However, what they saw astounded them.

The entire beach, starting from the very edge of the coast, was dotted with small sparkling objects. Their sizes were no more than beads, and even the most diverse colours and shapes. Round, multifaceted, you could also see two or three-coloured ones.

"I sailed here multiple times, but I have never come across such a thing," Raden looked admiringly at the beach.

Zira had long jumped off the boat and sat on the sand, looking at the shiny beads.

Nialeeka and Attyon looked at each other and hurried ashore.

They stuffed these beads into a bag the size of four fists. The girls took it so that later they could divide it among themselves. The brothers tactfully didn't interfere, realizing that the girls wouldn't part with them. But they weren't any worse off and grabbed a few for themselves to sell later.

They again sailed from the shore. Nialeeka and Zira hid their sack away, but the chime of beads in the brothers' pockets woke Gershy. Grunting, he began to pry what's happening.

The brothers had no choice but to turn out their pockets and show.

“Oh, they found you.”

"Do you know what it is, Gershy?" Zira asked him.

"I know, of course I know," the physician got up and took a handful of beads from brothers. He began to examine them one at a time and gave them back. "I never thought I'd ever see them again."

"Are they rare?" Raden eagerly asked. He was already anticipating how much he would gain for the beads.

"Incredibly," Gershy nodded.

"Raden, fix your face," said Attyon.

"Young people, the two of you are incredibly favoured by the gods since they allowed you to find such rare treasures."

Gershy rolled about a dozen beads in his hands, examining their iridescent multicoloured facets.

"So, what is it?"

"These are the offerings of ancient people to their gods. With these beads, they asked for leniency and good luck. People threw these beads into rivers and lakes from ships to appease their heavenly patrons."

“What are they made of?”

"The blacksmiths could make them if they knew how."

“I can only speculate,” said Attyon. "I heard from the teacher when I was a boy that sand from the bottom of the river under high temperature could become glass. And if you add different substances to it, then the resulting glass will eventually change colour. That's what we see here.

“Incredible workmanship,” Gershy admired. "Where did you find them, you say?"

The young men explained how they swam to the inconspicuous bank of the river

and found it thanks to Zira.

"So it's you found them?" exclaimed Gershy. "And as soon as you saw... Eh, if you had woken me up, I would've tried my luck. I saw one such bead about thirty years ago. My friend had it. He considered it a symbol of his success and didn't tell anyone about it. He considered the bead to be his greatest treasure. His bead, like yours, shone like precious metal in the sun."

The girls understood what Gershy was pushing at and smiled.

"Do not be sad," they said, "we will persuade the brothers to give you one."

Raden and Attyon looked meaningfully at the girls, telling them that they had a full bag of these beads too and what to demand from those who picked up what you left behind.

Nialeeka extended her hand to Raden. Zira laughed and slapped Nialeeka on the arm lightly.

"Why to take the last from them," she rummaged in the numerous bags beside her and fished one out. She held it in both hands towards Gershy and abruptly opened it before the eyes of the physician.

"Ugh!"

At first, the old doctor's eyes widened, then he coughed as if choking. Gershy shrugged as if he wanted to jump back. He shifted his frightened gaze from the bag to the girl and back.

"You... you! Have you robbed the gods?! How else could you find so many treasures?!"

"Take what you like!" Proclaimed Zira with a smile.

She was glad to share with her friends. After all, while she and Nialeeka hadn't yet sorted them out properly, and didn't divide them, she wasn't particularly attached to them.

Gershy muttered "how is this possible?!", and with trembling hands, he carefully sorted out the girls' beads.

Nialeeka watched as Zira helped Gershy sort out her little treasures, how Raden was skillfully handling the boat, and how Attyon was helping him and at the same time glancing at the banks of the river.

Sailing was unhurried. They would reach Stais right before sunset. Nialeeka knew that someone would meet them up on the pier.

Slowly chewing a simple dinner made by Zira's mother, Aila, Nialeeka for some reason wanted to look at her ancient artefact stone. It was small and inconspicuously hung on her neck. She took it out and habitually began to slide a finger along its edges. It was probably her imagination, but sometimes it gets warmer or colder. But most likely it's nothing special because the heat of her body is transferred to the stone and vice versa.

"Raden! Go eat, at last!" Suddenly Zira raised her voice. "I'm tired of listening to the rumbling of your stomach!"

Nialeeka flinched at her scream. Gershy snored.

'Just when did he fell asleep', Nialeeka was amazed.

"Eat it," she rummaged in her bags and pulled out a bundle of food. "This was cooked by my grandmother."

Raden was somewhat stunned.

"What are you thinking? I ate with you just now."

"Then you truly have a bottomless stomach, since you still haven't had enough."

"Look who's talking! Mom says you eat like a bird. Ha! Birds eat like pigs and don't stop until their bellies stick out from under the feathers.

"Oh no, you don't!.."

"Wait," Nialeeka stopped them. "If it's not you, Raden, then who?"

They fell silent and began to listen. A soft rumbling of the stomach again came from Zira and Raden's side.

"Not me," Zira shook her head, gobbling up pies from Nialeeka's grandmother.

Raden blushed but began to listen. Realizing that the sound came from under their bags, he began to shift them.

Attyon, Nialeeka, and Zira watched his actions with great interest. Gershy was sleeping soundly.

Raden threw back one of the bags and was stupefied.

The children didn't see his face, but when Raden unconsciously began to look with his hand for something in the belt where his weapons usually hang, they realized that it was a terrible situation.

Attyon darted toward Raden but choked and stopped. Zira happily ate the pie, and looked towards the brothers, then looked down and raised her eyebrows in surprise.

On the bottom of the boat slept a little boy. His stomach rumbled because he hadn't eaten since the morning.

Without looking, Raden grabbed his knife from Attyon and screamed. His scream spread far along the river.

"CAMIIIIIL!!!"