreys.

- Thank the Moon, I was suffocating in these walls! Tanya admitted when we went out into the courtyard. “It was like the air was thickening in my lungs and…and…

“It was hard to push it in and out,” I nodded knowingly, watching her wrap her cloak around her from the freezing wind.

Snowflakes quickly began to cover her hair, although the snow had almost stopped falling, and yet the smallest ice crystals stubbornly tried to get into her eyes. Catching a carriage near the palace of the law is a simple matter, getting to Aldorn too. On the way, Tanya chose to remain silent. Our conversations with Sebastina, or rather my monologues and her assent, would hardly have interested a stranger. Here it is, the flip side of self-imposed expulsion from high society, I lose the skills of polite and meaningless conversation.

"You don't know Starkrar, tani, am I right?"

She slightly startled, looked up, hitherto stubbornly drilling the floor.

No, this is not my city. It's so cold and crowded here... I don't remember who I am, but I feel that this is a strange place for me. Not enough heat.

- Well, well, don't worry. I have a vague idea of ​​what it would be like to be in your position.

- Is it true? Can you imagine? Have you lost your memory?

It was like a desperate cry for help.

No, but that is my voice. I can feel the emotions of people, tenkris, lups, avians, everyone. My Voice allows me to take them in and carry them through me. And yours, sorry for the indiscreet question?

- I don't know.

- However.

Forgetting your name that your parents gave you is one thing, but forgetting your Voice, that which has been a part of you since conception… What happened to you?

- Sorry again. In any case, if it seems to you that you feel bad and no one understands your pain, you can be sure that this is not so. Your pen, let me try to help you a little.

It's never easy to manipulate other people's emotions. But it is possible if my modest Voice is turned in the opposite direction, which is quite laborious for me and requires considerable concentration. While serving in the army, I used this ability more than once during interrogations, and the result was better than using red-hot tongs. But what I do with it is an impact of a completely different kind, a different force and a completely different direction. Physical contact, flesh to flesh, not a choke hold on the throat, but a gentle touch on the hand, and her emotions rushed to me. Usually I feel emotions at a distance, I know their taste, smell, color, although I have never seen, smelled or tasted them, but with direct contact these ephemeral sensations turn into reality, my reality, a wave that overwhelms me and circles in whirlpool of colors and sensations. How does it feel feel what another sentient being feels? Nobody knows but me. Only I in the whole world know the power of my Voice, and there is no other thane who would possess a gift like mine. Although I cannot control the elements, revive the dead, travel long distances, but I can do what no one dreams of, what is inaccessible to anyone. I know how others feel, I feel it and I can even control it. Another reason for me to be Supreme Interrogator. Another reason to hate me in a world where lies and hypocrisy are the norm. And the one who cannot be deceived is much more dangerous than a madman who ran out into the street with a loaded revolver. Although I cannot control the elements, revive the dead, travel long distances, but I can do what no one dreams of, what is inaccessible to anyone. I know how others feel, I feel it and I can even control it. Another reason for me to be Supreme Interrogator. Another reason to hate me in a world where lies and hypocrisy are the norm. And the one who cannot be deceived is much more dangerous than a madman who ran out into the street with a loaded revolver. Although I cannot control the elements, revive the dead, travel long distances, but I can do what no one dreams of, what is inaccessible to anyone. I know how others feel, I feel it and I can even control it. Another reason for me to be Supreme Interrogator. Another reason to hate me in a world where lies and hypocrisy are the norm. And the one who cannot be deceived is much more dangerous than a madman who ran out into the street with a loaded revolver. where lies and hypocrisy are the norm of good manners in communication. And the one who cannot be deceived is much more dangerous than a madman who ran out into the street with a loaded revolver. where lies and hypocrisy are the norm of good manners in communication. And the one who cannot be deceived is much more dangerous than a madman who ran out into the street with a loaded revolver.

What did I feel? Fear with notes of panic, longing and pain, fear again. She is afraid of everything, and I am afraid of everything too. I'm afraid of majestic buildings, wide streets full of people, I'm afraid of myself, an unfamiliar thane in red glasses, I'm afraid of my maid, this tall girl in a strict black dress, with a cap and thick bangs, who looks so coldly through half-glasses.

- Feel better?

I loosened the contact and allowed myself to lean back in the seat, diluting the resulting negative charge with good memories. An answer is not required, the face of the beautiful stranger lost that invisible cobweb of despair that clouded the right features, and instead acquired a slight blush, her heart was not pounding so desperately and unevenly, warmth finally reached her fingers. The feeling of anxiety did not go away, but subsided, because I took the excess for myself.

- It's amazing! Tanya exclaimed, looking at me as if I were a miracle worker.

- I'm glad you're feeling better.

"We're home, master," Sebastina said.

- Welcome to your new home! Not a palace, but I have always felt comfortable here.

