“And, need I remind you, there is probably still an unknown agent within the castle—whoever was in the perfume stores. It is possible that the murdered man is the agent, but I doubt it. He was likely just a lackey. The true agent is still free and unknown to us.”
It was a sobering thought, one that I had ignored in the excitement of the morning. There was at least one enemy free—probably the one who had actually done the killing by summoning the shadow asps that attacked the hunting party. We still had very few clues as to who he might be. Perhaps we could find out from Grimwulf’s men when we questioned them. And there was the clue of the candles and the night iris. Perhaps Francis’ trip to Dunlevy would bear fruit.
In the center of the room a glowing circle appeared. Golden light radiated upward and a figure appeared. Myrick was instantly on his feet with his sword drawn as the figure quickly solidified. The circle disappeared and the light faded back into the floor. Left standing there was a small woman, no taller than five feet at the most. She was middle-aged and pleasant looking. She wore dark robes, rather like the ones that Francis favored.
“Don’t get anxious, sonny,” she said to Myrick. “I’m not here to hurt anyone. Is one of you called Francis?”
“I’m Francis.”
“Excellent. My name is Nightshade. Jonathan said that you wished to speak to me.”
“Yes! Indeed I do, My Lady, thank you for coming,” Francis said, rather beside himself. “Will you sit?”
“Thank you. And call me Nightshade.” She gestured to a chair in the corner. It slid across the floor and stopped in front of her. She sat.
“My Lady, Nightshade, I am the royal alchemist in Pozzelby these days. This is King Dexter Davin, Brin...”
“I’m a witch,” Brin said.
“...and Myrick, one of King Dexter’s advisors.”
“Nice to meet all of you. I keep rather busy and haven’t been able to visit with anyone in Pozzelby for a few years. King Dexter, you’re one of Coenbrand’s grandchildren then, I assume.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“I can’t stay long,” Nightshade said. “I am in the middle of some rather pressing business and had just stopped in to pick up a needed tome. So, what can I do for you?”
Francis launched into a brief, but complete explanation of their problems. As he spoke, Nightshade’s pleasant expression became more troubled. When he finished, she looked downright grim.
“Do you have the copy that you made of the magical circle?” she asked.
“I have it right here,” Francis said. He handed it to her.
Nightshade studied the copy, her eyes narrowed and brow furrowed. After a moment, she handed it back.
“This circle is for use in a spell that enables one to communicate directly with Garegon or one his more powerful servants. It sounds like you have a full blown infestation of the order. The wizard who summoned the shadow asps and created that diagram is probably a higher level member of the Twelve Sect Order, fourth maybe even second sect. I hate to say it, but from what you have told me, I think the order is trying to re-establish a base of power, and they have chosen Pozzelby. There are a few possible reasons why, but whatever the reason they have chosen here, ultimately their aim will be to re-introduce Garegon back into the world.
“Garegon is rather rude as far as gods go. He isn’t content to operate behind the scenes. He likes to be in the thick of things. We banished him a few centuries ago, but I have to assume that his followers have found, or think that they have found a way to bring him back. If he makes it back into our realm, there will be another war. That is a certainty.”
“What can we do to stop them?” I asked.
“What you have been doing. Track them down and stop them before they can accomplish their goal. It sounds as if you have been doing a nice job of things thus far. I would like to help, but as I said, I am in the middle of something very delicate right now and could not leave it if I wished to. However, I will try to secure you some aid for until I can come and help personally.”
“What kind of aid?” I asked.
“I don’t know yet. You’ll know it when you see it. It was nice to meet you, grandson of Coenbrand. I will return as soon as I can.”
The circle returned and immediately Nightshade was bathed in golden light. It faded in a second and she was gone, only the chair was left.
“Well, at least we have some confirmation that our fears were correct,” Francis said after a moment.
“Do you think that she’ll really help us?” I said.
“She’ll help,” said Brin.
