Martin Scott - Thraxas at War

'New blocking spells?'

She shakes her head.

'No. We can always detect Orcish blocking spells, even if we can't work around them. This doesn't feel like a blocking spell. It doesn't feel like anything. I just have the feeling that something is interfering with my far-seeing magic. But there's nothing I can demonstrate. And there's no way the Ores should be able to interfere with my sorcery from so far away.'

'Might they have moved some Sorcerers closer to Turai?'

Lisutaris has considered this but feels certain she'd be able to detect them if that had happened.

'But there's something wrong, even if I can't explain it. Unfortunately no other Sorcerer feels anything at all. Nor has any seen an Orcish army in Yal.'

This all sounds like very grim tidings. It seems strange to me that the War Council should give her warning so little credence.

'I have opponents on the Council. The Prince has never liked me. And as for Rittius, he's been against me since the first meeting.'

'Rittius is a dog,' I say, with feeling.

'He is. But he's head of Palace Security. He carries a lot of weight, particularly now he's been persuaded to abandon Senator Lodius.'

'Which brings me to my reason for visiting.'

'I thought you came here to apologise?'

'I did. Also I need help.'

I give Lisutaris a brief description of my lack of progress on the Lodius case. She wonders why I'm still involved. It's hard to give a satisfactory answer.

'I don't like to see a murderer go unpunished. Or maybe I'm just stubborn.'

'I have already looked at the circumstances surrounding the death, at the request of the Abode of Justice,' points out Lisutaris. 'We could not tell when the poison was administered.'

Are you sure you looked properly?'

'Is that as much of an insult as I take it to be?'

'No insult intended. You've been busy with the war preparations. And you weren't that fond of Galwinius.'

'I'd say that was an insult.'

'Merely a statement of fact,' I say. After all, he refused to allow Herminis to go into exile. One of the main complaints of the Association of Gentlewomen, I understand.'

'Why don't you just ask if we killed him?'

'Did you?'

'No. Though we're not shedding many tears about it.'

'His family is. Strange thing about this city, Lisutaris. No one seems to mind when a man is murdered if the man was an opponent. Myself, I never see things that way'

'Spare me the lecture,' says Lisutaris, and draws on her thazis pipe.

'Galwinius was carrying a scroll before he fell. I want to know what happened to it.'

Lisutaris rises from her chair, takes a gold saucer from a table nearby, and pours a little black liquid into it. It's kuriya, a tool for looking into the past. This is an art over which I have some control, but nothing compared to the power of Lisutaris. She waves her hand. For performing any sort of spell, no matter how difficult, the Mistress of the Sky never seems to need any preparation. All she does is wave her hand and it starts to work. A picture forms in the pool. I watch as Galwinius takes the food from Lodius. He is carrying a scroll. He falls to the ground. Lisutaris twitches her fingers and the picture alters, focusing on the floor where he falls. The scroll is partially obscured by his body. A hand reaches for it, scoops it up and tuck it inside his toga. It's Bevarius, assistant to Consul Kalius.

The picture fades. The pool goes dark.

'Bevarius?'

I'm perturbed. I don't know what to think.

'I wasn't expecting any sort of involvement from the Consul's office. Maybe it doesn't mean anything. I still don't know what was on that scroll.'

I thank Lisutaris for her help. I remember that Makri is going to be part of Lisutaris's bodyguard. She has served as Lisutaris's bodyguard before, though not in such dangerous circumstances. The Sorceress is pleased. 'Casting spells in the middle of a battle, it's hard to keep a lookout for your own safety. I've got a company of good men to protect me and Makri can probably fight better than any of them.

'Probably. Though she's never been on a battlefield.'

'She can look after herself.'

'I know. But she'll probably die anyway.'

'We'll all probably die,' says Lisutaris, and sounds quite serious about it. Obviously my own assessment of our prospects is not unduly pessimistic.

Chapter Sixteen

I send a message to Domasius, asking him to make some enquiries regarding Bevarius, Kalius and Galwinius. The Messengers Guild never stops working, even in the worst of conditions. Their young carriers are dedicated to their work. God knows why.

By now my magic warm cloak is cooling off. On the long walk down Moon and Stars Boulevard I start to feel the cold creeping in. I hurry on, cursing as my heels slip on the ice. There are a lot of people still about on the main thoroughfare and they're the gloomiest collection of faces I've seen for some time. In times of crisis the city naturally looks towards the royal family, but the royal family is not such a shining example these days. The King is still respected, but he's old, and rarely appears in public. He's been ruling through his ministers for a long time now and is no longer quite the figurehead he used to be. His elder son, Prince Frlsen-Akan, is such a degenerate lush that not even the most hardened royalist can pretend he's an inspiration. The younger son, Prince Dees-Akan, head of the War Council, is a much more competent sort of character, but somehow not the sort of prince the public has ever really warmed to. Too abrasive perhaps. Lacking the common touch. Young Princess Du-Akai is very popular and quite glamorous, but at a time like this the population is looking more for a military leader than a beautiful princess.

I wonder about Bevarius. He picked up the scroll. Why? Was he just clearing the way for the doctor? Or was there something written on it he wanted kept private? What happened to the scroll afterwards? I'll have to question the Consul's assistant again. By this time I've reached the entrance to Saint Rominius's Lane, scene of the recent attack on my person. I could take the long way home and avoid the lane. But I'm cold. It's probably safe enough. I head into the narrow passageway. After turning the first corner I find myself confronted by three men with swords.

'Here we go again.'

I intone my sleep spell and they crumple gently into the snow. I take a few steps then halt at the sound of footsteps behind me. When I turn round I find the man with red hair standing there with a mocking smile on his face. Behind him are four armed companions.

'You're pretty dumb for an Investigator, falling for the same trick twice. Now you've gone and used up your magic again.'

He motions his men to advance. I speak another spell and they all fall unconscious to the ground.

'Not that dumb,' I say.

Before leaving Lisutaris's villa I'd asked her if she could give me something to temporarily boost my spell-casting powers, and she duly obliged. I've got enough power to put any number of assailants to sleep, and it'll last for a few hours yet. I hoist the red-haired man over my shoulder and set off for the Avenging Axe. He's no

lightweight and by the time I reach the outside steps I'm panting for breath. I haul my captive up the stairs and into my office. By the time I've dumped him in a chair and thrown a coil of rope around him to hold him there, he's starting to revive. I search his pockets, finding nothing but a drawstring purse with a few half-gurans inside. A name is embroidered on the purse: 'Kerinox'.

He opens his eyes to finds the point of my sword only a few inches from his face.

'Who sent you to kill me, Kerinox?' I demand, hoping to catch him before he has time to focus his thoughts. Unfortunately he's either too smart or too dumb to remain unfocused for long. He shakes his head to clear it, swears loudly at me and then tells me to go to hell. I bat him across the face. He swears at me again.