The next day, as promised, August announced that the Crown Prince had officially joined their ranks and would address everyone later that day.
The news spread quickly.
Excitement followed.
Relief.
At last, people understood how they were supposed to behave around Klaus.
The tension eased.
The morning, however—
was anything but calm.
Egor avoided Klaus completely.
He couldn't look at him.
Couldn't even risk it.
Shame from the night before still burned under his skin.
So the moment he woke—
he left.
Straight to the baths.
And that was where August found him.
"Good morning," August said casually, already undoing his clothes. "Did you sleep well in your new quarters?"
"Comfortably," Egor replied, his tone flat.
"Is Klaus still asleep?" August went on without waiting. "He always did enjoy sleeping in. Especially after our… little adventures."
"Yes. He mentioned you were close."
"Did he?" August smiled. "He talked about me? That's almost flattering. I always thought he avoided getting close to people."
"He does."
"And yet—here you are."
"Yes."
August's gaze sharpened slightly.
"So what happened?" he asked lightly. "What made him take you along… and protect you like that?"
A pause.
"Do you know something about him? Something he wouldn't want anyone else to know?"
Another pause.
Longer.
"Or maybe he sleeps with you."
He tilted his head.
"No… that's not like him. He's never been particularly interested in physical intimacy."
All the while—
he watched.
Every flicker.
Every reaction.
Egor's jaw tightened.
"Neither," he said shortly.
No matter what Klaus had said about him—
Egor didn't like this man.
Not at all.
He stood.
Ready to leave.
"Funny," August said quietly behind him.
Egor stopped.
"If my instincts are right…"
A step closer.
"You'd prefer the second option."
Silence.
"Am I wrong?"
"That's none of your business," Egor said coldly. "Whatever exists between Klaus and me—has nothing to do with you."
August said nothing.
For a moment.
Then—
water shifted behind him.
Footsteps.
Close.
Too close.
"Egor."
A whisper.
Right at his ear.
Egor flinched.
"I would advise you not to cling to false hope."
His voice dropped.
Colder.
"He is our future king."
A pause.
"And kings need heirs."
Another.
"From women of status."
A breath.
"You can't give him that."
"Thank you for the advice," Egor said, just as cold. "But I'll decide for myself what I hope for."
A quiet chuckle.
"I'm not advising you."
A pause.
"I'm warning you."
Egor turned.
Slowly.
"And what exactly is that supposed to mean?"
August met his gaze.
Calm.
Certain.
"It means this—"
A step closer.
"What you can offer him… means nothing."
A beat.
"It won't even compare."
Another.
"So don't stand in my way."
Silence.
Heavy.
Then August stepped past him—
just like that.
Conversation over.
Dismissed.
Egor's hands curled into fists.
But he said nothing.
Just left.
And somehow—
his mood was even worse than before.
He turned a corner too quickly—
and slammed straight into someone.
"Sorry—"
He looked up—
and froze.
A familiar chest.
Broad.
Warm.
"Egor?"
Klaus.
"Your dear brother is waiting for you," Egor snapped.
Then walked past him—
fast.
Too fast.
Leaving Klaus standing there, confused.
—
When Klaus entered the baths, August was just finishing.
He leaned back lazily against the edge of the pool.
"Good morning, dear brother. Sleep well?"
"What did you say to Egor?" Klaus asked immediately.
No greeting.
No hesitation.
August raised an eyebrow.
"Straight to the point? No 'hello'? No 'how are you'?"
A faint smile.
"You're very concerned about your 'friend,' aren't you?"
That word—
carried weight.
"Yes," Klaus said simply, and sank beneath the water.
When he resurfaced, August shrugged.
"I didn't say anything inappropriate. Just clarified a few… inevitable realities."
"Which ones?"
August sighed.
"Do we really have to talk about him right now?"
"He's not a stranger to me," Klaus said sharply. "So yes. We do."
Something shifted in August's expression.
Subtle.
Cold.
"I don't like this," he said.
"This version of you."
A pause.
"You used to speak like this only with me."
Klaus smirked.
"Is that jealousy?"
A beat.
"That's almost pathetic."
Another.
"And let's not forget—you're the one who let me believe you were dead."
August didn't react.
Not outwardly.
"I don't like being replaced," he said calmly.
A pause.
"Think about it."
"What do you need him for?"
"Send him back."
"What comes next—has nothing to do with him."
"I already told you," Klaus said. "That's not up for discussion."
"Then let's try something else."
August leaned forward slightly.
"You don't want him to suffer, do you?"
Silence.
"Who do you think your enemies will go after first?"
A pause.
"Anyone can see how much he matters to you."
Klaus didn't answer.
Because he knew—
August was right.
If he stepped into this—
really stepped into it—
everyone close to him would become a target.
Egor included.
Especially Egor.
But—
That had been Egor's choice.
Klaus had warned him.
Again.
And again.
And still—
he stayed.
Even accepted the mark.
"It's his decision," Klaus said finally. "If he wants to leave—I won't stop him."
August smiled.
"Perfect."
