Egor sat in his room and stared into space. Almost five hours had passed since he had fallen out of the portal, tied up and screaming. The scream had immediately attracted the attention of the patrolmen.
They were talking to Gorald. Egor couldn't hear what they were talking about. He still couldn't come to his senses. To realize that he had escaped, leaving Klaus to be torn apart by his crazy brother.
The rope loosened, and Egor rubbed his numb hands. Gorald was saying something to the chalk-white Lilith. The girl only stared blankly at the place where the portal had just closed, and fiddled with the empty rope around her neck. All that was left of her savior's gift.
A soldier with a sword in his chest was now lying in the place of the portal. He was no longer a threat.
"Gorald," an excited voice was heard.
Egor looked up. The captain, the healer and several others were hurrying towards them.
"August..."
"Where is Klaus?" - the captain asked, examining the place. He came close to Gorald and, despite the fact that the man was a head taller than August, grabbed the man by the chest. "I'm asking where the fuck is my brother?"
"He stayed there."
"How could you leave him unguarded?" August shouted angrily, sharply pushing the big guy and stepping back. "You are his retinue and are obliged to follow him! What happened there? Why are you in such a state?"
"Captain. Calm down. We'll talk in your cabinet."
"I asked a question! Where is Klaus? Open the portal right now, I'm going after him!"
"Captain!" Gorald had already shouted, trying to bring the man to his senses. "It was an order. I couldn't disobey."
"Stubborn brat! What is he up to now?"
"We'll talk in the cabinet."
Having calmed down a bit, August waved his hand impatiently and Gorald followed him. Egor stood up and automatically followed the men. Lilith and the healer, who unsuccessfully tried to ask the girl about what had happened, were quietly trailing behind.
In the office, Egor remained in the doorway. The healer led Lilith to the infirmary and she did not resist. Gorald went to the table and stood next to the captain.
"I don't know exactly what happened there and who was involved. It all happened too quickly and unexpectedly. Your brother, Abel, set his retinue on the prince as soon as he entered his room. We tried to fight back…" Gorald shook his head.
"Are you saying that a bunch of mercenaries were able to beat my best warrior and the crown prince?" August noted skeptically.
"It's a bit more complicated. They suddenly attacked from behind," seeing that the captain opened his mouth for a caustic comment, the big guy raised his hand, calling him to be quiet and explained. "August, we were pressed against the wall. Who knew that they would go through it!"
"They climbed out of the wall?" the captain was surprised. "And my father is not shy about using inventions, despite the laws!"
"Yes. They grabbed Egor and began to threaten him."
"Your task is to protect the prince, not his mutt," August snapped, throwing an angry look at Egor, who slightly flinched, but did not answer.
"They did not threaten me. Klaus voluntarily lowered his weapon and allowed himself to be tied with a rope that suppressed magic."
"What did you say? What did he do?" August exclaimed. "Has this idiot lost the last of his brains?"
"He did it to protect us. He ordered me to run and protect and did everything to make it happen. I couldn't disobey a direct order," Gorald shook his head.
A strong blow to the jaw made the big guy's head jerk, but he didn't defend himself or respond. He didn't even move or look up at the angry August.
"I entrusted you with the most precious thing in my life," the captain hissed through his teeth. "I considered you my comrade, my friend. And what did you do? You left him in the snake's lair. You gave him to my brother! Do you have any idea what you've condemned Klaus to? You..."
August sat down on a chair and covered his face with his hands, then suddenly raised his head and looked at Egor.
"It's all your fault!" he yelled. "It's because of you that he became like this!"
August stood up and walked right up to Egor, grabbed him by the cloak and lifted him up so that his feet almost left the ground.
"I told him to get rid of you! I told him that you don't belong here! Are you happy? Are you happy, son of a bitch?"
Egor was silent. He had nothing to say and this made August even more angry. He shoved Egor into the wall with all his might and he sank to the floor, coughing.
"August, don't," Gorald spoke up. "He won't forgive you if you kill him."
"He won't forgive, you say? A dead man can't forgive or not forgive! Because of your mercy, the man I value more than life will die the most painful death that my brother's inflamed brain can devise! I'm going after him!"
"Are you crazy? Do you want to storm the estate of the royal offspring?"
"I'll go alone."
"It's suicide. You weren't there! You won't even be able to get to Klaus. Think about what will happen to all these people if they lose two leaders at once!" Gorald did not calm down.
"I don't care! I don't care about any of them!" August screamed and suddenly sank to the floor opposite Egor, who had just caught his breath.
