thought that the words flashed through the hiss:
“I will kill you the same way I killed your stupid father!”
Dorhand clenched his fist, but managed to pull himself together. He raised his leg and saw under it on one of the stone slabs a rune with the image of a snake.
– Do not step on such slabs! – Dorhand said. – These runes cause visions!
As soon as you removed your foot from the image, the ghosts and snakes melted into thin air.
They walked calmly to the end of the corridor. They hit the two guards who were standing at the entrance on the head. Tam blocked the way for one of the remaining men when he tried to raise the alarm by ringing the bell. He shook his head and threw a knife at the guard. The weapon slammed into his throat, and he sank to the floor, making gurgling sounds.
– Return to the stall, pathetic slaves! – the guard who remained on his feet snorted with contempt. It seems that he is too stupid to appreciate the superiority of forces. Or he considered slaves worse than himself. Tam hit him in the face, and he staggered and fell to the floor. After a few minutes, no one was blocking the path to the gate.
Freedom greeted them with welcoming coolness. A light torrential rain was falling.
– This is good! The dogs that are put on our trail will not find us right away,” Tam said.
It smelled like it always did after rain. The wind pleasantly ruffled the hem of his shirt. In the distance a wolf howled and an owl snorted.
– Freedom! – said Dorkhand.
– Do you have a plan? Where to go? – Tam asked.
– What a plan! Tam, I only lived eleven springs! There are grown men among us.
– But everyone followed you, not me. You brought us out, brave boy.
“We need to get as far away from the castle as possible so that they don’t find us right away.” We are without chains, but by the brand they can immediately guess who we are. I think we should try to get to the capital. I am, after all, a king!
“I don’t want to upset you, Dorkhand, but, most likely, someone else managed to take the throne in your absence.” Without an army, you are unlikely to receive the crown. And with the brand you will be given to another owner. Or they will return Latricha.
– But I’m the king! – Dorhand looked at Tam hopefully, but he remained impartial. – Do you have better ideas than mine?
– Let’s head southeast. They say that the largest rebel army since the last Slave War has gathered there. They are all runaway slaves, just like us. Their leader plans a great march on Lorraine to wipe out the Market, the center of the slave trade.
“I am the heir to the throne,” Dorkhand reminded, “and not a simple runaway slave.”
– No. As long as you are yourself, you will lead the chains.
Dorhand easily determined the cardinal directions by the moss-covered part of the oak tree. We decided to head southeast, as Tam advised. Dorhand felt that the further they moved away from the castle, the less the brand hurt.
“Let’s run a little more, and the sorcerer’s power over me will dry up completely.”
***
Latrich returned to the castle after midnight, wet and in no mood. Looks like the hunt wasn’t a success. When he noticed it was missing, he became furious.
– Clumsy Tom! They’re worth their weight in gold! I bought them for a lot of money. Magic flows in each of them. And without this gift my experiments are worthless! The prince is especially valuable. He himself doesn’t realize it, but true enchantment flows in his veins. I risked everything to get it! I bribed an advisor to take the royal family across the desert. I persuaded the robbers to attack and kill Linder, taking his son prisoner. If this gets out, I’m done! But the game is worth the candle! The boy will give me real power. Therefore, we must find him at any cost! Guards!
Two soldiers entered.
– Take Big Tom to the dungeon. And don’t let him out until we find the boy.
***
The wolf followed in their footsteps, but did not dare to approach. Hunger pushed him forward, but attacking ten armed men was suicide. Travelers often saw green eyes sparkling in the reflection of the moon. The owl hummed his terrible lullaby.
We ate dried lamb with a crust of bread. A flask of water was passed around. After the slave dinners, this meal seemed like a feast. Louis was sent to fill a flask at a nearby stream. They did not dare to make a fire.
“The fire will be seen from afar,” Tam said. “We’ll have to get food tomorrow,” Tam said. “This won’t last us long.”
“I told you right away that I planned to set off on my own,” said Dorhand. “That’s why I took provisions for one person.”
They climbed onto the branches to sleep. The wolf lay down near one of the oak trees, waiting for one of the travelers to fall in their sleep.
– Dorkhand, drive him away! – said Lina. – I’m afraid of this wolf!
– Will he touch you on the branch? Come on sleep! Tomorrow there is a long difficult road ahead.
– Oh, if only we knew these lands better! – said Tam. “Then we could move at night to further break away from our pursuers.”
“No, we will not move at night,” said Dorhand. “It wasn’t enough for someone to break their leg.” Then it will be difficult.
As soon as dawn spilled crimson colors onto the gray skies, the travelers began to have breakfast to gain strength before the journey.
– Where is the wolf?
– Left to look for another victim.
They walked at a brisk pace, mostly in silence, only occasionally exchanging terse words. Curious dragonflies, huge dragonflies, flew up every now and then to inspect the uninvited guests. It smelled of myrtle and juniper. The hardworking woodpecker did not get tired of working, echoing his knocking sound around the area.
Tam stopped abruptly.
– Do you hear?
– What are you talking about? – asked Dorkhand.
“Quiet,” Tam put his ear to the damp ground. – People. On horseback. Try not to make noise or leave marks. Most likely, this is a pursuit of us.
– It’s good that they didn’t start a fire last night.
– Sooner or later we will have to light a fire. Supplies are running low. But eating raw meat is dangerous.
It didn’t take long for Tam’s words to be confirmed. As dusk fell on the age-old oak trees, the sound of hooves was heard.
– Fast!
