9. Перевод некоторых сцен

Василиса знакомится с Фэшем

(книга 1, глава 6)

“It’s going to be okay… Fash is gonna be here soon, he will help you out. Just don’t, uhm…” Nick paused, possibly looking for words that suited what he was going to say the most. “Don’t tell him about your highest timemastery degree… He is a short-tempered person, even I—his friend—don’t know how he is going to react. He is a timemaster, might epher some stuff, and then I’ll be the one responsible for it…” “Might epher?” Another new word. “What does it mean?” Nick lowered his head: his suspicions were coming back. But the next second, the curtain that covered the door shook, letting another boy in. He looked thirteen or fourteen, had dark wavy hair and big blue, almost angelic eyes. His clothes were unusual: black slacks, black high-collar shirt with white cuffs. The collar and the hem were covered with a patterned border full of numbers. His shoes were strange, too: they seemed soft, made of suede, with elongated tips. The new boy smiled, dimples appearing on his cheeks. “I rushed here as soon as I saw Whitehorn.” He did not see Vasilisa yet, who was entirely hidden behind the back of her chair. “Why did you need the thinhorn? And what’s up with this entire story?” “Fash…” Nick smiled sheepishly. “You see, something is… First of all, you have someone to meet.” That was exactly the moment Fash spotted her, and the grin was whipped off his face. “Vasilisa, this is Fash… Fash, this is Vasilisa.” Nick’s voice tensed: “She transferred from Ostala with, uhm… With a bit of my help.” “Hi!” Vasilisa tried to smile as kindly as she could, but Fash did not even react to her greeting. His eyes darkened, his face turned very still, resembling a stone mask.

Чёрная Королева

(книга 1, глава 20)

“What in the hell is going on?” he asked with demand. “Silence,” the stranger in the veiling cut him off. “I am the one to ask questions… Now, Vasilisa, is the blade still with you? They did not take the Steel Fang away, did they?” But Vasilisa gave no answer. “You haven’t said who you are,” she reminded. “Time teaches caution, isn’t it?” The stranger smirked again. “Let’s say, I’m the one whose invitation you declined… And now your brother has the Ruby Key, gifted to you by the Whiny Queen, sorry, the White Queen, and no one cares what happens to you. Right?” “You are the ruler of lyuts? The Black Queen?” Vasilisa asked in astonishment, receiving a slight affirmative nod in response.

Диалог в лагере

(книга 2, глава 3)

“Only me and you, Vasilek, are awake.” “Don’t call me by the secret name!” Vasilisa exclaimed angrily. “You learned it by fraud!” “You revealed it to me all by yourself,” Fash said in return. “I hope, you haven’t lost your key yet.” Vasilisa grabbed her backpack and threw it over her shoulder. Fash watched her with a challenged look and added: “Not really a key, not really a weapon… Matches its owner: Black key-keeper is a weirdo, too.” This was something Vasilisa could not leave ignored. “You, listen here…!” She rushed to him, trying to lightly slap the boy, but Fash dodged her: with a quiet rustle and one brisk wave of unfolding wings, he instantly reached the roof of the nearest house. “What are you doing?!” Vasilisa panicked. “If anyone sees you…!” She looked around warily to make sure nobody was watching them, but luckily could not spot a soul. Moreover, the surroundings were unusually quiet: no bird chirp, no wind blows, no noise at all. “No one is going to see me,” Fash laughed and then suddenly cupped his hands and yelled: “Hey! Hey! Hey!” Vasilisa fearfully stayed in place, getting ready for a choir of complaints of disturbed residents coming from here and there. Yet there were none. “Hey, Fash!” Someone shouted out of the house. “Why did you froze the time? Stop toying with it… Hi, Vasilisa.” Nick walked out of the front door, appearing a little sleepy, but as always, cheerful and with a smile on his face. <…> <…> “But why does Fash dislike Ostala?” Vasilisa asked again. “Why does it bother him so much?” Nick knit his eyebrows: Vasilisa noticed, he did it every time he was seriously thinking regarding what to say. Or, rather, what not to say. But Vasilisa, folding her arms, stared at him with the most piercing sight she could force. She had to find out at least something! And Nick surrendered. “You see, Fash… He really, really did not want to end up on Ostala.” He scratched his head, hesitating. “Dragotsy was actually born here.” “What?!” Vasilisa’s jaw dropped. “He is Ostalan?” “Uhm, I shouldn’t have said that,” he knit his eyebrows again. “Just don’t ask him anything, alright? He will tell you everything if he feels like it, later.” “But does he have any relatives left in here?” Vasilisa insisted on asking, although now in whisper. “At least someone?” But Nick shook his head, making it clear that this topic was closed. “Hey, what are you saying in there?” Fash seemed to somehow sense being talked about and immediately jumped down the fence, approaching them. “Vasilisa was telling me about the camp,” Nick smirked. “It was mostly you who talked,” Fash replied, folding his wings and looking like an ordinary boy again. “I had many questions.” But Fash remained still, observing him with a growing suspicion. The next moment, his blue eyes glanced at Vasilisa. She could not bear the eye-contact and looked down at her sneakers, blushing. The silence between the three of them began to feel uncomfortable. “Instead of staring at us, rather let the time flow,” Nick said.

