"What happened?" A chorus of questions met him.
"Nothing." Orel managed to regain control.
"You look even worse than the servant did!"
"I said everything's all right. Tol, pour me some coffee," he ordered in annoyance.
Gulping his coffee, he looked at Lis.
"Lis," he said quietly, "I could've killed him ten times right now, do you hear me? Ten times! And I'll spit at your face if you say he was giving in to me on purpose."
"Is it true?"
"Yes!"
"I don't know," Lis said shakily, "I don't know."
"I know," Orel interrupted him. "He trusts me and he isn't dangerous to us."
Nikto slowly walked down the stairs and approached the company.
"Hello," he said.
"Good morning," Tol waved to him. "You don't look good, you know."
"Orel, may I sit with my back to the window?" Nikto asked.
"Fine," Orel said. "Enriki, let him sit in your place."
Enriki exchanged places with Nikto in surprise. Now Nikto was sitting on the right from Orel, next to Lis. He took a cup silently and started drinking.
"Nikto, you didn't warn me the daylight caused you such problems," Orel said, "and today isn't even sunny."
"I'm okay," Nikto said, "I've just forgotten when I got up in the morning for the last time."
"I wouldn't say you're okay," Orel said. "You're totally NOT okay, in fact."
He leaned towards Nikto.
"Loot at me."
Nikto slowly looked up.
"Tell me the truth, do you see anything?"
"Yes," Nikto said quietly but firmly. He lowered his eyes again.
"What are you talking about?" Tol asked in surprise.
"The thing is, my friend Tol, Nikto doesn't see shit when it's light!"
Lis turned to Orel in astonishment.
"It can't be!"
"Oh fuck," Enriki said.
"Is he like an owl?" Tol asked.
"I don't know! Maybe, even worse than an owl!"
"I can see!" Nikto said defiantly.
"Really? What is Tol holding? Answer me!"
Tol froze in fear with a piece of bun in his hand. Nikto even didn't glance at him.
"Orel, I'm all right."
"What is Tol holding?"
"Orel…"
"What is Tol holding, fuck you!"
"Bread, bread," Nikto hissed. "He's holding bread."
Tol frantically put the bun back.
"Orel, stop it. Please?" he said.
"Nikto, don't get on my nerves," Orel said. "If you do, you'll regret it."
"What do you want from me?"
"Truth."
"Yes, the light blinded me at first but now it's all right, A few more days and my eyes change their mode completely. My vision will be better than yours."
"We are going out and it is much lighter in the street than it is here!"
"I'll put on sunglasses."
"Fine, we'll see." Orel took out a sheet of paper from his pocket. "It's your pass to the Upper City. You just have to put your name into it. Your name will be Nik – I decided to call you that. Tol, give us ink and a quill. Can you write it yourself?" He gave the paper to Nikto.
"Enough of testing me!" Nikto took the quill and wrote confidently: Nik To.
Orel smiled.
"Good. Name is Nik, family name is To."
The friends laughed.
"All right, put on your mask and sunglasses, I don't know how you're going to put them both, and we're going to the city. Does your horse see by day?"
"Yes," Nikto snapped.
"Let's go! Enough stuffing yourself, Tol, we're leaving."
"Nikto, put on some gloves, too," Enriki added. "Your hands are somewhat…"
"I got it."
They rode through the castle gates: first Orel on his black beauty, without a mask and a hood; his dark-brown hair streamed in the wind. Lis followed him, then Enriki, Nikto and the last was Tol.
