The Assassin's Destiny (Isle of Dreams) (60 page)

Phantasm nodded slowly, ‘Yes, we
have been doing some investigations of our own since we discovered it was
Konrad who took the Contract.’

‘And what did you
discover?’   

‘Well, we went through all the
filed copies of Contracts in the Ri’s library.  Unsurprisingly, there was
no record of that particular one, so we still don’t know who issued it. 
However, we did discover something disturbing about some of the Training
Contracts issued to apprentices.’  Phantasm frowned and poked the fire
again, his expression pensive.

‘Yes?’  Fabian prompted.

Phantasm drew in a breath and
frowned unhappily, ‘We noticed some discrepancies when we read through copies
of Contracts we’d taken.  The requirements didn’t match.  For
example, the Contract on a bestra we hunted last year was there, but with no
record of being instructed to retrieve the horn.  It was then that we
realised we’d been requested verbally to bring back the horn, not contractually.’

‘What’s the difference?’
 Mistral yawned and ran a hand distractedly through Prospero’s fur. 

Phantasm gave her a terse look,
‘It means, Mistral, that some Training Contracts issued to apprentices are not
all they seem.  They have additional requirements for items that would
certainly raise a few eyebrows if requested of a more experienced
warrior.  But, our suspicions are so far unfounded –’

‘Which are what exactly?’ 
Mistral interrupted, stifling another yawn and looking at Phantasm with
undisguised boredom.

‘I think Mage De Winter knows
more about this matter than we do.’

Fabian regarded Phantasm quietly
before replying, the flickering firelight hiding his face in shadow. 

‘The specifics may have changed a
little since I served my apprenticeship with the Ri,’ he began in a brittle
voice.  ‘However, I am sure you will get the gist. 

‘Apprentices are issued seemingly
routine Training Contracts with a last minute spoken request to procure some
apparently innocuous item at the same time.  Of course, they do not
question their Contracts Officer and effectively risk life and limb to complete
the request, all the while ignorant to the fact that they are actually
procuring raw ingredients for highly dangerous and illegal potions.’

He paused and the atmosphere
around the fire grew suddenly tense.  Mistral frowned, remembering her
Contract to clear the gargoyle nest the previous year.  It hadn’t been on
the Contract itself to retrieve the eggs.  Gleacher had asked her
casually, almost as an afterthought and she’d thought nothing of it at the
time. 

‘I’ve done a couple like
that.  For Malachi actually.’ she said thoughtfully and continued to rub
Prospero’s ears.  ‘In fact, I reckon we probably all have.  That
bestra one was strange, so was the cyclops one, come to think of it –’

Fabian made an angry noise and
she looked at him in surprise.

‘Am I missing something
here?  Only, I really don’t see what the issue is.  So what if
Malachi is brewing up dodgy potions?  We already know he’s a bit odd to
say the least!  So long as he doesn’t apply for Bernadette’s job when she
finally kills herself with one of those vile concoctions she calls food then I
don’t really see a problem!’  

Fabian switched his icy glare to
her, ‘You think using unqualified apprentices to unwittingly risk their lives
to line the pockets of a corrupt Magnate member is fair?  You were being
used Mistral!  Do you know how much a Qualified warrior would be paid to
do this type of work by an outside agent?  I’ll tell you shall I?
 Hundreds!’

‘What’s it to us if Malachi is
saving on coin by using the apprentices?’  Mistral riled, stung by his
sharp reaction.  ‘The whole damned Magnate make money out of us until the
day we happily expire on some wretched Contract or other!’

A heavy silence fell while
Mistral glared at Fabian.

‘I apologise Mistral.’
 Fabian rubbed a hand over his face, erasing the frown.  He opened
his eyes to gaze softly at her.  ‘Please understand that I am not angry
with you.  I am angry with Malachi.  I despise the thought of you being
used so wrongly to assist that leech in growing his reserves of gold.’

Mistral accepted his apology with
a sulky look and returned her attention to Prospero. 

‘Why does Malachi require a
reserve of gold and who is he selling illegal potions to?’  Phantasm asked
quickly, cutting across Mistral’s moody silence.

Fabian gave him a long look, ‘Who
indeed?’ he mused.  ‘That is a difficult question to answer.  However
I do not think Malachi is able to actually brew the potions himself.  Only
a powerful Mage can brew the kind of potions that fetch the highest price on
the black market. 

