fatal, but a white wolf stood up for my life, apparently the leader. Then he showed me the path that led to the house. Since then I took this name for myself.
– What was your mother’s name?
– It does not matter.
«You don’t trust me…» the girl lowered her head offended. There was a legend in these parts that a demon could take possession of the soul of an unfortunate traveler if he told his real name, so many took middle names and even nicknames.
– Sorry. Eleon,» the guy extended his hand.
«Esmeralda,» the handshake was strong, like for a thin girl. But the guy brought her hand to his lips.
– Very nice! What’s your name, guy? – Esmeralda asked.
– Dorian.
– You are so funny! Such strange clothes. Perhaps you are a foreigner?
– Somehow, I also increasingly feel like a foreigner. Can someone explain to me what all this means? – said Dorian.
«I told you, you got into this world, and now you have to look for your way home,» Eleon said. – This is the place where magic became the basis of the state. Only there are those who think differently. Anti-magicians are former sorcerers who went over to the side of the Inquisition, and now fight against spells with all the methods available to them.
– Lord, let’s take a break! – Dorian begged, leaning on the tree trunk. «I’m not used to running so much.» Yes, out of habit I work out in the gym a couple of times a week, but we’ve already been running for about an hour without breaks!
– Better shut up! Then you will have more strength to run. Or do you want to die right here? Well, you can surrender yourself into the clutches of the anti-magicians!
– Okay, I’ll keep quiet.
They ran a little more when Dorian caught on a branch and fell.
– Lord, how much can you do? – he said, getting to his feet. He once played basketball, then he abandoned the section and began to go only to the gym, but with each month these training sessions became increasingly rare and short. And when they started living with Angel, he stopped attending classes altogether. And it’s really in vain!
– Get up! – the muscular Eleon grabbed him by the collar and lifted him to his feet. – Let’s run.
– Run without me. I can not do it anymore! Better than death! «Dorian was out of breath and had difficulty speaking.
– Do you want me to leave my friend here? I say let’s run! Get up, rag, I told you!
Dorian got up and they continued jogging. But how long has it been since no one called him a friend! He had friends at school, then at university. They swore over a bottle of whiskey, swore in blood that the connection of their souls was forever, it was indestructible. But then he found a job, and time for communication became less and less. Then they stopped meeting altogether, replacing communication with occasional audio calls. Then they stopped calling each other. There were, of course, work colleagues with whom, on Friday after his shift, he would sometimes have a glass or two of beer and play a couple of games of poker. But can you really call them real friends when they said beautiful toasts and then made reports to the boss about each other?
Eleon suddenly raised his hand up, silently ordering him to remain silent. The travelers stopped.
– What is this? Do you hear? – he asked. The fugitives looked around nervously. A rustling sound was heard from behind the briar bushes. The wolf drew his blade and followed the direction of the noise.
«You alone cannot cope with five anti-mages,» thoughts kept flying through my head. «Even now, when you have become stronger, this is impossible!»
He parted the bushes and pulled the man out.
– You were following us! – Eleon shouted. – What are you doing here?!
«But I…» the man began.
– Its my father! – Esmeralda stood between the two men. Eleon hesitated for a moment, and then lowered his sword and returned it to its sheath.
– Herald! – the recent captive extended his hand.
– Call me White Wolf.
– And I’m Dorian.
– Thank you for saving my daughter. I don’t even know how to thank you. But I couldn’t save my son… – bitter tears flowed from the eyes of the grief-stricken father.
– Sam! What about him! After all, he was pardoned! – horror was written on Esmeralda’s face.
– The Anti-Mages executed him anyway, even though he was innocent!
Esmeralda cried bitterly, sank to the ground, and her father hugged her shoulders.
– But we are alive! And let’s take revenge on the Anti-Witch League! I swear on the name of the father whom I never saw, I swear on the name of the mother whom I did not know!
– But why didn’t you know your parents? – Eleon asked.
– I was raised by foster children. My parents had to run away from the authorities, so they were very afraid for the fate of my brother and me. We are all in Her hands and we trust only in Her. Then we were separated, as the royal guards were constantly trying to find us. But we didn’t do anything wrong! Believe me, I know what it’s like to lose loved ones. You saved my daughter, and I will be grateful to you for this until the last day of my life on earth!
The travelers allowed themselves not to run, because the border of the forest was already very close – the wind from the north carried the smell of lavender and myrtle. And after a conversation, the path seems even shorter.
– Where are you heading? – the Herald asked. – May I follow you?
«My path is too long and dangerous for me to call someone to follow me,» Eleon answered for two.
– But now we are also exiles! – Esmeralda protested. – We don’t have a home now!
«I’m going to the Sorcerer’s House,» said Eleon.
– But why do you need a royal castle? – the Herald asked.
– There is one organization that calls itself the Order of Vernikov. I don’t know anything about them. But they destroyed everyone who was close to me! And soon an attack on the king is planned. I, as the last Defender of the Crown, must warn Henry of the impending danger. But I am afraid that my path will not be crowned with success: even the Royal Advisor is among the conspirators!
– What connects you with the Anti-Witch League? – asked the Herald. – You said that you had some kind of unpaid bill to them.
– It’s an old story. They deprived me of my home. And perhaps there is only one road that leads back. But first we must fulfill our duty! Moreover, Ilan said that the
