Saying goodbye to Lane, I jumped into the saddle and, touching the horse with my heels, headed for the retreating Kane. Today, it was he who accompanied me to the exit from the artifact-protected zone. The property can only be entered with special permission. How exactly this mechanism works, I did not know. I suppose that bloodletting, which is beloved by the dark ones, will not do. We reached the wrought-iron gate, and Kane, as if echoing my thoughts, opened it with his blood. Venira opened the gate last time. Who else besides these two has clearance?

There was an impressive scar on my wrist, commemorating my first encounter with...