14

Ilyana sat on a stone bench in the courtyard of the Inquisition castle. Her slender fingers fingered the parts of a disassembled silver flute. This instrument, the work of masterful hands, was a gift from Kyrian for her twentieth birthday. The flute turned out to be so perfect and beautiful that it won hearts without even having time to make a sound. Ilyana really loved playing it, but today the girl needed to think. She pretended to clean the flute, wiping the sparkling surface with a soft linen rag. A performance for those who followed her.

This morning Ilyana went to the Pope for an audience. She asked for reports from executed people about sins and atrocities against the Light. In response, the girl received only strange excuses. They all sounded something like this: “Dear child, why should you bother your beautiful young mind with these mediocre villagers and their guilt? Leave the garbage collection to us.”

And after this conversation, surveillance began on Ilyana. The girl felt