‘The money is the simple one to
answer.’  Fabian continued in a cold voice.  ‘Malachi covets the role
of Divinus.  By having a large amount of gold at his disposal he will be
able to buy the approval of many of the Council members when the time comes to
elect a new Divinus.’

‘The Council get a say in who the
Divinus is?’  Mistral demanded disgustedly.  ‘Do they have a say in
everything on the damned Isle?’

‘Yes, Mistral.’  Fabian
replied drily.  ‘That is their job as the ruling Council.  And, of
course, they need to ensure that whoever fulfils the role of Divinus will be an
ally, not an enemy.’

‘Oh, right,’ she muttered and
quickly dropped her gaze, feeling angry with herself for saying something so
stupid.  Of course the Council would approve whoever ran the Ri.  The
wrong person could effectively challenge the Council for control of the
Isle. 

‘And so, to the matter of who is
buying the ingredients.’  Fabian mused, his voice barely audible above the
crackling of the fire.  ‘I cannot say for certain, but I have my
suspicions, and perhaps the unfortunate elf did too.’

‘And where exactly did he fit
into this exciting drama?’  Mistral demanded grouchily.

‘It transpires that Malachi was
paying the elf, Xavier, to transport raw ingredients to his customer.’
 Fabian explained in a clearer voice.  ‘Elves are the perfect
carriers.  They have no real interest in brewing potions and would fail to
recognise the purpose for which the ingredients were intended.  However,
the fact that Xavier is now dead makes me assume he must have discovered the
true nature of the goods he was being paid to carry and attempted to blackmail
Malachi with the threat of exposure.’

Mistral pulled a face, ‘Bad
move.’

‘Evidently.’  Fabian placed
a protective arm around her shoulders, his expression suddenly
tightening.  ‘Which is why this affair angers me so Mistral.  What if
you had questioned any of the additional requirements to the Training Contracts
you were issued?  Would it be your body found in the forests?’ 

Fabian let the question hang in
the air.  Mistral looked up to meet his soulful black gaze, seeing his
unspoken answer all too clearly.  Malachi would have arranged an accident
and wiped her away like an irksome splash of mud.

 ‘So, returning to the
mysterious destination of these ingredients.’  Phantom prompted. 
‘You say you have your suspicions, but surely any sorcerer on the Isle worth
his salt can brew illegal potions?’

Fabian’s eyes narrowed
broodingly, ‘Not quite.  There are several illegal potions, each of them
are extremely difficult and hazardous to brew.  It takes a very skilled
Mage to brew them successfully without killing themselves in the process. 
To complicate matters, I don’t think that the potions being brewed were for use
on the Isle, but being exported.’

Phantasm exhaled sharply, ‘No-one
would be that foolish!’ 

‘Really?’  Fabian asked
quietly.  ‘Tell me Phantasm, when did you last hear of the crime of
brewing illegal potions being punished by the Council?’

Phantasm’s ivory brow puckered
while he considered the question, ‘Not for a long time,’ he finally admitted.

‘So, answer me this, if the goods
being delivered are for the brewing of illegal potions then where are all the
finished products?’ 

Phantasm shook his head, ‘I see
your reasoning, but I simply can’t believe someone would take the risk. 
The crime of exporting illegal potions is punishable by death!’ 

‘And for a very good reason, the
continued existence of the Isle rests solely on us remaining hidden from the
rest of the world.  Whoever is doing it is jeopardising the location of
the Isle and the safety of all who live here.’  Fabian’s mouth twisted
into a bitter expression.  ‘But, it certainly appears that for someone the
risk is outweighed by the benefits.  The export of illegal potions is
worth an absolute fortune.  I believe that someone in the Council is – or
was – selling potions to buyers outside of the Isle.’

The twins suddenly became
completely still. 

‘You think Count Darke was
involved?’  Phantom breathed. 

‘I don’t think it, I am sure of
it.  Putreo held the responsibility for all foreign travel until Eximius
stripped him of his duties after the Desert Lands fiasco.  Up to that
point he was perfectly placed to orchestrate the export of illegal potions.’

‘I can’t see how it would work.’
 Phantasm argued.  ‘Count Darke may have been the Councillor for
Foreign Travel but he couldn’t just keep leaving the Isle on invented
ambassadorial duties could he?  It would arouse too much suspicion. 
So how was he getting the finished product off the Isle?  Nobody travels
without Mage Grapple’s consent, and even then they usually have a Council
escort.’ 

