Thread Slivers (Golden Threads Trilogy), page 18
The knives were well-made: straight, single-edged with a diamond-shaped blade with white bone and black cotton cross-wrapped hilts. Boadua indicated the knives with her gloved hands for emphasis. “These were his knives. While I know there are many imitations available, some remarkably good, these are far lighter than they look and there is power in the maker’s mark.”
Sayscia looked at them with horror. “Those are Nhia-Samri odassi blades.”
Sula thought out loud, “Are they here to help or hinder?”
Sayscia looked at her in disbelief. “Help? Why would they help? What could possibly bring them here? Why are they trying to kill Lebuin? Could they know anything of these events?”
Sula’s eyes burned with rage, staring at the odassi on the table. “We can answer none of these questions yet, but we will start to look for answers. I can’t believe I am saying this, but hopefully Lebuin will keep Ticca’s services. With his powers crippled for a time we cannot track him from a distance and I don’t want to be close enough that Ticca will detect us. Given her nature, we cannot even trust an experienced Dagger to shadow her effectively. We must be extremely careful, especially with the Nhia-Samri involved.”
Boadua smiled. “Sula, I can help with that, too.” Producing a silver clasp tastefully decorated with blue and green gems, she placed it on the table. “This is an artifact made by Lebuin.”
Sula looked from the clasp to Boadua’s smiling face and back. Then she stood, offering her hands to Boadua. “Boadua, your service honors me, my Mother, and your name.”
Blushing, she stood and took Sula’s arms in hers. “Thank you, Holy One. It is my wish to serve.”
Sula picked up the clasp. “Sayscia, please ask Magus Cune to come here as soon as possible. We need his aid again.” Gesturing at the knives on the table, she added, “Boadua, please see that those are destroyed completely and as soon as possible. I am sure you know to not take them beyond the Temple walls again.”
Sayscia stood, giving Boadua a meaningful glance, which she understood immediately, and they spoke together, “Your will, Holy One.”
Sula sighed and rolled her eyes. She walked out of the inner door behind the head chair, mumbling just loud enough to be clearly heard, “I put up with much, Mother.” The priestesses chuckled together as they separated for their tasks.
Urio-Larne read the report carefully for the second time. This doesn’t make any sense. What would pull him from his gaming houses to travel half-way across the world? He hates hot climates. What was so important? We must complete the assignment. Shifting a little, he allowed himself to relax in the padded wing chair; there were perks to long service, after all. Looking up, he enjoyed the way the fire cast a glowing pattern on the richly-furnished library. Two large lamps on each corner provided ample light to see all the papers, charts, and tools spread in a neat pattern over the large oak desk. Putting the note down on a small stack of such papers, he considered the implications. Across from him his senior lieutenant sat straight-backed in the plain hardwood chair. “I don’t think I have ever seen such a mess, Ossa-Ulla. Keelun killed Vestul before his meeting with Duke, which was reasonable, but only if information was obtained. However, we cannot locate Keelun and therefore we don’t know if he learned what Vestul was going to meet with Duke about. Now Duke is alerted and stepping on our toes trying to locate Vestul. We had to eliminate three of his agents who discovered our involvement, three more than any such operation should require. Finally, you claim both Dalpha’s and Argos’s agents have become alerted to all this activity and in the same breath assert that they are totally inexperienced or inept to the point of being no real threat.” Extracting a paper from the middle of a stack, he continued, “Yet this detailed report shows Argos’s agent effectively stopping us, becoming angry at being attacked as though it were only an inconvenience, destroying a device I thought indestructible, and generally depicts a slaying of our agent with so much emphasis on destruction that it should be seen as nothing less than the warning and challenge it is.”
