Wandering Spark - Part 19
"Wait, I will kindle a fire. "
Varan heard the tap of flint.
Nothing was visible. Closed eyes or open - it did not matter. Darkness. Gems on the scales of serpanters, emerald convex countersides, the white face of Nila - in the darkness everything died. Instead of gems, there could be just stones, serpenters could be blind, and Nila could be an ugly witch...
Varan was scared. For the first time he regretted that he followed her into the depths of the mountain, into the labyrinth of passages. Who is she? Who is she to him?
A light was born. Out of nowhere appeared Nila's face and palm with a long thin candle, in surface of the water, the shadows of horned heads on long necks.
"Frightened?"
"Of course, not."
"I've been here before... There are no dry stones. To the right is an open tunnel, where sometimes the owner of particularly brave guests drives, with torches... And straight - a very deep pocket. I tried three times to dive, almost drowned... It did not work out."
And there? Varan waved his hand to the left.
"There is another corridor, a tunnel, then two grottoes one after another, then a fork. If you turn left, you will soon go into such a cave... I found different things there. Silk handkerchief floated... Old, almost all in holes, but with a picture. Then pieces of cork... Then from a tree such figure, with two heads. Brought to the owner, I say, maybe sell ... And he says: burn it. I burned another piece of wood, and hid the figure - it was painfully beautiful. I'll show you."
"Is it beautiful with two heads?"
"Well, yes... You know, there are treasures in these caves." Precisely there. They gradually wash their water... And there are just hiding places. The hills in the off-season so they arrange that in the season when the water rises - not reach. They say that the prince's treasure is somewhere..."
"And then the prince has nowhere to save the treasury."
"I do not know... The swindlers who season during the season, so simply money from Fang will not be taken out - the guard checks. So they hide it. And then, in the offseason, when the guard disperses - they come and take it out."
"And you were looking for?"
"Well, of course. I found a two-headed figure and another shoe on my right foot with a golden heel. He was stuck in the cracks and therefore did not drown. From this heel I was forged a ring at home..."
Still holding a candle on her palm, she touched Kruchina's foot. Serpanter, barely discernible in the darkness, moved along the cave - two split waves were like parting in black hair. Zhurbina followed without a command.
Nila held the serpentine next to a deep, algae-covered slit. Varan winced, but what seemed to him a living ugly body was just a huge chain hanging from above. The chain turned green, covered with seashells; each link was the size of a dish.
Nila turned around.
"There's an attic here."
"What?"
"So-called attic. The upper cave. Dry. Do you wanna take a look?"
"And who hanged the tench?"
"Maybe the sailors. Or maybe the bandits. Or maybe the guard ... It's been hanging here for a long time."
"Rusted?"
"Hundred years will depend on it - it will not rust ... Are you afraid, or what?"
Without waiting for an answer, Nila clamped a burning candle in her teeth. She slipped from the saddle and grabbed the bottom link. I pulled myself up. The chain rocked, gnashed, a rustling echo crept beneath the vaults of the cave. Shadows moved - as if not a girl climbed up, and a multi-armed monster.
Serpenters did not worry. Kruchina stretched her neck and closed her eyes; it's not dangerous, Varan thought. It's not scary at all.
Drops fell from above. It was dark again - the Nila disappeared behind the overhanging belly of the rock, and only dim reflections testified that the candle still burns in her teeth. Waiting until the chain ceases to twitch, Varan grabbed the bottom link; the chain was cold and slimy. The sharp shell instantly scratched his little finger.
"Come here!" Varan saw a light just above his head. "It's dry here!"
A thin hand grabbed his shoulder, helping him to get out. Varan settled on a rock, sat on his heels, wiped his hands with his wet pants and looked around.
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7
Part 8
Part 9
Part 10
Part 11
Part 12
Part 13
Part 14
Part 15
Part 16
Part 17
Part 18
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