Chapter 2 — Chapter 2

"An heir?" clarified the spirit of the rector, Genry.

"Yes, the gods themselves brought him here, wounded and poisoned."

"The gods have left our world..." he sighed.

"Apparently not entirely," Oliver shrugged. "We need to find out what Yan is so afraid of."

"I died only twenty years ago, but children are sacred..." Genry nodded to himself, stroking his long white beard.

"Let's just not disturb him," the rector replied confidently. "Let's give him his personal space. Let him understand that no one will hurt him anymore."

"I'll tell him in the morning how to lock the room, but I won't mention that I, as the spirit of the house's master, have access. We still need to keep an eye on him..." Oliver nodded to himself. "Make yourself at home, we'll start training tomorrow; the boy only learned about magic here..."

"What? Where is he from?" the rector looked shocked.

"He's silent. I asked, but he pretended not to hear, though he turned pale."

"When he comes into his power, he might tell us."

With these words, the spirits went their separate ways: Genry habitually headed to the attic, while the spirit of the last king went to his office.

***

"Get up, little one, I'll show you a spell," Oliver appeared in Yan's room early in the morning. "It's not powerful, it won't take much magic."

"But how will it lock me up then?" the boy rubbed his eyes, trying to wake up.

The spirit watched and couldn't understand - by his aura, the heir seemed to be about fourteen, but by his behavior, he was a complete child... or a girl. Oliver dismissed this assumption immediately.

"It's a signal spell, it will give time for all summoned to reach your room. No one will hurt you anymore."

"I'd like to believe that," Yan whispered quietly and shuffled barefoot to the bathroom.

"He'll warm up to us later; right now, the memories of what happened to him are still fresh. Trust must be earned..." the spirit said to himself and vanished so as not to embarrass the boy. Yan hurriedly dressed in the bathroom, then came out and headed straight for the door.

"Watch carefully," the spirit, hovering outside the room, lit three symbols in the air. "Draw them on the door in this order."

"What should I draw with?" the boy looked around for something to draw with.

"Oh, right," Oliver realized, and a piece of stone floated next to Yan. "I'm still getting used to the idea that you weren't trained. Take it, draw, don't be afraid to mess up - it won't work if you do, and then the spell won't activate."

Yan looked at the symbols floating in the air and tried hard to replicate them. After a few minutes, tears trembled on his eyelashes - the last symbol just wouldn't come...

"Don't cry! You're a future warrior! You're only struggling with the little curl at the end. It's like a spring," Oliver encouraged the boy.

After struggling for a few more minutes, he finally succeeded. The door slammed shut with a bang, the handle clicked, and it locked with all its locks. The symbols disappeared, Yan wiped the sweat from his forehead with a trembling hand and jumped with a yelp, hearing the voice of the silently approaching Tyler, who, it turned out, was in the room.

"We'll have breakfast in the capital, the markets are about to open," Tyler frowned at such a reaction.

"Scarf on your face and head, don't take it off! Cloak too, gloves, purse," the spirit listed and watched as the boy hurriedly dressed. "And get him some more clothes, physical training is about to start - he'll grow faster. Also, an artifact to hide his aura and scent," the spirit manifested a pendant in the air, which Yan hastily put around his neck, hiding it under his shirt.

He froze at Oliver's words, but then quickly started wrapping the scarf around himself.

"I'm ready," he nodded decisively.

They added a cloak and street boots; at home, Yan wore soft slippers because his feet were battered and chafed.

The city greeted them with the rumble of carts and the clatter of horses' hooves on the pavement. The boy trembled like a leaf and froze in a stupor. Tyler silently grabbed him by the shoulder and dragged him along, deciding that something needed to be done about the boy's fear. The lord, of course, realized that what happened to the child in the past couldn't be erased in a moment, it would take time. For some reason, he clearly understood that he really wanted to avenge him, but he just needed to know who...

They meandered through streets and alleys for another half hour before reaching their destination - the Capitol, where the so-called "debtor" auctions were held.

"Your invitation?" the guards blocked their way.

"Here," Tyler said, jingling a pouch of coins and handing it to the guard.

"Please, noble lords," the guards stepped aside, weighing the pouch in their hands.

"Won't we get in trouble for this?" Yan whispered as soon as they entered the huge hall and stood behind the nearest column. The boy looked at him with his big blue eyes, framed by fluffy lashes, in such horror... that Tyler involuntarily scooped him up under his arm and pressed him to his side.

"You definitely won't get in trouble," he assured the slightly trembling Yan and covered him with his cloak, suspecting that the boy might just be cold...

***

Tyler stood and seethed, trying to quell his anger toward the unknown enemy. He had two younger brothers, and he would kill without hesitation anyone involved in such a thing if he saw such terror in their eyes.

"Lery! Welcome to the auction! Only six lots will be presented today! They're specific... so the starting price will be low," a voice announced.