He clapped him on the shoulder and stepped out of the water.
"That works for me."
A pause.
"I'll be in my room. We should exchange information before your speech."
A glance back.
"I'd hate for you to get lost on the way."
"Why later?" Klaus said. "It'll take a minute. Come here."
August sighed dramatically.
"And here I thought I might get a little time alone with you."
Still—
he stepped closer.
Sat at the edge of the pool.
"Aren't we already alone?" Klaus asked.
August smiled faintly.
"Not anymore."
At that moment, several soldiers entered.
Dirty.
Exhausted.
Fresh from battle.
They froze the moment they saw them.
Then dropped into bows.
"Your Majesty!"
"And yes," August added quietly, without looking at Egor, "I can replace him in every way."
"Forgive us—we didn't know anyone was here," one of the soldiers stammered. "We can come back—"
"No need," Klaus said, rising from the water. "It's a public bath."
A pause.
"And if I make you uncomfortable—I'm leaving anyway."
He grabbed a towel.
"Let's go."
—
Back in their room—
a knock.
"Your Majesty?" a hesitant female voice called.
"He's not here," Egor replied.
The door opened slightly.
"Could you pass this to him?" she asked, holding out neatly folded black clothes that smelled faintly of leather.
"Put it on the table."
Egor didn't even look.
He lay on the bed—
staring at the ceiling.
August's words replaying.
Over.
And over.
And over.
Lilith sat nearby, completely absorbed in a thick handwritten book.
Egor recognized the girl who had brought it.
And that only made things worse.
What had he expected?
That Klaus would choose him?
That they would abandon everything—
and just… stay?
Deep down—
he had hoped for exactly that.
August hadn't told him anything new.
He had just forced him—
to face it.
Another knock.
The door opened immediately this time.
"Excuse me," an elderly man said.
"What now…" Egor muttered.
"The captain asks that you bring the Crown Prince's attire to his chambers."
"Can't you do it yourself?"
"I'm only delivering the message."
The man withdrew quickly.
"Coming?" Egor asked Lilith.
"No. I'm busy."
She didn't even look up.
Egor sighed.
Picked up the clothes.
Left.
—
"What did you ask him to do?" Klaus asked once the old man was gone.
"Bring your clothes," August said. "You can't appear before your people like that."
Klaus glanced down at himself.
Simple white shirt.
Missing a button.
Leather trousers.
Boots.
"What's wrong with this?"
"You look good," August admitted. "But not like a ruler."
"I thought we were trying to stop people from kneeling."
"Yes," August said. "Which is exactly why you still need to change."
Klaus stepped closer.
Touched the space between August's brows.
And the world broke open.
Images flooded in—
monsters with glowing eyes controlled by humansvoices traveling through unseen pathsmusic playing without instrumentsweapons that roared and tore through fleshthings impossible—
and yet real
Along with them—
understanding.
Function.
Meaning.
In a single instant—
everything Klaus knew of the other world—
transferred.
Overwhelming.
Terrifying.
Magnificent.
Then—
another touch.
And now it was Klaus who saw—
corridorsroomshidden pathsdead endsstructure
The entire fortress—
laid bare in his mind.
Footsteps approached the door.
Klaus didn't turn.
"Now I finally understand how this place wor—"
He never finished.
August moved first.
Fast.
Sudden.
His hand caught the back of Klaus's head—
pulled him in—
and his lips crashed against his.
No warning.
No hesitation.
No room to react.
For a second—
Klaus didn't move.
Didn't think.
Didn't understand.
Then—
a sharp sound.
Something hitting the floor.
He pulled back.
Turned.
Egor stood in the doorway.
Frozen.
His eyes—
hurt.
Raw.
Unhidden.
His lips parted—
closed—
no sound.
"What are you doing here?" Klaus said—
and instantly knew—
that was the wrong question.
The worst question.
Egor's hands trembled.
The look in his eyes—
hit harder than any blow.
Klaus stepped forward.
He needed to explain.
To say something.
Anything.
But nothing came.
He had never seen Egor like this.
Never.
"I called him," August said lightly behind him. "He is your servant, after all. That mark makes it obvious."
"I'm sorry," Egor said hoarsely. "I didn't mean to interrupt."
"Wait—"
Klaus reached out—
but Egor was already gone.
He turned—
ready to follow—
but August grabbed his arm.
"There's no time."
A pause.
"Change."
"They're waiting."
Klaus turned back to him.
Slow.
Controlled.
"Why did you do that?"
"Do what?" August asked calmly.
"Call him. Kiss me."
A faint smile.
"Oh, Klaus…"
He placed a hand on his shoulder.
"You've changed."
A pause.
"Didn't you like it?"
"Captain!"
A soldier appeared in the doorway.
"Everyone has assembled."
"We're coming."
Klaus didn't look at August.
"We'll finish this later."
His voice was cold.
Flat.
He grabbed the clothes.
The outfit wasn't royal.
No crown.
No mantle.
Black leather armor.
A dark under-tunic.
A black cloak—
threaded with white lightning rising from the hem.