Ossa-Ulla remained motionlessly rigid in the chair, his eyes burning with anger, but his voice was calm and respectful. “Sir, Palkni was indeed a good warrior, and he did manage to mortally wound Lebuin. I stand by all the profiles. Our information on Lebuin is extremely accurate. Lebuin is a tremendous dandy, more interested in his own comforts than anything external to the walls of the Guild. Lebuin was allowed to completely ignore all practical training. Ticca has no combat or intelligence experience in any military and comes from a fur-trapper background with dreams of glory. She is just a show-off out for personal glory, spinning her dagger as if it is impressive, when really it impresses no one but the other children.”
Allowing a small frown of reproach to show, Urio-Larne responded, “Lebuin could not have been mortally wounded; he walked to the Blue Dolphin while avoiding your observers. If we were not already monitoring the Blue Dolphin internally we would never have known he arrived there.”
Ossa-Ulla was showing some color at his neck. Good, maybe you’ll pay closer attention if you finally have a bad mark on your record. I cannot see how you managed a career of such perfection, but you have grown overconfident. At least this isn’t a major operation; and little embarrassment will make you a better officer. A soft knock came from the open door and both of them looked at the corporal standing at attention. He waved at the corporal to enter. “Report, Corporal.”
The corporal stepped in and saluted crisply as he summed up his news. “Sirs, Dalpha’s agent has retired for the evening. It has been confirmed she was wounded, with impaired movements.” His voice took on a bitter and angry tone. “We have confirmed she killed Maru-Hue.”
Ossa-Ulla snapped, “She caught him in a trap? That is not very likely, sir…”
He held up a hand to stop the lieutenant and nodded for the corporal to continue.
The corporal shook his head. “No sir, not a trap, she bested him one-to-one with odassi.”
Ossa-Ulla stood up, shocked, his neck flushing a deep red. “She did what?!”
The commander picked two papers from one of the stacks. The tops read ‘Ticca of Rhini Wood’ and ‘Lebuin of House Caerni.’ Holding them out to Ossa-Ulla, he said, “I recommend you correct these profiles and put these fictions’ authors on report.”
Ossa-Ulla looked a little worried, taking the profiles. “Sir, I signed off on these, and I assure you she has only six cycles’ Dagger experience on minor work. She is completely inexperienced. Lebuin is even more useless.”
Looking calmly at his lieutenant, he pulled out another paper with a recent report. “She has taken a permanent table, she is under coin to Argos’s agent, survived the confrontation, took out trained observers, and her sigil coin is not new. The Blue Dolphin in its five-hundred-year history as a Dagger Home has never let junior Daggers take a permanent table. Now we learn she has killed our third best warrior in a face-to-face fight. She is not what she appeared to be. Lebuin is the same; you have been fooled. I suspect Duke had a hand in this. I suggest you deal with this personally. We cannot be exposed. With Duke in town it becomes more than just a standing order. I believe you understand.”
Ossa-Ulla snapped to attention and saluted. “Yes, sir! Personally, sir!”
“You are both dismissed.” As the men did an about-face and marched out of the library, he wrote an order to recover Maru-Hue’s odassi, placing it unsigned, like all his orders, in the tray for new orders; then he picked up his wine and drank. “What are you about, Duke?” he asked the empty room thoughtfully.
“Damn it, Ladro, find my friend!” He bit down hard on the leg of mutton in front of him, breaking the bone with an audible snap.
Having been Duke’s long-time personal secretary meant he was entirely used to and unruffled by abusive language or violent displays of power. Having served Duke since a boy, Ladro was in tune with his master’s moods, tactics, and most importantly, likely targets for his teeth. “M’Llord, we have been unable to locate Magus Vestul. By all accounts he simply disappeared between the tobacconist and the Blue Dolphin. What we need to discover is why so many competent agents have also disappeared.”
Duke chewed the meat, letting the blood drip down his face for effect. He could eat as delicately as any courtier, but he was in a foul mood and it wasn’t getting any better. At times like this Ladro had to admit it was motivating to Duke’s staff if Duke let his baser instincts show a little. Swallowing, Duke said, “You have identified the various routes between the two, correct?” It wasn’t a question.
