/Earlier/

- Are you sure this is going to work?

In a small wooden house in a village near the castle of Marro, Rick stood with his palms on the table, looking at the ring lying in front of him.

- My friend knows what she’s doing, there’s no doubt about it. - Hara replied.

She returned to Riliya as soon as Eugene finished her ritual of creating a phantom and imprinting it in Queen Katherine’s ring.

- We won’t have another chance if it doesn’t work. – he warned, putting the ring in a small velvet bag, tightening it with a ribbon. - The King said he would only listen to me if I could prove my words.

Derrick took advantage of Lillian’s absence from Marro Castle when he asked for an audience with the king. He was a long-time good friend, so the king was surprised that Rick appeared after such a long period of time that he did not appear in the palace.

A few days later, a carriage was sent from the palace to escort Rick to the king, but he refused to use it, using his own vampire speed. It was much more careful and faster, without attracting too much attention.

He planned to sneak into the palace without being noticed, bypassing the guards, but he encountered a magical barrier that covered the entire Marro palace like a dome.

A fine electrical grid spread through the air, showing him the answer to his inability to enter.

He rubbed the bridge of his nose before moving towards the main gate.

Pointing spears, swords and magic wands at him, the guards cast stern glances at him, as if he was a thief or a bandit.

-I have a private audience with His Majesty. – he said, but instead of going inside, magic entangled his body, forcing him to freeze in place without the ability to move a single muscle.

- Do you think we’ll believe that? - the guard mocked him, seeing that the guest was alone, without a carriage and did not inspire confidence at all.

That’s how he ended up in a prison cell in the dungeon of the Marro Palace.

- Well, at least I’m allowed in now. – he remarked with self-irony, sitting on the cold stone floor.

The only question left was how to get out of here? After all, even with considerable vampire power, he could not do anything with the magic that was literally circling in this place.

He wondered why a barrier had been abruptly erected around the palace and only one explanation came to mind, that the magic of the royal family had finally dried up. Otherwise, what would the king be afraid of?

However, the guards protected their king, adequately repelling any interference that could threaten him in any way.

Footsteps were heard in the remote quiet corridor in the distance and Rick immediately got to his feet, thinking that it could be one of the guards or the king himself. But after listening, the frown on his face disappeared at once.

- Raphael said you were here. But I didn’t think I’d meet you in such a place, brother. - He grinned, genuinely glad to see Richard.

- I’m as surprised as you are. You made a lot of noise, I had to cover my tracks behind you, dear brother. - Rick said with an answering smile, twirling a bunch of keys on his finger.

The lock clicked and the door creaked open with a rusty metal door.

- How did you find me? - she asked, pulling Richard in for a tight family hug, slapping him on the back.

-I noticed an electric ripple when someone tried to enter the palace.In general, this is a common phenomenon, since few people know that the king recently ordered the dome to be raised. Every day someone falls into this trap. But I have to keep an eye on everything that happens here, so when I went to look, I saw you being led by the arms into the dungeon. I was surprised to say the least. - he chuckled, finding it funny.

-That’s why Raphael chose you. You’re too cautious and boring. There is no spark of madness in you. -Rick retorted.

- And that’s where that spark of yours has led you. - Richard twirled his finger in the air, pointing to the damp, dank and smelling of the most unpleasant odors, a prison cell. – Why did you come here?

- I have to meet the king. I have something important to tell him. - he showed the ring, taking it out of a velvet pouch.

- The princess’s ring? - Richard has already seen this ring and even used it when they were looking for the artifact.

- No, it’s the ring of the late Queen. – Rick objected, but was surprised that his brother also seemed to have met Thea. – It’s too long to explain, we need to hurry to restore the king to his magic.

Richard didn’t ask too many questions, as Raphael had given him all the necessary instructions.

He and his men were on duty around the clock at Marro Castle, reporting on all the oddities and all the movements of members of the royal family. But as soon as the magic dome descended on the castle, it became more difficult to get out of here. He had to interfere with the guards’ minds to make them believe that he was not an enemy, but a regular of this place.

