Heart's tale

Chapter 7 part 2

She noticed the light at the opposite end of the laboratory and squinted her eyes. Ethel turned there, too, and said:

"Oh, you're there, buddy? Come here and meet someone."

Zara could make out a figure behind the pile of glass, hesitantly separating from the table and heading in their direction. Ethel switched on a couple of gas lamps, and a man - still young, in a simple shirt and pants, with a black beard, regular features and beautiful but keen eyes - stepped into the light.

"My dear tamer, this is my assistant Alladi, or just Al. He helps me. And he uses the laboratory at his pleasure. Al, this is a silent golem tamer."

"Good evening," Al said dryly, and gave her a hand, which she quickly shook.

"Can I go now?" he asked just as dryly and with a little irritation.

"Sure, of course. I won't be needing you tonight," Ethel said absently. "Unless you sort out the tray, please, and I'll escort the lady to her home."

Al reluctantly nodded, cast a brief glance at Zara, and walked toward the cart. Zara lowered her eyes, feeling uncomfortable tension, but Ethel took her by the arm and led her to the stage.

"Let's go. Al is often in a bad mood lately, some family problems. Let's not disturb him," he said sympathetically and helped her down the rickety steps into the hall.

"I'll lock up!" he shouted backstage and hurried after Zara, who had already risen to the exit and was standing under the small balcony for two people. She could barely contain her smile, watching how clumsily, obviously worried, the young man hurried to her, stepping over the chairs, and himself laughed at his haste.

"Yes, yes, I am intrigued and deprived of the peace of your silence," he said hurriedly as he opened the doors for her, "But something tells me that you are not mute, am I right?

Zara nodded and stepped out with her cloak hood on – it was drizzling rain outside.

"Wow!" Ethel patted himself on the head. "Just a minute!"

He disappeared into the hall and returned a moment later with a cylinder on his head in the color of his green suit. Locking the door, he offered her an elbow and said:

"Well, lead the way!"

Zara took him by the arm, and they walked down the alley on the rain-shiny sidewalk.

As they made their way through the crowd of dolls lined up for repairs in the alley, Zara caught a glimpse of one that looked a lot like the one Magister Wolfie had stolen from the auction.

"Poor things," the young man said sadly, looking behind Zara at the long line.

"There are no good craftsmen at all. I wanted to become a puppet master myself, but no one teaches, everyone is self-taught. I went to the library and came across a book on chemistry. I couldn't tear myself away," he shook his head and looked dreamily at the houses propping up the sky, where streams were beginning to trickle and pound, accumulating in the gutters. The rain increased remarkably, knocking the heart dust to the ground and drumming loudly on the intimidating figure of a black knight who was connecting his horse to the black smoke pipe. Seeing him, Zara instinctively clung to Ethel, but then recoiled in embarrassment.

On the approach to the Heart Square, the rain stopped, but the companions immediately ran into more trouble. Two drunken men, barely on their feet, began shouting at Zara.

"T's her! I'm tellin' ya," blubbered the fat man, too drunk to make sense.

"Where?" the tall man, who was struggling to hold on to the fat man and waving his free hand, whirled his head absurdly. "Show me! She owes us the doll!"