“My flat is nearby—you can leave the equipment there until tomorrow,” I said.
Thus, the camera stayed the night with me—and August did too.
We mentioned nothing to the others. The day after that, we filmed the finale: the rebels’ glorious march to Hradčany, King Otokar’s death and Polyxena’s dreamlike escape. As the small crowd carried me toward the castle, I felt strangely elated. An empress of fools—but an empress nonetheless. Life was brilliant.
When the dark set in and filming stopped, I invited August to my flat again.
II. Mirror of fear
An outcry of pain pierced the warm spring night. I jerked awake and lit a lamp. It was August. He sat, huddled on the carpet in the living room, rocking back and forth. His face was contorted as if it didn’t belong to him at all.
“Another bad dr