Фэш и Василиса

(книга 3, глава 18)

“It was a little cruel. Marisha really likes you,” Vasilisa said uneasily. “She timerased Nick.” His blue eyes turned into the two pieces of ice. “I could not care less about her feelings.” Vasilisa observed Fash with astonishment, as if it was the first time she ever saw him. She suddenly remembered how he tricked her into meeting tricats: when he wanted to trap her with these bloodthirsty needle-toothed kittens. It was not surprising that he himself was able to morph into one of these creatures. “I’d better not be your enemy,” she smirked. “Astragor shouldn’t worry, you are full of cruelty.” She was still exasperated, and she wanted to snipe at her friend. But he figured out her intentions. “And I’m sure Mark fancies you,” he arched his left eyebrow. “He didn’t take his eyes off you the entire evening… But as you can see, he’s still alive. So I’m not that cruel.” Vasilisa could not help but laughed doubtfully. “Don’t make stuff up…” Nevertheless, she liked the way he teased her.

Хрустальное Сердце

(книга 2, глава 24)

Between her palms, a strange, fascinating, yet real heart was pulsing. Its sides were as transparent as crystal, with silver blood pumping through the thin veins in it. And right in its centre, a bright blue-coloured ember sparkled. With every beat of this unusual heart, the clarity returned to Vasilisa. Not hesitating a moment more, she raised the heart high above her head and shouted: “I want Ephlara to travel one hundred hours in past!” Her voice was heard by everybody, the ones who remained standing turned around. The time-dome was dissolving, and new figures of people were becoming visible through it, many of them dressed in dark violet mantles. But Vasilisa was not noticing anyone: with all her might, she threw the heart against the ground.

Василиса и Марк

(книга 4, глава 7)

Mark’s reaction was unexpected: his black pupils narrowed in a split second, and his face went entirely pale, almost matching his cold-coloured hair. “I have no parents,” he said at unease, for a moment becoming his old self, unkind and arrogant. Vasilisa felt embarrassed. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know,” she whispered. “I wouldn’t have asked if I…” “It’s fine, don’t worry… I have never seen them anyway.” These words seemed to be very hard for him. He looked at Vasilisa as if expecting some sort of mockery from her, and she rushed to return to the topic they were on. “So, two backrooms? But one is inside the other?” “Exactly, Vasilisa. It’s complicated, but trust me, I will create it for you to show my alliance.” She noticed how he called her by her first name. Who knows, maybe he truly wanted to be her friend? “Well, we will see…” She backed up. “Sounds interesting, of course…” And suddenly another realisation struck her. “Wait, wouldn’t you need to know my time-name for that?” The corner of Mark’s lips twitched, as if she mentioned something unpleasant to him. “Well, yes,” he began. “But don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone. Even more, I’m ready to tell you mine… To support our trust in each other.” His black eyes sparkled, reflecting the wall lights. “I will think,” Vasilisa said. “And now excuse me, I must go back to my room. It’s getting late.”

Драгоции

(книга 6, глава 4)

“Hey, Black key-keeper!” Someone called Vasilisa suddenly. “Must be so happy Astragor honoured you to be his student?” The girl turned around. The question was asked by a short boy with thin, evenly parted, slick hair, bulging eyes and a snarky face expression. “Go away, Felix,” Zaharra said coldly, slightly stepping forward. “Why go away?” He withstood and again looked at Vasilisa, this time even more boldly. “We all want to know who inherited the place of poor Fash.” “What do you mean?” Vasilisa asked hostilely. The big, almost protrudent eyes of this boy annoyed her terribly. “What are you saying?” “That you got accepted into the senior circle, you birdie.” He gave Zaharra a side-eye and smirked. “Haven’t you told your bestie?” “They blabbered that Astragor has put you into his highest senior student circle, the one I just told you about,” she explained reluctantly. “But since you don’t have our mark, it must really be just blabber…” Suddenly, she lashed out at him: “Go away, you bug-eyed! And mark my words: Fash is coming back! Got it? He will return and teach you your idiot place, you will see.” “He won’t return,” Voyt, who had been listening to their conversation for a while, stepped in. A nasty smile appeared on his lips. “He’s lost in the timelessness. This is what happens to those who betray their master. The Great Spirit of Ostala rejected him and chose another… Successor. The mission of Fashiar Diaman Dragosty was over before it even began. The stupid, ambitious Gold key-keeper had, however, even less luck… Am I right, Rok?”

