Peter Tremayne - The Devil's seal

‘Enda, you and your men will follow me,’ she commanded.

Eadulf was still in shock while the others were already moving, following Fidelma in through a side door in the building.

‘What is it?’ he demanded breathlessly, catching up with her.

‘A statue the size of a small child does not fall of its own accord,’ she flung back at him over her shoulder.

Eadulf almost halted as the implication struck him. But the warriors, with Enda and his lantern, were pushing by after Fidelma as she hurried towards the stairway which led up to the flat roof of the building. Then he was rushing after them. As they raced upwards, Enda’s companions took two of the lighted lanterns from the walls.

They burst onto the roof with lanterns held high. It seemed deserted. On either side of the roof ran a broad parapet. There had been six statutes placed on these parapets — three along each side — except one was now missing on the side that had overlooked the narrow passage.

‘Make a search,’ Fidelma rapped out. ‘Enda — bring your lantern over here.’ She moved to the empty space where the statue had stood on the parapet and examined it.

Eadulf looked over her shoulder. He could see white scuff-marks on the stonework; pieces of stone seemed chipped, as if someone had been trying to dig something out. Fidelma sighed.

‘What is it?’ asked Enda.

‘It is as I expected. You’ll see where the statue was placed, like the others still are, in the middle of this broad parapet. It is not possible for it to fall of its own accord. So someone had to push it to the edge. They had to use a metal bar to do so. Hence the dents dug into the stone — there and there.’ She pointed. ‘See the scuff-marks as the statue moved? It was pushed to the edge, then whoever did this waited until they saw us enter the passage. They must have leaned over, looking down. As soon as they saw us, they made the final push. I heard the scraping sound. Had I not. .’ She shuddered.

Enda’s men had rejoined them.

‘No sign of anyone, lady. But we found this by the other door.’

It was an iron bar just over a metre in length, with both ends hammered flat.

‘Well, that’s what was used as a lever to push the statue over,’ Fidelma said. ‘What of the other door that gives access to this roof?’

‘It is bolted on the other side.’

‘If the assassin left by that means, then he must have thrown the bolt,’ Enda offered.

‘It is the only means by which he left,’ Fidelma said grimly. ‘No one passed us as we came up the other stairway, did they? So whoever did this has escaped.’

‘Where does the other stairway lead?’ asked Eadulf. The building was the King’s apartments, and he was unfamiliar with parts of them.

‘It gives access to the King’s guest quarters,’ explained Enda. ‘From there, stairs lead to the quarters for the King’s personal attendants, the King’s quarters and the council chamber and feasting hall.’

‘So the culprit would have easy means of leaving the building? That is a pity.’

‘That is not so,’ Fidelma interrupted quietly. ‘At night, members of my brother’s bodyguard are posted at all the entrances. The Nasc Niadh have become especially vigilant since the attempt to assassinate him.’

Enda was nodding in agreement. ‘Moreover, we are also vigilant since the High King, Sechnussach, was assassinated in his own bedchamber at Tara.’

‘Then. .’ Eadulf began but Fidelma was already moving and issuing orders.

‘One of your men guard the bolted door, lest the assassin, thinking we have gone, comes back on the roof and tries to escape by other means.’

Enda had time to motion one of his men to follow her orders before Fidelma was racing back down the stairway, into the passageway. Followed by the others, she darted back into the main courtyard and to the guarded portals of the King’s quarters.

A member of the King’s bodyguard, standing at ease outside the wooden doors, straightened as he saw the party approaching. Fidelma did not give him a chance to challenge them but snapped: ‘Has anyone left through this door recently?’

‘None since you and Brother Eadulf left, lady.’

‘Then ensure no one does without my authority,’ she said, pushing by the surprised warrior and opening the doors.

The guard stared stupidly after her for a moment and his muttered acknowledgement came too late for her to hear.

Inside, they were met by an astonished-looking Gormán who apparently was in charge of the guard for the first third of the night.

‘Lady, I thought you had retired?’ he spluttered, but she cut him short and told him what had happened.

‘Ensure all the guards are in place and no one has left the building.’

‘It shall be done, lady.’

‘Send Dar Luga to me.’

Gormán went hurrying away and as he did so, Fidelma’s brother appeared from the council chamber to one side of the corridor, Abbot Ségdae by his side. They had clearly not yet retired for the night. Once more, Fidelma quickly explained matters.

‘Remind me, brother, what access is there between the guest rooms and other parts of this building?’ she asked.

‘The guest rooms are on the fourth floor and so there is one stairwell which leads from that floor down to the third floor. Of course, there are stairs that lead up to the roof — and one can cross the roof easily to the other stairwell, which takes one all the way down to the passage. That was built by the foirgnidh , the architect, as an exit if there was a fire which prevented the main stairwell from being used.’

‘So anyone coming from there would have to come down that stairwell?’ clarified Eadulf.

‘Indeed they would.’

‘And it is now custom to have a member of the Nasc Niadh on each floor?’ asked Fidelma.

‘Yes. A superfluous custom,’ Colgú told her, ‘which I was going to abolish. It was introduced after the attempt to assassinate me.’

‘Perhaps that is to our advantage now. It will mean that no one has been able to come and go from the guest quarters since we left, so our would-be assassin is still there. Enda, bring me the guard on duty at the entrance to the guests quarters. I need to ask him some questions. Oh and Enda,’ she called after him, ‘stay on guard in his place and let no one move beyond you.’

Colgú immediately suggested that they enter the council chamber. Moments later, Aidan followed them in.

‘Have you been on guard at the stairwell since the guests retired?’ Fidelma asked.

‘I have, lady.’

‘Since you have been on duty, has any guest needed assistance or passed your position on the stairwell?’

If Aidan was surprised at the question he merely made a negative motion of his head.

‘So no one could have left any of the guest rooms since you have been on guard?’

‘Not coming down the stairwell. They could have gone up onto the roof though.’

‘We are only interested in anyone coming down the stairs. I mean not just guests, but anyone.’

‘If they didn’t go onto the roof and use the other stairway, then they would have had to pass me, lady,’ confirmed Aidan. ‘And no one did.’

‘Therefore, anyone who had been on the roof a few moments ago, who had not used the second stair, must still be in the guest chambers,’ Eadulf concluded.

‘That is correct,’ asserted the warrior.

‘Very well. You can return to your position and tell Enda to come back here.’

Aidan hesitated at the door. ‘Is anything wrong?’ he asked.

‘Nothing to worry about for the moment. Oh, and has Beccan returned to the palace yet?’

It was Colgú who answered. ‘Remember, I gave him permission to leave Cashel.’