Robin stared at his strange companion in silence, showing deep indifference,and was already touching the bridle.

– Anna Rein. Her name is Anna Rein!

The horsemen raced into the night behind their monarch, and the witch stared after them thoughtfully for a long time.

The royal castle, built of black stone, weighed on the inhabitants with its gloomy grandeur. In his bedroom, Robin stared thoughtfully at the hearth, where the flames played fiercely. He was lying on a bed covered with polar bear skins, and his fingers were running through the golden hair of his sleeping mistress.

There was a prearranged knock, and the door swung open. Arthur entered the room and handed him a yellowed scroll. Raven raised himself slightly on the bed, passed his hand over the blonde's head, magically making her sleep deep, and, shaking the paper with one hand, ran his eyes over it.

Meanwhile, Arthur, completely oblivious to the half-naked beauty, swaggered into a leather-covered chair by the fire. He studied his friend's face searchingly. Robin sprang lightly from the couch and stood beside Arthur. In the dim light, his perfect body looked particularly mesmerizing. He threw the scroll into the fire.

– The magic shield artifact has finally been found, – the seated youth said softly. – This place is close. The trip will take half a day.

– Who is entrusted with the key to the cave? – Robin asked, grimacing.

– Anna Rein.

– To whom? – There was an uncharacteristic note of surprise in the King's voice.

– I was surprised that Gray Lisbourne, who has earned a reputation as a misogynist, would trust her with the key.

– It's a name, – Robin drawled.

– Yes, that mad soothsayer was talking about her, – the nobleman said.

– Did you send to her for the key?

– No, I ordered her to come to court.

– Why? – The king was even more surprised.

– Magic addiction. Only she can open the door to the cave.

– Something's definitely wrong here. What did you find out about her?

– The Countess of the Rhine. The owner of a province in the middle of nowhere. It has barren lands, almost deserts. She hasn't left her land in the last fifteen years. The woman raised her nephew, he is already an adult.

– Who's the nephew?

– There's a dukedom next door. Heir to the lands of Orden.

After these words, it seemed to Robin that the fire in the hearth flared up with an unusual force. He interrupted Arthur.

– The heir of Orden?! I was looking for him, and he was growing up in the desert?! Who is this Anna Rein?!!

– You were looking for him? – This time it was Arthur's turn to be surprised. – Why?

– Who is Anna Rein?

– I've already told you everything I know. There is almost no data in the archive about it. Although…

– What? – In his impatience, the young man even leaned forward and grabbed the handrails of the chair.

– Your betrothed! – Arthur burst out laughing. – She's old enough to be your mother. Yes, even, probably, terrible as a mortal sin. No wonder no one married, even with the title of count.

Robin condescendingly waited until the homeric laughter of his subject had died away, and then said:

– Now stop being stupid. The heir of Auden, by virtue of his bloodline, has as much right to the throne as I do.

The answer to the monarch was the wide-open eyes of red Arthur and the beads of sweat that stood out on his forehead.

– And if you consider that he may have children, unlike me, then make a conclusion on whose head the crown will look better!

As Robin said this, he crushed the heavy metal goblet of wine with one hand, and his subject, seeing this, hastened to retreat into the hall. As he ran out the door, he ran full tilt into Edward, who was coming towards him.

– What? – The warrior-healer asked, stopping his friend with an iron hand.

The crumpled goblet flew after Arthur with a curse.

– He's been looking for the Auden heir all this time! – The red-haired man rang out. – Yes! I should have known that! I am a third-generation diviner!

Before Edward could answer, the angry king burst out of the bedroom and snarled:

– Are you still here? Pull up all the archives, interrogate everyone, so that tomorrow there will be the necessary information and the pedigree will be on my desk!

– Whose? – The head of the Bear clan couldn't resist asking.