This time the mask was right. An old housekeeper named Drusilla was awake. She was sitting on the sill of an open window, stroking her broom lovingly for some reason. The old woman was wearing a pointed hat and a dark dress, the kind of dress one normally wears to a funeral. Where were the cream-colored collars and lace that the housekeeper usually wore?
«See you later!» The housekeeper waved to the stars as if they were her friends and hurried forward down the hall. There was no bunch of keys in her hands, but she somehow managed to open the door at the end of the hallway. Flora didn’t remember there being a door here before. At the end of the hallway, there was usually a dead end. Apparently, the dead end has a sliding panel. Either there’s a hiding place behind it, or some kind of utility room. The smell of herbs wafted from it.
Drusilla entered a secret room where a cauldron was sizzling and bundles of black herbs were drying. The mirror on the wall suddenly reflected a young, attractive brunette in a black dress instead of the kind old woman. The pointed black hat suited her well. If not for the lack of wings, the stranger could be mistaken for a black fairy.
Flora cautiously followed Drusilla. The reflection in the mirror winked at her.
«Are you spying, my lady?»
Flora gasped, and the coal-black cat jumped to her feet and glared at her with yellow eyes.
«To me, Blackie!» Drusilla’s voice called. It was suddenly young and sonorous.
Flora peeped through the door of the secret room. The room looked like a kitchen. Bundles of herbs hung around, jars of powders, probably condiments, stood on shelves. Except that the skull between them was definitely not part of the kitchen arsenal. Its eyes flashed red fire. Bats gathered under the ceiling.
«How tiresome is to wear a mask!» Drusilla shook herself off, as if from dust, and suddenly became young and pretty. Flora gasped. Before her stood a lady with a wasp waist, matte skin, and high breasts in a black lace corsage. Her blue-black curls ran down below her waist. They seemed like living snakes.
The metamorphosis was astounding. Only the black cat was already used to her mistress’s transformation. It jumped nimbly on Drusilla’s shoulder and mewed something in her ear, evidently to Flora, for Drusilla stared at the doorway.
«Come in, mistress!» she called. «Don’t stand on the threshold like a stranger.»
Long black nails beckoned Flora inside. The girl entered reluctantly. The door behind her back did not slam shut. Apparently, Drusilla had put the whole castle to sleep.
Oh, my! The old housekeeper Drusilla, who always looked after Flora, was a witch with a black cat on her shoulder.
«Drusilla! So you’re a witch?»
«Shh!» Drusilla put a black fingernail to her lips.
That’s who Edwin meant! There is indeed a real witch in the castle!
«It was a good thing Blackie noticed you,» Drusilla petted the cat. «Otherwise I wouldn’t have shown you the respect you deserve and would have been blacklisted from the Magic Empire.»
«What are you talking about?»
Drusilla suddenly crouched down in front of Flora in a curtsy as if she were a princess.
«You don’t think I’m the queen of witches, do you?» Flora hesitated. And even if Drusilla thinks she is the witch lord, it’s good for her. Since the witch respects her, it means she won’t turn on her. Good! Flora pretended to understand and took it as a sign of respect. The main thing is not to be exposed.
«So you remembered who you are, Mistress?»
«I haven’t forgotten that,» Flora didn’t remember having recurring amnesia recently. Yes, there had been lapses of memory, but who she was, Flora remembered perfectly. She is the only daughter of the honorable Marquis de Rione. There’s no confusing her! Drusilla had certainly mistaken her for someone else. Maybe witchery makes witches misunderstand.
«So that’s how cunning you are!» Drusilla was truly gloating. «You just pretended to be oblivious! You’re a true witch lord!»
«I’d rather be a fairy lord,» said Flora, remembering the winged beauties’ sharp claws and stubborn temper. Then she would have tamed them.
«Don’t they obey you anymore?» Drusilla gasped with genuine indignation. «Oh, they are rebellious! Report them to the Emperor of all evil spirits.»
«I don’t even know him,» Fora faltered again, noticing Drusilla’s indignation. «I don’t want to go to him now,» she corrected quickly.
«It’s true. You did prefer to do everything behind his back. That’s the right thing to do! Men should be led around by the nose. I’ve seduced a couple of sorcerer kings, too.»
«Have you?!»
Drusilla took out a mirror and began to make herself up. Apparently, the mirror in the ornament of bones and thistles was magical, because Drusilla was suddenly transformed into a young enchantress.
«I’m not as beautiful as you are, but with a pinch of magic I can charm a king, a sultan, or even Edwin’s courtiers.»
«Wait! You mentioned that Edwin has courtiers. Is he the ruler of any state? Or do you mean not the Edwin who was going to the fairy masquerade?»
How many young men can still be called Edwin? Flora could not believe that a handsome young warlock could be a king.
Drusilla blinked her eyelashes in amazement, and the cat on her shoulder meowed questioningly. Flora was suddenly surprised to find that she understood cat language. How could this be? Blackie asked:
«What’s the matter with her?» The cat pointed doubtfully with its left paw at Flora.
«You must be joking?» Drusilla marveled at the cat’s tone.
«I…» Flora didn’t know what to lie this time and pressed her hand to her forehead.
«Are you dizzy?» Drusilla asked sympathetically.
«Do you have any potions for headaches?» Flora decided to distract her.
«I have a lot of them, both to cause pain and to relieve it, but you mustn’t take them, or the other that sits inside you may be released, and your body will no longer belong to you. It’s so young, so fresh. Where will you find another like it? The young Marquise was the only noble beauty in this wilderness. And peasant bodies never satisfied you. It’s her spirit rebelling inside you. It makes you dizzy and forget things from time to time. And it is impossible to evict her from your body. Otherwise the body will grow old very quickly. And you’ll have to find a new one.»
Ah, that’s it! Flora listened and gradually became terrified. If Drusilla thought she was talking to some sorceress who had taken over her body, it meant that Flora was under regular magical attacks. That’s why the blackouts and strange dreams. Some evil spirit tried to take over her body, but failed. Let Drusilla think she’s talking to a great sorceress, not the Marquis’ naive daughter Flora.
«This body is fine. I got over the one who squeezed me out of it,» Flora decided to play along with a touch of sneer. «Let’s forget about her! From now on, think of me only as Flora, and don’t mention the other one.»
«The main thing is that this body should last you longer. There must be traces of death and the magic that destroys it. Let me see!»
«Don’t!» Flora wanted only to remove Drusilla’s hand, but the witch shrieked and didn’t stay on her feet. Flora’s touch struck her in the chest with a bolt of lightning.
«Oh, I’m sorry! I can’t believe it’s me!» Flora watched in consternation as Drusilla rose with the help of a broom that flew up to help.
«You’re so strong! You’re