"Yes. Every knot is someone"s life. Your thread has such knots that I haven"t seen on any thread before. It"s just too cool! What are you in Orel"s team? A pro killer?"

Squint-Eye laughed mirthlessly.

"In Orel"s fucking gang I"m a scapegoat. Orel is having fun and I"m going to prison for him! Is it cool, you think?" He lit a cigarette narrowing his squint eye against the smoke. "The times when I fought for my right to wear the thread passed. Frankly speaking, I"m tired of everything."

Squint-Eye inhaled the smoke.

"I"m tired. Tired of endless disfavor, of prison, I"m tired of doing dirty work for everyone," he looked at Nikto with his good eye. "Do you know what I mean? I met Orel when I was in prison for the first time, for murder. His sentence was two years, he was the king"s relative but I got the full term. He won me over – he was so strong. He had to go through so much humiliation but he didn"t break. I respected him and we became friends. Later, when he went clear, he helped to free me after a while. We eliminated everyone who had to do with his process, didn"t show mercy to anyone. That"s when I started wearing this thread. And then Orel was bored with me. He got new friends. I got to prison again and so was it. I"m the man he throws into the king"s maw to absolve himself. Everyone is happy but me. I haven"t seen any life! Fucking Lis, a war criminal sentenced to gallows both here and in his own land, is walking free and doesn"t care! Enriki, an unscrupulous, corrupt investigator: you can"t imagine what deals he made under the king"s very nose! His family got rich! He is respected. I don"t mention Orel at all, he does whatever he wants. He"ll demolish the whole Lower City – no one will say a word. Let him enjoy himself as long as he doesn"t raise any claims for the throne. And I"m in deep shit! My house is burnt, my family had to run to the west. They cannot come to the city. I"m in such ass, Nik or whatever your name is…"

"You say that because you"ve just got free. Wait for a little while and everything works out," Nikto said.

"No," Squint-Eye shook his head. "I want someone else to go to prison next time, not me."

He stubbed the cigarette.

"By the way, I"ve heard a lot about you. You got free only recently, too, right?

"You can say that."

"Were you in the "king"s prison"?"

"Not for a long time, I spent more at the "farm"."

"Are you a slave?"

"Yes," Nikto said very slowly.

"How did it happen?"

"Do you want me to tell you my life story? Perhaps not tonight?"

Squint-Eye laughed.

"Fine, sorry for my curiosity. It"s just your face – it"s like a picture book. Even someone who can"t read will understand. But I can read, unlike others. And I wonder whom Orel is going to give my job."

Nikto looked at him sharply.

"I don"t want to compete with you," he said.