"I will never, never listen to you again, Lis," Tol said wiping his lips.
"Right, Tol. You should think with your own head," Lis agreed lighting a cigarette.
"And have your own opinion," Squint-Eye added.
"And do you have your own opinion about it?" Tol looked at Squint-Eye.
"Of course, I do."
"And what is it?"
"It is mine. It is mine and I don't have to share it with anyone. Lis can say whatever he wants, it's his right. If I wanted, I could have said something, too, but I don't, and it's my right.
"And what do you think, Enriki?"
"I think we are all right," Enriki made himself say. "It was Lis's fantasy about a conspiracy."
"I also think so," Tol started, and Lis smiled barely noticeably when hearing how confidently Tol said it. "I also think that Nikto cannot be in conspiracy with the Unclean against us, because he hates them. And he likes us, he even likes you, Lis."
"Now, Tol, you have your own opinion, congratulations." Lis took a deep drag, narrowing his eyes, hiding sharp glitter in them behind his auburn eyelashes.
Tol smiled and leaned to Asa, hugging her.
"I'm so glad you're with me," he purred. She smiled back at him.
"Make her learn Black," Lis said to Tol.
"Yes, Lis, you're right," he agreed. "But I can't make her! It's the same as if someone made me learn her fucking Unclean – I'll never do it! We're both alike, both are stubborn."
Enriki wanted to say something but turned around, hearing steps on the stairs. Mina walked down to the hall. She was dressed up lavishly: in a white fur coat, with strings of pearls in her golden hair.
"Where is the master?" Her voice was tender like a creek water. "He ordered me to come down by this time, he promised to take me to 'Backara'." She was confused and a little upset but tried not to show it.
"If he promised, he will," Lis said confidently. "Wait for him."
"If he leaves his room today at all," Squint-Eye added.
"He will, Nikto will take care of it," Lis said. "Nikto, go to Orel."
"Don't order me what to do," Nikto snapped. "I'll go to him when I decide it."
Mina sighed and sat down on the bottom step of the stairs.
"You're very beautiful today," Lis said looking at her. "Do you like it when Orel takes you along somewhere?"
"Yes!" She got animated for a moment, alit with some inner light; but it was just a moment, then her face fell again.
"We'll go to 'Backara' anyway, even if Orel doesn't. I can take you along, do you want it?"
Mina got up fearfully.
"I'd better go."
"Why are you afraid of me?"
"I'm not afraid, why should I be afraid of you? What can you do?"
"You're right, I won't do anything to you. But I'm worried about you. Lately Orel kills one of his slaves nearly every day."
"I know, the master does it from time to time. We all learned to live with it and I'm not scared any more. Sooner or later it'll happen to every one of us. You are worried about me because you feel guilty over Shela, she begged you to buy her out. You could have done it but you didn't, and she got despaired. She was trembling with fear every day – she only thought about it happening to her. She was afraid of pain, we saw what he did to other slaves, and Shela always repeated 'I will be the next, I will be the next' – and she drove herself to the state when her heart gave up. I don't want to think about it, it kills you before the death comes."
