– 'He's fine,' Mariszka replied briefly.

'Is that all she can say? «It's fine?» – I was surprised at such secrecy.

– 'And Cedric?

– 'He's gone to Russia. And please don't mention him to Markus» she said. Her face became stern and aloof.

– Gone? But you said he had to study at Charles University! – I was astonished at the news: Cédric had dropped out and left?

– Yes, but he changed his mind. Did you hear me? Don't talk about him in front of my husband! Markus is suffering a lot because of his brother's absence. – Mariska's voice was still harsh, but the aloofness on her face was replaced by resentment.

– Since you ask, I won't. It's just weird: Cedric seemed so fixed to me. – I shrugged.

– Fixed! – A mocking smile appeared on my sister's lips. – Okay, let's not talk about that.

– Good.

Mariszka's behaviour discouraged me. I was confused: What had happened to Cedric, or what had he done to make my sister so angry at the mention of him?

We walked on in silence. I didn't know how to break our silence, so I just stared around me. I was embarrassed to be walking next to my favourite sister, but I felt bad and ashamed that my words had led to two close blood relatives with nothing to talk about.

– What about Maria? Did she call you? – Mariszka suddenly broke our silence.

I was glad that she at least asked about something, and that now I could chat carelessly, just to avoid listening to our grave silence.

– Yes, recently. She's in Ottawa now, part-time photographer. Do you know who she's been shooting recently? Some celebrity! Can you believe it? – I tried to say it cheerfully, but all I got was a hysterical squeal.

– Who was it? – My sister asked, pulling a big touchscreen phone out of her purse.

– I don't know who exactly, but I'm sure she's very famous… In Canada» I replied, glancing at what she was doing.

Mariszka started fiddling with her phone, and I turned my head away, pretending like I didn't care that she preferred her big brick phone to talking to her sister.

– How do you fit it in your bag? – I muttered to myself.

– It's very useful, by the way» Mariszka said, and put the phone back in her bag. – Sorry, that was Markus: he texted that he was waiting for us at the restaurant. Let's go to him.

I was surprised at the haste, because we'd only been walking for an hour, but I kept silent: it must have been the plan.

We caught a taxi to the fancy restaurant where Markus met us, and I thought once again that he and my sister were the most beautiful couple in the world, and I remembered that Cedric was nothing like his brother. But my sister's insistence immediately echoed in my mind, and I decided to keep my mouth shut.

Markus and I hugged, and he led us inside the restaurant, but to my amazement, we passed a beautiful hall, went down a dark staircase somewhere, and ended up in the basement, where there was a small but swanky restaurant, and sat down at a table. There were only the three of us in the room.

A waiter appeared next to us. A vampire.

– Three glasses and a bottle of the freshest» Markus told him.

He brought three large wine glasses and a beautiful bottle labelled 'New England'. I had never been to a place like this before, but I understood perfectly: there was fresh blood in the bottle.

«Wow, a vampire restaurant that serves blood to guests is right under people's noses!» – I thought as I watched Markus pour the blood into glasses. I looked at him and wondered what had changed in him in just three months: his face was like carved stone, his eyes glittered coldly, and his voice was no longer as friendly as it had been in Prague. I shifted my gaze to Mariszka: she, too, was serious. To say that I felt out of place would be to say nothing.