Raven's Soul. Volume 2 - стр. 23

Opening my eyes, I quickly looked around my chambers to make sure the nightmare was gone, that I was in the palace. Still just as poisoned and slowly dying.

– Alva! Willa! Good morning, my sneaky squirrels! – I happily greeted my daughters, who had already climbed up on my tall, wide bed and grabbed the soft pillows, hitting me lightly in the face with them. – But enough! Put the pillows down and tell me what you dreamed about today.

– I dreamt of my mother! – Willa said eagerly, throwing the pillow away from her. – We were in a field of daisies! I ran away to the river, and when I came back she was lying in the flowers! So strange and cold!

"Poor child! How many times does she see the same nightmare as me?" – I thought with pain in my heart.

– Tonight you will dream of a great ship leaving on a long voyage. You will be the captain, and I will be your helmsman," I said hastily, regretting that I had asked about her dream.

– Could I be a pirate? – Vilja asked with hope in her eyes and wrapped her hands around my face.

– Of course you can, but remember that pirates are our enemies. They rob our ships and take our sailors prisoner," I smiled and looked at my eldest daughter. – What about you, Alva? What did you dream about?

– I dreamt about my mother too… – Alva suddenly stopped talking and turned a little pale. – Daddy, she asked me to come with her… I said I wouldn't go, and she was very upset. She said she was so lonely alone in heaven, because you had forgotten her… And everyone had forgotten. – She sighed sadly.

– She was wrong: we all remember her and miss her," I said softly.

– When will Sylvia be back? – Vilja frowned suddenly. – Where did she go anyway? Why is she gone for so long?

"Go ahead, tell them about you slowly dying," I heard Vit's voice in my mind.

"You dare to joke at such a sad moment?" – I mentally retorted.

"Am I joking? I'm giving you wise advice. If Sylvia doesn't show up soon, your daughters will have to bury you. If it comes to that, they'd better learn of your imminent demise now, from you" the snow leopard answered me.

"I will think about it" I briefly tossed back, however I still found meaning in my familiar's words.

I should have shared with my daughters, prepared them for the terrible truth, but I did not wish to upset and frighten them. No. Sylvia will return just in time. She would bring the antidote, heal me, and we would live happily ever after, one big family.

I had never spoken to Sylvia since she left the palace. Andrada's method only worked if my wife wanted to talk to me, and she was the one with the right tool to open the water portal. All I had to do was wait. But she never showed up. And now it began to seem like a bad sign.

"I need to ask Andrada to arrange for me to talk to Sylvia. I can't wait patiently any longer, I need answers. I need to know she is healthy and unharmed" I thought.

– Sylvia went on a little trip to visit her friends,' I found something to say to Vilja.

– Does she have friends? – Alva raised an eyebrow incredulously.

– Of course she does. Every human… Or demon has friends," I said firmly.

– You're not well? – Alva squinted at me.

– Healthy and strong," I lied.

– You're very pale, Papa.

– Yes, as white as the powder on my cakes! – Villia confirmed her sister's words.