Drakenfeld (43 page)

‘His mystery?’

‘I’m convinced that he’s at the centre of this – it couldn’t have been done without his knowledge. It’s impossible for all things involved in this affair to
have been so
without
his knowledge, and his influence or manipulation. Now he thinks we’re close he will probably try to stop us, and not care at all that the Sun Legion might come.
He must have assumed the crime appeared so impossible to solve that he could have his fun with me. I’m annoyed now, though. The king will eventually dispose of that body on the funeral
pyre.’

‘Then no one will believe you,’ Leana observed.

‘Once it’s burned the only evidence will be for me to produce Lacanta herself.’ I searched my mind to work out what my next move would be.

‘Lillus,’ I whispered.

‘You want a haircut now?’

At the salon on the edge of Polyum, in front of the fabric stall, Lillus was busy berating a middle-aged woman with an incredibly weathered face and garbed in a dark shawl.

‘Never do I want to see you here again!’ Lillus bellowed. ‘Away with you.’

‘Charming the ladies as always,’ I called out.

‘Ah, Lucan, my boy. A pleasure to see you – though is that stubble I see? This must change.’

‘I tried shaving at home, but it’s not the same. What was the issue with the woman?’

‘She was a witch. I caught her trying to gather human hair off a client so that it could be used for a curse. But this is not the only problem, it seems – you are troubled, Lucan.
You and your friend have been running. Step into the cool shade. Drink something. Talk to me.’

‘Lillus, it’s an important matter,’ I said. ‘Do you think we could have a moment of privacy?’

He regarded me with a renewed sense of professionalism. ‘It will be so.’

Drinking a cooling tisane, sitting on the benches, beneath the frescoes of sporting heroes and large purple paper lanterns, I enjoyed a moment of peace to gather my
thoughts.

Leana stood by the front door keeping an eye on the street and, after seeing her for the first time, Lillus informed me that his mother, too, had come from Atrewe. I told Lillus of my situation,
knowing he was fantastically well connected: he was the eyes and ears of the city, and I needed them. He simply nodded, gently brushing his moustache, inclining his head now and then.

‘Quite the situation,’ Lillus whispered.

‘We’ll have to leave Tryum immediately. I need some messages putting about the city if you could manage that for me?’

‘Of course, of course.’

‘I would like it said that I have been called back to Venyn City on urgent Sun Chamber business, but will return shortly. Meanwhile, I would appreciate it if you contact the priest of
Ptrell and let him know that the priestess was found dead some time ago. He needs peace of mind, at least, but please urge him that it’s in his interest not to press the matter
further.’

‘This is simple enough.’

‘I have a member of staff back at home, Bellona, who is a fantastic cook. Should she find herself out of a home, can I send her to you? I’ll see that you’re paid, of
course.’

‘I was thinking of branching out, as it happens, into the culinary business. That fabric stall is useless. Is she good?’

‘Incredible,’ I replied.

‘Though my female customers are plentiful, I need more men to come here, and too few appreciate good-quality fabric. Filling their guts on nice food, however, is good for
business.’

‘Thank you, Lillus. I truly appreciate the favours.’

He dismissed my thanks casually. ‘The least I can do. Will you return to Tryum soon?’

‘I will, but I don’t know how long I’ll be. I need to meet up with the Sun Chamber in the safety of the countryside and wait for their guidance.’

Lillus gave a gentle grin. ‘To see the boy grow is a marvellous thing.’

‘Well, the boy might stop growing if the king’s men get hold of him,’ I replied. ‘Lillus, there’s one final thing, one more message. There was a woman I once knew,
who I was lucky enough to meet again.’

‘You found love at least!’ Lillus declared, beaming now. ‘Tell me of her name.’

‘She’s called Titiana.’

Lillus frowned. ‘Describe her, if you will.’

I did, giving details of her physical appearance and of her character.

Lillus nodded slowly. ‘And how did you meet her?’

‘She was dancing at a tavern that Senator Veron took me to.’ I told him of the evening and how I used to know her.

‘My guess is,’ Lillus continued, ‘that she told you she was a poor lady?’

‘More or less.’

‘And did she dress like a poor lady?’

‘Well, not quite . . . I assumed she wore her best clothing when she came see me. Lillus, please, if you know of her, tell me.’

‘I don’t know her, but the name is familiar to me – because she, too, works in the information business. She sometimes dances, sometimes is a courtesan. She spent some time in
the theatre, learning the dark arts of acting and of disguise. She comes and goes. Information is a dirty business.’

I placed my head in my hands. ‘Blinded,’ I breathed.

‘If Veron was blabbering about where he was going that night, it would have been easy for her to find you and make it look as if you were the one to find her. Who set her on you, is the
question.’

‘Probably on the king’s orders,’ I sighed. ‘He would have sent someone to get close to me, to observe my movements. To see if I was getting close to solving the matter or
still had no clue. It was a good plan, come to think of it. It meant he remained in control of matters.’

‘You investigate criminal affairs,’ Lillus said, ‘you’re not a spy. You weren’t to know, my boy. You weren’t the first to be fooled – you won’t be
the last.’

‘No, but I should have known at least. I just assumed she was interested in me.’

‘Again, you are not the first to make such assumptions. I have learned, over the years, that those who show the most interest are often the ones not to trust. What was that message you
wanted me to send?’

‘Forget about it. There’s one last thing you could help with though.’ Rising, I reached into my pocket and produced the sketch found within the book in Lacanta’s room.
‘What do you make of this?’

Lillus moved to catch the light of the sun, and scrutinized the document for what seemed a frustratingly long time. ‘Clever,’ he breathed. ‘Forgotten language, these symbols.
The old tongue, dead letters. It’s the outline of one corner of our nation – the symbols spell out Detrata. The little triangles, I cannot say what they are for, but I have known them
to be used to signify problems, perhaps places to stay away from.’

