But in the old Chinese magician’s opinion, that wasn’t the goal that the Tiger pursued at all. His goal was to “shake up” the prophets, urge them on to declare their prophecies to humans, so that the prophecies would come true—and change human life in one way or another, make sure that the human anthill didn’t stop developing. A coherent theory that was confirmed by Fan Wen-yan’s own story . . . The Tiger “hassled” the prophets until they performed their duty—or firmly decided never to proclaim the prophecy. Clearly, the prophecy that Wen-yan had heard foretold something very bad for China—and the magician had been prepared to die in order to save his country. The Tiger had realized that and had left—he didn’t need any pointless sacrifices.

But then why, in Kesha’s case, had the Tiger said that “the prophecy must not be heard”? So was it special in some way? Something that went beyond those that brought the world Sputniks, miniskirts, or rock music? And at the same time, if Arina could be trusted, it concerned my daughter.

A riddle.

So, let’s start from the other end. Who is the Tiger? Once again, in Wen-yan’s opinion—and apparently he had studied this question more thoroughly than all our European sages—the Tiger was not simply an Other, changed and guided by the Twilight. He was more complicated than that. He was . . . well, to a certain extent, you could say that he was alive. Alive and intelligent.

Like the Twilight itself.

Basically, he was the Twilight, in a form accessible to our eyes . . .

I felt a frosty chill creep across my skin. Someone was walking over my grave, as the Americans say.

Someone . . . A Tiger in a coat!

The Twilight . . .

There it was all around me. Accessible to Others, but barely even capable of being sensed by humans. The source of Power—and simultaneously its consumer.

And, if Wen-yan could be believed, alive and intelligent.

How was that possible? How could a nothingness be intelligent? A matryoshka doll with seven dimensions, one of which is our world, with the others ranging from a cold desert to a pale copy of the real world. Intelligence had to have some material vehicle.

Or did it really have to have anything?