39

Snow blizzards gave way to the pressure of warm sunny days. Under the hot rays, the snow melted rapidly, becoming wet and dense. The first clearings appeared, although where the shadow reigned, sparkling snowdrifts still breathed the cold of winter. Children were playing snowballs with might and main, snowballs fell on the walls of houses and melted there, spreading in streams.

Outside the city, reindeer herds wandered into the field more and more often, moose came. They fought, and the crackling of horns reached the city walls. The ice melted off the coast and the merchants gleefully rubbed their hands, waiting to launch their ships into the water to trade with the magicians and the inhabitants of the islands.

Dei's position became clear. The round belly was already difficult to hide. They made new dresses for her. Warm and spacious, with drawstrings under the bust. Deamara continued her studies with Atara, embroidering and sewing with Shali. Aznar and Bery again disappeared for days