Part 41: Chapter Eleven - pt.5

Poor thing lost her voice. I sympathize with her, because she acts nonchalant – I’m not big on miserable people. I have a strong feeling that she is suffering for someone else's sins. She expects every new day to be her last. Few would be able to withstand such torture.




Anna pretends to be tormented, but it seems to me that even that is an act. If she were wanted in connection with the February rebellion or that caravan of throat abductors, she would have been caught years ago. No, that is not the fate she is running from. The Ace of Diamonds’ Caravan has had just as sinister an effect on her life as it had on everything it touched – but what was it?




I can see my fate in your eyes.
It may turn out to be different from what you expect. Anna, listen to me. I am the harbinger of your death. It is for you to choose what it will be like.
I want my death to be easy. Could you let me die without suffering?
Do you want to die as a zealot and a martyr? Do you want to save thousands of children’s lives?
How is it possible?
I shall lay my hands onto you and let you die Simon Kain’s death – if you agree to give all your blood to the people as he did.
You will take my blood?
To the last drop, Anna. You won’t feel any pain. Only happiness.
I believe you.
Do you agree?
If you promise that they will remember my name with fondness... Let them remember me as a singer.
We all shall die, Anna. You might live longer than many yet...



I still need to find four three Adherents willing to give their lives so that the town can live and grow as before.



A strong man in every sense of the word. Could break someone’s neck just as easily as he can reduce a dislocated joint. Self-trained, but gifted. Everything he does is for the others – never for himself. A selfless man. A man of principle. You can rely on him.




He is old Burakh’s best pupil. A stubborn, wilful man. You can’t stop him from doing what he thinks is «right», you can’t reason with him. Has no respect for anyone’s authority, except for his late mentor...




This is not a good time...
Is there ever a good time for this?



What is he? He runs the warehouses, but he’s not a storeman. There's a whole brotherhood of those thugs out there. They run their affairs out of sight of Big Vlad. Have their own twyre gatherers, their own hatchet men... They are known to use weapons, which is something of a faux pas around here. But twyrine they brew is top-notch...




His real name is Grigori Filin; the thieves call him Father Grigori, even though he’s still a punk. Griff controls the underworld. They trade in everything that is forbidden. My father has to put up with him because his grip on the workers is strong. If only we could negotiate with the Order directly, there would be no need in these parasitic middlemen...




Everybody dies... You die like you live... Some ascend, some plummet down...
Griff, listen to me. I’m the harbinger of your death. It is for you to choose what it will be like.
I was expecting something like that... Can see a future Mistress from a mile away. Speak, I’m all ears.
Do you want to die as a zealot, a martyr, a saviour of your people?
Yes, Mistress. It is the kind of death I wanted. Like it’s really possible...
I shall lay my hands onto you and let you die Simon Kain’s death – if you agree to give your blood to the people as he did.
Simon? Simon was a demigod. His blood... yeah, Stakh told me about his blood. It wasn’t human. If some folks are said to have blue blood, then his blood must have been silver.
After I lay my hands onto you, you’ll have gold, silver and cobalt running through your veins. You’ll see it next time you cut yourself on accident.
With blood like that, I’ll watch out for sharp objects!
Do you agree then?
I agree... What else do I have? I’m even grateful...
And you won’t deny your words tomorrow?
No, I won’t, Mistress.
You better not. Farewell.



I still need to find three two Adherents willing to give their lives so that the town can live and grow as before.