The Mist and the Lightning. Part VII

Karina froze on the threshold, not looking back, she seemed to force herself to step over it:

“Goodbye, Dony!”

“Good luck!”

*  *  *

“I just had to do my job well. Damn!” Karina angrily kicked the column to which her horse was tied.

Well, Dony may go to hell. She is afraid of something, very afraid, that's for sure. Well, okay! All the same, it doesn’t matter, and nothing will change. Nothing. It is so?

Chapter seven

Karina and Zara

Everything was different with Zara. She herself opened the door for her. She had a small apartment on the very border of “Upper” and “Lower”, most likely not even an apartment, but a little room. Pretty poor thing.

“I was sleeping,” Zara explained languidly, “I apologize for making you wait…”

And Karina looked at her in all eyes and couldn’t hide it. This girl Zara… she was pretty sweet, maybe even beautiful, but with some rude predatory beauty. And most importantly, she was all covered in tattoos. The short towel which she turned around herself didn’t really cover anything. Legs, arms… When she lazily straightened her black hair, Karina saw that even her armpits were tattooed. “Gods! It's probably terribly painful!” Flashed through Karina's head. She saw black patterns on the temples of Zara, and they obviously continued on and moved to the forehead, only they were hidden by a thick long bang. For some reason, Karina became very interested in what was tattooed on Zara’s forehead, under this fringe.

“I work in the evening, I dance,” Zara said, “and during the day I sleep. Now… I will show you all my documents. I have all the documents. I've been checked many times already.”

“You dance?”

“Yes, striptease,” Zara grinned, “in one eatery nearby, but this is not forbidden, right? I'm not a prostitute!”

“It’s interesting what makes people cover their bodies with tattoos like this, go dance striptease, how crappy her life should have been, why did she do that with herself,” thought Karina.

“That's all here,” Zara handed Karina a stack of stamp papers.

“I believe you.”

Zara shrugged.

“Then what do you need? Will you drink something? But I only have strong drinks,” she grimaced in a smile, and, having folded in a certain way the filter of a cheap cigarette, lit it.

“Yes, I’ll have a drink,” Karina agreed, not believing her ears. For some reason, next to this girl, she immediately wanted to drink, just looking at her, no other thought came to her mind. Well, what else to do with her? Only to drink!”

“Ah, great!” Zara yawned and slowly walked over to the loose buffet.

“One person bought me out. My owner. In his will, he wrote that he freed all his slaves after his death. He was alone. And old,” Zara handed Karina a small glass filled to the brim with a dark, sharp-smelling liquid.

Karina drank it in one gulp.

“You don't look like a snoop,” said Zara, “however, I’m saying that all the documents are in order. I am a free city dweller now. I wish the kingdom of heaven to my lord. And let him feast with the Gods at the same table forever!”

“He freed all his slaves?”

 “Yes. I was very lucky,” Zara drank her glass too:

 “Some more?”

Karina nodded.

“The old man was very kind.”

“I know that your documents are in order, and this person made sure that you did not have problems with the law. Well, only if you yourself don’t make them.”

Zara raised her thickly blackened eyebrows:

“I am not looking for adventures.”

“I hope so. Friends should also be chosen with caution.”

“Clear. I have practically no friends. Rather, I don’t have them at all, with friends it’s only an extra mess, I know this, life has taught me.”

“No doubt.”

“Well, so which of my friends did you come to talk about? I have nothing to hide.”

 “Do you know Atley Alis?”

Zara wrinkled her nose, remembering.

“He is calles Lis,” Karina remarked curiously and wondered if Zara noticed how treacherously her voice trembled.

“Ah! Lis!” Zara laughed. “He’s a scum! But charming! No. He is not my friend! And not even a buddy. He dropped in a couple of times, gave a long song and dance.” She abruptly moved closer to Karina, causing her to involuntarily recoil.

“He promised that he would promote me and make me the King’s mistress. He said he had influential friends in the palace, everything was a complete chatter!” Zara stood up abruptly, again pouring herself a glass and lighting another cigarette, “Where is all his promised?! Chatterbox! There’s only one benefit from him – at least he fucks well. Beautifully takes a woman… Hey! Are you leaving?! Did I say something wrong? Who are you?”

“Heck!” Said Zara to herself, when Karina hastily ran out the door, “Was it a snoop, or his girlfriend? Oh shit!”

And she laughed.

Chapter eight

The ball (the beginning)

“No,” Karina raised her voice, “I don't believe you!”

“Believe me,” Clive Gabriel grimaced in a smile, he was sitting in her room now, as at home, drinking strong coffee with alcohol and bulging his already bulged eyes. And he also was saying terrible things.