“Yes, M’lord. There are only two possibilities: the longer but safer street path, or the shorter, being a cut-through alley that went almost directly to the Dolphin.”
“Vestul was old, lazy, and probably as tired of this blasted heat as I am myself. He took the shorter route.”
“The tobacconist’s information agrees, and she was the last to see Magus Vestul that we know of.”
Standing up Duke, nuzzled his bag over his shoulder from the hook it hung on. “Take me there now.”
“M’lord, the Princes asked, most strongly, that you not involve yourself directly.”
“The Princes can go to hell. This is my friend, and I roamed this little ‘burg’s streets thousands of years before those brats were born. God damn it, I helped build this fucking ‘burg! If it hadn’t been for the damned climate change, this would still be my primary residence! It’s time those brat Princes learned they are not as all-fucking-powerful as they think they are! And full time this ‘burg was reminded it’s not as big as it thinks it is!” Turning, he kicked the door open so hard that it flew from its hinges and embedded itself in the far wall. “Now are you going to show me where your incompetent fools got lost, or do I have to roam the through the entire ‘burg pulling these pitiful people from their beds to get my answers?”
Realizing there was no way to stop him, Ladro stepped out into the hall, grabbing his own cloak and shooing off the staff who had come to inspect the loud noises. Duke followed him out, snarling mad, with blood still running down his chin. A few of the newer staff actually took to heel at the sight. Lords… this will take some smoothing over later.
Together they headed towards the main doors. As they approached, the guards needed no warning to open the doors or the gate; both stood open, with eight guards at parade rest, four on each side. As Duke and Ladro exited the mansion, the guards snapped to attention. Ladro pointed at the four outside and indicated the direction they were going to take. The guards jumped into action, moving to warn off any carriages or pedestrians.
“Now see, that is damned good training, I like that.” Then, looking at the guards remaining behind, Duke bellowed, “Are you waiting for an invitation from the Princes? Close the goddamned gates and GET BACK TO WORK!” The four remaining guards leapt to comply, especially motivated since it would cut them off from Duke and his foul mood.
At least the sun has set and it is cooling, hopefully that should ease some of Duke’s mood. Looking at his master Ladro saw anger in his eyes, and worry. Duke isn’t used to worrying, especially about his oldest friends. He quietly led his master through the city, with the four guards effectively getting carts and people out of their way; a few people screamed and ran, while others stood petrified at their passing. Many looked back and forth between him and Duke trying to ascertain exactly what was happening. He’s right, this city has forgotten him.
They reached the arit and tobac shop in just over a mark. Well, Duke at least makes the trip fast. The blood on Duke’s chin had either dried or he had licked some of it off. Either way he had shifted to quiet fuming instead of the loud, panic-inducing fuming, for which Ladro was very happy. He pointed at the shop as they approached. “That is where the tobacconist who last saw Vestul works.”
Duke walked up to the little shop with its fenced-off patio and tables. Duke sniffed the air. “No, it can’t be!” Duke jumped the little fence easily and yelled, “Dardalph! Get your lazy ass out here, and stop making me wait!”
A muffled cry came from inside the shop, followed by a crash like a stack of plates or mugs being dropped onto a hard stone floor. A short woman, who looked more like a barrel, came running out of the café. “Duke! Gadriel’s teeth!” She ran faster than Ladro thought possible straight into Duke, slamming with an audible thud into his side. The woman immediately commenced laughing, patting his sides and hugging his front legs. Duke, in turn, lost his emotional control and was actually wagging his tail. The first two swings tossed a table into the street and some chairs towards the store.
Dodging back a little to stay out of the path of the tail, Ladro waited and watched. Well, that is something I’ve never seen before. Wonder how long they have known each other.
She started speaking a language Ladro had never heard before. Not unsurprisingly, given his thousands of years of roaming, Duke knew the language. The two of them had an excited conversation and all the while she alternated between patting Duke’s sides and hugging his legs. All the patrons at the shop sat perfectly still, trying to not be noticed by the large intruder into their previously normal evening.
