«Why did you come?» Finally I asked.
«To express everything that I think about you,» he answered. «You have no right to overheard other people’s conversations and spoil my plans.»
«So the lord drove you away?»
Realizing that the question is rhetorical, Vincent only pursued his lips.
«There should be at least a bit of honesty in you,» after a short silence he grunted.
«You would not prevent to keep caution, then you would not appeal to anyone’s honesty. You twice allowed me to overhear the conversation about your plans.»
«Twice?» Vincent was alerted.
«The first time you were too passionate to notice anyone presence. You so skillfully praised your talent to cook poisons that it seemed to convince yourself in the fact that you have the right to be called an evil genius.»
Vincent was staring at me, then he knocked himself with his palm on the forehead, and whispered quietly:
«So what’s the matter!»
«Today you kicks against the pricks. Doors are locked. Here in the crypt, we are alone. Even if the townspeople suddenly open the doors and notice the disappearance of your eminent person and then find your body, torn by the dragon claws, it will attract only terrible legends that walk around this place. By their opinion, you will turn into another unfortunate sacrifice of the local ghosts. And then new assumptions will go, they will take the perch of the deft novelists to explain somehow your death, refute or confirm the guesses of the people. By the way, you do not know, printing machines have long used in this city. In other places, I have not seen a single shop with printed books, but here they are only in the center more than a dozen.
Vincent did not answer, only tightly pressed back to the column.
«It’s not me then wanted to poison you. Lillian and a sly astrologer are to blame. Remember, I came to you not only to invite with myself, but also I wanted to warn, I just realized that you had already exposed their tricks,» he began to justify.
I almost laughed. Vincent lied masterfully. His game on stage would cost applause. It must be, he did not go to the actors just because the work in the Inquisition was more prestigious and safe. Being there and pretending to be faithful, he could not be exposed.
«Did I wound in the dark street any other robber, not you?» I asked in the same friendly tone, but the threat was still in my voice. «Next time, when you want to get a knife from the boot, try to make it more prompt. Not every passerby let you go after you try to cut his throat.»
Before Vincent managed to come to his senses, I jumped off the sarcophagus and darted to him, tightly grabbed him for the forearm and clung to the collar. The fabric with a crackling broke out, exposing a terrible scar that pulled on the throat and chest. It was a trail from five claws.
«Who did wound you so much? Speak honestly!» I ordered, without releasing him from the dead grip.
Vincent did not even try to resist, realizing that he could not break out. He was silent, feverishly thinking how to embellish the truth, but then I looked aside and whispered softly:
«She!»
«Who?» I demanded again, shaking him with force.
«It happened there, on earth of the burned state,» he said. «There is only ash. I hardly managed to find the hatch’s cover. I just wanted to take a few parchment scrolls from the baron’s pantry. I didn’t think to take everything. Besides, I did not know that he all bequeathed to you.»
I released Vincent, saying strictly:
«You won’t steal anymore. If you believe baron’s stories, then you are still easy to get rid.»
«He could bequeath everything to me, not to you,» Vincent backed up, like a hurt animal, but still ready to scratch and bite. «Why do you need such an inheritance? You and so have the knowledge and power that others can only dream.»
«Are you jealous?»
«Yes,» he honestly admitted. «Why did everything go to you, not to me? After all, I am no worse. Noble blood flows in my veins. I would have a title, if my father did not boil, entered into a plot, but most importantly, I always sought to get power, while everyone’s favorite junior prince neglected his position. I would take advantage of the love of the people and the king to become the only heir, instead of playing nobility. In addition, if the throne inherited the pet prince of sorcerer, then the deceased kingdom would now be rich and flourished.»
ЭAnd in the crowd of frightened people there were a lot of sorcerers, gnomes, elves and other faithful servants of the ruler – the dragon.
Vincent has already managed to repeat «why are you, not me,» and before he managed to start the same song, I strictly broke it off.
«Source of my strength is knowledge. With one dexterity, without prior training it is impossible to practise witchcraft, otherwise you do harm yourself and others. Are you ready to follow my example and spend many years in a conversation with witchcraft books. How would you distinguish the truth from lies, because you can not be pouring the poison or hit the knife in the ghost. And you need to spend not one ten years there to choose the original, and not fake key to the truth. I doubt that you are ready to sacrifice your youth and relative health. If you are prudent and repent of your words, then I cure you from these ulcers,» I pointed to the inflamed scars that Vincent tried to cover with scraps of the collar. «Although they remind you of untimely heroism, but for the ladies it is an unpleasant sight.»
«I could heal them myself,» he hesitated.
«But for some reason you did not. Maybe just did not have time?
«What do you need for pay?» Vincent became incredulously.
«I am afraid that I will have nothing to demand from you, except for the promise no longer arrange conspiracies against me and do not wait for me in a dark alley with two cowardly mercenaries.»
«Why should I believe in your honesty?» Vincent considered a tempting offer.
«Take it easy!» I touched his shoulder, but Vincent suddenly cried. My touch burned him. I didn’t want to hurt him at all, especially when we barely entered into an alliance.
«So I knew that you were lying me,» Vincent almost shouted. He instantly found himself at the far wall and now he was looking in a hurry for a secret lever that opened the hidden door. «Remember, Edwin, destroy such an opponent, as I, you will not succeed. Sooner or later, but I recognize what is the mystery of your power and even exceed you.»
He slammed down the secret door, and I finally could breathe easier. Due to the appearance of Vincent, I was deprived of those few hours of rest, which I was going to spend in the crypt, away from vigilant observation and persecution of my so-called «patron». After listening to the tantrum of Vincent and numerous undeserved reproaches, no one would have been able to calmly fall asleep. He stirred unpleasant memories, made me think over my problems again. What power can we talk about if I have to hide from the prince as a runaway prisoner. After all, I would have remained a prisoner if I did not have time to leave enough away from the strength that was trying to subjugate me.
I remembered the night by baron Raul. An incredible guess came to my mind. After all, the old baron knew about the strength of his treasure. Standing, next to the sealed door, I heard mounted voices. They said they waited for me for a very long time and finally waited.
The baron was a smart person, he did not only read books, but also collected his own library. He wanted to give his treasure to a stranger, whom he saw for the first time in his life. Of course, this stranger killed the wild boar and earned the award, but did not deserve such a heavy cargo, as inhabiting in the depths of earth an ancient and powerful evil. Did Raul guess that the shy hero, who was afraid to admit his lack of education, sooner or later will be the one who became a prisoner of evil fate and a sorcerer.