When Razor lost consciousness out of the blue, Maxie and I were both shocked. No one could have predicted that such a thing would happen.
We spent the first half hour trying to bring the boy to his senses on our own. Maxi even gave him a good slap in the face… But nothing of the tried thods worked. In the end it was more than just a temporary blur.
We urgently needed the help of a healer.
The first thing we did was to ask for help in the village of Sorus. But the only healer left there turned out to be completely useless. According to him: he really could not understand what happened to the second prince. As he had only dealt with the simplest of illnesses before.
anwhile, Razor's condition was not getting any better: even after twenty-four hours he was still unconscious. Maxie and I were getting more and more worried about that.
— It seems there is no choice,» the girl sighed. «We must return to the Archduke.
I agreed with her.
What we had co for was already in our hands. There was no point in staying in this village any longer. And yet… I felt regret that I hadn't even had ti to visit the Elder's grave. I might not find the ti for it in the future.
Maxie encouraged .
— We had already been to his house and paid our respects. That's enough.
— But…
— I don't think the old man's ghost is petty enough to curse you in heaven for that.
I sighed. The Marquis's daughter didn't try very hard, as usual, to find words to comfort . That was all she was.
— Okay,» I finally gave in, «Then let's go.
The book I'd been looking for was now in my possession. I flipped through it all the way back to the capital, searching for clues. But it looked like I really couldn't do it without a dictionary.
The trip took us almost a week and a half again — even though we were in a big hurry. I was afraid we had less and less ti left.
And since we didn't make a single break: we were very tired when we finally found ourselves in front of the white-washed mansion. More than anything, I wanted to sleep for several days.
Maxie stretched herself as she exited the cabin after .
— I'll take him,» she interrupted when I was about to call the servants for him.
The girl lifted the prince on her back and carried him to the manor. I stared after them. Razor still hadn't recovered, but at least his condition was stable. That was already reassuring.
Like Maxie had said, I was going to take a little breather. But Dylan unexpectedly t at the front door.
The guy was dressed in a standard black and white uniform. And when he saw , he bowed at once.
— H-Hello, Your Grace!
I was delighted.
— Dylan! I didn't know you were already here.
The teenager was embarrassed.
— Your butler took on as his apprentice… I had no idea I'd have such an opportunity!
I smiled. It seems that Andrew really managed to do everything I asked him to do. All the other ex-slaves were to be put to good use, too.
Dylan and I walked into the living room and the guy didn't dare sit in a chair, preferring instead to stand beside .
— How do you like it here? — I asked.
— I really, really like it! — He replied excitedly. «Thank you for letting stay here. And…» He hesitated, «They found my sister, too, thanks to you. She's working for the Earl of Transy now.
I breathed a sigh of relief.
— I'm glad to hear it.
Dylan was still staring at in disbelief: as if he still couldn't grasp that this was happening to him. The Archduchess' secretary personally ca and invited him to take up residence on their estate. Not only that… As it turned out, the boy was already acquainted with her in absentia.
True, he could not have imagined that he would et the Archduchess under such circumstances.
— Why… Why didn't you tell at once who you really were? — he ventured to ask.
I grinned.
— Would you have believed ?
Dylan hesitated.
— I don't know… I never would have thought that soone like you would end up on the slave market!
I let out a chuckle.
— I'm not surprised. My life has been rather unpredictable from the beginning.
To tell the truth, I've lost count of who I've been in my life. The daughter of an Archduke, a maid, a crown princess, and now a slave. If you look at it this way, my track record was quite impressive-and who knows what lay ahead of .
— I'm glad it was you, though!» he couldn't stop admiring . «My sister has told so much about you…
He had no ti to finish when Andrew suddenly interrupted our conversation. The secretary burst into the drawing-room unannounced and looked anxious.
— Your Grace, you have returned so suddenly! — he began,» I was going to report to you.
— What is it? — I asked quietly.
— A couple of days ago a letter arrived from the Imperial Palace.
I was disappointed.
— Is that all there is to it? I told you to burn them, didn't I?
— It's not an ordinary envelope,» Andrew objected, «There's sothing in it. That's why I didn't dare to destroy it before showing it to you.
— Hm?
The old man took the letter from the tray and handed it to . Even then I sensed sothing strange.
That tallic sll… Why did the envelope sll like blood?
I felt the tension when I opened it.
Andrew and Dylan looked over my shoulder to see what was there. Finally, I opened the wax seal and saw its contents.
At the sa mont there were traces of dried blood on my hands. I was at a loss for words.
— It's…!
My breath hitched when I saw the object.
The necklace I'd given linda the first ti we'd t-was lying there, covered in blood.
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