Mightiness! Soon Morelia’s troops will be at our gates. And then every man who knows how to carry a sword or other weapon will count.
– Yes, you’re right, Tram! Let’s save the lives of the pirates. We need people who will go in the front row.
«She has changed. Not at all the girl I loved!» – Tram noted to himself.
Life has made Queen Esteri cruel. When everyone left, the queen and the monk were left alone.
– Do you remember that spring? – said Tram. – The lilacs were blooming and the fallow deer were chirping. It smelled of myrtle and malt. We lay under the belly moon near Lake Sturel. We looked at the stars and dreamed about how good everything would be. That everything will be the same as before…
– Years will not erase this from my memory. They made me an old woman, but they will not take away my memory.
– You are not an old woman. But something has really changed in you. Where did that dreamy girl I once loved go?
– Leslie took her to the grave with him. I’m the only one left.
– Please, Esteri, Liton saved me. I have to repay him.
– I already pardoned him, what else do you need?
* * *
– Queen Esteri! Guests are coming to you! – the butler reported.
– Who?
– His Holiness, Head of the Inquisition, Lord Rendell!
– Bring him here! – the queen commanded.
A gray-haired old man entered the room.
– Your Majesty! – he said. – Glad to meet you. And I’m glad that an adequate person was on the throne.
– Thank you, Rendell! But let’s get down to business. Why did you come to Dream at this difficult time?
– I want to propose an alliance to Your Highness. The Anti-Witch League will march under your banners against the troops of the Ennians and Morellians.
– Your Grace, allow me to say! – Tram spoke. – The Inquisitor personally revived Shamon. He is the main culprit of all the troubles of Eldoras.
– Rendell, is this true? «What can you say in your defense?» asked the queen.
– I have evidence to the contrary! I believe that Tram is to blame for Shamon’s life. He was a guest in my domain, and performed a terrible ritual. Shamon is alive and thirsts for power, but it is not my fault that he is revived. I will give you irrefutable evidence, but only face to face, Your Majesty!
– Okay, let’s go to the next room.
The Queen and the Inquisitor left.
– Speak. You have three minutes, and if you do not prove your innocence, I will give the order to execute you!
Rendell whispered words in an unknown language, and the queen froze.
«Ochre…» the queen croaked, but the words were very difficult for her.
– Sorry, Your Grace, but this is necessary. I had to deceive you.
– What are you planning? – the queen whispered, because she didn’t have enough strength for more. – If you kill me, you will be executed!
– Why should I kill you? I need you alive. Tram didn’t lie – I brought Shamon back to life. But I didn’t have a reviving stone. I don’t know if the same recipe that the Necromancer came up with remains somewhere. Therefore, I only revived the spirit of the old dark magician. But he needs someone else’s flesh to live. At the moment I am Shamon! – The old man grinned ominously.
– You! – the queen looked with horror into the villain’s face.
«I didn’t even expect that I would be able to capture the entirety of Eldoras so easily.» As soon as I whispered to Leslie the idea, he would withdraw his troops closer to the capital, and now almost all of your lands are under my control, now it will not be so easy to return them back. But here live those who can still harm me. Seven. I don’t remember how they killed me last time. Death erases part of the memory. But I know for sure – they must die. And then this world will fall before my feet. Your Grace, please open your mouth!
The queen complied. The Inquisitor opened his mouth and black smoke poured out, which Esteri inhaled. Then Rendell sat down in a chair, exhausted. And the queen laughed:
– Well, Rendell, you’ve served me well. Now Esteri will be my container!
Tram, standing in the common room, shuddered in horror and whispered in the ear of Linder, the head of the Order of the Seven:
– Something irreparable has happened. We’re in trouble. Mortal danger awaits us. I can feel it. We must run.
– What are you talking about? Tram?
– I put the queen under surveillance before she left the hall. I think, teacher, there is no point in hiding my feelings for the queen from you. They’re not the same as before, but I haven’t cooled off at all. So, somehow Shamon took possession of Esteri through Rendell!
The Queen opened the door.
– Grab the Seven! – Esteri commanded.
The guards hesitated for a split second. This was enough for Tram:
– Let’s run! Immediately! Brothers, come with me!
And they ran. A crossbow bolt flew near his ear, but hit the wall. They ran along the corridors of the castle, barely stopping to take turns, but the guards overtook them. Tram gestured to one of the rooms, and the fugitives ran there.
– From here there is a passage to the dungeons. We must free Liton and his people. We need good security now more than ever.
– So what happened, can you explain in human terms? – asked Linder.
– Shamon has just captured Dream in his hands. Now Eldoras entirely belongs only to him!
– But how is this possible? He won’t be able to overcome our defenses!
– I already could. Now Queen Esteri is Shamon!
– But this is impossible! This can’t be true!
– This is true. Master, take a look at her. My observer spell hangs on her pendant.
Linder closed his eyes and stood silently for a while. And then he opened his eyes, filled with horror.
– This is true. Esteri is no longer with us. Dream fell today.
They went down to the dungeons. The security guard was hit on the head with a flower vase. They took the keys and unlocked Liton.
– I was not mistaken when I saved you, Tram! – said the pirate. And he hugged me like an old friend. Others from the crew of the «Soul of the Corsair» followed.
– Let’s run! – said Tram.
Chapter 5. Seven
The sun caressed the sky with its last rays. It smelled pleasantly damp, as always after rain. But not a single cloud obscured the skies anymore, so it was difficult to say that it had rained just recently. There was a crowd in the street. Three people were walking up the stairs to the royal castle. Viceroy Ddraigha Dust was short in stature with bright, lively eyes for his age. He carried a white flag in his hand. Walking next to him was the tall, painfully thin King of Morelia, Sintellus. On the right hand of Sintell walked the ruler of the free Ennian lands, Lord Bant. He was young, one might even say young, for a ruler.
Queen Esteri stood at the top of the stairs, in front of the entrance. She was expecting guests.
– Wow, what kind of people! I’m glad you came!
The