Melinda opened the front door, curtsied, and took on her coat.

“Set up tanyas in the guest bedrooms. Provide everything that Tanya wants.

“Yes, my thane.

"I'll follow," Sebastina added. From her look, the poor girl almost fell, her knees gave way. - And let Louis serve dinner, the owner is hungry.

- This minute!

First of all, in the office, at the desktop. Something out of the ordinary happened in my life, but nothing can distract me from work. The fireplace is kindled, nothing is broken, nothing has been rearranged. Between the antique armchairs and the grate, a bulldog lies on his back, paws spread out; gray color, a remarkable black spot around the right eye, the mouth is open, the tongue hangs down from the side.

“I see you're much better, Gladstone. Don't lie in that position, it's vulgar.

The dog jumped up, ran up, fingering with short crooked paws, began to ask for affection.

- Oh, you're my drooling barrel! - The beating on the withers was so pleasant to him that the dog began to trample on the carpet with his hind paw. “Now leave me.

Gladstone rushed off into the yard to track down squirrels, firmly believing that even in winter luck would smile on him in hunting, but I pulled the folders, copies of the file on the Moranjaks, to me and began to leaf through them again.

“Master, dinner is served.

- Wait...

Tanya is waiting.

I sighed, gathered up my papers and slammed the folder shut, putting my red glasses back on. Not a single muscle twitched in Sebastina's face, but I knew she noticed everything.

“I don’t want to make Tanya worry ahead of time.

“Veils are not eternal, master.

- Look who's Talking! Actually, I think it's time for you to change your hairstyle.

"You don't like my hair, master?"

- I like the hair, but let it lie somehow differently. Let everyone see what a noble high forehead you have. And sharp vestigial horns.

The maid winced slightly.

“Your message just arrived with the constable.

“Must be the results of an established observation.

She removed her hand with the envelope behind her back as I extended mine.

“Dinner first, master.

And it's useless to argue. Sometimes I'm not sure which one of us should give orders to whom.

- They must be reporting that they found the indicated people. Although Starkrar is huge, finding the coal miner and his family shouldn't be a problem for the servants of the law, especially if these people are not in hiding. Will wait.

Tanya came down to dinner in a formal dress of soft, creamy white with a high, narrow collar and the profile of my young great-grandmother on a neck pendant. Very nice. I did not think about the origin of these things (mother's dress and antique custom jewelry), not wanting to embarrass the guest. In any case, my mother's style does not suit this tanya at all, my mother was beautiful and gentle, somewhat reminiscent of a chamois, as Yves says. When men looked at her, a desire arose in them to protect her, to close this fragile delicate flower from the hurricanes that walk in the world. Perhaps it was this feeling that my father was guided by when he left the Darkness and followed the woman into her world, agreeing to accept its laws and way of life, endure the hatred and provocations of the tenkris, instead of tearing out their hearts, as his nature dictated to him. The beauty of the nameless Tanya also has its own nature, and the essence of this nature is fire. Tanya does not remember herself, and therefore she certainly reminds me of a lioness who suddenly decided that she was an antelope. Interestingly, she does not remember her native name, but she remembers how to hold a spoon, back, head, how to put a napkin on her knees and how to arrange cutlery so that the servants do not add soup to the bowl. We ate the first course in silence, under the ticking of the clock. Melinda, snoring loudly with effort, collected the dishes, the procedure for changing dishes began. We ate the first course in silence, under the ticking of the clock. Melinda, snoring loudly with effort, collected the dishes, the procedure for changing dishes began. We ate the first course in silence, under the ticking of the clock. Melinda, snoring loudly with effort, collected the dishes, the procedure for changing dishes began.

– Dear Tanya, I think we need to discuss one position.

Raised eyebrows, wide eyes, slightly pursed lips. I feel a slight touch of her fear, Tanya does not know what to expect from me.

“I'm still counting on Scoalt Yard to find out who you are and where you're from. However, while they are looking, I need to call you something. What name would you like to borrow?

She shrugged her shoulders, as it seemed to me, embarrassed. This is really strange, why is it so hard for me to feel her emotions?

“Nothing comes to my mind, my thane…

- If you are satisfied with this forced anonymity, I am in no way against it, the main thing is that you feel more comfortable and ...

- No, no, this is a very good idea ... And I will definitely come up with ...

- If you want, I will provide you with a collection of female names, really, I did not think that this book would ever come in handy ...

“Thank you so much, my tan…

I don't remember the last time there was such an awkward silence during a conversation with a lady. In my youth, I did not enjoy special attention, derogatory, perhaps, and therefore I always knew how to most sharply and witty siege any tanya who decided to play a trick on me, and I never had any awkward pauses.

“Louie cooked a sturgeon fillet today, master.

