Chapter 7

It didn't get to the dungeon. The visitors of the ill-fated audience were divided. Valria was taken somewhere on a stretcher, while Carlon was locked in a room with a single barred window, the decoration of which looked more like a rich living room than a prison cell. There the master languished in ignorance for two hours, until a modestly dressed official visited him. The official did not introduce himself, but his indifferent eyes and confident demeanor indicated that he was an interrogating officer of the secret police. Professionally shaking out of Carlon everything that he saw during the attack on the throne room, the official left. However, after a couple of minutes, the heavy oak door swung open again. Holding her hand on the scabbard of her sword, a very tall, fit girl in a blue uniform and silver armor of the ducal guard crossed the threshold. Looking at her swarthy skin, face with high sharp cheekbones, short jet-black hair and transparent yellow, lynx-like eyes, Carlon was ready to bet that this was a countrywoman in front of him. How did she get carried from the southern steppes to the other end of the mainland, and even in early childhood?

- Master Carlon. - The girl gave the magician a rather unfriendly look. Her yellow eyes made her look truly frightening - the master felt a chill in his chest. - Follow me.

The sentries guarding the luxurious chamber remained at their post - the black-haired warrior was the only accompanying master. Carlon wasn't sure what that meant. Either he was already trusted, or one princess guard was enough to stop an escape attempt, even made by an experienced battle mage. The master leaned towards the first option - the black-haired woman simply walked in front, although holding her palm on the sword, but calmly exposing her defenseless back and the back of her head to him. Carlon noted to himself that the female guards using lighter armor - instead of full armor, his companion wore only a light cuirass with smooth shoulder pads and steel gloves with elbow-length bracers. However, Carlon knew that it was possible to supplement the armor with leg protection quickly.

Their path was short and ended at an unremarkable door. The girl with lynx eyes opened it, pushed the magician inside, slammed the shutter behind him, remaining in the corridor. The first feeling that the master experienced was relief. The room he was shoved into turned out to be the guest bedroom, and he saw Valria on the comfortable, soft bed. The elf, covered with a white blanket to the waist, was half-sitting, slipping a pillow under her back, and talking about something... with Princess Christina, who was sitting in an armchair near the bed. At the sight of the heir to the throne, the magician froze. Then he hastily bowed from the waist:

- Your Highness! My condolences…

He wasn't sure if the bow was the right one in such a situation, but the princess just smiled sadly at him:

- Thanks to. I would like to say “good afternoon” to you, venerable master, but alas, the day is not at all good. Sit down.

She pointed to an empty chair at the head of the bed. Carlon obediently sat down. He stared at the princess, but then he caught himself, turned his gaze to Valria.

- Her ladyship and I have agreed on something here, - the captain told him, deliberately raising her voice.

- Don't joke, Lady Valria, - the princess scolded her. - My personal healer assured me that he got your ears in perfect order.

There was hidden metal in this soft request, and the elf obeyed instantly. She explained in a different tone:

- I convinced her ladyship that I could be of service to her. And I signed up for something. I would very much like to sign you, but, of course, only with your consent.

- Let me guess. - The master looked up at Christina. The princess had recently turned twenty-four, but Carlon would have lied, calling the girl beautiful. She was too much like her father - square features, a massive jaw, a large nose. But in it, without a doubt, willpower was felt.

- You guessed it, you guessed it. - Valria interrupted him, fiddling with the edge of the blanket with her fingers. - I want to find this bastard.

- And I allowed the captain to participate in the investigation, - the princess nodded. - Lady Valria and I have never had anything in common before, but we have long had… shall we say, common acquaintances. This... general acquaintance allows me to rate the captain's reliability very highly. The whole secret police will search for the father's killer, and we will turn to the Empire for help. However, I will be glad if a person whom I personally absolutely trust is involved in the investigation. Alas, in the palace of these - only my guardsmen. They are nice girls, one and all, and would not hesitate to die for me, but they understand only the organization of protection. Lady Valria has experience with this sort of thing. And she spoke positively about you. Will you help her with the investigation?

- Your Grace, I cannot refuse. - Carlon rose to bow again. He really couldn't refuse. A polite request from such an important person is tantamount to an order.

