There were so many thoughts and feelings, and it was so difficult to cope with them that the girl could only surrender to emotions and cry like a little child. Very soon the room was plunged into darkness, and the tears ended, but in her head, there was still a mess of images and painful statements. She did not even notice how someone entered the room, although usually, any cat could envy her instincts.

"How long are you going to plant a swamp here?" - In the intervals between sobs, her elder brother"s voice sounded. It was as always full of sarcasm and surprisingly warm.

Stacy didn"t want to talk to anyone now, she could not yet understand all the reasons for her hysteria. G.o.ds, she always laughed at the girls on any occasion rushing into tears and starting to wring their hands. And now she finally got to experience for herself why these strange gesticulations are needed during your pity party.

The girl drilled into the blanket tightly with all her appearance showing that she was not going to answer a clearly rhetorical question. The room went completely silent. As if Blaize"s voice only seemed to her. After a couple of minutes, Stacy finally could not stand it and looked out of her hiding place. The brother stood motionless with his back against the wall by the door and looked at her with a calm, somewhat sad look.

"Go away ... Blaize, not now" - the girl barely managed to squeeze out in a voice hoa.r.s.e from sobbing. Her words seemed to have brought a guy out from some kind of trance. He peeled off the wall and, not paying attention to her protests, settled at the foot of the bed.

"Can we talk?" - He suggested in a low, gentle voice. She probably heard this tone when she was still a child. Everyone around him knew Blaize as a cheerful comrade, a fearless warrior, a bright, full of smiles and hairpins of the interlocutor. Only for Stacy, Blaize once ceased to be a snooty brother and became an attentive and caring parent. And when he began to speak with her in that tone, she just could not dismiss him.

"I don"t know, Blaize." - Finally, Anastasia gathered herself, gradually creeping out from under the blanket. - "Everything is completely wrong. I did not expect ... I was so happy when I heard that they were back. I just tore into pieces from joy. And then ... As if a bucket of ice water was poured on me. It is not them! Do you understand?"

"Stacy, I understand that they have changed a lot. You should also get it. Six years have pa.s.sed. And for them, these six years could be tough. Your girlfriend, Cali, was 16, Konrad 19. It was then that you considered yourself adults, but in fact, you were still kids. I do not know what they had to go through, but to expect that everything that happened didn"t affect them in any way is stupid."

"No, Blaize! You are wrong. I did not expect them to remain the same. I also changed during this time. But you saw it yourself. Cali, she was always a bit cold, detached. In society, she indeed was infinitely sweet and courteous. But I knew that all this was just pretending. With me, she could relax. Cali loved to listen more than talk. She gave advice, not to show that she was better than me, but because she really wanted to help. And now? You"ve seen? It was not coldness and detachment. It was a d.a.m.n lump of ice! Her eyes! They are like pieces of gla.s.s! When I caught her look, I was flashed like lightning. There was nothing. No recognition, no sadness, no anger, not even a drop of interest. Nothing! She looked at me like an empty place."

"What about this guy, Konrad?" - Blaize Interrupted sister, who, judging by the increasing tone went on a new round of hysterics. Apparently, it was not the best way to distract her since Stacy winced as if from a blow and looked away. At first, the guy decided that his sister would not answer him, but the girl nevertheless continued in almost a whisper.

"I could not. Could not look into his eyes. I had enough of what I saw in pa.s.sing. This man ... It can"t be Konrad! Just cannot be!"

Stacy paused and closed her eyes, as if trying to get deep inside herself, to hide from pain, from thoughts, from feelings. Blaize could not look at the suffering of his sister, but he could not find the words to comfort her either. He always wanted to protect her. Wrap her in a thick blanket and hide from the world that can offend, hurt the most dear to him. But now, for some reason, he felt that his care could only harm.

"You know, Stacy. I really do not want to say this. I hardly knew these two before, and now I would like you to keep away from them. But maybe you should know. Devon told me that he, too, was unable to catch almost any emotion from them, but when you cried and ran out, they both experienced very intense pain and sadness. This guy, Konrad, even moved to run after you, but the girl stopped him. We do not know why they behave so strangely, but I am sure that even though six years have pa.s.sed, they are still not indifferent to you. It hurt them that you were crying. "

The tears on the girl"s face immediately dried out, and her eyes widened in surprise. When Blaize finished speaking, Stacy was already hastily disentangled from under the blanket.

"What are you doing?" - Blaize carefully asked, already accustomed to sudden changes in the mood of his sister.

"I"m such a fool!" - the girl exclaimed in response, finally having finished with the blankets and jumping out of bed. - "G.o.ds, how could I?!"

"What are you doing, Stacy?" - Blaise repeated insistently, seeing his sister rushing about the room, grabbing various rags and dumping it on the bed.

"I have to go. I have to explain everything to them, apologize!" - The girl threw a reply, starting to pull the dress right on the nightdress. The man wanted to turn away tactfully, but stopped, realizing what his sister was saying.

"Stacy, you can"t! It"s night now. Did you even hear what I said?"

"It"s okay, it"s not even nine yet. They probably still are not sleeping. I can"t wait until tomorrow. I am scared even to think, what they have time to imagine about me! What a nightmare!"

"What are you talking about? You haven"t done anything bad." - Blaize snapped, getting angry on behalf of his sister.

"Nothing?" - The girl stopped rooted to the spot and turned a feverishly burning look on her brother. - "Nothing? When Devon returned from his trip, how do you think he would feel if you didn"t say anything to him when you first met, and just ran away all in tiers?"