Sebastina brought in a huge tray in each hand, without straining or shuddering. In the shadow of the impeccable maid, poor Melinda huddled with one tray, the cutlery on which bounced like fleas in a frying pan. The dinner continued. Saved Sebastine from another bout of awkward silence.

“Master, you have a visitor.

- To the office.

“I think it would be better for you to talk to the visitor at the door. And after dinner.

- Now. I'm sorry, Tanya, but things do not leave me.

“I understand, Thane el'Moria, please, just don't let my presence get in the way of you.

I left the dining room.

Sebastina really did not let the visitor go beyond the threshold. I did not give her such orders, but my maid was very zealous about cleanliness in the house, and cleanliness is primarily not the absence of dust and dirt, but a picky selection of individuals allowed into the house. A young ragamuffin smelling of the doorway will definitely not add cleanliness to the house, my maid reasoned.

How can I help, young man?

The boy tore off a rumpled oversized bowler hat from his unkempt head and began to knead it in his hands, trying to avoid direct eye contact.

“P-sorry, noble Thane, for daring to distract you, but aren’t you Thane Brian el’Moria?”

- That's my name. What can I do?

- It's not you, that is, I, that is ... Help you ...

- Short and to the point.

“Word got around that you were looking for jewels,” he blurted out.

“And do you know where they are?”

“I heard the description of the jewelry, old Yosi read it aloud, I myself didn’t…”

“Don’t be distracted, young man, what did you see?”

“A couple of pendants, my tan, white gold, four-carat diamonds, and—”

However, he cannot read, but he can determine the cost of jewelry by eye. Street.

- Where?

“At Bruckheimer’s pawnshop, he… He’s Samashiit, d-holds the pawnshop on his index finger…”

Forefinger, as I know, one of the five streets converging on Five Fingers Square, the very heart of Cherny.

“Sebastina, let them serve something to warm the young man and something more satisfying while I get dressed!” Find a crew, we're going to Chern.

- Listen, master.

At least the gentlemen of Scoalt Yard are succeeding in something! For example, they can quickly disseminate orientations.

The carriage rolls over the bridge over the Oestra. Aldorn is left on the other side, and we are driving into Bedbug. Gray and dirty, stone houses two or three stories high, a whole labyrinth of lanes and alleys. The area is crossed from west to east by a railroad built by the Quinops decades ago and has since been renovated several times. They say that when they presented the drawings to the Emperor and explained the concept, he said that they were completely crazy there and that this would never happen. But here they are, the rails, on which huge terrible animals regularly walk, exuding steam and smoke - loci.

– Who is going? I shouted to the coachman when the carriage stopped in front of the lowered barrier, and the rumble of the approaching mechanism intensified so that my heart involuntarily sank.

"Whistling Tom, my thane!"

I smiled - "Whistling Tom", an old acquaintance! The first large locus that departed from the KGM station and carried the first passengers to Luzheburg free of charge. Before him, small and weak mechanisms scurried along the rails, in which there were no souls. Then the chinopses had not yet created a way to engraft the soul and built lifeless machines. I was there that day and I remember how I felt. The soul of the locus loudly bucked and roared inside the steel belly, it rushed forward, rushed to the east, announcing to the whole world that "Whistling Tom" from now on goes on rails! Then it seemed that the world would never be the same again. Even I understood this, although I was still a child. The world has really changed, entered a new era. The era of steam and coal, where peoples move forward along with progress. Progress brought us clouds of black smoke over Starkrar, ash snow,

Black, Ghar and Clay are the working quarters of Starkrar. Those who live in these long houses, built for many small families, are mostly honest subjects, but it is better not to go here alone in the evenings. The locals really don't like outsiders, especially the rich. Fortunately for the latter, they have absolutely nothing to do in the workers' districts. Factories and manufactories belonging to the leading Mesk industrialists are located here. Long wide shops. Pipes that smoke day and night cover everything around with soot and soot. To the northwest of Koposhilka and Cherni lies the Armory District. Its real name is Welinkton, but it is rarely called that. There are enterprises of special importance, factories and plants of the Ontis Corporation. The entire territory of the Armory is under the control of one man, Ontis Bur, the main arms manufacturer of the empire.

The Five Fingers Square, like all five streets that branch off from it, is considered the business center of Cherni. On Five Fingers there is a rickety mansion of the district government and the so-called workers' club, and on the neighboring streets most of the shops and stores, a bank branch, hairdressers, and several drinking establishments are concentrated.

“This is no place for a noble thane, master.

“I'm not going to settle here, Sebastina. I just want to go to one little pawnshop.

Establishments and houses owned by Samashiites must by law be marked with a special sign - a red vertical stripe on the jamb or in another prominent place. This had once been insisted upon by the followers of the All-Father, and the Emperor, who did not see much difference between the religions of men, had to agree so that only the clerics would stop yelling through their people in the lower house of Parliament. In my opinion, this strip did not bring anything sensible. She only reminded the Samashiites that they were strangers in this city and this state.

