people entered the hall.
«We’ve all gathered today…» the master of the brotherhood began, not paying attention to the newcomers. The rest of the meeting participants remained silent.
– Congratulations, master! You have joined us again! – one of the new arrivals shouted in joy.
– What are you talking about, Ilan? I am always with you! I will never leave you! – the elder absentmindedly looked around, seemingly taken by surprise by this simple question.
– But you, Master Avinius, returned from prison today! Two hours back talked with you in the mirror.
Any, even the weakest, magician could bend the bars without much effort, so special prisons were created for sorcerers. The condemned person touched the enchanted mirror and found himself in a separate world. And everyone could see the prisoner using a special object in the form of a coin, which must be brought to any mirror. But real freedom could only be given by a magician who entered the world through the looking glass or the king personally.
– By the mirror? You are probably on Sun overheated! Today like this heat! – Avinius playfully waved his palms near his face.
– What’s wrong with you, Ilan? I spent the whole morning preparing the meeting with the master! – said Sorenius, one of the brotherhood members. – So who were you talking to in the mirror?
– I already said: with Master Avinius. Eleon, my student, also saw it. I still have the key to the prison with me.
At these words, Avinius’s face changed:
– Who are you listening to, gentlemen! Ilan has gone crazy and deprived his student of his will! Or maybe they also became faithful?
He tried to snatch the key coin from Ilan’s hands, but Sorenius was ahead of the head of the brotherhood.
– We must investigate the case before we think about conclusions!
– Sorenius, I order you! Give this item to me! – the old man extended his bony hand.
– Sorry, master, I respect you, but I can’t do this! We’ll just see what kind of key my brother brought to the Council!
The old man rushed at the careless subordinate, but Sorenius was able to easily cope with the master. Then he brought the round object to the mirror, where the image of Avinius appeared. All those gathered gasped at once, looking from the old man in the hall to another, looking through the looking glass.
– Who you are? – Sorenii took the initiative, turning to the reflection.
– I, dear Sorenius, master Avinius, Master of the Brotherhood of Defenders Crown, member which, as I remember, you are too,» the reflection in the mirror made some manipulations with its hands. Avinius, the one who was in hall meeting, fell to the floor. Everyone present knew that the old man mastered the Light spell perfectly, so hundreds of white wands were aimed at the impostor. Instead of the old man, a young man was already sitting there.
– Tion?! You! After all, the teacher trusted you! He must be killed! Immediately! – Sorenius commanded.
– Please, don’t kill! I can still become useful! I’ll tell you everything I know! – Tion was almost sobbing, crawling on his knees.
– And what do you know? How betray? To your workshop betrayal we already believe. We also know that those who once betrayed will repeat this again and again,» said Sorenii.
– I don’t know much. But please! Just don’t kill,» the actor kept crawling on his knees.
– Who put me in prison? – asked Avinius.
– Don’t know!
– Is it true?! – Sorenius asked indignantly.
– OK! OK! This Khan! Khan ordered the thugs to imprison Avinius. He appointed me instead of him in parliament and brotherhood.
– Who?!! – asked the surprised Sorenii.
«Royal Advisor Khan,» the prisoner repeated again.
– What is he talking about! And why do you think he needs all this? – Ilan asked.
– He needs a crown!
– What? While alive king! – Sorenius smiled incredulously.
– He will kill Henry at the Autumn Festival!
– You know, friend. Even Khan can’t do it. – It’s Ilan’s turn to smile.
– Already under strength. Day before yesterday he stole a black staff from the Vault.
Panic ran across the faces of those present.
«You don’t joke with such things,» Sorenius said seriously.
– I’m not joking! And further. None of you will live until the morning! Now…
Pseudo-Avinius did not finish speaking. He began to frantically scratch his shoulder, then pulled off his sleeve. The letter «B» was blazing there, and the impostor’s body turned to ashes in a few seconds.
«This is a seal of loyalty,» said Sorenius. – Such magic beyond the power of any sorcerer. We are indeed dealing with a conspiracy. We must inform the king about the black staff!
A sharp knock on the door. Then another one. The next blow shatters the door, and an entire army rushes into the room. At the head of the soldiers who entered was Simon, Head of the Royal Guard. The man appears to be about fifty years old.
– Hello, Simon! To what do we owe the appearance of such an important person? – Sorenius asked.
«In the name of the king, all members of the brotherhood are declared outlaws,» Simon said impartially, not paying attention to Sorenius. – Hand over all weapons. You are sentenced to life imprisonment.
But there are many more soldiers than members of the brotherhood!
Ilan, with an imperceptible movement, grabbed the key coin and handed it to Eleon.
– You must convey to the ruler everything that you have recently seen. Avinius will be your witness. You will find a map of the Country in my house. Don’t hesitate! You have a little more than two months, but time will not stand still!
He made a barely noticeable movement, and a portal appeared behind the albino. Ilan pushed Eleon, and he fell onto a plane that was supposed to move him many miles away.
***
A small house in the middle of the forest, which always smells of myrtle. Here he spent several years under the supervision of a teacher who made him a powerful magician. Eleon grabbed the card lying on the table. He collected food in a bag and mounted his horse. The road is not close, but time is running out.
Just a few days ago he again entered the hall where that fateful meeting of the Brotherhood took place. And I found here only the corpses of true friends. Now he is the last one left from the Brotherhood of Defenders of the Crown, and who, if not him, will protect the king? But among the other bodies he did not find Ilan.
– Maybe he’s still alive?
***
Eleon ordered himself another glass of beer. After a long story, everyone went deeper into their thoughts. Dorian kept remembering his beloved, and Eleon remembered his murdered comrades.
The sunset spilled colors onto the endless canvas of the sky, and suddenly it became possible to take a break from the annoying heat.
The central square was filled with people.
– Lord, what does all this mean? – Dorian was unable to hide his emotions.
«Watch in silence,» said Eleon.
Surrounded by a crowd of onlookers, stood five people in black cloaks