“I just hope her help doesn’t come too late,” Myrick said. “With Grimwulf and his men detained, the other or others may get desperate.”
****
When I arrived at Tower Imbroglio, Layred Vu was there, as well as the sergeant that I had dispatched to the infirmary. The fourth Bleakmoor officer, Captain Destrel was in a cell. He had two black eyes.
“Those would be from his broken nose,” said the sergeant. “When I got down to the infirmary, Doctor Ahem had just finished re-setting it. The other, that Callis fellow is still down there. He was unconscious. Doctor Ahem said that he’d had some sort of attack. I left a couple of guards like you said, Sire, but that old fellow don’t look like he’s going anywhere soon.”
“Thank you, sergeant,” I said. “Castellan, were you able to learn the identity of our man by the lake?”
“Yes. His name was Tern, Skerrit Tern. Born near here, he’s worked the docks for about two years, before that he worked the Dunlevy docks for eight. He’s got a wife named Elissa and three living children. They have a small cottage not far from the lake between here and Dunlevy on the south side. I also have a list of people he was known to associate with, coworkers mostly.”
“Good job.” I thought about my next move. “Myrick, I think I’d like you to be in charge of questioning the four here. You have experience at this sort of thing I take it.”
“That’s correct. Though I must say, you’ve been very good this morning. I daresay that you could handle it if you put your mind to it,” Myrick said.
“Thank you for saying so, but I think you will be more successful.”
“If you say so. I’ll find you as soon as I have something.”
I turned to Layred Vu. “Have some horses readied. We are going to go visit Skerrit Tern’s widow.”
On our way to the stables, Layred Vu and I were intercepted by General Till. His mood seemed darker than usual.
“King Dexter, is it true what I have heard that you have arrested Duke Grimwulf and his men?”
“Partially, General. All are being detained while I investigate their involvement in a murder that occurred near the castle and is probably connected to the murders of my uncle, father, and brothers.”
“I see. Majesty, you charged me with conducting an investigation into this matter as well. I have not been lax. I have told you about the intelligence I received concerning enemy troop movements on our western borders.”
“Yes, you dispatched reinforcements I remember.”
“I have received new information that there is a foreign force responsible for organizing various factions of the Five Lakes Tribes together for an attack on us. My sources tell me that the foreign organizers are Pulgh men.”
“Are you again suggesting that Myrick is responsible for the attacks?”
“I still think that it is possible. We need to keep every possibility in mind. Sire, I have found no evidence that Grimwulf is involved here.”
“If not, then he has nothing to worry about.”
“It will look bad, Sire, to have one of your dukes held under arrest when the others begin arriving,” Tabor Till told me.
I was confused. “When who begins arriving?”
“Did you not receive word? I instructed my adjutant to deliver the message.”
“What message, General?”
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“Other nobles are en-route to the castle for the funeral. They will start arriving tomorrow.”
“Who is coming?” Layred Vu asked.
“Our outposts have received messages from Earl Ardbeg of Mirall, Duchess de Venie of Albemarle, and Earl Horace of Scrytch,” General Till said.
Horace of Scrytch, Brin’s father. I would have to tell her. I was unsure as to how she would react. Brin showed a lot of anger toward her father. Was it a mask? I would have to deal with it later.
“Thank you, General. I am sure that you will have a word with your adjutant regarding his failure in his duties. Be certain that we know when the noble’s retinues are spotted by our outposts so that we can prepare for their numbers and properly received them.”
“Certainly, Sire.”
Tabor Till left us and we continued onto the stables. I saw the dark bay horse that Captain Fenris had ridden and noted the saddle bags. There were six guardsmen with us—I was getting used to being escorted by armed men now wherever I went. I instructed one to stay and take all of the saddle bags that belonged to the duke and his horses to the detention area. I also realized that I had not told anyone to search the rooms that belonged to the four officers and Callis. For good measure, I told the guard—it was Anders—to take care of it.