‘I found it in a book in Lacanta’s room.’

Lillus reconsidered his initial statements on the matter. ‘I think she was too clever and forgot where she had hidden this. She could have others, but remembered to take those.’

‘Where do you think she could have gone?’ I asked.

‘Where do you think?’ he responded, glancing down at the map once again.

‘There were books on Destos. It’s a holiday area for the rich. She might have gone on holiday there as a child, but—’

‘She might have fled there,’ he interrupted. ‘This looks like Destos now you have said the name. The coast is shaped just so . . .’ He outlined it with his fingers.
‘But if she has gone there, it is impossible to tell where.’

We conferred for a moment longer, but this was all I had to go on. A coded draft she’d left behind by accident.

I stood up, embraced Lillus, and thanked him for his company, his help and the favours. He said his messages would be spread quickly and with discretion, and I had to believe him – there
was no one else to trust. He wished me luck and kissed my cheek.

It was mid-afternoon by the time we made our way back to the house. I seethed with anger and frustration. I had simply let Titiana walk into my life and there she was reporting
my affairs to someone else. The irony of me spotting those con men in the tavern during dinner, while I was busy being conned myself, was not lost on me.

But that was not what bothered me the most.

I somehow felt that all her gestures and her words of affection had been honest. She had me seduce her all over again before she would forgive my past actions towards her. Surely she would not
have bothered to go through all that effort if there was nothing genuine inside her heart?

Leana stopped me with an outstretched arm, and steered me towards a doorway of a pottery shop. ‘Look,’ she said. ‘On the gate.’

The entrance to my gardens, some fifty paces away, appeared slightly different, and eventually my eyes settled on what it was.

On one of the spikes was a human head.

A small crowd stood before it, pointing up in disgust. With discretion we stepped nearer and I saw, glistening in the late afternoon sun, that it was the severed head of Constable Farrum.

I immediately thought of his poor family, his now fatherless children. Someone in the gathered crowd vomited against the wall and while everyone was too busy avoiding the mess, we stepped along
the pathway to my house. Leana drew her sword, as did I.

The door was open, the entrance was covered in blood.

We first stepped past what I assumed was Farrum’s body – he had been not only decapitated, but there were several wounds to his torso. He hadn’t even had time to draw his sword
before he was killed.

I closed my eyes listening for anyone else in the house, but it seemed utterly silent. Under the open-roofed hallway, by the central pool of water, we found another dead man from the Civil
Cohorts – his head, too, had been cleaved from his body, which hung half in the water, half out. His uniform was soaked and his severed head floated by his feet. Further into the study, two
more men from the Civil Cohorts had been slaughtered, their heads still attached this time, but with several abdominal wounds. Bloody footprints trailed all around my house, slick on the tiles.
There was so much of it here, it seemed impossible to gauge a sense of what might have happened.

Leana dashed from room to room, stealthily checking whether or not there were any more bodies. I stood aghast at the carnage.

‘No one else so far,’ she said. ‘Not even Bellona. Perhaps she has escaped?’

‘I hope so,’ I replied.

Leana moved to the open doors to the garden, while I took a look around: nothing had been disturbed from my study. Books remained on the shelves, papers piled neatly where they had been left.
Leana called out my name and I ran outside into the garden.

She cautioned me before I stepped out into the sunlit space, shading my eyes.

‘Oh, Polla . . .’ I breathed, my voice catching in my throat. ‘Oh please, Polla. Please, no . . .’

I fell to my knees.

There, hanging by her neck from the edge of the rooftop, was Titiana. She, too, had been cut open and blood had pooled beneath, glistening in the light.

I am not ashamed to say I wept then – tears of rage and of despair. I heaved myself to my feet, dragged a couch up to her body and climbed up to cut the rope connecting her neck to the
masonry.

Her beautiful face was covered in bruises, her eyes shut to the world.

Leana helped me lower her body to the ground.

I collapsed next to Titiana’s lifeless form, cradling her head, smelling her blood-soaked hair. I kissed her forehead, and rocked back and forth without a clue what to do next.

Leana stood over me, silhouetted in the blinding light.

Time seemed to lose all consistency, but when my control over myself returned I knew that I could not stay there holding her for all that long.

I wrapped Titiana’s body up in one of my finest cloaks, cleaned her face of blood, and left her in the garden along with a hastily prepared offering to Polla – hoping that it would
be enough to see her through to the next realm. I kissed her lips one final time and forgave her – as she had forgiven me – for any of her actions that may have compromised my
investigation. Now was not the time to bear grudges.

After changing from my blood-soaked clothing, and washing my hands and face, Leana and I quickly packed a few belongings and prepared to leave. I was about to step out of the door when she
called me back once again. I dreaded what she might have found.

However, she had discovered Bellona hiding in a cupboard, huddling in shocked silence. Bellona did not say a word at first, but she had not been harmed and for that I was immensely relieved.

Eventually, she managed a whisper. ‘The soldiers came. King’s men. They dragged the lady into the house. They said where is he, where is he, and she screamed she didn’t know. I
hid here and closed my eyes . . .’

‘It is OK.’ Leana held her so she might be soothed, and gave me a look of desperation that I shared with her.

But we urgently needed to go.

Leana lifted Bellona up to her feet. I gave her directions to Lillus’ salon, and told her that he would look after her. ‘Be strong. And for your own safety, you must be quick,’
I added. ‘Do you understand?’

She squirmed a nod, tears still streaming down her face. I wished I could guide her there myself, but I no longer had the time.