Draggah (16 page)

Chapter 11

Leonosis

“
So you have nothing to report?
”
Leonosis said angrily.

“
He was an average student,
”
the Paladin said, with a note of desperation in his voice. 
“
The temple doesn
’
t promote relationships among the students.  Your brother was completely unexceptional.  His studies were average, his physical skills subpar, but being the Earl
’
s son we were willing to overlook that.  He made no friends, did only the work that was required, and showed no interest in anything we were teaching.
”

“
If I find out you aren
’
t telling me the truth, I will make you pay dearly,
”
Leonosis said.

“
On my honor as a servant of the Most High, my lord, I swear I am telling you the truth.
”

The Paladin seemed sure of himself, but Leonosis detected a hint of fear, which pleased him.  He wanted to be feared, especially by the people with power in the city.  The Priests and Paladins from the temple held sway over the religious beliefs of the people, but Leonosis wanted to know that they respected his power to have them thrown into his dungeons for any reason whatsoever.

“
But are you telling me everything?
”
Leonosis pressed. 
“
Surely you have archives from before the cataclysm.
”

“
We do.
”

“
Did my brother spend time there?  What did he study?
”

“
All our novices study in the archives, but none of the prefects there remembers helping him with anything out of the ordinary.  His reports were mundane.  Nothing about your brother stood out, and certainly didn
’
t garner any special attention.
”

“
Fine, that is what I needed to know,
”
Leonosis said with a wave of dismissal.

“
I hope that you are pleased with the thorough nature of our inquiry on your behalf, my liege.
”

Leonosis ignored the Paladin.  His mind was already reassessing what he knew about his brother.  Tiberius, the dreamer, had somehow gotten himself mixed up with something that could destroy them all.  Leonosis couldn
’
t understand how the Princess could see it but he hadn
’
t.  Robere, the elderly servant, had mentioned magic, and as preposterous as that seemed, it did fit with Princess Ariel
’
s abilities.  What Leonosis couldn
’
t understand was how Tiberius could have found a way to learn magic.  There wasn
’
t a shred of magical writing left in Avondale
…
or was there?  He needed to know for certain.

A messenger was dispatched and the other spies were summoned to the palace.  Leonosis was impatient.  He wanted answers.  Hours passed and his mood grew more grim.  His patience was gone by the time the spies returned.  He met them in the dungeon.  It was the most secretive place in the Earl
’
s palace, and it had the added benefit of reminding the spies what awaited them if they failed.

“
So, what have you learned?
”
he asked.

The group of soldiers looked at the ground.  It was obvious they hadn
’
t found out anything about who had let the girl with the horses out of the city.  One of the other spies spoke up before Leonosis could lash out at the soldiers.

“
We heard a rumor,
”
said the man.  He had a pointed nose and watery eyes.  His hair was thinning and he kept it plastered back over the top of his head.

“
That
’
s all?
”
Leonosis said angrily. 
“
Rumors?
”

“
The girl
’
s name was Lexi,
”
the man said. 
“
We
’
re fairly certain of that.  She was from the streets, a cat burglar.
”

“
What would my brother be doing with a thief?
”
Leonosis said.

“
We
’
re not sure yet, but word on the street is that they
’
ve been seen together quite often.  And a week or so before you banished him, he paid silver for something in one of the underground markets.
”

“
Silver?
”

“
A lot of silver.  That sort of thing gets noticed,
”
the man said. 
“
Exaggerated too, but the bottom line is that he was definitely up to something.
”

“
What on earth could he have wanted from an underground market?
”
Leonosis said.

“
Something illegal would be my guess,
”
the spy said. 
“
We can
’
t be certain until we find the vendor, but our sources say he was just an old book peddler.
”

“
Books,
”
Leonosis said, his mind suddenly putting the pieces of the puzzle together.

“
That
’
s right, my lord.  Give us another day and we
’
ll find the man he bought from.
”

“
Yes,
”
Leonosis said. 
“
Find him and bring him here.  I
’
ll question him myself, is that understood?
”

“
Yes, my lord.
”

“
Not a word from the old man.  Just confirm that he did business with my brother and bring him to me.  Now, what can you tell me about the girl?
”

“
She
’
s an orphan.  Always on the move.  Does business with some of the fences on the lower levels of the city.
”

“
No family?
”
Leonosis asked. 
“
No one she cares about?
”

“
Unfortunately no, and no other friends who were anything more than acquaintances.  So far, we haven
’
t found anyone who knew her plans.
”