"It is challenging for me to imagine such a situation. Probably Devon would think that I went totally senile..." - the guy mumbled under his breath.

"That"s it! I acted like a real idiot. I had been asking the G.o.ds for so long for my friends to come back to me, and when my wish came true, I made a scene like a fool, because they turned out to be different from what I wanted."

"Stacy, calm down. First of all, if you rush there now, you can do more damage then good. You need to calm down and think about everything." - Blaize got out of bed and walked over to her sister, took her by the forearm to calm her down. His voice became firm, making a girl to stop all her crazy activities.

"And secondly, I have already told you, I do not want you to communicate with them, at least for now."

"You"re crazy!" - Screeched Anastasia, twisting out of the hands of her brother. - "Don"t even dare tell me that. I already drown them away once. I won"t do that to them anymore." - She continued, stepping back from him.

"Listen, Stacy, do not get excited! Think about it, their disappearance was more than strange, and the appearance was utterly suspicious. I don"t blame them for anything yet, but I will not allow you to interfere in this story either."

" What was so strange about it?" - Anastasia insisted.

Blaize sighed, then looked one more time at this stubborn girl, and seeing in her expression that there was really no other way, retold her everything briefly. He was entirely sure that his sister would not talk. But if she was told only part of the truth, Stacy might not understand the whole complexity of the situation and thas get herself in a bigger mess.

"Do you understand? You said that they did not look like themselves. Who knows how it all will turn out. They may be spies of Ligarkhat or some other dangerous enemy of the country. Devon had already promised that he would take up this business, and until I know for sure that these two do not pose any danger, you should not approach them."

Apparently, brother"s arguments made Anastasia consider the situation carefully. She wanted to say something, but then stopped herself and frowned. On her face reflected the real struggle of feelings. She wanted to argue, to try to convince her brother, but she knew very well Blaize already made a decision nothing would be able to sway him. Therefore, Stacy decided to calm down, took a few deep breaths, and gently began.

"Blaize, I understand perfectly that the situation is not simple. But I can help."

Another sudden change in mood somewhat alerted Blaize.

"Stacy, sunny, Devon and I are Lords of our Castles. I don"t think we need your help. No offense, but your intervention will only complicate things." - Blaize drawled, trying not to sound like he is looking down at the girl.

But Stacy didn"t seem offended, on the contrary, she nodded in agreement, and after a short pause, as if considering the situation, turned back to her brother.

"Don"t you think it"s strange?"

What?

"Think. If they were spies, they would hardly want to attract so much attention. They are only a couple of days in the city and Two Lords already jumping around them like flies around ... Well, you know. Plus imagine how everyone else will react? Cali is still the Countess, and after it becomes known that she spent six years in the service of some merchant in Ligarkhat, her reputation as a n.o.blewoman would be ruined. The most she can count on is a pity and constant whispers and smiles behind her back. Her father is no longer the head of the greens, her mother has run away, and her reputation has never been good, Cali and Konrad have been accused of attempting to kill the prince, even if nothing has been proved, rumors were everywhere. She is unlikely to be invited to b.a.l.l.s and social events, if only as an entertainment. If they had any particular task or goal, they would hardly have started this whole circus. And besides, if Devon starts spinning around her now, what will it look like? If you finally find out that they are not spies and didn"t plan anything like that, they were just finally able to return home after six years almost in slavery. What then?"

"Listen, Stacy. I understand all your arguments, but I did not brew all this mess. I am the Head of the Reds, and I have to follow the situation, as it may be related to the attack on Khail-hold. If your friend really turns out to be an innocent victim, then I can promise you that I will do my best to restore her good name. What happened I can not change. But I have reason to believe that something else may happen and my duty to prevent it. And your friend and this Konrad can be one of the pieces on this chessboard. The question is only on whose side are they."

"Blaize, I get it. But I want to offer you another option. Devon certainly has tremendous intuition and intelligence, but unfortunately, he does not know how to get close to people. I can help. Like an old friend, they will trust me more. And it will not look suspicious even if I visit the Marsters estate, at least every day. I promise that I will be careful and will report every step I take to you."

After listening to the sister"s suggestions, the guy frowned. He did not want to interfere in this matter sister, but her proposal was indeed very tempting.

"Very well," - he finally gave up, - "I will allow you to visit the Marsters estate and communicate with Calisto, but on the condition that Devon will accompany you every time."

"But ..."

"No more buts!" - He snapped not giving Anastasia the slightest room for protest, - "Either this way or no way at all. I will talk to him and let you know when he can accompany you to the visit. Agreed."

" Oh, okay," - Stacy mutured with a sigh. This did not mean that she fully complied. But until Anastasie would understand her relationship with Cali, she decided to play by the rules of her brother.

Blaize nodded, pleased with the outcome of their conversation.

"Then go to bed, and tomorrow we will discuss everything."

Anastasia could not resist and embraced her brother in a fit of emotion.

"Thanks, Blaizy!"

"For what?" - Asked the guy puzzled, awkwardly patting his sister on the back. Although both of them were known for their pa.s.sionate temper and emotionality, neither Blaize nor Stacy was accustomed to such manifestations of tenderness.

"For the fact that you are always there," - the girl whispered softly, moving over and smiling gently at her brother. Blaize smiled back at her.

"You know ... "

I know - Stacy interrupted him, not allowing him to finish, because she really knew and the words were superfluous now.