- Please accept my thanks. - Christina got up. - All the necessary information will be provided to you, as well as admission to the palace. And, of course, your time will be paid in gold. However, if you want some other reward...

- Watermelon, - Valria said shortly.

- Watermelon? - The princess raised her eyebrows.

- If I catch the killer before the secret police, you will give me a watermelon. - The elf wiggled her pointed ears. - I don’t remember the last time I ate it, and I have no doubt that it would be easy for the ducal court to bring fresh watermelon to Elvart from the south. As for the gold, I will report on the expenses for the time of work. I don't need more.

- So be it. - The heir to the throne smiled less sadly and left, leaving them alone.

- Watermelon, - Carlon repeated.

- Well, I decided that it is more important to earn a good attitude of our future ruler than to squeeze a couple of extra coins out of her, - the elf girl shrugged.

- In this manner? And why did you fit into a deliberately hopeless case? The killer is probably already flashing his heels on the other side of no man's land.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

- I do not think so. - The girl shook her head, twisted a long golden strand around her finger. - You see, the princess and I agreed that this was no ordinary political assassination. The borderlands are restless, the Empire moves troops without explaining anything to the vassals. The Coalition stirred. Something is planned, and the assassination attempt on the head of one of the strongest vassal states of the Empire is just in time. Christina is the only direct heiress. If the killer manages to get Christina as well, chaos will begin.

- But now? - the mage frowned. - Christina will be guarded with special care ...

- Only those who are really faithful to her, and there are not very many of them. - The elf's face became serious. She let go of the strand, folded her hands on the blanket, leaned back. - It is best to fish in muddy waters. Besides, her ladyship couldn't lock herself in her chambers right now. She has a number of public actions ahead of her. The funeral of her father, the coronation, a trip to the imperial capital to bring homage... She is vulnerable, no matter how the police and guards comb the city. Especially in front of a killer whose abilities are... unusual.

- He passed through the magical barrier as if through an empty space…

- That's it, - Valria agreed. - There is something to think about. Moreover, in case of failure, no one will ask us. Although, of course, I want watermelon, and strongly.

They were silent for a while, each thinking about his own, then the elf asked uncertainly:

- Carlon... hold my shoulders, okay?

She sat up, swinging her bare feet off the bed, and immediately staggered. The magician supported the girl, asked, not hiding his concern:

- Did the doctor say you're okay?

- My ears are okay, - the elf answered with annoyance. - But the head is not very good. It cannot be cured with magic or herbs. Tomorrow I'll be back to normal, but not before. For now, just… help.

The girl put on her boots, put on gloves, a hat with a disheveled white feather. She got up, held by Carlon's elbow.

- My legs do not tremble, I just sometimes confuse the floor and the ceiling. - Valria sighed as she took a step towards the door.

A familiar girl-guardsman was waiting for them outside the threshold. Her lynx eyes flashing, she bowed her head for a moment.

- I am Lady Yana. Her ladyship ordered me to help you. Now I will accompany you. If you need to return to the palace or speak with the princess, just tell the guards to call me.

The coldness of the guardsman did not disappear anywhere, but now she was emphatically polite. Noticing the state of Valria, she offered her hand, but the elf replied with a charming smile that "her heart is already occupied by another woman." Carlon deliberately let the captain stumble, nearly knocking her down the stairs, and they reached the gate in complete silence. Valria pouted like a child, and Lady Yana walked ahead without even looking back. Having received the elf's sword and some papers from the secret police in the guardhouse, they said goodbye to Yana. They went home on foot, leading the horses by the bridle. Valria walked very slowly, hugging the magician by the shoulders, practically hanging on him. It was rather pleasant for Carlon - the girl seemed weightless, and her hair smelled of floral perfume. The captain herself, however, was not happy. Halfway through she said plaintively:

- You could take me in your arms, barbarian. I don't weigh that much.

- I still don’t understand… - the magician said slowly, not even glancing at her. - How do you try to present yourself in the eyes of others? As a fragile graceful lady, or as a stern, fearless warrior?

