Other universes of Cherner's realities.

Camila slept restlessly. Anna Stanislavovna was sitting next to him, right on the floor, with her back against the bed. The blanket had long since slipped off, the tea was cold, and the phone was still lying face down. She kept her eyes on the girl's face, which was too pale, too tense even in her sleep. Medvedeva stood by the window with her arms crossed over her chest. "Are you sure you did the right thing?" "What is it?" she asked softly. "By keeping her." Anna did not immediately respond. —Today...— she stammered. — There were too many today. If she had come home— I'm not sure she would have been able to stand it. "Me too,— Medvedeva admitted. —After everything... after class... after *what* happened." They fell silent. The apartment was unusually quiet, the kind of silence in which one can hear one's own thoughts. Anna automatically adjusted the blanket on Camila's shoulders. The girl sighed, but did not wake up. And at that moment ** there was a knock on the door**. It's muffled. With force. Anna stood up abruptly. Medvedeva tensed. "Open it!" — A familiar, hoarse voice came. "I know you have it!" Anna went to the door without turning on the light. "Go away, Pavel," she said coldly. "Right now." "You have no right!" "Stop it!" he shouted. — This is my baby! "No," Anna replied just as calmly. "You're a danger. And if you don't leave, I'm calling the police. There was a crash outside the door, and foul language was heard. Then silence. Footsteps. The outgoing ones. Anna stood with her forehead against the door for a few more seconds before returning to the room. Camila woke up. —Anna...— in a whisper. "Is that him?" Anna sat down next to her and hugged her. "It's okay. He's gone. You're safe. Camila nodded, but the trembling didn't go away. --- At night, Camila screamed again. Anna woke up instantly. —Hush, hush..." she hugged the girl to herself. "I'm here." "He's..." Camila gasped. "He was there... in gold... and the world was burning."… She spoke in fragments. About the battle. About the throne. About the skeleton in armor. About the words that made you feel cold inside: * "Thousands of people. This is not your fight, niece Dorna. Wake up."* Anna stroked her hair without interrupting. "It was a dream,— she said softly. — It's very scary, but you're awake. "And if it's not a dream?" Camila whispered. — If it is… Me? In the morning, she told me everything. To Anna. Medvedev. Alyona. Dasha. Sasha. Maya. And Cherner. She spoke slowly, as if she was afraid that the words would make everything more real. When she finished, there was a heavy silence in the room. "Damn genetic defects of Rogal Dorn's legacy...— muttered Cherner, rubbing his face. "The Exorcist Order... is the bond really that strong?"… "You know something,— Medvedeva said. Cherner looked at Camila. Then he looked away. "I need to check something." At home. He stood up. "I'll be back." Camila paled. "Am I... am I going to be put in a mental hospital now?" "What is it?" she asked softly. "Am I right?" Anna immediately replied: - no. Never. You're not broken. Alyona sat down next to her and squeezed her hand. —Listen,— Maya said, hugging Camila. — Well, darling. We're both happy now. We'll manage. Camila smiled faintly. --- Cherner flew to the Fiery Empire that night. Terra greeted him with cold majesty. Tsargrad — golden bastions and steles of the fallen. He stopped longer than planned at the stained glass window with Valery Ramazanov's name. The conversation with my father and Vasily Krasnov was difficult. About Camila's illness. About fake medical examinations. About the Darkness of Dorne. About why the Emperor pulled the girl out of the deadly decay. "Do you think he's got a fatherly instinct?" Cherner smiled bitterly. Krasnov stared into the distance. "Or he sees things we don't see." --- The Emperor came later. Ten minutes after Cherner left. The class froze. Time allowed only breathing. He was walking towards Camila. Anna covered her with herself, overcoming pain, fear and impossibility. And then they intervened. Spear. Alpha. **XX**. — * Hydra Dominatus*. The world collapsed. And then everything was gone. After that - crying, shock, trembling. "It's because of me,— Camila said brokenly. "I'm dangerous." Anna hugged her. - no. Medvedeva added: "If he wanted to, we wouldn't be breathing anymore. This has become the main thing. The Emperor is gone. But he ** didn't take her**. This means that the story has just begun.