The dungeon was dimly lit, thanks to the small dancing flames, burning slowly through the candle wax. The space was quite cramped, with only four cells, two on each side of a short corridor, and ending with an alcove where a guard sat on a chair, keeping an eye on Bruno.

The young alchemist was burning with anger, but he kept it caged, trying his best to appear calm. For a moment, he walked around his small new home. It had a bedding in the corner, a bucket to use as a bathroom, and was surrounded from three sides by a stone wall. The fourth fragment was just iron bars, with a sturdy door – something which caught his attention first since he instinctively was looking for a way out.

He ended up approaching the front of his cell and grabbing the metal bars to have a look at the guard. The man was observing him, but when Bruno’s eyes rested on his face, he averted his gaze.

‘Why?’ A question immediately blossomed in the mind of the young alchemist. ‘He knows who I am. I must have known what I’ve done for his people, and he is ashamed that somebody like me ended up in here.’

This conclusion was enough for a smile to curve his lips.

„Who would have thought that for all my hard work I’m going to end up imprisoned,” Bruno snorted. „But don't worry mister guard. Some of the good things I provided for your people will stay there. Too bad everything else won’t,” he sighed.

The man stole a glance at him. Then he quickly averted his gaze, as the door to the prison was pushed open. Bahir Veleryn, still holding the book in his hands, entered the space. His old eyes scanned through the interior, briefly moving through the soldier, to rest on the young alchemist.

„That was quick,” Bruno let out a chuckle. „I didn’t expect you to come so fast. You didn’t even give me a chance to get familiar with Mister Guard.”

This prompted the old man to give a quick look at the soldier. Although the man tried his best to keep an expressionless face, he wasn’t very good at it. The shame could easily be spotted.

„Leave,” Bahir hissed at him. „Your post from now on is behind this door. You are forbidden from communicating with the prisoner,” he informed.

„Yes sir,” the soldier bowed, before rushing outside.

Bruno watched him, and as soon as the door closed, he spoke. „Now, tell me why did you come? You expect me to give out my secrets so soon? That’s very impatient for such an old man.”

„You lost. Perhaps your inexperience and ego make you believe that you didn’t, but the little trick you played on me is nothing but a delay,” Bahir spoke very slowly, measuring his words.

„Delay? I bought the lives of my friends with it.”

„Don’t fool yourself, and don’t think your comrades among the pirates are going to save you. You belong to us now, and this will remain the case as long as we provide the pirates with what they need. They won’t break the arrangement even for somebody like you. You are nothing but a useful tool for them. Do yourself a favor and cooperate. Your fate doesn’t have to be as bad as you are trying to make it by playing your pointless games.”

„Right,” Bruno snorted. „You are quite cocky, old man. I have to give it to you. One would wonder why a man not afraid of making such risky moves hasn’t taken the crown for himself.”

„I’m loyal to my king.”

„Right. The king who starves his people and forces them to work gruelingly in the mines so that he can continue to live in a little luxury. Katyan is a fool, and you know it. Without you, this place would have been divided between Ankhelis and Tabernak a long time ago. So, why haven’t you done it yet?” A confident smirk emerged on the lips of the young alchemist.

„I’m loyal to my king,” Bahir repeated, but the tone of his voice changed. It became harder.

„There are two possibilities I see here. One is that you are truly a patriot, who loves his kingdom. But if you were one, you would get rid of Katyan, and seize the power for yourself, or one of the former noble houses then fixed this shit hole of a kingdom into a proper kingdom. The second one is love,” a chuckle left his mouth. „Love, but not for Katyan. He is too young for you, so it must have been love for his father. I guess he never saw you this way, did he? But you still decided to take care of his legacy, even if it meant babysitting his foolish son.”

The old man clenched his fingers around the book, making them turn pale. His lips pulled back, revealing the two remaining teeth. „You know nothing. Perhaps a few days without food will help you get to your senses,” he said before storming outside.

He slammed the door, and then Bruno could hear him giving orders to the guard before the silence overtook the dungeon.

He waited for this moment, to let his anger come out. He punched the stone wall. „Fuck!” The hit was not as strong to break bones, but it did draw blood.

‘Stop, you fool!’ He immediately nagged himself in the confinements of his own mind. ‘Punishing yourself for this is pointless… Instead, think of a fucking solution! They are safe… Now you are gambling only with your life, and that means… That means we can make some bold moves. And we will start with a check,’ a smile emerged on his lips. ‘The pieces are there. They have to be, so you can collect them. You can do it...’

He closed his eyes, standing still for a moment, going through everything he prepared before, trying to win the match for the kingdom. He invoked every detail of his plan, so when he opened his eyes, he was ready.

He pulled out a lockpick, hidden in his hair, and then put it into a crack between the stones. „Not yet. It’s too early,” he mumbled.