- Like a fragile graceful warrior. - Valria snorted. - The stern, fearless lady is Dallan.

The elf and the magician reached the house with the garden without incident. Dinner was long past, so after putting the captain to bed and thrusting a bowl of half-eaten crackers into her hands, Carlon jogged off to the market. Unfortunately, the shops selling ready-made food have already closed. Except for one, but a middle-aged elf traded there, and the master never bought anything from the elves. Not out of any prejudice, he just didn't want to get involved with hucksters with hundreds of years of experience swindling customers. He had to make an order in a tavern. Returning with a pot of hot porridge in his hands, Carlon found the girl talking with a thin old man in black clothes.

- You can be left for a quarter of an hour, huh?! - The master angrily slammed the pot on the table, only after that he welcomed the guest. - Hello, Mr. Sandr.

The Imperial intelligence resident in Elvart responded with a grin and a nod.

- Do not swear at the girl, master. I came here myself. You are the first witnesses to the murder released from custody, and I needed to know something. This is faster than me making my way into the palace through all the bureaucracy, and I would not want to appear there once again. And now I see that you can use my assistance.

- Valria has already told about the princess's request.

Mister Sandr nodded once more.

- And I can only approve of the captain's initiative. Her Ladyship... although I guess it's safe to say "Her Highness"... Well, Her Highness Christina asked you to look for the killer. And I ask you to protect the princess. Not directly, for this there is a guard. But if you sit on the killer's tail, it will be more difficult for him to prepare an assassination attempt.

- Why we, and not... you? Or the duchy's police? - Carlon sat down on a stool.

- Because this case is connected with the past, in which you participated. - The old man explained. - And because of its secrecy, the fewer people involved in the details, the better.

- The past case... with the portal in the dead fortress? - The magician tensed up.

- Yes. - Sandr nodded. - I’m going to fill you in on the details that only a few operatives in my department know.

- Maybe you shouldn't do it?

- Shut up. - Valria shushed the master. - Go on, Mr. Sandr.

- The archmages of the Imperial University have analyzed the records you obtained in the fortress and the signs written off from the arch of the portal. - The resident put his fingertips together. - We have combined their findings with intelligence reports from the Iderling lands. And made some conclusions. We believe that during the war years, the Coalition conducted experiments on moving between parallel planes of reality. Are you aware of the multiple worlds theory?

- Yes. - Carlon rubbed his chin. - If it is known for sure that our material plane of existence exists, and several ethereal ones outside it, where angels and demons come from, then theoretically it can be assumed that there is another material plane somewhere. Also inhabited by people, elves, some other intelligent species that we are not even able to imagine.

-This is the kind of world the Coalition mages found. - Mister Sandr looked at him over his clasped fingers. - A human-inhabited world with laws of nature somewhat different from ours. At first they only watched him, then tried to establish contact. Each such attempt ended in disaster. In the fortress where you were, and in several other places. There has been no progress whatsoever. A year ago, the king of the Iderling dynasty imposed a personal ban on further research in this area. But... at the same time, during the last attempt, the magicians achieved little success. They dragged a man into our world... from the other side. As far as I understand, not random.

- Killer, - Carlon breathed.

- Most likely, though we can't know for sure. We greatly appreciate our agents at the top of the kingdom, and after receiving the first information, we ordered them to lay low. But here's what we've found out. There is no magic in that other world. Generally. But there are more developed technologies, including weapons.

- Yeah-ah... - The master pulled his beard, captured by the idea that came to mind. – If there is no magic as a phenomenon in that world… that person from there can be… like, a part of that reality. In our world, there is no magic for him either... I don’t know how to express it more clearly...

- Archmages spoke about the same. - Mr. Sandr noted with approval in his voice. - And you said that you are far from theory... In general, we are dealing with a hired killer from another world. Who possesses martial skills unknown to us, unknown techniques, who can pass through magical barriers and alarms, who is elusive to sympathetic spells, and perhaps invulnerable to combat spells. To the confrontation with which the entire system of protection and search, both Elvart and the Empire, are completely unprepared.

- And who I know how to find. - Valria smiled broadly. - Assuming he’s still in the capital…