I squinted at the rearview mirror. Yes, real skill didn’t depend on age. Skill like teleporting into a moving car that was protected, and doing it completely unnoticed . . .

“Arina, I didn’t invite you.”

“But you listened to the prophecy,” said the witch, stating a fact.

“Of course. You’re very persuasive.”

“And?”

“And nothing.”

Arina paused. Then she said ingratiatingly: “Do you understand what this prophecy is about? Your daughter can destroy the Tiger.”

“And the Twilight,” I said. “A wonderful prospect.”

Arina tossed her head angrily.

“Anton! Come to your senses! You know about the prophecy that I tried to prevent from happening . . .”

“I know that if through some incredible disaster the Twilight is destroyed,” I said, keeping my eyes on the road, “then all our Power will be reduced to nothing. It will drain off into the void—or remain in this world . . . that’s not important. But we will no longer be able to heal people, to protect them . . .”

“As if we really healed them and protected them very much anyway,” Arina said. Not scathingly, more sadly.

“We do what we can,” I said, shrugging. “Perhaps it’s not for a former Dark One and Witches’ leader to reproach the Night Watch on that score?”

“Ah yes, I’m a well-known Baba Yaga,” Arina snickered. “I used to eat little Ivans for supper and send the swan-geese off to plunder and loot.”

“I’m not claiming that,” I said soberly. “I’m even prepared to concede that you personally scrubbed down fine young heroes in the bathhouse and inspired them for the battle against evil.”

Arina laughed unexpectedly. “You know, you’re right! That did happen a couple of times . . .”

“But like any witch, you worked both good and evil,” I continued. “And without distinction. But I try to stick to good. So don’t go reproaching me.”

“I’m not reproaching you,” Arina said with surprising meekness. “But you’ve heard the prophecy, haven’t you? The Twilight is short of Power. Power is produced by human emotions. Life has clearly become too calm . . .”

“Oh, it’s really calm!” I exclaimed. “Not a day goes by without a new war. And there’s no problem with sex in the world, either. The consumer society consumes, the Third World fights battles, ships sink, typhoons rage and roar, power stations explode—the world’s awash with emotions. And there’s Hollywood trying its best, too: people certainly aren’t short of spectacles.”

“So it means that isn’t enough,” Arina said stubbornly. “It means that the way everything’s going doesn’t suit the Twilight. It wants major upheavals. The downfall of kingdoms, mass human migrations, holocausts and apocalypses . . .”

“And what has that got to do with us?”