After the initial conversation started to slow, Duke’s demeanor shifted back to the fuming mood he had arrived in. The lady became serious too and give him a lot of details as she pointed at various chairs and then across the street at an alley not far down; she also mimed some things and made signs with her hands which Ladro could not comprehend.
Duke actually licked her face once before jumping back out onto the street; then he looked at all the patrons, the guards, and Ladro. “If anyone here mentions my actions I’ll use you for my next meal — especially you, Ladro.” Looking at two of his guards, he said, “You two, put that table back in her yard.”
Just ignore the threat. He really was surprised and the happiest I have ever seen him, including when I read him the letter from Vestul.
Duke moved with a purpose towards the alley and as he entered it he put his head close to the ground and sniffed back and forth. “There you are, you old bastard, now where did you go?” Duke continued to sniff as he moved down the alley, stopping from time to time to explore the wall or examine something. Raising his head, he looked at one of the rear guard. “Yilla, run back to Dardalph’s shop and ask to barrow a pair of lanterns.” The guard needed no further urging, and bolted to obey. “Good boy, that one.” Putting his head down, Duke trotted along the alley, snuffing like a bloodhound.
They had just moved through an elbow section when Duke stood straight up and sneezed. Then he put his nose down again and moved very slowly. “No! Surely not, no. How could that be? I thought a ransom or draining. No! No! Nooo!” The guard was just coming back with the lanterns as Duke sat down and jerked his head to the sky, letting out an awful howl that shook dust from the walls and caused Ladro’s ears intense pain. The guards and Ladro involuntarily pressed their hands over their ears, trying to block out some of the anguished howl.
At last, Duke looked down again at the spot he had been investigating and stood. He was angrier than Ladro had ever seen. He paced, and his mouth moved as if ranting with occasional obvious snaps of teeth like rending something apart. Ladro couldn’t hear what his master said because of the ringing in his ears, and he felt relieved by this. This was not Duke of Greyrhan, the laughing story teller and gambler; this was something fearful, something that came out of a nightmare. Duke’s teeth were bared while he paced. He snapped, he howled again, though not as loudly, and he raged. As the ringing in Ladro’s ears abated, some of what Duke was saying started coming through. Ladro wished it hadn’t, because Duke was talking in dozens of languages and Ladro was sure he was working through his complete vocabulary of profanity, curses and tortures.
By the time Ladro’s hearing was good enough to clearly make out what Duke was saying he wasn’t saying a word. Duke had sat down and was staring at Ladro and the guards with cold steel eyes. No one moved. After a while Duke snuffled the air and asked very softly, in a tone that sent shivers down Ladro’s spine, “Can you hear me now?”
Ladro nodded. Duke motioned to the guard. “Yilla, bring those lanterns over here. Ladro, take one. You stand here, next to me, and you, over there.” Yilla moved to comply, as did Ladro.
Duke then stood and went over every detail of the alley methodically. He found a grey clay pipe bowl and some brown paper, he found some violet cloth bits, he licked the wall and ground in places. He also found the scents of several people. He breathed especially deep of one scrap of violet cloth. After about a quarter-mark Duke turned and headed out of the alley, his head down, following some scent. He didn’t speak a word, and his eyes remained wide with a burning anger.
The guards and Ladro followed silently as Duke traced the scent straight to the Blue Dolphin. Duke didn’t pause, he simply walked through the doors, knocking one off its hinges and splintering the other. The sound naturally drew the attention of everyone present. No one moved. Duke stood in the doorway, smoke from the room pouring out around him to the heavens. Duke sniffed at the air, sneezed, and sniffed again.
A dozen warriors already had weapons out but held still. Duke stared at the occupants while they tensely awaited his next action. A number of Daggers who had weapons out put them away and waited for Duke. Well at least the Daggers remember who he is. It only took a moment before Genne reacted. Genne came out from behind the bar. “Here now, what do ya thin’ yer about?”
