– When will Sylvia be back? – Vilja frowned suddenly. – Where did she go anyway? Why is she gone for so long?

"Go ahead, tell them about you slowly dying," I heard Vit's voice in my mind.

"You dare to joke at such a sad moment?" – I mentally retorted.

"Am I joking? I'm giving you wise advice. If Sylvia doesn't show up soon, your daughters will have to bury you. If it comes to that, they'd better learn of your imminent demise now, from you" the snow leopard answered me.

"I will think about it" I briefly tossed back, however I still found meaning in my familiar's words.

I should have shared with my daughters, prepared them for the terrible truth, but I did not wish to upset and frighten them. No. Sylvia will return just in time. She would bring the antidote, heal me, and we would live happily ever after, one big family.

I had never spoken to Sylvia since she left the palace. Andrada's method only worked if my wife wanted to talk to me, and she was the one with the right tool to open the water portal. All I had to do was wait. But she never showed up. And now it began to seem like a bad sign.

"I need to ask Andrada to arrange for me to talk to Sylvia. I can't wait patiently any longer, I need answers. I need to know she is healthy and unharmed" I thought.

– Sylvia went on a little trip to visit her friends,' I found something to say to Vilja.

– Does she have friends? – Alva raised an eyebrow incredulously.

– Of course she does. Every human… Or demon has friends," I said firmly.

– You're not well? – Alva squinted at me.

– Healthy and strong," I lied.

– You're very pale, Papa.

– Yes, as white as the powder on my cakes! – Villia confirmed her sister's words.

– I didn't sleep well, but the fresh air will work wonders, you'll see! – I winked at the girls.

– If you remember, why are you still in bed? – Alva asked unhappily. – Daddy, you're going to miss everything! Everyone's already gathered! They'll be blowing the horn soon!

"What is she talking about?" – I wondered, frantically trying to remember what day it was and why everyone was going somewhere. The poison seemed to have robbed me of my ability to reason soberly and remember dates. I didn't even know what day of the week today was.

"She's talking about King Juris' Memorial Day. If you don't show up on time, Princess Hedda won't forgive you, and neither will anyone else, because you'll be showing blatant disrespect for the memory of a dead man," Vit politely prompted me.

"Thank you. What would I do without you? It seems you now work not only as my familiar, but also as my memory," I thanked the snow leopard.

"You'll be paying me in gold soon! Get up already, lazybones!" – chuckled Vit back at me, and his deep laughter made me smile.

After sending the girls to their grandmother, I got out of bed, washed my face, rinsed my mouth with violet water, and then called my personal servant. As he helped me put on one of my hated "weekend" royal suits, a black velvet one, embroidered with beads and silver threads, I tried to figure out exactly how I felt today. My whole body was aching, every bone, every cartilage, as if I were not a young man but a decrepit gray-haired old man. My breathing was short and too frequent, and large black dots danced in front of my eyes, like fat flies on carrion or a corpse… Well, I was a corpse. Almost a corpse. So why don't these winged dead meat eaters swarm around me?

– What a comparison you're making. You're not dead! I'm still alive! – Wit appeared on my bed, wrinkling his nose in distaste. His whiskers stuck out in a funny way, and I laughed involuntarily.

– Is something wrong, Your Majesty? – My servant asked, stopping to straighten the folds of my camisole.

– Don't take it personally, Mark. I just remembered a nice joke," I lied with a smile. – But what about Hedda? Is she ready yet?

– Since early this morning, my lord. They say she's even been to the Holy Father's house to repent of her sins," the servant said, taking up my camisole again. After a short silence, he added quietly: "Everyone in the palace is whispering, my lord… Your consort has suddenly disappeared, and evil tongues have already buried her… They say that you decided to marry Her Highness Princess Hedda, and therefore killed your wife Sylvia Rossi....

– What a fascinating rumor," was all I could say to that.

Fascinating and so far from reality. Me and Hedda. Never. No way. May God himself compel me. I saw Hedda as a big spoiled child, but not as a woman. I haven't even decided for myself whether she's beautiful or not, I don't care at all. I have Sylvia. A captivating, burning and tart rose with thorns.

Oh, if only Vakkerland had known that I had been poisoned, and that I had one foot in the grave, how much happiness, joy, and backbiting that news would have caused!

– Well, that's all, Mark, go on. I can take it from here," I said, wishing to be alone, but seeing the curiosity in my faithful servant's eyes, I smiled and added: "All this is just a foolish fiction. My wife is alive and well, and she is absent because I allowed her to visit her parents in Flammehav. She deserves it.

– Of course, my lord! You are honorable, my king. Please, let me comb your hair…" Mark started to say, but I firmly sent him out the door.

– How do I look? – I asked, turning to my familiar.

– Like a peasant who's miraculously acquired a lord's outfit," Vit answered thoughtfully. – At least comb your hair for good measure… You're not well, Derek. Why don't you stay in your chambers? Find some plausible excuse.

– You just chased me out of bed yourself. It's settled: I'm going," I said, following the snow leopard's advice and combing my long hair with my fingers. – Besides, you are right: I am a king, and the eyes of my subjects are upon me. They must know and see that I grieve for King Juris as much as they do.

– Ask Andrada to give you a potion. – Vit jumped silently off the bed onto the soft carpet and walked over to me. – Just in case, you stubborn head of yours.

– Maybe later. I'm already late," I mouthed, sheathing my trusty sword and heading for the door. – Are you coming? – I asked without turning around.

– I'm coming, I'm coming… Just as long as nothing happens. It's going to be a cold day. Take care of yourself, you dummy! – Vit grumbled, and in a split second he was beside me.

– Don't worry, if I'm going to die, it won't be today," I tried to comfort him, and smiled at the thought that this walking ball of sarcasm had grown attached to me, and even so much so that he was afraid of losing me. That felt good.

I had gotten so used to Vit and his presence around me that sometimes it felt like he'd been with me since I was born. Maybe there was some truth to that, because, as it turned out, I had magic in my blood. But how do I know where it came from? Andrada couldn't answer that question, though she tried hard to find out, and even took a few drops of my blood to test it in her laboratory, but it seemed to be a mystery that would remain unsolved.

– I can't ask you to stay in the palace on a day like this, my lord," I heard Andrada's voice, and it snapped me out of my musings. She was walking toward me, so cold and beautiful, and she was carrying a silver goblet. – Here, drink this. It will replenish your strength. – She stopped beside me and handed me the goblet.

– You always take care of me," I murmured, and took it from her. I grinned wryly as I looked into it, the same potion Andrada used to give me every now and then. – To your health, my beautiful sorceress! – I drained the cup in one goblet and handed the empty vessel to Andrada.