The former queen received them in the dining hall.
Cold.
Distant.
Polite only on the surface.
She didn't ask a single question.
Not one.
She only watched Klaus from the corner of her eye—
quick glances,
sharp,
calculating.
There was no warmth in them.
Nothing even resembling it.
—
They arrived just as the servants placed the last dish on the table.
Hot stewed meat.
The smell filled the room.
Heavy.
Greasy.
Too much.
Enough to feed ten people.
Prepared in minutes.
Minami sat at the head of the table.
Klaus chose a seat to her right—
not the closest one.
Egor hesitated—
then sat opposite him.
"Eat," she said lazily, gesturing at the table. "My servants like to pretend I have guests."
She snapped her fingers.
A servant rushed forward.
Filled her glass.
She didn't even look at Klaus.
"Are you even old enough to drink wine?"
A flicker of irritation crossed his face.
Her lips curved.
Only her lips.
"Pour for them."
Wine filled the glasses.
Silence followed.
Only the sound of metal against porcelain.
Minami drank.
One glass.
Then another.
Then another.
Her eyes grew brighter.
Not softer.
Sharper.
—
"Klaus," she said suddenly.
He looked up.
"Are you afraid of me?"
"What makes you think that?"
"You're sitting so far away."
A tilt of her head.
"Come closer."
A pause.
Klaus stood.
Walked toward her.
She watched him approach.
Slow.
Interested.
Then stood as well.
Stepped closer.
Too close.
She tilted her head.
Studying him.
A smile spread across her lips.
Egor felt something twist in his gut.
Minami lifted her hand.
Placed it against Klaus's cheek.
He went still.
Didn't pull away.
Her fingers traced his face.
Cheekbone.
Jaw.
Then lower.
To his neck.
She lingered there.
"You have his skin," she murmured. "His height."
A pause.
"But that face… those eyes…"
A faint smile.
"Those are mine."
Her fingers pressed lightly against his throat.
"If only you weren't so dark," she added softly. "You remind me too much of him."
She stepped away.
Moved around the table.
Stopped behind Egor.
Her hands settled on the back of his chair.
Light.
Delicate.
Her eyes never left Klaus.
"I didn't expect the crown prince to travel with something so… fragile."
"He's not my guard," Klaus said. "He's—"
A pause.
"—my advisor."
Minami raised an eyebrow.
"An advisor."
A faint smile.
"And which noble house does your advisor belong to?"
"He isn't noble."
"Then a slave."
She said it casually.
Like stating the obvious.
She stepped away from Egor.
Back to Klaus.
"Tell me," she said, circling him slowly, "why would you come here?"
A gesture around the hall.
"This place."
A pause.
"With only one slave."
She stopped in front of him.
"Is he special?"
A step closer.
"Rare magic?"
Another step.
"Or simply convenient?"
"He's neither a warrior nor a powerful mage," Klaus said evenly. "I came to confirm you were alive."
A pause.
"And to keep it quiet."
Her eyes sharpened.
"So no one knows you're here."
Not a question.
Her hands rose.
Rested on his shoulders.
Then slid to the back of his neck—
and suddenly—
she pulled him down.
Their faces level.
"No," Klaus said stiffly.
A slow smile spread across her lips.
"That's very good."
And then—
she kissed him.
Not gentle.
Not hesitant.
Possessive.
Deliberate.
Wrong.
Klaus froze.
For a fraction of a second—
he didn't react.
Then—
he tore himself away.
"What are you doing?!"
Minami laughed.
Sharp.
"Don't tell me," she said, "you're still untouched."
"That's not—" Klaus cut himself off, jaw tightening. "Why?"
"Do I not appeal to you?" she asked lightly.
"I think you've had too much to drink."
"Oh, my dear boy," she said softly, stepping closer again, "you have no idea how much I can drink."
A pause.
"And remain perfectly aware."
He stepped back.
She followed.
"Is it my age?" she asked. "Or my face?"
"I don't understand you," Klaus said. "Do you even realize who I am?"
Her expression changed.
Sharpened instantly.
"Don't insult me," she snapped. "One look is enough."
A step closer.
"You are his."
A pause.
"His blood. His heir."
"And yours," Klaus said sharply. "I'm your son."
She laughed.
Short.
Bitter.
"Son?" she repeated. "Don't be ridiculous."
Her gaze hardened.
"I gave birth to you."
A pause.
"That's where it ends."
Silence.
"Maternal feelings?" she scoffed. "A convenient lie for weak women."
She stepped closer.
Too close.
"You broke into my cage," she said quietly. "What did you expect?"
A tilt of her head.
"Tears?"
Her gaze slid over him.
Slow.
Evaluating.
"To me," she said, "you're a stranger."
A pause.
"His son."
Another pause.
"A young man."
Her lips curved.
"And a rather attractive one."
Egor felt something cold settle in his chest.
"So tell me," she whispered, "why shouldn't I take what little warmth I can get?"
"Enough!" Klaus snapped.
The word cut through the room.
Sharp.
Final.
"I made a mistake coming here."
A breath.
"We're leaving."
Minami didn't move.
"No need to rush," she said lazily. "You can stay the night."
A faint smile.
"I had a room prepared."
A pause.
"In case you preferred not to share mine."
Silence.
"Your slave will be accommodated as well."
Klaus didn't answer.
Something inside him had shifted.
Broken.
Everything he imagined—
gone.
No mother.
No reunion.
Just this.
—
"No," Egor said quietly.
Klaus didn't react.
Egor stepped forward.
"Prepare another bed in the prince's room," he said. "I'll stay with him."
Minami glanced at him.
