"Evans isn't as simple as he seems! Turns out our court healer is a heartbreaker! Fortunately, my heart is still in Sturfjell with Derek, and Evans' charms won't work on me," I thought with a faint chuckle.

– But back to our assignment. We don't have much time left… We have to be back before sunset," I reminded myself. – Where does the mysterious person from whom we can buy the axe live?

– A couple houses down from here. Don't worry, we'll be heading back to the valley soon enough. We'll pay quickly, get our weapons, and then we can head back. – Evans looked around cautiously, made sure there were no royal guards nearby, and we slowly, so as not to draw attention to ourselves with our hurried walking, continued to float in the huge multicolored stream of market guests.

– But what of Astrid? We should find her," I said quietly, leaning my head toward the mage.

– We don't have to. She'll find us… She's like the sun on a cloudy day, disappearing and reappearing," Evans said, and somehow it seemed to me that there was more than friendship between him and Astrid.

Maybe they'd been lovers once, or just a couple in love?

As we approached one of the ivy-covered houses, Evans opened the door and peered inside, while I stayed behind him and peered curiously at the seemingly unremarkable old wooden house. The next thing I knew, we were in the middle of a huge, ornate room, and I gasped in surprise: I bet the house looked much smaller from the outside, and I had never imagined that I would find the vast riches I was looking at. The paintings alone were worth a fortune, and what to speak of the rest! On the other hand, I knew that this mage possessed a rare item that was probably worth far more than all of these things combined, so my amazement passed as quickly as it had come.

– Hello, Alviss! – The healer's greeting sounded loud enough, but to whom it was addressed was still unclear to me.

– Oh!" An old, hoarse voice came from the next room, followed by rumbling, cursing, and then hurried footsteps.

A few minutes later a little old man appeared before us, stamping his feet amusedly. I was immediately struck by the huge, graying beard growing over the shopkeeper's wrinkled face and reaching down to his knees. Being tall enough, I had to look down at Alviss from above, which made me uncomfortable, but the gray-haired old man seemed to feel confident even in that position.

– Evans! How many moons has it been since I last saw you? – The old man exclaimed enthusiastically and spread his thin, trembling hands apart.

My companion went down on one knee, and the men embraced, patting each other on the back. Evans had a wide, happy smile on his face, and it was clear without words that the two men had known each other for a long time and were good friends. Who else could hug like that? Unless it's someone close by blood.

– It's good to see you too, old friend! – The healer said with feeling.

I wasn't mistaken. Evans had confirmed all my hunches with that phrase.

– How did you get here? There are royal guards everywhere! They're doing their rounds more often than they used to! You could have been imprisoned! All you had to do was send a pigeon and we would have met at the border with Kaldwind! – The old man rattled on, unclasping his arms as if he hadn't noticed my presence at all.

– It's a long story, I'll tell it another time. I have something urgent and important to do with you. Don't be in a hurry to refuse, and I'll pay you handsomely. – A strange smile appeared on Evans's face, and Alviss's eyes sparkled with interest.

If gold coins could be placed in his eye sockets, they would shine like that. The old man must have a taste for money, and at the mention of gold, he would glow with happiness, imagining where he could spend it.

I looked at this person: it was curious to see who lived in such a luxurious house, though at first glance it looked like an old hovel.

As I have already said, the owner of the house was a gray-haired, wrinkled old man with a long, thick beard, of short stature. He was dressed modestly. His yellow eyes gave him away as a magician. Now the old man didn't seem like a gimmick to me, and his house didn't overwhelm me: everything around him was imbued with magic, which I could feel with every fiber of my being.

I waited patiently to be noticed. Alviss and Evans couldn't be oblivious to my presence! Luckily, Evans seemed to read my thoughts and, rising to his feet, turned to me. He looked happier than I'd ever seen him. And, I must admit, there was something special in his beautiful wide smile, something childish, kind, and completely sincere. That's very rare nowadays. I smiled back at him.

– Alviss, I completely forgot to introduce you to my companion.... – The healer held out his palm in my direction and had time to say only this before he was suddenly interrupted by his friend, the old mage.

– Life! A life companion, I hope! – Alviss winked at Evans with his yellow eye.

Those words made my cheeks blush like poppies. I wanted to explain to the old man that he was wrong, but Evans had time to do it before I opened my mouth in indignation.

– Oh, no! Not at all! – Evans said hurriedly, as if noticing my confusion. – Just my battle buddy.

– I don't believe it! – The old man said the last syllable, then crossed his arms over his chest and stomped his little foot in his low leather boot.

I was both amused and annoyed at the same time; I was tempted to throw my hood over my head and leave the old matchmaker's company when Evans grabbed my arm and pulled me into the next room, past the pouting Alviss.

– Hey, hey!" I heard behind me, and in a few seconds the gray-haired man was following us. – Wait, my place isn't cleaned!

– Oh, come on! – The healer said cheerfully over his shoulder and stopped suddenly. – Better pour some tea, we're going to be a while.

– Oh, boy, you haven't changed at all! I remember the last time you said that, I had to take you on as an apprentice! – the old man reminded him, snapping his fingers.

In the small room there was a small, neat, carved table, under which four small, even miniature chairs were hidden. Against the wall stood a small glass cabinet, from which flew out painted mugs and saucers: they all landed on the table with the utmost care. When everything was in place, a teapot and a tray of cake appeared out of nowhere and took up all the remaining space on the table.

I watched it all with admiration, for I had been served tea by my maid before, and the use of light magic in such a domestic scene was something I had never seen before.

– People are always surprised. – Clinging to the table, the old man struggled to climb into one of the chairs and began to study me intently.

"But I'm not human," I thought sadly, taking a seat at the table.

Evans followed suit.

If I had been one of the court ladies of the royal palace of Kaldwind, my life would have turned out differently. I would probably do my best to be seen by the king, marry him, bear him an heir, and live my life well. But I'm the heiress of Flammehav, a demoness, a red-eyed girl, the king's war trophy.... How did I forget my status? Why did I so quickly forget the humiliation I'd suffered, the way Derek had treated me, and give in to temptation so easily? Why was I now trying to save the husband I had recently hated with all my heart? If he died, I could be free of my marriage to him and return to my native Flammehav. Love? Could it have come so suddenly?

– The thing is, this girl isn't ordinary," Evans said quietly, coughing into his fist.

– What's so unusual about her? – The old man squinted his eyes at me, making me feel a little creepy.

– The thing is…" I decided to stop in mid-sentence so I wouldn't say too much, and I looked at my companion with concern in my eyes.