Laro was sleeping soundly, Sakna had previously spoken to the innkeeper for whom he had done a small favor by putting him in contact with his deceased brother and thus helping him find the money he had hidden. A narcotic powder had been dissolved in the wine and now his new friend would sleep as blissfully as a baby until late in the evening.
"Found anything?" she asked the ghost who had helped her at the river, a young man not even thirty years old who died during a fight."He keeps it in his room among his clothes." Sakna pondered what was best to do, she had to hurry.«Keep an eye on him, if he starts to wake up, come and call me».The boy nodded yes. Sakna placed Adrian at his side and galloped back to the Griffins' castle. This time he knew what to look for so he didn't enter, but headed towards what must have once been wonderful gardens, now they were full of weeds and brushwood, the only traces of its former splendor were the statues in which the ivy was suffocatingly tangled, the fountains full of debris and the symmetry of the avenues."What are we looking for here?"«Cornelius, I understood who it is, it's not a person, but something the Ekaraoni cared about almost as much as their own lives»."A griffin," exclaimed the spirit, how could he not have thought of it before.In the center of the terrace there was the statue of the first griffin that belonged to the Ekaraoni. Whoever had sculpted it had managed to perfectly represent the majesty, pride and strength of that creature in that block of marble.Sakna began to walk around the statue looking for some clue on the base, there wasn't even a decoration or engraving that was particular or different from the others, the only strange thing was that it was only called Cornelius, the XIII was not reported anywhere part. Sakna was starting to lose patience, but he had to solve that mystery, if they didn't get anywhere and didn't eliminate Edda, Adrian would never find peace, forever tormented by what happened to his family."I've never been on the back of a griffin," she said as she climbed onto the statue. «I've never even been to the Fire Islands, I don't like traveling by sea». Now that he was on the back of the statue he began to observe the city below them, among the houses and buildings what stood out was what was once the university, which also housed the largest library in the whole of Norbeg. Sakna slid onto the base and stood next to the griffin's head, wrapping her arm around it, she observed it and noticed that in the eyes there had been engraved X in one and III in the other, she turned in the direction in which she was looking at the statue and understood that what he was looking for he would find in the great palace.«My dear Adrian, perhaps we are there, now we just have to understand how to get rid of our thorn in our side».Before returning to the inn she went to Zaria to ask her for a favor, the elderly witch, understanding the gravity of the situation, agreed to help her. So full of hope in the success of that treasure hunt, she returned to her host to find him still asleep."He hasn't moved an inch," said the young ghost.«Thank you, now it's my turn to help you».The young man smiled at her and closed his eyes, Sakna drew the sword and pierced him, the spirit was absorbed by the blade, and then came out in the form of many fireflies that flew away."It's a pleasant sensation" was Adrian's observation, who at that moment felt a touch of envy for that soul that had managed to find peace. Sakna put him back on the chair, undressed and lay down next to that man, thinking about what he would do, his eyes focused on the particular hilt of his sword and he smiled.Laro woke up slightly dazed, as if after having gotten very drunk, in fact on the floor besides the bottle he had lifted, there were three others. He approached the face of the still sleeping woman, his breath smelling of wine like one of the worst cellars, he grimaced and stood up looking for his clothes. Even though everything suggested that they had had a good time, a strange sensation did not abandon him, he felt observed, a heavy, severe look like that of a father who judges the choices of his wicked son, for a moment it seemed to him that it was the sword that look at it that way.«Do you prefer the company of prostitutes to mine?»."I have to do something."Sakna observed the muscles of his back moving, she almost regretted not having enjoyed his company: «You are a mercenary from the east» she observed while massaging his neck: «Tell me who is your emperor now?» it bit his neck, then moved down his back.«Are you interested in the politics of other countries?» he stood up, but Sakna stopped him by grabbing his belt and pulled him onto himself."Are you going to answer me or do I have to find a way to convince you?" she said slowly scratching his back. Laro thought about it for a while «The last time Valdo Aler was in government, but then what do you care? If you want me to stay here any longer, there are more effective ways to hold me" he turned so that she was on top of him.«The last time I was in the east the regent was Charisius I».Laro looked at her and, thinking she was making fun of him, burst out laughing: «Yes, you would like me to believe that you have been in the kingdom I come from more than three hundred years ago» he grabbed her by the buttocks, pressing her against him. Sakna looked at him seriously «Did Carisio even compose a sonnet about me, as he said? Yes. Alma lift up your prayer for death has come at last beautiful dressed in the moon raises his black sword..."He recited it in the language of man. Laro threw her to the side on the bed, got up and finished dressing quickly: «Edda told me it was better to watch out for you, but she forgot to tell me that you're a damned demon». The men of those lands, although valiant fighters who did not allow themselves to be intimidated by the enemy, still remained foolishly tied to their beliefs and superstitions. For Laro, only one creature in the world could actually be that woman, her people had learned to know her by the name of "thal giva" soul catcher. Taking his sword, he left, slamming the door. Sakna looked out the window, watching him cross the street and enter the brothel, after a few minutes he saw a bird take flight and after another quarter of an hour, he saw the man leaving with his stuff."Did he react as you thought he would?"«Yes, now we just have to wait, tomorrow we will take action»."It's dangerous, but we have no other options," he said thoughtfully.«You don't have to worry about me, I can take care of myself» she began to eat the leftovers from the plates «As you well know, someone like me is quite difficult to get rid of»."So you are truly immortal," he said in wonder.«No, I can be killed, but I always find the doors of Tesì Zirtac barred and I go back». He threw himself on the bed, he would have loved to go beyond those golden doors, to find himself among those who, he abruptly interrupted his thoughts and started singing a vulgar ditty about women in brothels, he had to put something else in his mind.

Adrian observed her, trying to grasp those thoughts, he didn't understand whether he guarded them jealously or was afraid of them.