The headmistress came closer and suddenly covered my hand with hers.
I want to give you some advice, Blackrock. Don't rely too much on your father once you get there. And don't boast about his name. Family ties in such matters are not always for the good. And second: the Academy of Wind and Storms is filled to capacity, albeit still young, but already men. Men can be unrestrained in their impulses, so I want to give you something. Here. She took a pendant on a chain from her pocket and placed it in my palm.
It turned out to be an asymmetrical transparent crystal, lined with black stripes on the inside. All in all, it was about as beautiful as Grymza herself, and would have looked great as her decoration.
What is this?
I stared at the headmistress, wondering why I needed such a trinket and how it would help at the academy.
Grymza broke into a knowing smile:
Ugly, huh? I remained silent so as not to lie to my face, and the headmistress condescended to explain: This is an artifact of a distortion of appearance.
Forgive me, Ashsheri Director, I am sincerely grateful to you and I understand that your gift contains some deep meaning that, due to my age and stupidity, I simply cannot grasp. Could you give me a little hint? I smiled guiltily, hoping that they wouldnt drag me out of the gig, completely disappointed in the choice of candidate.
Why is it unclear? If you need to hide your beauty, just put it on your neck and imagine what you need. Scars, burns, sour mine, just a faded appearance, a tired, painful appearance, warts, whatever!
Warts?!
I finally stopped understanding what she was talking about and batted my eyelashes.
Oh, my girl! Nothing can cool a man's ardor more than the right wart at the right time and in the right place. Understood?
It seems This is all for disguise, right?
For camouflage, Grymza repeated after me and grinned condescendingly. Youre a smart girl, youll figure it out on your own when the time comes. Do not lose. A rare thing. Most likely, the second one does not exist. The master did it.
Suddenly I realized that she was looking at me almost affectionately. And her face didnt look so stern now.
Eshsheri director, and you Dont you need it anymore? Having blurted out the question, I fell silent and swallowed, afraid of my own courage.
It was necessary to blurt out such a thing! And to whom!
But the headmistress only broke into a surprisingly pleasant smile.
Grymzas mask has grown on me over the years, baby. People here are afraid of fire, so I really dont need the amulet anymore. Its not like fifty years ago, when I, a girl not much older than you, was forced to take the reins of the boarding house into my own hands. Believe me, it wasnt easy she shared. All. Enough chatter. Touch it! the headmistress commanded the elderly, silent driver. Good luck, Blackrock! Show them all there!
Raising her fist, Grymza smiled at me and, without turning around, headed into the building. I followed her with my gaze until her straight, tall figure disappeared behind the door, and then looked forward to a bright future.
Chapter 2
There were a dozen Travel Bureau stations in Verlor, the capital of the Onyx Rocks, but I had to leave from the same one where I had once arrived with my father. The journey to it from the guesthouse took about forty minutes, and while we were driving, it began to get dark. Reacting to the deepening twilight, bright magic lanterns began to blink on the streets, flooding the area with a cozy, warm light. I admired the beautiful houses of wealthy capital city residents and the majestic building of the theater, which made an indelible impression on me I had the opportunity to visit there once with other students.
Sitting in the gig driven by the silent Batmore, I gazed at the noble Eshsheri leisurely strolling in the autumn park with their smart daughters and husbands. At the carriages rushing past. On thoroughbred, well-trained horses with equally thoroughbred riders. To tastefully decorated shop windows. For fountains that dont freeze even in winter. She looked and smiled involuntarily, sincerely enjoying every moment.
Eh! Still, there are advantages in the life of a magician! Did I think, running around the castle courtyard with the boys, that this would happen to me? That one day I will be able to travel alone without parental supervision?
As we moved away from the center, the houses became darker in appearance. Their narrow dark windows did not please with bright light and pretty curtains, but frightened with bars and iron shutters the industrial quarter had begun. Buildings of factories and factories stretched out, where magic and craft were intertwined, producing metal products known throughout Balaria: from rune swords to cart wheel rims. From magical jewelry forging to ordinary scythes and sickles. Only at the boarding school did I learn what an important place my native land occupies in the world. How many inventors and scientists are born, and how rich in metals and jewels its depths are, the guardians of which from time immemorial were the ruling families of onyx dragons.
Having passed industrial areas, we found ourselves in residential ones. There were also shops and shops here, but with simpler display windows. Dim lights were burning in the windows, and the shadows of residents preparing dinner flickered. A rollicking melody came from some tavern, and the bright magic lanterns had long since been replaced by dim lanterns that gave off a deathly green color. Because of him, the faces of people rushing from work seemed especially sallow, and a staggering drunkard could easily be mistaken for a zombie.
And in some alleys there was no lighting at all. A noisy group tumbled out of one of these straight onto the roadway, frightening our horse. The driver had to use an air wave to gently push the revelers to the side of the road. Drunken swearing followed, but the phlegmatic Bathmore silently whipped the reins, urging the brown filly on.
My father and I passed these places in the morning, and then they did not look so dangerous. Feeling uncomfortable, I hid deeper into the phaeton and, just in case, grabbed the handle of the bag, regretting that I was not traveling in a carriage, but in an open carriage. There was only a short distance to the stationthree or four blockswhen I felt a magical tension in the atmosphere. The hairs on my arms stood up and a specific chill ran down my back. Wary, I turned my head, looking around the street with an unfocused gaze. I was still incapable of doing more, but this simple technique allowed me to see exactly where magic was used.
Stop! Stop! I shouted to the driver, but Bathmore was already pulling on the reins.
He managed a moment before a man was thrown out of a nearby alley by the horse's feet, mercilessly slamming onto the pavement.
The air wave at the end reflected from the wall of the building opposite, scattering dust, small debris and dry leaves on the sides. Screaming in fear, I stared wide-eyed at the body that Batmore was trying to avoid. But the filly neighed and fought, not wanting to go further. Meanwhile, the tension of magic intensified. Ahead of us, drifting snow ran from building to building, swirling in the uncertain light of the streetlights like thick steam. Along the line she drew, a real palisade of thick icicles grew. Do not go around or jump over!
Following the driver's quick glance back, I realized that the same fence blocked our way back.
Whats going on today! Batmore could not stand it and tried to take it to the left so as not to run over the victim with his wheel.