Twelve days after New Year are called the Dark Ones. Only during this time can dangerous monsters of all kinds and ranks—vampires, mermaids, werewolves, domovilas (sea maidens), and others—break into the world of people. In the fortress-city of Chernograd, the young witch Kosara fights off the unclean. Naturally, right before New Year’s Eve she’s terribly unlucky, and to escape a powerful enemy she’s forced to give up her shadow— and with it she loses her magical power. A witch without a shadow is doomed, so Kosara turns to help from one suspiciously noble detective. Every clue points in one direction: Kosara’s shadow is in the hands of the Serpent, the invincible King of Monsters. She has challenged him many times, and now he hunts her. Will the witch manage to get her magic back—when she has only twelve days at her disposal?… First time in Russian!