[The Tempest trilogy: Book 3] After the fateful battle for Bifröst, Zoya lost everything, including her will to fight. However, the war with Nightingale and the Yeomen is not over yet and Zoya soon realizes she has what it takes to settle them for g...
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I purchase the tickets to Prague the very next day. Speaking to my step-father, the man who married my mother, can be cathartic. It warms my heart when I realize I have two fatherly figures in my life. Mr. Havel as my father who is always busy, but constantly cares about me and is here from me when I'm down. And Konstantin as my grandfather who is there to give me valuable bits of advice and life lessons.
Ryan, the closest person to a brother I ever had, is dead, but there are still Sotiris, Svetlana, and Sasha who can be like cousins. When I think about it, I'm not alone at all. The fact I lost the person most valuable to me doesn't mean everyone else disappeared.
Maybe I should stay in Prague for a few days. Maybe I should invite my friends there and we can have the celebration they promised. I think Mr. Havel would love to take part, too.
As the train I'm sitting in gets moving, the depression tries to take a piece of me again. I remember the countless times I sat in the train next to Ryan and listened to his endless talks about a topic I didn't understand at all. I feel so damn lonely. I almost wish that teen girl sitting across me would start talking to me just to ease this numbing loneliness a little.
I try to distract myself with small things. A group of teenagers is loudly discussing their plans for the holidays (while cursing twice a sentence). A middle-aged couple behind me is talking in Czech - I already catch some words. And the landscape behind the window changes constantly.
However, there's a guy who makes me nervous. He's a bit chubby, but his face is sharp, covered with a black stubble of facial hair. His suit is probably ought to make him look like a businessman, but I can see him more as a night club bouncer.
He has a pentop on his ear and I sometimes hear him speak in Czech:
"Jo, vidím ji. Malá, bílé vlasy. Nejspíš pojede až do Prahy. Jo, neboj, ona mi neuteče. Dám vědět pár chlapům, do večera ji tam máte."
I wish I knew what is that man saying. It sounds somehow menacing to me, even though he may be just discussing a grocery list with his wife. However, the way he gives me quick glances tells me I should avoid him at all cost. Maybe he just remembers me from Neoclash, but I can never be sure.
I start to squirm on my seat, hoping the bouncer will leave the train soon. I can't help but take quick looks at him, too. Damn, he probably noticed it; he's speaking to the pentop again.
"Sakra, ta malá čubka si mě nejspíš všimla. Teď budu muset bejt trochu nenápadnej, aby se ta holka trochu uklidnila. Víte, jak je rychlá. Pokud uteče, už ji nedostanem."
I catch the Czech word čubka, frequently used by the Yeomen. It's an insult and I think it means bitch. Now I'm twice as cautious since I know the man's phone calls aren't completely innocent.
Finally, the train approaches the main train station in Prague. I get to the door before the train stops and I anxiously wait for the button that opens the door to start glowing. A quick look over my shoulder. There is a small crowd of people gathered behind my back and the bouncer is among them.
