Ghost in the Cowl (26 page)

Epilogue

The slaves lowered his litter to the ground, and Callatas, Grand Master of the College of Alchemists, climbed to his feet. None of the slaves met his eye. They had been well trained. His bodyguard of a dozen Immortals, warriors fierce and fearless in battle, dared not look at him. 

They feared him too much for that.

Callatas walked past them without a second glance, his hand straying to the blue jewel at his chest, and looked at the Widow’s Tower.

Or, at least, the blasted crater where the Widow’s Tower had once stood. 

“That much Hellfire igniting at once,” said a deep voice. “It is a wonder there was anything left at all.”

Callatas saw the Grand Wazir Erghulan Amirasku approaching, still tall and strong despite his years. He stared at the Grand Wazir without flinching, until Erghulan found something else to hold his attention. The Grand Wazir thought himself Callatas’s equal, his partner in the work of the Apotheosis. 

He was wrong. The Grand Wazir was useful and nothing more, and Callatas would discard him when the time came.

“Indeed not,” said Callatas. 

“We are sure of it, then?” said Erghulan. “Ricimer is dead?”

“He is,” said Callatas. The loss pained him. Ricimer had been a good and faithful servant. He had seen the inherent corruption of Istarinmul, of all forms of civilization, and he had understood the need for a great cleansing, the need for the Apotheosis.

He had understood in a way that a man like Erghulan, a fool reared among the herd of fools that was the Istarish nobility, never would. 

“Can we be sure?” said Erghulan. “Many escaped. Perhaps Ricimer was among them.”

“He is dead,” said Callatas. He knew that beyond all doubt because Ricimer’s nagataaru had returned to the netherworld, and Ricimer would not have released the spirit otherwise. Ricimer had been the first volunteer to understand Callatas’s work.

The first of the Apotheosis to come. 

Callatas closed his eyes and listened to the voices inside his head for a moment. The loss of the Widow’s Tower was a setback, yes. But not a fatal blow. There were other…

The voices in his head warned of someone drawing near. 

A third man approached, lean and dark and balding, his nose a great hawkish beak, his movements efficient.

“Report, Anburj,” said Callatas, opening his eyes, and he felt a flicker of amusement at the surprise on the assassin’s face. Callatas’s inferiors were always intimidated by his ability to know who occupied a room before he entered.

It was one of the many gifts of the nagataaru. 

“I have questioned every survivor I could find,” said Anburj of the Kindred. “Many witnessed a dark shape in a shadow-cloak fleeing the Tower before its destruction.” 

“The Balarigar,” said Erghulan with a growl. 

The voices in Callatas’s head hissed in fury at the name. 

“No,” said Callatas. “A nightfighter of the Ghosts in a shadow-cloak. I have dealt with their ilk before. Ricimer did not believe the Ghosts would return to Istarinmul…but the Emperor’s spies are like cockroaches. Kill one, and three more soon arrive.” He pointed at Anburj. “What is the best way to kill cockroaches?”

The assassin’s smile was wolfish. “Why, to burn them out, my lord Alchemist.”

“Precisely,” said Callatas. “My lord Erghulan, I wish the Ghosts found and exterminated. Use the full resources of the Teskilati. Anburj, I want the aid the Kindred family. You shall have whatever gold you require, but hunt down and kill every last Ghost.” His teeth gritted in rage. “Especially the man calling himself the Balarigar.”

Anburj bowed, as did the Grand Wazir. “It shall be done.”

Erghulan returned to his litter, and Anburj to his horse. Callatas remained motionless, staring at the charred rubble. 

Yes, it was a setback, but not a serious one. The Widow’s Tower had been the first laboratory to produce wraithblood, but Callatas had a half-dozen others concealed in Istarinmul. In time the loss of production would be recovered. The work would resume.

And the Apotheosis would come.

His fingers tightened around the apple-sized jewel against his chest, its azure glow brightening.

The last time he had used the Star had been a century and a half ago, the day he had burned Iramis and its fool of a Prince for their proud defiance. The fools had not seen the truth of his vision, the necessity of his purpose.

Well, they were paying for it now. 

The voices in his head whispered approval. 

And soon Callatas would use the Star once more, and he would cleanse the world of civilization and corruption, and a new humanity would arise, noble and pure and strong. 

No matter how much of the old humanity he had to kill first. 

THE END

Thank you for reading GHOST IN THE COWL. Look for Caina's next adventure, GHOST IN THE MAZE, to appear in 2014. If you liked the book, please consider leaving a review at your ebook site of choice. To receive immediate notification of new releases, 
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