Dismissive.
"Moving furniture for a lowborn slave would be inconvenient."
"Then he stays with me," Klaus said.
Flat.
Controlled again.
He looked at Egor.
Briefly.
Grateful.
Minami snapped her fingers.
"Take them," she said, waving toward Klaus. "He prefers his slave over me."
She turned.
Left.
—
The room they were given was warm.
Prepared.
Fireplace burning.
Hot water.
Clean sheets.
Wine.
Food.
Everything arranged for one person.
A knock.
Servants entered.
Fast.
Silent.
A mattress.
More water.
More wine.
Gone again.
—
Silence.
Klaus removed his weapons.
One by one.
Katana.
Knives.
Boots.
Belt.
Metal hit wood.
He poured wine.
Drank it in one motion.
Egor watched.
"Klaus…"
No response.
Egor moved to the mattress.
Started unrolling it.
"Stop."
Egor looked up.
"The bed is big enough."
Another glass poured.
Egor took it.
"To family reunions," he muttered.
Drank.
Sat.
Hands pressed against his face.
"Klaus… maybe she—"
"What exactly did you misunderstand?" Klaus cut in.
A hollow laugh.
"She wanted her own son."
A pause.
"In her bed."
Silence.
He looked at Egor.
And for the first time—
there was no control.
No mask.
Just something raw.
Exposed.
Egor felt it hit him like a blow.
He moved closer.
Sat beside him.
Lifted a hand.
Touched his face.
Klaus turned toward him—
And something broke.
Egor didn't think.
Didn't stop.
He leaned in—
and kissed him.
Hard.
Desperate.
Not gentle.
Not careful.
Like he was trying to erase something.
Burn it out.
Klaus inhaled sharply.
Didn't pull away.
Egor deepened it—
until his chest burned.
Until he couldn't breathe.
Then pulled back.
Shaking.
"I'm sorry—"
He tried to stand.
Klaus grabbed his wrist.
Turned him back.
"Shouldn't have," he said quietly, "or didn't want to?"
Egor looked down.
"…Shouldn't."
A pause.
Klaus let go.
"You're overwhelmed," he said. "It happens."
A breath.
"When we leave here, I'll take you somewhere. You'll forget all this."
Egor stared at him.
"I don't want to forget."
"You don't have to be embarrassed—"
"I'm not embarrassed!" Egor snapped.
Silence.
Klaus studied him.
"So what you did—"
"I meant it."
The words came out rough.
"I know exactly what I did."
Klaus frowned.
"You've never been with a woman."
"I don't need one to understand what I feel."
Silence.
"I don't feel anything for them," Egor said.
Quieter.
"I tried."
A pause.
"I can't."
He swallowed.
"And it's not about men either."
A beat.
"It's you."
Silence.
"Klaus… please."
His voice dropped.
"Don't send me away."
A pause.
"I won't do anything you don't want."
Another pause.
"Just… don't throw me out."
Something shifted in Klaus's expression.
He stepped forward.
Fast.
Grabbed Egor's chin—
and kissed him.
Firm.
Controlled.
"I'm not disgusted," he said against his lips.
A breath.
"I just don't want you to regret this."
"I won't."
—
The door exploded open.
Guards flooded in.
Klaus shoved Egor back.
Grabbed his sword.
Steel flashed.
"Don't let them leave!"
"They die here!"
The room filled instantly.
Bodies.
Noise.
Metal.
Blood.
Too many.
Egor saw it—
too late—
A mage.
Fire forming in his hands.
Aimed at Klaus's back.
Egor moved.
Didn't think.
The spell hit—
and vanished.
Snuffed out.
His mark burned cold against his skin.
A sword followed.
Straight for his stomach.
He froze—
A blade flew past him—
Buried in the attacker's eye.
The man dropped.
"What are you doing?!" Klaus roared. "Get down!"
"I was helping!"
"Hide!"
Egor dropped behind the bed.
Watching.
Scanning.
"Klaus—right—!"
A knife.
A body fell.
Another.
Another.
Blood spread across the floor.
Bodies piled.
Klaus moved through them—
fast.
Precise.
Efficient.
Until—
silence.
—
"I can't believe she tried to kill me," he said.
"Who?" Egor asked.
Klaus looked at him.
"…Seriously?"
Egor went still.
They both knew.
—
They grabbed food.
Whatever they could carry.
And ran.
More soldiers.
More noise.
Klaus didn't slow down.
He slammed his hand into the floor.
Lightning tore through stone.
Cracks spread—
The ground collapsed.
They fell.
One level.
Then another.
Again.
And again.
Until—
the main hall.
—
Five mages waited.
Magic filled the air.
Wind.
Water.
Stone.
Egor stood beside Klaus.
Spells shattered against him.
Died on contact.
Klaus moved.
Cut them down.
One by one.
Fast.
Violent.
Relentless.
Until—
only one remained.
An earth mage.
And a child.
The boy stood frozen.
The mage smiled.
Stone lifted.
Aimed.
"Don't—!" Klaus shouted.
He moved.
Fast.
Too fast.
Reached the boy.
Destroyed the attack.
Shielded him—
And in that moment—
The child moved.
A blade flashed.
Egor saw it.
Too late.
He threw himself forward.
The knife drove into his arm.
Not Klaus.
Him.
Klaus reacted instantly.
Disarmed the boy.
"What the hell is wrong with you?!" he snapped.
Egor clenched his teeth.
"It's nothing."
Blood ran down his arm.
"We need to go."
Voices echoed.
More soldiers.
Closer.
Klaus grabbed him.
Pulled him forward.
Toward the only way out.
The dungeons.