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respect. 'I said they were natural and absolutely safe. Forgive me, dear, but in this respect I am
a greater authority than you. I know it is exceedingly difficult for you to
accept someone else's authority but in this case I am forced to inflict it on you. And let there
be no more talk about it.'
'As you wish.' Yennefer pursed her lips. 'Well, come on, girl. We don't have much time. It
would be a sin to waste it.'
Ciri could barely keep her hands from shaking; she swallowed hard and looked inquiringly at
Nenneke. The high priestess was serious, as if sad, and the smile with which she answered the
unspoken question was unpleasantly false.
'You're going with Lady Yennefer now,' she said. 'Lady Yennefer is going to be looking after
you for a while.'
Ciri bowed her head and clenched her teeth.
'You are no doubt baffled,' continued Nenneke, 'that a Mistress of Wizardry is suddenly
taking you into her care. But you are a reasonable girl, Ciri. You can guess why. You have
inherited certain . . . attributes from your ancestors. You know what I am talking about. You
used to come to me, after those dreams, after the nocturnal disturbances in the dormitory. I
couldn't help you. But Lady Yennefer '
'Lady Yennefer,' interrupted the magician, 'will do what is necessary. Let us go, girl.'
'Go,' nodded Nenneke, trying, in vain, to make her smile at least appear natural. 'Go, child.
Remember it is a great privilege to have someone like Lady Yennefer look after you. Don't
bring shame on the Temple and us, your mentors. And be obedient.'
I'll escape tonight, Ciri made up her mind. Back to Kaer Morhen. I'll steal a horse from the
stables and that's the last they'll see of me. I'll run away!
'Indeed you will,' said the magician under her breath.
'I beg your pardon?' the priestess raised her head. 'What did you say?'
'Nothing, nothing,' smiled Yennefer. 'You just thought I did. Or maybe I thought I did? Just
look at this ward of yours, Nenneke. Furious as a cat. Sparks in her eyes; just wait and she'll
hiss. And if she could flatten her ears, she would. A witcher-girl! I'll have to take her firmly in
hand, file her claws.'
'Be more understanding.' The high priestess's features visibly
hardened. 'Please, be kind-hearted and understanding. She really is not who you take her to
be.'
'What do you mean by that?'
'She's not your rival, Yennefer.'
For a moment they measured each other with their eyes, the enchantress and the priestess, and
Ciri felt the air quiver, a strange, terrible force between them growing in strength. This lasted
no more than a fraction of a second after which the force disappeared and Yennefer burst out
laughing, lightheartedly and sweetly.
'I forgot,' she said. 'Always on his side, aren't you, Nenneke? Always worrying about him.
Like the mother he never had.'
'And you're always against him,' smiled the priestess. 'Bestowing him with strong feelings, as
usual. And defending yourself as hard as you can not to call the feelings by their rightful
name.'
Once again, Ciri felt fury rise up somewhere in the pit of her stomach, and her temples
throbbed with spite and rebellion. She remembered how many times and under what
circumstances she had heard that name. Yennefer. A name which caused unease, a name
which was the symbol of some sinister secret. She guessed what that secret was.
They're talking quite openly in front of me, without any restraint, she thought, feeling her
hands start to shake with anger once more. / 'hey 're not bothered about me at all. Ignoring me
completely. As if I were a child. They're talking about Geralt in front of me, in my presence,
but they can't because I ... I am . . .
Who?
'You, on the other hand, Nenneke,' retorted the magician, 'are amusing yourself, as usual,
analysing other people's emotions, and on top of that interpreting them to suit yourself!'
'And pulling my nose into other people's business?'
'I didn't want to say that.' Yennefer tossed her black locks, which gleamed and writhed like
snakes. 'Thank you for doing so for me, And now let us change the subject, please, because
the one we were discussing is exceptionally silly - disgraceful in front of our young pupil.
And as for being understanding, as you ask . . . I will be. But kind-hearted with that, there
might be a problem
because, after all, it is widely thought I don't possess any such organ. But we'll manage
somehow. Isn't that right, Surprise?'
She smiled at Ciri and, despite herself, despite her anger and annoyance, Ciri had to respond
with a smile. Because the enchantress's smile was unexpectedly pleasant, friendly and sincere.
And very, very beautiful.
She listened to Yennefer's speech with her back ostentatiously turned, pretending to bestow
her full attention on the bumble bee buzzing in the flower of one of the hollyhocks growing
by the temple wall.
'No one asked me about it,' she mumbled.
'What didn't anybody ask you about?'
Ciri turned in a half-pirouette and furiously whacked the hollyhock with her fist. The bumble
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