Fabian threw him a questioning
look, ‘Nobody?’

Even Mistral caught the meaning
in his words.  She and the twins stared at him with disbelieving
expressions.

‘You mean ... the Ri?’  

Fabian nodded, ‘The Ri frequently
leave the Isle on Contracts.  Although the Council have to be informed of their
intention to travel they don’t get involved with the specific details of the
Contract, just the destination and expected duration, and there is never a
Council escort as it would be detrimental to the sensitive nature of the Ri’s
work.  In short, the Ri are the ideal cover.’

‘It’s so simple!’  Phantasm
exclaimed quietly.  ‘Audacious, but simple.  Malachi uses apprentices
to obtain raw ingredients for illegal potions.  He then sells them to
corrupt Council officials who have the potions brewed and then use the Ri again
to export them off the Isle to their foreign buyer, no doubt sold for a tidy
profit!’ 

‘And everyone gets a cut along
the way.’  Phantom added.

‘Except the stupid apprentices
ordered to get the items in the first place.’  Mistral corrected, thinking
of how she had nearly died whilst retrieving the gargoyle eggs.  She had
never even wondered why she’d been asked to get them ... an unpleasant thought
suddenly crossed her mind.  

‘You don’t think Gleacher is
aware of this do you?’

The twins looked at her and
frowned.  She could tell they didn’t want to think their Contracts Officer
was capable of such betrayal either.

Fabian’s face grew thoughtful
again, ‘Well, it’s a fair assumption that Gleacher is aware of Malachi’s
side-line in selling the items since he issues the Contracts and makes the
additional requests.  I am certain that he must also be aware that the Ri
are being used to carry the finished products off the Isle too since he travels
with the apprentices on all foreign Contracts.  In fact, he is the obvious
choice as carrier.  But, I agree with you that it doesn’t fit with his
character.  Gleacher feels a strong sense of obligation towards the safety
of his apprentices.  I can only assume that Malachi has some sort of hold
over him.’

Phantasm’s eyes sharpened,
‘Blackmail?’ 

Fabian shrugged, ‘I wouldn’t put
anything past Putreo or Malachi.’

Phantom pulled a face, ‘Count
Putreo Darke and Master Nox.  What a charming combination!’ 

‘Who else would have the
influence and position to carry out such a high-risk operation for so long and
remain undetected?’  Fabian picked a charred stick up from the edge of
fire and turned it distractedly in his hands, gazing unseeingly into
space.  ‘I’ve spent years trying to uncover the truth, but they cover
their tracks well.  Finding any kind of proof has been like trying to
catch smoke.’  he paused and looked at Mistral.  ‘Apprentices are the
weak link but also the genius behind the plan you see.’

‘Unqualified, unregistered,
untraceable and expendable.’ Mistral recited dully, echoing the twins’ words of
the night Leo had cornered them into taking the Desert Lands mission. 

Fabian held her gaze and nodded.

‘Do you think that the trade will
have ceased now that Putreo is dead?’  Phantasm asked with a frown.

Fabian looked over at him and
shook his head, ‘I doubt that Putreo was working alone.  He will have had
at least one or two accomplices, not least of all for the brewing
process.  Besides, for those involved it’s far too much of a lucrative business
to let fall by the wayside.  I’m sure Malachi will be busy negotiating
with whoever has stepped into Putreo’s place at the Council end.’

‘What kind of potions are we
talking about here anyway?’  Mistral asked Fabian curiously.  ‘Surely
not something as pathetic as Love Potions?’ 

Fabian laughed softly and pulled
her closer to him, ‘You’d be surprised what people will pay to buy love, and
yes, there is a huge market for potions that enslave the drinker. 
However, there are a few illegal potions that would have great appeal to the
outside world.’  Fabian paused and looked first at the twins then down at
Mistral, curled against his side.

‘Have you heard of the Avenir
Potion, first created by Alexandre Rochforte back in the twelfth century?’

The twins nodded but Mistral
shook her head. 

‘It’s a potion that induces a
deep trance-like state, sometimes lasting days.  It stimulates a part of
the brain not normally used, allowing the drinker to experience visions of the
future.  I am sure you can see the appeal that would have to the
war-hungry leaders of powerful countries.’