Yan peeked out from under his cloak and looked at the small platform, but it was still empty.

"First lot! Starting price - fifty gold per year!"

"What do you mean, per year?" the boy asked, his eyes wide with surprise as he stared at Tyler.

"For as long as they live... If the slave is needed by the master, the master must pay this rate for life. If they kill the slave, they just lose the initial deposit."

"How disgusting..." Yan shuddered.

"I agree... but it's the law, and nothing can be changed," Tyler replied.

"What a disgusting world... laws... and..." Yan trailed off, not finishing his thought.

"I agree... I promise you, Yan, we'll bury all your enemies without honors."

"No, please..." Yan flinched and moved away.

The lord frowned, not understanding what he had said wrong. Were the boy's enemies so terrifying that he didn't believe they could be punished?...

All in due time, the main thing now was for Yan to start trusting.

A huge warrior was led onto the platform, his shoulders, neck, and cheeks covered in scales. His horizontal snake-like pupils darted around the room. His long, black braid was so perfectly woven that it seemed made of living metal. Even in a slave collar, he looked as if he could kill everyone present.

"Who wants him?" a voice called out, but was met with silence. "Well, if there are no takers, then lot number one goes to the mines for life," the auctioneer declared, raising his hammer.

"Are the mines bad?" Yan asked Tyler.

"It's a guaranteed painful death within a couple of months... We don't need such a servant; he'll be disobedient and looking for death..."

"One!" the voice counted the hammer strike.

"This can't be..." the boy breathed heavily, nervous. What was wrong with him?...

"Two!" another strike.

"Sorry!" Yan squeaked and stepped forward.

"Yes, lery?" the auctioneer paused, waiting.

"Can I ask him a question?" Yan nodded towards the lot. The warrior froze, looking at the boy with fear and confusion.

"Yes, of course, esteemed one... I don't see your family crest. Ask your question!" the auctioneer nodded.

"Can you cook?" the boy asked timidly, looking at the slave.

"I cook very well..." the slave's gaze now fixed on the child with hope.

"I'll take him!" Yan nodded firmly.

"Who's paying for you?" the auctioneer asked politely, as the boy was young and not legally able to make such deals.

"I am!" Tyler stepped out from behind a column. He gave the slave a stern look, pressed his finger to the document, and threw a bag of money onto the counter.

"Touch the collar, lery..." the man nodded towards the slave.

Yan froze in fear; he didn't want to touch the stranger at all...

The warrior, understanding the child's fear in his own way, knelt down, lowering his gaze to not scare the lery with his beastly eyes.

"Just touch it," the warrior whispered softly to the boy, who was radiating fear and uncertainty. Pulling off his glove from his slender hand, Yan hesitantly reached out and touched the artifact on the neck. The collar glowed, accepting its new master, while the slave inhaled deeply, memorizing the scent of his savior.

Yan quickly pulled his hand back, hiding it in his glove, and almost ran to Tyler. The slave stood up and followed his small master.

"Let's continue, lot number two! One hundred gold, one-time payment!" the auctioneer announced as an elderly man was led onto the platform.

"Why sell an old man?" the boy asked again, positioning himself to see everything but keeping a small distance from both men.

"Perhaps the owner went bankrupt, and they're selling everything he owns..." Tyler replied. "I think we should take him, just as a servant. One hundred gold isn't much. He'll serve for a few years."

"We'll take him!" Yan declared decisively.

"One! Two! No more takers? Three! Sold!"

After going through the same process - paying and touching the collar - they acquired another slave.

The third and fourth lots were dismissed immediately. Two huge fighters showed off their muscles and arrogantly flashed their eyes. The price for them soared instantly, and they were sold for a high price.

"Fifth and sixth lots together! Unique twins, unfortunately without an essence, but still possessing magic... Five hundred gold, one-time payment!"

Two red-haired men were led onto the platform... Their eyes were dull, and their bodies seemed too thin - emaciated.

"They look like they're about to die..." someone in the hall remarked. The crowd began to disperse. The auctioneer looked hopefully at Yan and his group... "It seems we've bought all the unwanted ones," Tyler thought, and grumbled aloud:

"Take them... They'll be good for something," and went to finalize the payment document.

Yan approached more boldly, as if not feeling threatened by the half-dead men. They didn't react to him at all, as if in some kind of trance. The boy had to tug at their shirts to reach their collars. Even then, the twins didn't come to.

"Just command them! Firmly and directly," the auctioneer clarified.

"Come with me," Yan called, and the men stepped forward in unison, startling him. The boy recoiled and bumped into the slave standing behind him. The slave reached out to stop the boy from falling, but Yan dodged and scurried back to Tyler.

"These first," the mentor nodded at the three slaves. As soon as they left the Capitol, in the first alley, he opened a portal and pushed them through. "Now you and them need clothes, and you need to eat..." Tyler grumbled discontentedly, grabbing Yan's hand and dragging him somewhere.