“
Damn,
”
said Leonosis. 
“
Keep digging.  Someone somewhere must have known what she was up to.  I want to know why she left the city.
”

“
We
’
ll find out, my liege.
”

Leonosis spun to the group of soldiers.  His face grew dark with rage.  His hand shot out in a savage blow that caught one of them unaware.  The man stumbled back and Leonosis saw the others brace themselves.  None would dare raise a hand against the Earl, not even to defend themselves.  And even though Leonosis wasn
’
t yet the Earl of Avondale, he filled that roll in almost every capacity.  His father, Earl Aegus had relinquished more and more of his duties since the King had left Avondale.  He was rarely seen outside of his private chambers and never without a goblet of wine in his hand.  Gossip around the castle was that the Earl mourned his traitorous son, Tiberius, but Leonosis knew better.  Their father was simply old and lazy.  He would soon drink himself to death and Leonosis would take his rightful place as the Earl of Avondale, or perhaps even more.

“
Why haven
’
t you done more?
”
he growled at the soldiers. 
“
I
’
m not paying you to loaf.
”

“
My lord,
”
said one of the burly warriors. 
“
We
’
re questioning everyone who has stood watch on the gates and walls.  No one has seen or heard anything about the girl leaving the city.
”

“
Well, we didn
’
t imagine it,
”
Leonosis said. 
“
You
’
re wasting your time questioning everyone.  Obviously she fled the city in secret. Otherwise, there would be people talking about it all over the city.  When could she have possibly left that no one would have seen her and four horses?
”

The soldiers looked clueless.  They may have been ruthless killers, but they weren
’
t highly intelligent.

“
During the banishment, you fools,
”
Leonosis shouted. 
“
Everyone was at the Northern Gate; it was the perfect time to flee through the Southern Gate unnoticed.  Find out who was serving on duty during the ceremony.  That shouldn
’
t be too hard, even for idiots like you.
”

The soldiers were blushing with shame or anger, Leonosis couldn
’
t tell and didn
’
t really care.  He much preferred to be feared than to be loved.

“
Shall I keep a few of you here for my torturer to practice on while the others find out who is responsible?
”
Leonosis threatened.

“
No, my lord,
”
the men said in unison.

“
Then get me the names of those men before sundown, or I
’
ll fill these cells with your families so you can watch them die.
”

The soldiers cast sideways glances before nodding and hurrying from the room.  Leonosis was tired of incompetence.  He wanted answers, and he wanted them immediately.

Chapter 12

Rafe

Their spears were being kept in the large wagon normally reserved for the tribal chief and his treasures.  Tiberius had given away all the treasures except for their horses, their personal supplies, and their weapons.  Rafe was carrying his rapier, but he felt better once he hoisted the long wooden spears.  Each spear was armed with a long metal tip, shaped like a leaf and honed to a razor
’
s edge.

Rafe tucked the weapons under his arm and went to where Quntah was saddling his horse.  Normally, when Rafe faced the huge monsters from the blighted lands, he was high on the walls of Avondale, looking down at where the creatures lumbered up the steep slopes of the mountain.  He had always felt a thrill when racing to face the creatures on the wall, even though the city
’
s defenses always turned the monsters back before they reached the city walls.  Still, being called on to defend his city, standing shoulder to shoulder with his fellow soldiers, it had been one of the highlights of his young life.  Now, he felt that same thrill, only this time it was tinged with fear.

The horses seemed nervous.  They could sense the beast approaching and wanted nothing more than to gallop away to safety, even if they couldn
’
t see anything in the gloomy night.  Rafe set his bundle of spears on the ground and began saddling Tiberius
’
horse.  Soon he could feel the ground shaking as the creature moved closer to the tribe.  He heard the nervous voices of the sleepy tribal folk.  The Hoskali were not unlike most people—some were warriors, but most were simple people untrained for battle.  The Rogu would defend the tribe against enemies, be they man or beast.  And if the Rogu failed, then the tribe would be defenseless.  Rafe swore to himself that he would not let that happen.

“
They are ready, Great One,
”
said Quntah.

Rafe sprang up into the saddle of the horse he
’
d named Mars.  It wasn
’
t a warhorse, but Rafe felt better facing whatever approached them in the darkness now that he was mounted.  Quntah handed up the spears.

“
Thank you, Quntah,
”
he said. 
“
Make sure that Tiberius gets mounted.
”

“
I will, I will,
”
the small Hoskali groom said. 
“
I will await the stories of your great victory.
”