40

Lesana was cleaning the sorrel. The fussy birds flapped their wings, screamed, dropped their feathers. Then they calmed down and sedately sat down on the perches, waiting for food. The girl cleaned the cages, poured water, threw the bones left over from the dinner she had learned into the feeders, sprinkled bread crumbs.

Voracious rattlers rushed to the delicacy, cursing and trampling. The novice paid no attention to them, mindlessly doing her work. Her thoughts drifted far, far away. To a memorable and terrible night, when she made a wild, unworthy resident of the Citadel and a warrior fighter.

She let go of the walker. Not just a walking one - a bloodsucker with a cub! I saw them as people! Led out of the fortress to freedom. She stunned Tamir, who, keeping a sober mind, was going to stop her. She spoke out against a friend, against a guardian. And for whom? For the undead! These thoughts made me so ashamed and sick that I wanted to howl.

But, despite the gnawing feeling of guilt