Crescent City's chief guard lay in a pool of blood, and what killed him was a barbed halberd, blood spurting from the wound on his back and flowing down the blood groove on the tip of the halberd.

Is it possible for him to know where Elijah is? Brant thought. Swank, Ilia's Oath Guard, was the first to leave the council chamber to guard the Upper Winding Gate, but he died outside the Moon Shadow Gate. Could it be that he is Koman's spy!

Where is Elia? Answer me!

Brant had searched all the secret passages and dark rooms in the castle where they might be hiding, and the Koman army had retreated like a tide, could it be that they had already found Ilia before they did?

He found himself on the verge of madness, and even the large group of soldiers rushing across from him could not arouse his interest in the slightest.

"Brandt!" A voice at the head shouted. The prince stood in a pool of blood and looked up at the girl on the horse, "Brant! She screamed again.

"Who are you?" Brandt picked up the halberd on Swank's chest.

"It's me. Vanessa. Don't you recognize me? The maiden leaned her face to the light of the torches, and her beautiful long hair shone brownish-black in the moonlight. No, no matter how beautiful it is, it's useless, she's not Ilia.

"If you don't want to get a hole in the hole," Brandt threatened, "get out of here." Somehow, he knew that it was just to scare her, and he couldn't do any harm to the girl in front of him.

"Don't go over, he's under magic." The sturdy archer beside the girl stood in front of her, and the prince had some impression of this man, and when he saw him, a wave of jealousy arose. The archers made a gesture to the knights around him, and the prince was immediately surrounded.

"I can't believe that when everyone knows me, you have forgotten me." The girl's sad words pained Brandt's heart, and he looked at her beautiful face, which seemed familiar, but completely unfamiliar. The girl raised her head, the expression on her face was as usual, "Take this man into the city, and we will meet General Coman to see what trump card he has in his hand." ”

The archer drew the bow and shot, but Brant was not prepared in the slightest, and was hit by a short arrow the length of a palm in his lower abdomen, and suddenly felt the world spinning, and his eyes were dark, and he lost consciousness.

Brant suddenly woke up and gasped for air.

He didn't know where he was. The air was cold and gloomy, with the smell of dirt, maggots, and blood. He was lying on a large bed, covered with a pile of sheepskins, with a wooden dome on his head, and a magnificent ornament of tree roots emerging from between the walls. The only source of light came from a butter candle, the light of which swayed in a pool of molten wax and stung his eyes, and his head was about to explode like a ripe watermelon. Brandt tried to sit up, but after several failed attempts, he realized that he was firmly tied to the iron bed, with his limbs spread out and in a graceful posture.

Someone stripped him of his clothes and armor. The prince now wears a brown woolen cloth loose shirt, thin, but freshly washed. The forearm was sandwiched with a wooden plank, and then bandaged with a burlap cloth, and some kind of moist ointment was covered on the wound, which was cool and comfortable.

"Ilia," the prince began, "where is Princess Elia?" ”

In the darkness behind the candle, something moved, and it was an old gray-haired man in ragged clothes. Hearing the prince's voice, he sat up and rubbed his eyes: "You scared me. I'm dreaming. ”

No, thought the prince, it was I who dreamed. "What kind of place is this? Dungeons? ”

"Crescent City, child. Princess Vanessa has placed you in this most comfortable room, while she herself has been in charge of politics in the humble Half Moon Hall, "He wears a tattered old robe, pale red and white, his gray hair is long and messy, the skin of his cheeks and chin is loose, and his face is full of rough beard. "It seems that our prayers have worked, and God has heard our suffering and sent this good princess to save the country." The old man chattered and suddenly realized that Brant was looking at him, so he leaned over and asked, "Are you hungry?" Can you drink milk? More bread and honey? ”

"I want my clothes, my sword." Without armor, Brant felt like he was naked, "Let go of me, I'm going to find the princess." ”

"You're looking for another princess."

"How do you know?" Brant looked at the old man in surprise.

"If you call 'Elia' every time I get a copper, I'm as rich as a king by now." The old man replied with a smile. "Child, you've fallen under magic, Ilia's magic. General Coman has helped some of us unspell the spell since he entered the city, but you're still in her magical possession. ”

"No way, Ilia has never used magic on me, you let me go, I'm going to find her." Brant struggled to sit up, the cord on his hand was moderately tight, but he couldn't break free no matter what.

"I'm afraid you're not fit to walk on the ground." The old man reached out and touched Brant's forehead, his hands were covered with scars and calluses, but they were surprisingly gentle. "Your fever is gone," he announced, with a closed accent characteristic of Neverwinter. "Yesterday you felt like you were on fire."

He's right, even now, Brandt is still dizzy, as if floating. What arrows did the damn archers shoot at me? How could I be so weak?

"Princess Vanessa, fearing that we would lose you, stayed by your side for hours."

"Princess Vanessa, the girl on horseback?"

"That's her. She was the one who gave you the bones in your arms, the planks on them, and did a good job like a bachelor. She also tries to treat your wounds, washing them with boiling ale to prevent them from festering. If it weren't for the fact that there were too many things to take care of, she would definitely be here for you all night. ”

"I don't need anyone's company, I want to know Ilia's whereabouts."

"The princess has commanded me not to reveal anything about Ilia to you." The old man looked at Brant apologetically, and turned back to bring bread, cheese, and a bowl of stew from the table. "I'm sorry," he said. "The last bit of milk is sour, and the honey is gone. The Koman army took everything they could to eat like locusts in transit, and the food became scarcer and less, hoping that this would keep you fed. ”

Could it be that Ilia is in the hands of Koman? Brandt tentatively asked, "Why did Coman suddenly withdraw his troops?" He can obviously take Crescent City and unify the country of Midsummer. ”

"I'm afraid it has something to do with his ulterior motives." The old man pursed his lips, "It is said that he has a male pet, and he is a particularly willful kind, and he is in a hurry to withdraw his troops for him." ”

(l~1`x*>+``+