The red stripe adorns only one house on the index finger. Sebastina swung around me with ease, and with the ringing of bells, she opened the door for me.

Small, dimly lit, but clean room. A glazed counter, two kerosene lamps on the wall, and between them the image of Karim. A rather ugly monstrous creature that the Samashiites revere as their god. Incense candles are still smoldering in front of the image, filling the room with a cloyingly sweet smell.

- Good day.

Behind the counter appeared a stout man of medium height, looking about sixty years old. As befits a samashiite, he wears a mustache and beard, and is dressed in things of strict black color. His hair is separated by an even parting from the forehead to the back of the head, and along this parting stretches a long line, applied with a special red paint.

“It is a great honor to host a noble thane in my humble establishment.

“Yes, it’s huge,” I agreed, examining the sparkles under the glass. Nothing worthy of attention, different little things and nothing more. - But, it seems to me, undeserved. Tell me, my dear, is there anything real here? I understand this is a pawnshop, not a jewelry store somewhere in the Gardens, but still.

“I can offer the Tanu magnificent pearl pendants.

Pearls, of course! Nothing attracts Tanya's eyes like the luster of mother-of-pearl! The pearl is a symbol of the moon, the most valuable decoration for tenkris. No wonder he suggested it to me in the first place.

– Pendants are definitely good. And if they are made of white gold and studded with four-carat diamonds, then this is completely perfect!

Excitement, fear, regret. Nothing showed on his face, but everything turned upside down in his soul.

“My name is Brian el'Moria, Mr. Bruckheimer. Do you know who I am?

“Yes, my thane,” the Samashiit replied quietly. “Your name is known to everyone in this city.

- This is very bad. Honest people should not even guess what the name of the High Interrogator of the Night Watch is. Let's talk about pendants. It is in your interest to be frank, for your life now depends on it.

He didn't persist or lie. Bruckheimer spoke honestly about who brought to his pawnshop and pawned four gold pendants studded with diamonds. By law, there had to be a certain amount of time before these pieces of jewelry could show up on display, but Bruckheimer had no intention of just selling them. He had some contacts established through which he could sell the goods and make a good amount of money from this.

- Buying and reselling stolen goods. Five years of hard labor.

- My dance...

- Speak, Mr. Bruckheimer, I'm listening.

- This man's name was Emil, just a guy, a cardboard carrier, judging by the pronunciation. Twisted red, ungainly, as if all from the same elbows.

“And where does this Emil get such,” I turned my palm so that the gold pendants sparkled in the dim light, “beautiful tsatski?”

“It is not customary in my business to be interested in such details, my thane.

Like all Samashiites, this one was admirably able to keep a straight face, even confessing to a crime. Most people behave in a special way when they admit to wrongdoing. It always seemed to me that when committing crimes, a person negotiates with himself so that in his inner world he does not consider a misdemeanor a misconduct. This makes it easier for people to put up with themselves. Tenkris are not like that, when we commit crimes, we do not suffer from conscience. Confidence in our rightness and ruthlessness towards our enemies are natural for us, like breathing.

“Are you going to do something about this man, master?”

- No, there is no need.

He bought stolen goods.

“It may sound racist, but all Samashiites are not clean if they are money changers, moneylenders and pawnbrokers. Further, discrimination by type of profession - all moneylenders, money changers and pawnshop owners are not clean at hand. In the meantime, they also pay taxes. After all, if this person were crystal honest, who knows how much longer we would have been looking for a new thread?

“I bow to your logic, master.

"But you don't support me, do you?"

– The servant is required to be absolutely faithful, diligent and irreproachable, his opinion does not matter. A good servant should not have an opinion at all.

Sometimes it seems to me that she goes too far.

“Give it to the blind veteran, noble Thane!” howled a bald-headed beggar in black glasses hoarsely, holding out a trembling hand towards me.

Where are we now, master? Sebastina asked, brushing her hands off as she gently tossed the beggar away.

Let's go to the work club.

“This is not a proper place for a noble thane.

I stopped and turned around.

- Master?

"Something strange is in the air, don't you think?"

- What, master?

- Don't know. But, I'm afraid that by the time I realize what seemed strange to me now, it will be too late.

- Burr?

- Maybe. We're going to the work club.

“There are plenty of places in Starkrar where your appearance won't do that much damage to your reputation. Madame Penelope's salon, for example.

“Even drinking with ratlings under the Last Bridge won't hurt my reputation, Sebastina. Not to mention the fact that the nobility of the capital even now, when I appear, becomes like prunes - it darkens and wrinkles. Someone has to do the dirty work too. Tuzz.

“Ah, we are going to visit Mr. Tuzz!” she muttered without emotion. - I apologize for my ignorance.