- You go to the king, and I have another important matter. I’ll see you later. - Richard said in a serious tone. – And don’t get into such ridiculous situations anymore. You’re like a little kid, honestly.

He looked accusingly at his brother and shook his head before disappearing.

Rick left the dungeon and was surprised to notice that there were practically no servants in the palace, except for some mage guards. This place suddenly became so deathly quiet, completely different from how he remembered it.

An unpleasant aftertaste settled on his heart, but he was glad that the princess managed to escape from here. What would this place be like if she stayed? Or should say: what would the princess herself be like if she stayed in such a place?

Rick kept a considerable distance from the guards so that they could not notice him, and even if he fell into one of their traps, he would have the opportunity to quickly move away.

But as he walked along the corridor leading to the door of the throne room, he stopped and straightened his clothes, straightened his hair, tidying himself up, and then came closer, accompanied by the magic wands of the magicians aimed at him.

- Stay where you are! - The guard shouted, threatening to use magic.

Rick stopped, raising his hands in the air, declaring his intentions to negotiate.

- Who are you and what are you doing here? - The second guard, who also had Rick at gunpoint, asked him.

- I am His Majesty’s humble servant, Earl Derrick Rochester. - he reported. – Arrived at the personal invitation of the King for an audience.

Derrick slowly took out an invitation folded several times from the inside pocket of his trousers and held it at arm’s length, waiting for one of the guards to take it.

But instead of taking, one of the magicians made the letter slip out of Rick’s fingers and fly up in the air, moving smoothly until it reached the guard’s hands.

While one was watching the strange stranger, the second was reading the contents, after which he raised his gaze and his face brightened.

- I’m sorry, Your Excellency. – he came up personally and returned the paper to the count’s hands. – Simple precautions. You understand, don’t you?

Rick did not focus on the severity of the magicians guarding the king and only nodded, saying that this was not a problem at all. He mentally praised the men for their quality work and dedication.

The guard entered the throne room, notifying the king of the Count’s arrival and then allowed Rick to enter.

The king was sitting in his rightful place, and next to him, literally inches away, there was another magician who was reporting something to him and it was already beyond Rick’s hearing, since the magician had imposed sound protection.

- Your Majesty! – Derrick walked to the middle of the hall and bowed, settling on one knee and bowing his head as a sign of respect.

The king immediately sent the magician away, nodding to him and broke into a smile at the sight of an old acquaintance.

- You’ve made a lot of noise, Count. - the king laughed. – What made you abandon the crew?

- I apologize for my refusal. Don’t take it as libertinism or disrespect, I just thought it would be faster with my feet. Who knew that I would fall into the trap of my own decision?

He stood up and spread his hands, as if getting into trouble was a common thing for him.

- You’re really lucky they didn’t attack you. - he nodded understandingly. – So, have you found a solution to the problem of magic disappearing?

The King did not hesitate and immediately went on the offensive. Of course, he promised Rick to listen to him later, but right now his personal question was a priority.

Some time ago, when his magic completely dried up, he felt so pathetic and helpless, immediately remembering how his daughter must have felt. A sharp thorn tortured and bled his heart when he thought of Thea.

Lately, he had been thinking about her more and more and didn’t understand how he could forget about her, ignore her? How could he deprive her of the love and support he gave her at an earlier age?

It was like a clouding of the mind, like a veil before the eyes. Horel felt guilty about her.

What puzzled him even more was that Terrence’s magic was gone, as was his own, but Madeleine...

It was different with Madeleine.

He watched her closely, not telling Madeleine or his wife that his magic had run out. At the same time, he tried to remember the moment of Madeleine’s birth, but everything was as if in a fog, blurred ... as if he had created her birth in his imagination according to someone’s words. It was the same with Xana, whose death did not even make him sad for more than two days.

It was all too strange in his understanding. But he kept it to himself, not giving Lillian a hint of doubt about his loyalty to her which was eating him up from the inside.