Рунис с монеткой

(книга 6, глава 12)

This is the timemastery I want to learn, Runis thought. The great, powerful, mysterious, bright… I want to know everything about time mechanisms, about Time and its laws, the good and the evil of timemastery magic… And not the horrible things uncle keeps talking about for hours. Suddenly his glance focused on a dusty pavement, noticing a shining coin, a dim silver circle. If it comes up number, I will never return to him, Runis decided, surprised by this new, entrancing feeling—his courage. I will walk into this wonderful tower, and that’s it, I will stay there. And if it comes up clock-dial… Then I will buy a bread loaf, eat it and return home. At least, I won’t have to sit hungry in the cellar. The boy tossed the coin in the air. Frozen, Vasilisa followed it with her eyes… But, alas, she could not see what came up: Rok flipped the time-album shut. “Time is up,” he said quietly. His face remained expressionless, but he stared at the girl expectantly. “There is nothing to write,” Vasilisa said firmly. “I couldn’t see anything.” “In that case, I’m obligated to walk you into the tunnels.” He turned around, and Vasilisa, her head down, had to follow him. For a second, she noticed Zaharra’s worried glance, but looked away not to get her in trouble. In the end of the day, it was Vasilisa’s personal decision to know or not to know the future of her father, and no Spirit of Ostala could order her otherwise.

Договор Фэша и Астрагора

(книга 2, глава 21)

“Are you so certain I would accept you back?” His voice was dry and rough. “You have proved that you cannot be trusted.” “I will sign the Contract, just like you wanted me to. On…” Fash paused, having to make an effort to continue. “On any terms.” Astragor stepped to the window, observing the storm again. “It is astonishing how whimsical the fate is.” Fash remained still, visibly confused whether he should stay or walk away, but suddenly Astragor briskly turned back to him. “I accept your offer.” His face—dried, painted with wrinkles—looked like a hideous mask, and the bleak smile, that stayed at his thin grey lips, made it even worse. “You. Will. Serve. Me. Eternally.” Each word struck boy’s ears louder than a pendulum of the biggest clocks in entire castle. “Once you become eighteen years of age, your soul and your youth will pass to me. But your spirit will remain free; as you can tell, I’m not taking away everything… Until that you will, again, be a student of mine. Moreover, you will be in the senior student circle, and you will join the Order of Intricate. Do you agree?” Boy’s lips trembled, but he overcame his fear, forcing a slow nod. “Yes, I agree.”

БОНУС

(та же самая сцена, но…)

Этого в этой статье ВООБЩЕ НЕ ДОЛЖНО БЫТЬ, но я это своими ручками перевела, а значит, Вы с этим (в силу своих лингвистических способностей) ознакомитесь. »Aber bist du dir so sicher, dass ich dich zurücklassen würde?« Sein Stimme war trocken und rau. »Du hast es beweisen, dass ich dir nicht vertrauen kann.« »Ich werde deinen Vertrag unterzeichnen, genau wie du es gewünscht hast. Unter…« Fäsch hielt inne und musste sich anstrengen, um auszureden. »Unter jeden Bedingungen.« Astragor trat zum Fenster und begann, den Regen erneut zu betrachten. »Es ist erstaunlich, wie launisch das Schicksal ist.« Fäsch bewegte sich nicht, da er nicht wusste, ob er bleiben oder weggehen sollte; aber plötzlich drehte Astragor sich zu ihm schnell. »Ich nehme dein Angebot.« Sein Gesicht – vertrocknet, von Falten überzogen – sah aus wie eine hässliche Maske, und ein düsteres Lächeln, das auf seinen grauen schmalen Lippen erstarrte, machte ihn noch schrecklicher. »Du. Wirst. Mich. Ewig. Dienen.« Jedes Wort klang in den Ohren des Jungen lauter als die größte Uhr im Burg. »Sobald du achtzehn Jahre alt geworden bist, werde ich deine Seele und deine Jugend bekommen. Aber dein Geist wird frei bleiben; wie du siehst, nehme ich nicht alles weg… Bis dahin wirst du wieder mein Schüler sein. Außerdem wirst du dem Kreis der älteren Schülern beitreten. Und auch dem Orden der Verschlungenen. Bist du einverstanden?« Die Lippen des Jungen zitterten, aber er überwand seine Angst und nickte langsam. »Ja, ich bin einverstanden.«