The fair-haired guy looked up and almost lost his breath again. Tears were rolling down August's face. Gorald took a few uncertain steps. Then he grew bolder and came closer. He sat down between Egor, who also had tears in his eyes, and August, who seemed not to notice the wet streaks on his face.
"August," the big man spoke softly. "Do you really think that His Majesty will give up so easily? Do you have no faith in the one you are ready to follow? Forgive me, but I disagree with you. He will return. Remember what you yourself told me about him? Can such a person just die?"
August looked up at Gorald, then raised his hands to his face and wiped away the tears.
"I do not doubt Klaus," he answered sadly. "I just soberly assess the hatred and envy of my brother. I hope you are right, and father will not let him kill his nephew."
"It seems to me that your father is not aware of what is happening at all," Egor spoke up and received a displeased look from August in response.
"What do you mean by this?" the captain asked anyway.
"Before I met Klaus and went upstairs with him, where the attack happened, I heard the soldiers discussing the slave rebellion. They said that your father was completely immersed in it."
"A slave rebellion?" August was surprised.
"And how could everything have happened so well for your brother?" Egor chuckled.
"Yes...," August said absentmindedly. "Both of you go to the infirmary, I need to think."
"Do you know something?" Egor spoke up again and stood up awkwardly. "Speak! I'm not leaving until..."
August also stood up and, before the blond man could finish speaking, the captain hit him in the face. The guy fell to the floor again, clutching his bruised cheekbone. The blow was not with full force, but it was noticeable enough to make Egor feel sick.
"Take him to the infirmary," he said to Gorald. "And let him not catch my eye, otherwise, I can't vouch for myself."
Gorald did not argue, grabbed Egor and led him out the door.
"Boy, you better not provoke him now. He was beside himself when the prince disappeared, and after he showed up again, he swore to protect him to the last drop of blood. Imagine how he feels now?"
"He's right," Egor said, "it's all my fault, but I'm not going to just sit there! I have to help him, and whether August wants it or not, I don't care."
"What should we do with you?" the big guy shook his head.
Egor didn't answer. He spent several hours in the infirmary until the doctor made sure that he didn't have a concussion and his jaw wasn't broken. As soon as Brod, albeit reluctantly, allowed the guy to leave, he immediately went to his room, where he found Lilith huddled in a corner.
He didn't say anything to her. She was silent too. They were both unprepared to discuss their cowardly escape. They spent another couple of hours like that, each lost in their own thoughts, until they heard a commotion.
"What's going on there?" the girl asked, crawling out of her corner.
"I don't know," the guy answered, getting up from his chair.
They both, without saying a word, left at the moment when the captain ran past them. The prince's slaves rushed after him.
When Egor left the caves, the day was already drawing to a close. There was a crowd in the clearing. The captain dispersed the crowd with a shout, and Egor noticed him.
Klaus stood, slightly bent over, leaning on one of the soldiers. His shirt was torn to shreds and soaked in blood. His nose was broken and there were already black bruises under his eyes. There was a deep wound on his cheek that cut through his eyebrow and lip. A thick bolt was sticking out of his shoulder. An arrow had pierced his body through and through.
Egor almost choked when he saw this picture. Lilith quietly cried behind him. The guy took a few uncertain steps when August blocked his view, intercepting the prince from the soldier.
"Everyone sod-off!" shouted August, "and call Brod! Immediately!"
August did not wait for the healer. He grabbed Klaus more tightly and To the side where Egor was standing.
"Captain," they called out to him, "what should we do with this?"
Only now did Egor notice that another person was kneeling. Abel Deffender, whose face now looked little better than the prince. A soldier in the uniform of Klaus's younger brother's guard was shifting uncertainly a little to the side, but no one was holding him back.
"August?" Abel said uncertainly, but how..."
"Lock him up. I'll deal with him later." And turning to Abel, he added "Wait for me, brother. For this," he pointed at Klaus, "you will answer in full."
"Klaus," Egor whispered quietly as the captain walked him past.
"You'd better shut up," August said to him, but Klaus stopped.
"I'm glad you're okay," the prince raised a clouded gaze to Egor, lingered on his cheekbone and split lip and frowned.
"I'm fine, but you..."
Klaus raised his healthy hand and lightly ruffled Egor's hair.
"What will happen to me? Just a few scratches," he grinned and winced in pain "I'll rest a bit, and then we'll talk. Okay?"
Egor nodded and allowed August to lead the prince away. Brod was already there to meet them.