Antea Derris looked at him. That was enough. There wasn’t much resemblance between Antea and her father. But Antea could glare just like he did. Just like Pyral Pratt. Muus cringed beneath her gaze.

“Please make out a cheque for four hundred crowns from the sum to be paid,” she instructed the clerk. “I know the bank takes a commission, I accept that.”

“And my dough in cash!” The court scribe pointed to the large leather satchel he was lugging. “I’ll take it home and hide it away safely! No thieving banks are going to fleece me for a commission!”

“It’s a considerable sum,” said the clerk, standing up. “Please wait here.”

As he left the counter the clerk opened the door leading to the rear for a moment, but Antea could have sworn that for a second she saw a black-haired woman dressed in black and white.

She felt a shiver.

* * *

“Thank you, Molnar,” said Yennefer. “I won’t forget this favour.”

“What are you thanking me for?” smiled Molnar Giancardi. “What have I done, what service have I rendered? That I bought a certain lot at auction? Paying for it with money from your private account? And perhaps that I turned away when you cast that spell a moment ago? I turned away, because I was watching that agent from the window as she walked away, gracefully swaying this and that. She’s a dame to my taste, I don’t deny it, although I’m not fond of human females. Will your spell… cause her problems too—?”

“No,” interrupted the sorceress. “Nothing will happen to her. She took a cheque, not gold.”

“Indeed. You will take away the Witcher’s swords at once, I presume. After all, to him they mean—”

“—everything.” Yennefer completed his sentence. “He’s bound to them by destiny. I know, I know, indeed. He told me. And I’ve begun to believe it. No, Molnar, I won’t take the swords today. They can remain in the safe deposit. I’ll soon send an authorised person to collect them. I leave Novigrad this very day.”

“As do I. I’m riding to Tretogor, I have to inspect the branch there. Then I’m going home to Gors Velen.”

“Well, thank you once again. Farewell, O dwarf.”

“Farewell, O sorceress.”

INTERLUDE

Precisely one hundred hours after the gold was taken from the Giancardis’ bank in Novigrad

“You’re banned from entry,” said the doorman Tarp. “And well aware of that. Move away from the steps.”

“Ever seen this, peasant?” Nikefor Muus shook and jingled a fat pouch. “Ever seen so much gold at one time? Out of my way, a nobleman is coming through! A wealthy lord! Stand aside, churl!”