Skerrit Tern’s cottage was a modest, three room structure about a half mile from Lake Marie’s southern shore. It was near one of the many small streams that sprouted out of the lake in a wide, shallow, wooded valley. It had a weathered shed to the rear and an oft-repaired skiff tied up on the bank.
A boy, about eight years old, was trying to catch something from the stream with his hands as we rode up. Another boy, about two years younger, stood on the bank and watched. When they saw us coming, the older boy stood, took the other boy’s hand, and ran toward the cottage. A pretty, but tired-looking young woman came out and stood in the doorway with a toddler peering out from between her legs. I assumed that this was Elissa Tern. She must have felt some apprehension at the sudden appearance of several armed, mounted men at her home, but her expression was unreadable.
“Elissa Tern?” I asked. A boy among men, I’m sure that I looked out of place. She regarded me curiously.
“I am Elissa Tern. Who are you? You’ve come from the castle?”
“Yes, madam. My name is Dexter Davin...”
“The king?!” She dropped to her knees with her eyes averted. I was unused to this sort of obeisance. In the castle, people were used to kings and nobles—not so among the common people.
“Please, get up Mrs. Tern,” I said dismounting. “I need to speak with you. May I come inside?”
“You want to come in here?” she asked incredulously.
“Yes, please.”
“Of course, Your Highness. Certainly,” she said, stepping aside.
I went in, along with Layred Vu and one guardsman. I left the rest outside. It was a good thing; the inside of the cottage was small and barely accommodated the four of us plus the three children. Mrs. Tern told the oldest to take his brothers out back.
“But I want to meet the king too,” he protested.
“Hush and do as I say,” his mother told him.
Sullen, he collected his brothers and took them outside.
“Your Highness, please have a seat. May I get you something to drink?”
“Water, perhaps?”
She fetched three wooden cups filled with the clean water from the stream. The day was very hot already and I accepted the water gratefully.
“Thank you, madam. Mrs. Tern please come and sit down. I am afraid that I am here with tragic news?”
Elissa Tern’s amazement at my presence disappeared and I could see wary fear in her eyes.
“What has happened? What’s wrong? Is it Skerrit?”
I nodded. “Mrs. Tern, your husband was found early this morning. He is dead. I am terribly sorry.”
She seemed to wilt before my eyes. I forgot for a moment that her husband was part of the conspiracy that resulted in the murders of my family and I felt sympathy for the woman. I choked down a knot of shared sadness for her loss that lodged itself in my throat.
“How did it happen?” she asked after a few minutes. There were tears in her eyes, but she seemed back in control of herself. “And why are you here? I didn’t think kings did this sort of thing, telling peasant wives that their husbands are dead.”
“Not generally,” I admitted. “It is a first for me, but then I have only been the king for a week. Mrs. Tern, your husband was murdered. I think he was killed by men that he had been working for—and I don’t mean his regular work at the docks. Do you know what I’m talking about?”
She wiped her eyes and looked at me for almost a minute as if she was trying to see something in me. Finally, she nodded almost imperceptibly.
“Yes, I think so. He wouldn’t tell me much. He said that he had picked up extra work. He said that it was easy that when he was done we would be able to fix Bayden, that’s my youngest son.”
“What’s wrong with him?” I asked.
“He’s always been sickly, but during the last year, he’s begun to have shaking fits. The only doctors we can afford can’t do nothing for him. And the fits have gotten worse since they’ve started. But a few months ago, Skerrit came home excited. I thought he’d been drinking but I couldn’t smell it on him. He said that he had found someone, a wizard of some sort, who could cure Bayden as long as Skerrit worked for him for a little while.”
“Did he say what kind of work he was doing?”
“No, just that it was easy work that he could do right along with his regular job. It seemed fine and he brought home some extra money too. But last night he was worried about something, I could tell. He woke up early. He said that he had to meet someone before work. He wouldn’t say who.”
