Book One: The Soul Swappers
Talia an Kamian, feline aristocrat and a telepath moves her residence to Enhiarg's darkest and most blood chilling city, Lennes, in hopes of fending for her own bread, butter, and mice. Accompanied by her bewitched frie...
Enaor was eating in a very blatantly way. Having been deprived of the ability to levitate the pieces of food, as he was accustomed to doing, he found another way to get his belly full, without bowing his proud head to a despicable bowl. A big-breasted "fairy" equipped with a fork was serving him. Judging by the scaly paws, the starting material for the creation of this magical beauty was a flying lizard (who apparently had somehow brought upon herself the wrath of her lizard deities). The lowered head of the unlucky creature was tucked away in a satin bodice (her black eyes oily gleamed in the tiny slits on it). Someone had tied the wine cork, with a cute, girlish face painted on it, to her bent double neck with the wire.
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"Children are children. Enaor is Enaor," Talia though.
With her arms akimbo, she was contemplating this idyllic picture for a few seconds, and then took off her boot and launched into this violator of the treatment regimen. The scared fairy flit away to the safety of the chandelier. Enaor dodged and slid to the floor without a murmur.
"Nice cat!" the an Kamian praised him, settling into his armchair and his plate n the carpet.
Talia put out her leg and hastily picked up her boot with the finger—Enaor was fool enough to tear her innocent shoe to pieces vengefully.
"And where did your charming guest come from?"
"Ridgie caught her," Enaor said, gracefully cutting the piece of meat with his claw.
"Oh, this Ridgie! All the evil come from him!" Talia flung her arms up.
"And speaking of evil. Here's a letter for you. There, on the dresser."
Talia poured herself a glass of berry juice and took a red envelope.
"It's from the headmistress Tnori. How is she an evil person?" she smiled, examining the seal.
"Well, and what good news did you get? What does the good-hearted Tnori write?" after waiting a minute Enaor sarcastically asked his friend, looking at her darkened face.
"She writes that some suddenly changed circumstances are forcing her to refuse my services. It's such a cold, mordant letter! I don't understand what could have happened, what I did wrong!"
"No. I think you know exactly what she is talking about," Enaor shook his head.
"Ok. I do not want to believe that it's because of this stupid incident with Sivbav," the an Kamian corrected herself.
"You got any other ideas?"
Instead of answering Talia began to drink her juice with tiny sips.
"I have no other ideas," she finally admitted. "But this one is crazy! Why should Tnory care about Sivbav? Oh! Instead of guessing, I'd better just go and talk with her." Talia put aside her glass and rose resolutely from the table.
"Excuse me for not offering to accompany you—Tnori promised to "caress" me with the fireplace poker if she saw me again."
As soon as she left the room, Enaor immediately sat back in his chair. The fairy carefully looked out the glass lampshade and then picked up the dropped fork and returned to her duties. The circle was closed.
***
The work, which Talia did for the Orphan Asylum of St. Cube, was as simple for every Alae, as difficult for a representative of any other race. Her primary duty was to look into the souls of all the children who come to the Asylum to determine their future destiny. Most of the children didn't stay there for a long time—they were transported to the safer, more peaceful cities of Enhiarg and other worlds. Only the true-born abyss-dwellers— those unbridled persons, whose cruelty or eccentricity, the need for risk or the inordinate thirst for new impressions would not allow them to settle down in the less crazy corner of the Infinite—remained in Lennes.
Knagi and Tnori, the headmaster and the headmistress of the St. Cube, took care of these young troublemakers, not hoping to change their nature, but trying to find the constructive use for even the most bizarre traits of this young souls. Among of the orphanage graduates were outstanding scientists and famous spies, artists and investigators, merchants, guides, bodyguards, healers and battle mages.
Talia liked to work at the Asylum. And not only because she was paid well. As Knagi has talked about, doing sorting made her feel like a co-worker of the Infinite, who always made sure every creature found its place in life. Talia herself was not inclined to dig so deep. She had an exciting job and was happy with it.
And now someone wanted to deprive her of this innocent pleasure!
