Sasha was punctual. Exactly an hour later, his black BMW pulled up in front of the building.
"Got a cigarette?" Klaus said the second he got in.
"You know I don't smoke."
"Then pull over somewhere. The moment I got back, I realized I'm dying for that nicotine shit."
They stopped on the way, then drove to a restaurant where they were immediately shown into a private room. A hookah stood in the corner, low couches lined the walls, and the table was already piled high with food.
"I see you didn't come empty-handed," Klaus said, eyeing the spread—especially the meat.
"Nothing special. Made a couple of calls before I left," Sasha said with a faint smile. "Good to see you."
Klaus smiled back.
He didn't feel anything romantic toward Alexander. No pull, no physical need.
But he liked him.
Being around him felt easy.
Like stepping back into something simple—into a quiet house, a steady voice, a patient teacher who never raised his tone.
Before, Klaus crushed anything like that the second it appeared.
Didn't let it grow.
Didn't let it exist.
But after Lilith's birthday—no, after that strange lightness those herbs had given him—something shifted.
Instead of shutting things down, he started leaning into them.
Trying to understand.
"I'm glad to see you too."
"Good. So—how are things back home?"
"Messy. That's why I'm here."
"Need help?"
Klaus leaned back slightly.
"I know it's a shitty thing to ask—especially after you dragged me out of that hole—but I don't have time to dance around it."
Sasha didn't even blink.
"What do you need?"
"Money. I'll pay it back. Not now. Maybe not even in a few months. But I will. With interest."
"How much?"
Klaus typed the number into his phone and slid it over.
Sasha glanced at it and gave a small shrug.
"That's nothing."
"When can you get it?"
"Cash would be better. I need it the day after tomorrow."
"Then come by my office tomorrow morning. I'll have it ready. I've got a packed schedule, so I won't be able to step out."
Klaus watched him for a second.
"You're not even going to ask why?"
"No."
Just that.
"When I pulled you out of that underground clinic, I decided I wasn't going to stick my nose into your business," Sasha said calmly. "You've got your secrets. If you ever feel like talking—I'll listen."
Klaus nodded.
"I appreciate that. I need the money for documents. For a girl."
Sasha's brow lifted slightly.
"You've got a girl now?"
"She's from where I'm from. And it's not safe for her there. I'm leaving her with my grandmother until I deal with things."
He paused.
"She doesn't know how to live in a normal world. You could say she grew up like a slave. This is her shot at starting over."
Sasha studied him.
"Thanks for telling me that much," he said slowly. "Even if it just makes me more curious. Who you are. Where you came from. What kind of place produces someone like you."
A pause.
"And after that? When you're done?"
"Two options," Klaus said calmly. "If I fail—I'm dead. If I win—I'm stuck there for the rest of my life."
"And neither sounds appealing."
"No."
"Figures."
Sasha leaned back, still watching him.
"If you ever decide to tell me more, I'll try to find you a third option."
Klaus gave him a look.
"Don't get the wrong idea," Sasha added with a quiet huff. "It's not just because I want something from you. Though, yeah—you've been stuck in my head since we met."
"Oh?" Klaus raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah, I'll say it straight." Sasha didn't look away. "I want you. And I'd be more than happy if you stayed with me until we're both old and falling apart."
Klaus let out a quiet breath.
"Don't laugh," Sasha went on. "I know how that sounds. I'm not a kid. This kind of shit shouldn't even be on my radar anymore. But here we are."
"Listen—"
"No. Let me finish."
His voice stayed calm, but there was weight behind it now.
"I get it. These are my feelings. Not your problem. Even if you said yes—you wouldn't be happy. And I actually want you to be happy. Even if that's not with me."
A short pause.
"So let's say I'm your godfather now," he added with a crooked grin. "I'll spoil you rotten whenever you feel like it. No strings. No bullshit."
Egor sat across from his grandmother in the freshly renovated kitchen, still seething.
Klaus had gone to meet Sasha.
And his head wouldn't shut the hell up.
Image after image—
Klaus with him.
Close.
Focused.
Not on him.
His hand slammed down on the table. The untouched cup of coffee jumped, dark liquid spilling over the edge.
"Egor, what is wrong with you?" Grandma asked, getting up for a cloth. "You've been off ever since you came back from Isorobia."
"That's not it," he muttered.
He didn't know how to say it.
Didn't know how to explain it.
Didn't know what she'd do if he told her he'd fallen for a man.
She'd spent her whole life in a world where that wasn't exactly welcomed.
Hell—he hadn't even thought it was possible for himself.
He'd always liked girls.
Always.
Except for one person.
Did that make him different?
Or did it just mean he loved someone, no matter who they were?
He didn't know.
And he didn't want to tear it apart.
Grandma waited.
Quiet.
Patient.
"Grandma…" he started.
Stopped.
"…No. Not like that."
He forced himself to look up.
"I'm in love."
She blinked, thrown off—but recovered fast.
"Well… that's not exactly a tragedy," she said carefully. "Met her there? Wait—Lilith?"
Something in his face just… dropped.
"Egor?"
"Let me say it before I lose my nerve," he said quickly. "It's not Lilith. It's not even a girl."
A breath.
"Grandma… I'm in love with Klaus."
Silence.
He dragged his hands over his face.
She wasn't shocked.
Not really.
But hearing it out loud—it still hit.
She let out a slow breath.
"Listen, Egor. I'm not going to judge you. Or tell you it's wrong."
He lowered his hands slowly.
Hope flickered.
"Really?"
"Really. Klaus is… hard to ignore. I'm not surprised you got caught up in that. And I'm not going to sit here and tell you it's not love—you wouldn't be saying this if you weren't sure."
She hesitated.
"It's just… Klaus…"
"I know," Egor cut in. "Different world. Future king. Needs heirs. I get all of that."
His voice cracked.
"But what the hell am I supposed to do? I'm selfish. I want him to pick me. And he—he just decided to dump me here and walk away."
He let out a short, bitter laugh.
"I don't want to stay here. I can't. So what am I supposed to do?"
"I don't know," she admitted quietly. "God… why him?"
She pulled him into a hug.
They stood there like that for a while.
Then she pulled back, her expression shifting—sharper now.
"There is one thing I can do," she said. "I'll make sure he takes you back. And I'll help you get rid of one of your rivals."
"Lilith?" Egor gave a crooked, humorless smile. "Yeah, she worships him—but she's not the real problem. Still… if you help me get back, I'll make sure she won't be one."
"She?"
"He," Egor corrected. "His older cousin. And he's not even trying to pretend his feelings are normal. That's the real problem. Klaus respects him. Lets him get away with too much."
"How do you even use this thing?" Lilith asked, stepping into the kitchen with Egor's laptop in her hands.
Egor snapped.
"Why the hell were you in my room? Nobody taught you not to grab other people's stuff without asking?"
"That is the master's room," she shot back coldly. "And if you've forgotten—I was the one living there with him."
"That's enough," Grandma cut in. "Egor, show her. If she's staying here, she'll need it."
Egor exhaled sharply and took the laptop.
If his grandmother pulled this off—
He'd be back in Isorobia in a few days.
And this annoying girl would stay right here.