“Mrs. Tern, your husband was delivering messages to someone at the castle. Did he say anything about them or what they might have contained?”
“No, Skerrit couldn’t read.”
I was defeated. I could not think of anything else to ask her that might shed light on who the contact in the castle might be. I looked at Layred Vu for suggestions, but the tall man shrugged. I stood up, resigned.
“Mrs. Tern, I am very sorry for your loss. Your husband’s body is at the castle. The men whom I believe are responsible have been detained and are being questioned. I will arrange for his remains to be transported to a location of your choice.”
“We are members of the temple of Sigmenni,” she told me. “I would be grateful to Your Majesty if his body could be taken there.”
“It will be done,” I said. I took Layred Vu to one side. “Castellan, do you have any money with you?”
“Yes, about thirty gold crowns and some silver.”
Such a sum might take a dock worker fifteen years to make.
“Give it to the widow,” I told him. “Reimburse yourself from the treasury.”
“I will have to, it is money for the castle payroll. I don’t make enough as castellan to routinely carry around thirty crowns.”
“When this is all over we can discuss a raise for you. Also, remind me to have Doctor Ahem come here and examine the child, Bayden.”
“Of course, if you think it will help,” he said. “He may be aware of the child’s condition already. He is in the habit of leaving the castle once a month to tend to the needs of the people who dwell in the area.”
“Well, I can ask. Mrs. Tern, has your child been seen by a doctor from the castle, an older man who wears a tall, yellow hat?”
“No, Highness. I do not know of such a man.”
“I will send him. He is the royal physician. I can’t promise that he will be able to help Bayden, but he will try. Also, I would like for you to have this money. It won’t assuage your grief, but at least you won’t have the additional concern of starvation.”
I
emptied Layred Vu’s purse onto the table. The widow’s eyes went wide at the sight of all of the gold; it was easily more money than she had ever seen.
“King Dexter, thank you for coming here. I know that you hoped to gain information, and I am sorry that I could not help you more. But your coming here personally is meaningful; you could have easily sent your agents to ask the same questions. And your generosity is immense and unexpected. I will let everyone I meet know of your deeds today. Thank you, Sire,” she said. I turned to go, but she stopped me. “Sire, you may wish to talk to a man named Andyn Hull. He works on the docks and is—was—Skerrit’s best friend. His home is in Blue’s Hollow and he spends much of his free time in a tavern called Tameny’s Bar. He may know what I do not.”
“Thank you.”
I walked outside and saw the three boys in the rear of the house staring at us. On an impulse, I walked to the rear of the cottage and greeted the boys. The youngest looked at me dumbly. The middle child was shy and I could not hear what he said in response to my greeting. The oldest boy was bolder.
“Are you really the king?” he asked.
“Yes, my name is Dexter Davin. What’s your name?”
“Stel Tern. What happened to King Ardwulf?”
“He died. I’m the new king.”
“Wow.”
I saw a garden planted behind the house. There were common garden plants such as tomatoes, eggplants, strawberries, and beans. But the garden was mostly made up of flowers, lovely flowers of every variety and color. One caught my eye.
“Stel, do you know what kind of flower this is?”
“No, but my mother will. Ma!”
Elissa Tern came outside. Her eyes were red; she had started crying again as soon as we had left the house.
“What is it, Stel? Don’t bother the king,” she said.
“No, madam,” I said. “It was for me. I wondered if you could tell me what kind of flower this is?”
“That? That’s a night iris. I’m the only grower of them in the area. They seem to love the lighting in this valley.”
“What do you do with them?”
“I sell them of course. All of these flowers. That is what I do. Skerrit worked the dock; I garden and sell the flowers in town and to the castle.”
“Who buys the night irises?”
“I have customers in both places for those. They are my most expensive flower,” she said. “A woman named Tayu comes and purchases them from the castle. In Dunlevy, I have three regular customers for them—a dye maker named Cora, a doctor named Dilamon, and the temple of Eridan.”