'Everything here is not quite genuine,' I said. 'It lacks life.'
'Well done,' said Merlin, nodding. 'Many do not notice that straight away. Many live here for years ?or centuries ?before they realise that they have been deceived.'
'Can't you get used to it?' I asked.
Merlin smiled.
'No. It is impossible to get used to this.'
'Remember the joke about the fake New Year's tree decor ations, Anton?' someone asked behind me. I looked round.
Tiger Cub was standing just five steps away.
There were many of them. Very many of them, standing there and listening to my conversation with Merlin. Igor Teplov and Alisa Donnikova ?they were together, holding each other by the hand, but there was no happiness in their faces. The girl-werewolf Galya was hiding her eyes. Murat from the Samarkand Watch gave me an embarrassed wave. A Dark One I had once killed by throwing him off the Ostankino Television Tower looked at me with no malice or resentment in his eyes.
There were so many. The trees prevented me from seeing just how many of them were standing there. If not for the forest, they would have stretched all the way back to the horizon. They had let the ones I had known come through to the front.
'Yes, Tiger Club, I remember,' I said.
I didn't feel any more fear or anger. Only sadness ?a calm, weary sadness.
'They look so real,' Tiger Cub said and smiled. 'But they bring no joy at all... '
'You're looking good,' I muttered, for the sake of saying some thing at least.
Tiger Cub pensively examined her tiger-skin cape. She nodded.
'I made an effort. For the sake of this meeting.'
'Hi, Igor!' I said. 'Hi, Alisa!'
They nodded. Then Alisa said:
'Good for you, Anton, You're powerful. But don't get too big-headed, Light One! Merlin himself has been helping you.'
I looked round at the old man.
'Sometimes,' Merlin said tactfully. 'Well... beside that outlandish tower of yours. And then when you were fighting that werewolf in the forest... And only just a little bit... '
I wasn't listening to him any longer. I was gazing round, trying to find the one whose words were most important of all to me.
Kostya pushed aside the Other he had been standing behind and came forward towards me. Of everyone there, he probably looked the best and the most absurd at the same time ?he was wearing a tattered spacesuit that had once been white but was now blackened and burned through in several places.
'Hello, neighbour,' he said.
'Hi, Kostya,' I replied. 'I ... I've been wanting to say something to you for a long time. Forgive me.'
He frowned.
' Will you drop those Light affectations of yours? What is there to forgive? We fought honestly, and you won honestly. Everything's fine. I ought to have realised that you weren't erecting the Shield because you were afraid...'
'Even so,' I said. 'You know that I hate my job. I've turned into a small screw ... a tiny part of a machine that gives no quarter and shows any mercy!'
'And how else could it be, between us?' Kostya suddenly smiled. 'Drop that... And you... forgive my father. If you can. He never used to be like that.'
I nodded.
'I'll try. I really will.'
'Tell him that Mom and I are waiting for him.' Kostya paused and then added firmly: 'Here.'
'I'll tell him,' I promised, trying to spot Polina.
Kostya suddenly took a step forward, shook me awkwardly by the hand ?and stepped away again.
And in that brief instant when our hands touched I felt his cold hand turn warm, saw his skin flush pink and his eyes gleam once again. Kostya stood there swaying, looking at his hand.
But my hand was seared by an icy chill...
The ranks of Others shuddered. Slowly, involuntarily, they began moving towards me. There was hunger and envy in their eyes ?in all of their eyes, even Tiger Cub's, even Igor's, even Murat's
'Stop!' Merlin shouted. He darted forward and stood between me and the withdrawn Others, raising his hands high in the air. I noticed that he carefully skirted round me to avoid touching me.
'Stop, you mad fools! A few minutes of life... that is not what we want, not what we have been waiting for!'
They stopped and looked at each other in embarrassment. Then they moved back. But the hungry fire was still blazing in their eyes.
'Leave now, Anton,' Merlin said. 'You understand everything and you know what you have to do. Go!'
'I can't get through, the "Last Watch" is up there,' I said. 'Unless your golem