LITMIR.BIZ

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bird sat on your shoulder, your throat was healed – the shrewd woman smiled.

      – I guessed it too.

      Alice nodded and patted the bird on the tuft, which made it purr like a cat. I put on my shoes, lifted the bag and threw it over my shoulder.

      – Let’s go?

      – Let’s go.

      Downstairs was standing Dinah, neatly combed, in an emerald-colored linen dress. She only wore it on holidays. In her hands, the girl was holding a brown hiking bag, twice the size of mine. The charioteer turned out to be a thin young magician a little older than me. With long jet-black hair, thin features and equally thin fingers. Surprisingly thin fingers. He saw me and nodded his head in greeting. Mom turned around with Reemay in her arms. Inis fluttered towards them and landed on Mom’s shoulder. She didn’t pull away. On the contrary, she smiled.

      – And here is the bird I was talking about.

      The magician eyed Inis with admiration.

      – Peter, please, tell my husband not to be too strict with Nicholas. And be careful on the way.

      – Of course, Aphelia. You will be sorely missed. See you in five years. Perhaps earlier.

      Goodbye, – the magician bowed and, offering help to Dinah with the bag, left the living room.

      Dinah waved me to join them and followed the charioteer.

      I came up to my mother. The little sister was just pulling Inis by the beak.

      – Nicholas, dear. If you need money, contact Peter, he will take you to Phaeton’s bank, and you will need to show it there, – my mother took off the neat signet with the Lodesco coat of arms, two crossed swords, and put it on my finger. – They will give you as much money as you need. Love you!

      – Thank you! Mom, I will enormously miss you. And I will do my best to make you… and dad proud of me – I took my sister by the finger. – Reemay, although I am not a magician, I will try to protect you. Be blessed by Sherida! Love you!

      I kissed both of them. I hugged Alice, approached Varya and grandpa Marash.

      – Did you take a ruby? – he asked for the last.

      Inis flew over my shoulder, exposing a red breast.

      – Yes, I took it, now the ruby will always be with me! – I pointed to the phoenix.

      Marash is smart. He understood everything and winked.

      – Good luck! Let Sherida protect you and Dinara!

      Chapter 3

      The charioteer Peter waited until I approached and only after that, connecting his thumb and forefinger of both hands, he created the end rings from them. He cast a spell and under us, right on the ground, a fine net, like a cobweb, appeared. I saw this for the first time, as did Dinah, who froze in surprise.

      – Don’t be afraid. You can sit down if you like.

      Peter parted his arms, and the net curled around us in a huge ball, slowly lifting up into the sky. I felt dizzy. Is this the magic of the air? It’s amazing. We were getting higher and higher; the homestead remained a toy house below. Fields, forests, lake – everything was as drawn, drawn on the board of the earth. Only the mountains in the distance hung menacingly and seemed larger, as the sun with golden satellites around. The surrounding was incredible, unreal. We were frozen high above the ground.

      – Get ready, now we will move very quickly.

      Before I even had time to open my mouth, we began to move at a breakneck speed. A light stream of wind penetrated the magic ball that was carrying us. Forests, settlements, cities, rivers flashed below… Cargo ships appeared in the clouds above and below us, moving like lazy celestial whales. Everything would be fine but the miasma left by the ships, seemed black ribbons. The magicians didn’t think about the moment of air pollution by massive mechanisms. But I will try to find a way to fix their shortcomings.

      A huge ring-shaped city appeared on the horizon. It hovered above the ground. Buildings were located under it. The closer we flew, the blacker were the bald spots in the ground. In some places, houses were smoking. But the city in the sky sparkled with untouched beauty. We rushed a little higher, and finally, the ball landed on a green platform, I think, it was grass. As soon as Peter’s net opened, I fell out on all fours. I was awfully dizzy. Dinah turned out to be stronger. She was squatting. She just turned a little pale. Peter gave Dinah his hand and helped me to get up.

      – Sorry, first-time airborne travelers usually feel this way, but sometimes even worse.

      – Really? Or are you just soothing? It seems that I’m going to vomit now. – I covered my lips with my hand.

      Peter smiled apologetically; he was sincere. Inis clutched at my shoulder with his claws and fluttered his wings slightly. I felt better. Much better.

      – Thank you, – I whispered. – Can you help Dinah?

      Phoenix nodded and jumped onto my friend’s shoulder. Dinah recoiled, but when she realized that she was being healed, she smiled surprisingly and nodded to me. Inis came back.

      – I see you’re okay. Now we will go in a carriage. We cannot travel here by air. Only in case of emergency. Dinara, may I help you? – waiting for a nod, Peter grabbed her bag and headed towards the carriage harnessed by mechanical horses. I looked over the edge of the green platform on which we were standing.

      «Below, city life is in full swing, apparently it’s the capital. And then where are we, if the capital is below?»

      – All this territory belongs to the palace of king Pontiar – Peter replied.

      – Did I ask it out loud? – from embarrassment I was thrown into a fever, my cheeks were flushing.

      – No, – the magician answered calmly. – This is a common question for everyone who gets here for the first time. The city suffered a little after the battle, but the magicians are quickly restoring the destruction. And there… – Peter pointed to a tall, snow-white building on the outskirts of the city, surrounded by woods and gardens. – There is the Royal Academy of Magic, where you will study.

      I lost my breath with admiration. The academy was not only untouched by the hostilities, but also shone with splendor, only black flags flashed along the entire perimeter of the fence, were darkening what I saw. Dinah silently looked at the academy, whitening below and rising up with its thin turrets.

      – Nicholas, please, the crew will wait, the king won’t.

      I understood everything and dived into the cart. Outside, it was nothing special, the usual metal construction with rectangular windows. The inside it was better: soft upholstery, it seemed to be velvet, comfortable seats, even pillows. And what was interesting. The horses. A real piece of art. They were so beautiful, all the details were thought out: a lot of screws, gears, jour details. And they were revived by top-class magic. I’m sure the magic in them is not for one day. I was watching the honed movement of the animals through the window, right behind Peter’s back.

      We drove off the platform onto the pavement. We were surrounded by high hedges, so nothing could be seen yet. But when the fence ended, the palace appeared to our eyes. It was a magnificent ensemble of numerous structures arranged in a spiral. A wide road led to the central palace with a white dome, along which mourning flags were tormenting our eyes. We understood that this was an honor to those who had been taken away by the battle. Dinah and I grew up in a cozy, but small box, and now we were in a world that we have only heard of. We looked with full attention. The houses were similar to book illustrations. Dinah hid and wasn’t even breathing. I understood her, my head was spinning too. We drove into the palace town. On every side street there were guards: golden armor, halberds in the hands. There were black ribbons

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