“So we could call you the salvatrix of Russia,” I said acidly. “And a Hero of the Soviet Union into the bargain, since you helped the revolution to happen.”

“Well, yes, pretty much,” Arina said modestly.

The children’s playground that we had unashamedly occupied was luxurious. Standing at the center was a wooden ship that looked as if it had sailed here from Never-Never Land and been abandoned by Peter Pan. During the day there was no space to draw breath on the ship, with squalling hordes of children clambering up the masts and the rope ladders, but now the two of us were sitting there, a Magician and a Witch, each clutching a bottle of beer that we hadn’t touched in ages.

“Let’s suppose I believe you,” I said. “Let’s even suppose that you’re not wrong and it was a prophecy and you managed to change it. Then what?”

“The Watches have been messing about with petty nonsense for ages,” said Arina. “Stewing in their own juice. Even their conflicts are basically make-believe.”

“Would you like a war?” I taunted her. “Which team are you playing for this season, the Light Ones? And what about the Treaty—do we honor it?”

“I don’t want war,” Arina replied seriously. “We Witches are a peaceful crowd. And Light Witches especially . . . Remind me of the Great Treaty, will you, Anton?”

I shrugged and recited what everyone is taught in their first lesson as an Other—no matter if it’s in the Night Watch or the Day Watch.

We are Others

We serve different powers

But in the Twilight there is no difference between the absence of darkness and the absence of light

Our struggle is capable of destroying the world

We conclude the Great Treaty of truce

Each side shall live according to its own laws

Each side shall have its own right

We limit our rights and our laws

We are Others

We create the Night Watch

So that the forces of Light might monitor the forces of Darkness

We are Others

We create the Day Watch

So that the forces of Darkness might monitor the forces of Light

Time will decide for us

“Excellent,” said Arina. “The Treaty, you will observe, does not prohibit intervention in human life. It only limits the struggle between Light Ones and Dark Ones.”