Ch. 1.2

"Kamily," - the girl said softly, barely breathing with excitement.

"I am Lariel. Do you live here alone?"

She silently looked away feverishly thinking what to do next. He tracked her down, ambushed her and now there is no chance to escape.

"If you don't want to, don't say it, I see that I've been sitting alone in the house all day, tiny bird," - Lariel said mockingly. - It's useless to run away, I quickly found you."

"What do you need from me? - Kamily snapped angrily.

"To chat, it's boring here, there's no one around," - the uninvited guest sighing heavily sat down on the ground. - My bros died, I alone survived after the battle, I fell shot from a height, I can't return home - my wing is broken. I sensed your presence and walked a long distance."

"Sensed!? — the girl asked shyly. — Who was the fight with?"

"We are at war to the death with some beasts… ugly flash-eaters."

"And you… a vampire?"

"Ow, vampires! The people called us so? Ok, kind of… Actually we are Syrinxes. Don't be afraid of me. I'm not going to harm you…"

"Why do you do that?" — Kamily blurted out.

"What?"

"Kidnapping women and drink the life force out of them?"

He looked at her puzzled and said:

"There are no women in my city at all, we do not communicate with people. This is the first time I'm talking to someone like you."

"Why do we understand each other then? If you do not communicate with people, how do you know our language?

Syrinx looked at her tensely.

"How to explain? I can understand any language and speak without problems."

"It is hard to believe. How is this possible?" - Kamily angrily walked away from him, leaving the handsome fallen from heaven in deep thought.

"Don't follow me, I know for sure that you are a danger to me."

The girl locked herself in her tiny house, making it clear that she doesn't want to talk to the stranger, hoping that he would leave her alone. But the winged guy was not going to give up, sat down next to the house by the window, leaning against the wall and continued the conversation in an affectionate voice:

"Kamily, I'm glad to met you, and you're afraid of me for nothing, I just want to talk. Where did you get this idea that we kidnap women?"

She reluctantly replied:

"My mother told me the winged hunt women, kidnap and torture them, sometimes they return after a year or two, but they are no longer themselves and do not remember anything that happened to them."

"I'm sorry that such terrible legends circulate about us."

"You say you don't have women in your city, then who gave birth to you? You are young, where is your mother now?"

"I have never seen her, there are a father and a brother. I was told that my mother died."

"Are syrinxes all like you there?"

"What do you mean?"

"With such a bright appearance! Common people are so dull and plain compared to you."

"Oh, do you like me? Yes? - syrinx asked in a playful voice and laughed, but there was no answer.

"Ask something else, you're interested!" - the guy grinned.

"How old are you?"

"Three hundred and three years."

"What? People don't live that long! Are you immortal?"

"Yes, but I don't know anyone older than seven hundred years. How old are you?"

"Twenty."

"Oh, you are a little baby!

"I was left alone, my mother died recently ..."

"Sorry to hear. And the father is?

"Have never seen. Mom couldn't remember how she got me," - Kamily said bitterly. - We were looking for her native village but we didn't find anyone who knew her, we returned here having lost hope of finding relatives"

"I see…"

Kamily was bursting with curiosity, and she began to ask about the his city the lifestyle of these mysterious creatures. After so many years of hiding she managed to talk to weird guy but he evasively answered questions and changed the subject of conversation.

"Tell me, what do people do in the settlements? Have you been there?"

"Yes, we came to one village to work in order to purchase fabrics for clothes and utensils. Artisans live there: weavers, blacksmiths, potters, tailors. Wives and daughters are kept under lock and key to avoid being kidnapped. Every man has a pitchfork for protection."

"Will you let me sleep in your house for the night? - the syrinx suddenly asked. - I can't stand rain and dampness."

"In your dreams! I don't know you at all and what's in your head is unknown! You're a guy, even if you're much older."

She chuckled softly and added:

"You'll have to get wet in the rain if it pours."

"Are you afraid that I will harass you?" - he asked ingratiatingly and chuckled long. - I won't touch you, I promise."

"I don't believe you one bit."

Syrinx was silent for a long time, wrapping himself in wings, and the girl fell asleep.