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Time Of Traitors 53
Do you need a vampire hunter? You are late with this, father. All vampire hunters were rooted out by the vampires themselves long before your great-grandfather was born, may the ashes of the d'ahi be preserved forever and ever."It's not the vampire that needs to be killed," Khalsa said. “A witch who lives in the swamps. Can you?- A witch? Swamp or what?Khalsa nodded.- Have you heard?“I heard some talk, but I didn’t think she bothered you, d’ahger.“Witches always get in the way. They cause damage and confuse the souls of those of little faith. Did you know witches who help people?- It's different...- Are you kidding me?- A little. It's all wine. Let me ask you, why haven't you yourself killed that witch who bothers you so much?“There are too many links between us and her for me not to fall into a trap on the outskirts of her dwelling. Believe me, not only the weak in spirit dance to her tune, but many forest creatures obey her orders. So going to her as part of an armed detac
Time Of Traitors 54
If only she knew where this "sunset" is!The weather was disgusting, it already seemed to Nitsiri that she had seen the sun in a past life. The loose layer of snow that covered the forest did not make her task any easier - under the heavy branches of the reefs, even on a sunny day, twilight reigned, and now a haze of gray clouds lay in the sky. She walked almost blindly, constantly risking falling somewhere, stumbling and chipping her hands with thorns. How much time had passed since the moment when she talked with her "guide", she did not know - for some reason it seemed that Nitsiri was wandering around this wind-blown forest for almost an eternity, and would still wander until the end of her days. When darkness nevertheless descended on the branches of the trees, Vikta could not really distinguish ahead even her palm, which she brought directly to her face. Before eyes loomed some kind of pale spot.“Freaks,” she hissed under her breath, once again clinging to another prickly root
Time Of Traitors 55
At first, the khamer kept showing up between the trees, and Vikta often felt his empty eyes on her, but at some point the monster decided not to show up at all. Nitsiri walked in the indicated direction and did not see the freak for a whole day, but in the evening he appeared again to laugh at her and tell her how much she had deviated from the right path. Khamer was obviously upset that he had to mess with the nitsiri shrew, adapt to her steps, and not deal with more important Khamer affairs.Vikta was not particularly upset that the shorty began to meet her less often - the sight of the Khamer did not cause anything but dumbfoundment, but each time Nitsiri began to worry when the sun began to set over the tops of the trees, and she was left alone in a dark, unfriendly forest.- What are you slow, kralya. Just awful! he complained, growing out of the ground.“You can pick me up and carry me if you’re so worried,” Vikta threw at him when she was getting ready for the night. During the
Time Of Traitors 56
- That's it - fluff! he spread his paws. “There was also a cat that pricked up its ears at him. We thought that a stupid animal would at least throw itself into the bushes, and then we would devour it. But he didn’t, he ran under the wall, the bastard. Then your friend began to get hysterical, he sparkled all over. Pooh! – and disappeared. Apparently the cat was important: he himself wanted to eat this, so he was upset.Where could he have gone, do you know? Vikta didn't understand.“Anywhere,” the Khamer chuckled. “But I personally think that he entered Barandarud in such an original way. And now it could be anywhere.“I don’t understand anything,” Vikta shook her head. She just cracked from this nonsense. “How can you enter a city but end up anywhere?”“And Barandarud is anywhere, krrral,” the freak purred. - Only Karakyrzhyrak and his brood know where the city will appear next and when it will happen. Barandarud does not like to wait and he is bored to stand in one place. He may or
Time Of Traitors 57
Sleep did not come. She got worse and worse. There was no hope left in my head, but only bitterness and anger at myself. Nitsiri will never find her brother. And there is no Barandarud, there are only stupid tales with which this khamer has powdered her brains. And Sareth was not there. Just because of his usual negligence and pride, one cold evening, the brother did not throw grass into the fire and woke up already from the fact that the Khamers were gnawing at his legs.This is how she ends her days. Now nitsiri will close her eyes and fall asleep, and when she opens, her friendly companion will tear pieces of meat from her. And his brothers, who are probably now hiding right under the ground, will be friendly to hold her hands and lick their lips.She didn't even want to light a fire. What's the point? It will only help cannibals soften her meat. The philosopher's stone warmed her palms so pleasantly, her talent warmed her insides, reaching her heels with its warmth. She will prote
Time Of Traitors 58
When he and Khalsa appeared in the courtyard, where a dozen dog-heads were honing their combat skills, the training was immediately cut short. Those present at the appearance of d'ahger moved to a respectful distance and bowed respectfully as one. The only ones that did not move were tall wooden idols, trowels carved from solid trunks, but not as cyclopean in size as the one on which they were now located. Large, dirty red patches marked the sand under each of the wooden slabs, adorned with bizarre features. Menacing eyes followed Kres every step as he and Khalsa walked along a path flanked by poles dug into the ground, at the top of each sticking out the head of a wolf, a bear, a rok'hee, and some other fanged creature. There were also freshly killed rat and human skulls,Train in the very center of a gloomy temple? It was quite in the spirit of rock'hi.Once again the metal rang out from all directions as the rok'hee tried to make up for lost time.“That's all,” Khalsa grunted, look
Time Of Traitors 59
That "you" the boy did not finish, but allowed himself further. Cres, grinning impudently, ran after him. Vassa moved so easily and noiselessly through the forest that Kres felt like a drunken barefoot in a shop with crystal. Now he tried to step as softly as possible and once again not to disturb the bushes, which were here in abundance. He did not take his eyes off the distant branches, expecting to see a “nest” with a vigilant sentinel on each.- Pied Piper!- What? - Cres almost ran into him, the kid stopped so abruptly.- Quiet you! - the boy pulled him by the jacket and whispered in his ear. - Over there in that tree...Vassa squatted down, and they crawled a couple of steps to the side. Then the wolf cub gently lowered a branch of a thorny bush and stuck out a finger in the direction of a sweeping giant. Cres narrowed his eyes and peered painfully into the cloud of gray leaves that the boy pointed to, but he could not understand what Vassa was pointing to. He never complained a
Time Of Traitors 60
The first sign of the close refuge of the forest witch was a human face. It was half buried in the ground and emerged from the soft, swampy soil with a long, crooked nose and magnificent mustaches. Kres at first took him for an ugly stone and wanted to sit right on it, but in time he noticed a huge, evil eye staring at the sky.- And why is it so? Kres asked, looking at the buried giant.- He was rude, probably. So they dug up uncle.“Poor fellow… How much longer?”No, we're almost there. Maybe at least now tell me why you go to Bolotikha?Cres looked doubtfully at the gigantic face, but still allowed himself to sit down on the very tip of his nose. Vassa preferred to settle down on a fallen tree.– Khalsa needs women to stop going to the swamp. And no one went. Never.- You mean never?- In direct.- Are you going?- Yeah. Remove the curse of the Swamp.Vassa immediately haggard and turned pale. It seemed that a sudden gust of wind would blow the boy away. He sat with his eyes fixed