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

Rick tilted his head slightly to the side and looked around the room, making sure that no one but a couple of guards and the king were in the throne room anymore, before returning all his attention to the king, who remained in tense expectation.

- There is a solution and it is here. - he patted the pocket of his trousers, which contained a velvet pouch. – But for this you must order your guards to leave the premises.

He met the sharp gaze of both guards, who took his words with hostility. Where has it been seen that they could allow a defenseless king to be alone with an outsider without their presence?

- This is absolutely impossible! - One guard intervened, stepping forward with obvious aggression in his movements and voice.

- Then you will be a witness to what you will pay with your head after. - Rick smiled carelessly, stretching his lips and exposing his bared teeth.

- Vampire. – hissed the guards, pointing their magic wands at him with lightning speed and throwing beams of magic at him, from which Rick easily dodged.

- That’s enough. – the king barked, getting up from his seat.

After the loss of magic, the king’s reaction was significantly dulled and he did not even immediately realize who attacked first. But it was obvious that even if Rick wasn’t his good friend, he would have easily wrung his neck.

- Leave us. – he said, seeing that the guards didn’t even seem to hear his order. – Immediately.

His last words echoed through the empty hall, and only then did this little brawl come to naught, and the guards, offended by Rick’s haughty smile, retreated away, hanging their heads in a bow to the king.

Horel looked disapprovingly at Rick and shook his head, to which the count only shrugged, making it clear that he was not the guilty party in this conflict. However, they both knew that he was enjoying his vampire advantage.

- And so, show me what you have there? – the king’s impatience was becoming increasingly demanding.

Coming closer, Rick took his time, letting Horel know that everything has its price and this price was agreed in advance. Although the king had never given a chance to doubt his words before, but this was the step that required all his patience, because now the task was more acute... How was he supposed to turn the king against his own wife?

Rick subconsciously rolled his eyes, thinking that Raphael never chose simple tasks.

- I dare not hide my impudence, Your Majesty. - Rick began. -but before I give you this thing, you must listen to me.

Displeased and offended by the refusal, the king straightened his shoulders and noisily inhaled air. This was probably the only time he was humiliated and could not punish his opponent, since he was his good friend and he needed him to return the magic.

While Rick was thinking about how to tell the king everything, Horel remembered how some time ago, after Lillian left Marro Castle, Terrence showed up at his chambers in the middle of the night.

Terry was his dear and beloved son, the next pretender to the throne of Riliya. But this time Horel could notice significant changes in his son...

Before, Terrence was always dressed to the nines, neat, his figure shouted about the greatness of the Crown Prince, his movements were graceful, and his face was always stoically emotionless and it was impossible to guess what was going on in his head.

But this time he burst into Horel’s chambers like a whirlwind, not bothering to knock, which caused the king to be puzzled.

Terrence was haggard, emaciated, hollows appeared on his cheeks, emphasizing his sharp facial features even more, his appearance lost its former neatness, and although his clothes were still expensive, but rumpled, as if he had not changed them for several days.

Terrence did not beat around the bush and immediately pressed his father with a demand to explain what was happening with his magic, which disappeared without a trace. At one moment...

He just felt completely exhausted and it scared the hell out of him, but not because he was worried about himself, but because he had become useless to his sister. How was he going to help Thea if all his strength had evaporated into nowhere at once?

He was in despair and Horel did not know how to help his son, he himself could not understand the reason why the magic in their family had spent itself. No one knew.

The only thing that the king realized now, after a while, was that Lillian made a fool of him, tricked him and destroyed him and his family.

Terrence was the one who suggested that the king keep it a secret from Lillian. But what was the point of that, since he was her own son? Or was there something he might not know?

Rick opened his mouth, talking about the fact that the king’s entourage needed to be adjusted, Horel already knew who he was talking about.

- Go on. – the king replied dryly, clenching his jaw hard with annoyance at himself.

There was a short pause, during which Rick took out of his pocket a velvet bag and a ring that was inside. He held it confidently between his thumb and forefinger, showing it to the king, but not passing it into his hands.

- Where did you get this? - Horel reached out to pick up his late wife’s ring, which he recognized in an instant, but was lowered from heaven to earth when Rick pulled his hand back.

- This ring was from Princess Thea. – Rick’s tone was measured, but gave some cold. – And this is the thing that carries the solution to your problem. A witch I know created a phantom of the late queen to seal it in a ring.

Horel looked discouraged, not quite understanding what the Count was telling him, but did it matter if it would save him and his family?

- Then why don’t you give it to me, now? - The king asked with a mocking grin.

- Lillian... your new wife... She’s the supreme witch. Did you know about this? - Rick asked, raising his eyebrows, who found the king’s frequently changing expression amusing. – Of course, I’m not the one who should tell you who to choose and who to live with, but it was she who caused you to lose your magic.

Rick paused.

- Go on. – said the king angrily, who was discouraged to hear such news about a man with whom he had known for half his life and with whom he had lived under the same roof for such a long period of time.

- I suppose when you got together with Lillian, your magical flows with Her Majesty Queen Catherine were severed for some reason. And since Lillian is not a magician, she could not maintain your magic for a long time. It’s amazing in itself that you lasted so many years after the Queen’s death before your strength ran out.

- Black magic. – the king whispered to himself, falling exhausted into the throne chair.

A wave of realization washed over him that everything was too veiled for him to notice it right away. Lillian skillfully covered her tracks every time.

Horel tried to remember the moment when they met... There was nothing in his and Katherine’s family that would have forced him to go to his mistress. And yet he left. Was it a love spell?

From this secret connection, Terrence was born and now he could not turn away from Lillian in an instant. His hands were tied and only by a miracle he managed to keep his legal marriage.

After Thea’s birth, he felt an unprecedented relief and enlightenment, but this did not last long - Katherine began to get sick, they began to quarrel more often and move away from each other, and then she died.

Like a haze... He began to pay less attention to Thea and concentrated only on Lillian, on her desires. His whole world swirled around her, as if he was possessed.

- It’s black magic. – he whispered fatally once more, clutching his head.

Rick listened to his muttering, but did not interfere. Just like the king, he was now surprised to realize that Horel was under Lillian’s spell.

- And what do you want from me? – finally coping with his torments, the king asked. – You didn’t just bring up this conversation about Lillian...

Rick nodded, radiating complete confidence.

- Everyone is in great danger because of her. This woman has gone mad and she must be stopped. That’s why I’m helping you with getting your magic back. Your daughter needs you more than ever.

Even if I get my powers back, what’s to stop Lillian from charming me with her witchcraft again? - The king smiled skeptically.

- We. - he interrupted –I, the princess, am Raphael...

-Bastard vampire. - the king hissed through clenched teeth at the mention of the vampire king.

- That bastard vampire cares more about your daughter than anyone else, and probably more than you. - Rick answered boldly, catching Horel’s angry gaze on himself. – We are interested in you becoming a reliable protection of the princess’s back when she needs it.