Part 17 (2/2)
”Someone like that would stand out in this town like an oasis on a desert.”
”You would think so, wouldn't you?” Matullus said. ”Unless someone is hiding him. And that means a confederate. Perhaps more than one.” He nodded. ”At least we will have something to tell Kieran when he arrives.”
”What do you think he will do?” someone asked.
Matullus turned to face him. ”Well, we'll soon I find out, won't we? He's supposed to be the best. I expect he'll waste no time in taking charge of the situation. And that means we'll have to be up to the challenge. When he arrives tonight, I want every man in the house guard turned out clean and sharp. And woe to the man our new captain finds fault with. I will personally see to it that he regrets not being one of these corpses. Now clean this mess up. We have a great deal to do before the caravan arrives.”
It was late afternoon when Lord Ankhor entered his private study on the top floor of the mansion. A few hours earlier, Matullus had nervously made his report about the recent killings. He was cautious in remarks, but astute in observations. He'd conjectured that the killer was a half-giant or a mul, judging by the murders, which indicated not only strength but also fighting skill. Matullus was a clever young man. Undoubtedly, Kieran would be more clever, still.
Ankhor went to the sideboard and poured himself a drink. It would not do for Kieran to resolve the situation too swiftly. That would displease the templar and undermine his plans. Jhamri needed to be suitably embarra.s.sed by his ineffectiveness in countering the threat. And then, of course, at the proper time, the mul would be apprehended by the Ankhor House Guard. A pity to waste a property like that. She was rather an expensive purchase to discard, but it would be well worth it to see Jhamri properly humbled. Merely the first step, of course, but a significant one-the cost of doing business.
Ankhor frowned as he saw the small statue on the mantlepiece turned to one side. He had specifically told the templar to hold her meetings late at night, except in an emergency. Could something have gone wrong? He paused to lock the heavy, ornate door of his study before opening the secret panel. He stepped back in surprise as Edric came into the room.
”What in thunder are you you doing here?” he asked, frowning. ”You were supposed to be with the caravan!” doing here?” he asked, frowning. ”You were supposed to be with the caravan!”
”I was,” said Edric, moving to the sideboard to pour himself a drink as casually as if he were in his own home. For the first time, Ankhor noticed he was wounded. His left arm hung limp at his side, and he favored his shoulder as he moved. ”I rode like the wind itself to get here ahead of them. We had some problems.”
”What are you talking about?” asked Ankhor.
”The attack failed,” Edric said simply.
”What do you mean it failed? How could it fail?”
”It failed because we lost the element of surprise,” said Edric, tipping back his goblet. ”And I almost lost my life as well, but we won't dwell on little things like that.”
”What happened? What went wrong?”
”Everything,” said Edric. ”Those three fools you-hired to join the caravan at Grak's Pool drew suspicion instantly. I told you additional men on the inside were not necessary. I would have been quite capable of handling things myself. And then, just to make things worse, I was unmasked.”
”How? By whom? Kieran?”
”No, though I have a score to settle with that one. He shall have to wait his turn. There was another. A half-breed. The Nomad.”
Ankhor frowned. ”Sorak? Here?” Here?”
”You know of him?”
”We've met before,” said Ankhor.
”Oh, yes, of course,” said Edric. ”He stole that princess from your caravan.”
”Torian's loss, not mine,” said Ankhor dismissively. ”And the rash fool was stupid enough to give pursuit into the Barrens, which cost him his life. An inconvenience, as he was a valued trading partner, but a minor loss, all things considered. But Sorak's presence is a greater inconvenience, still.”
”An inconvenience,” said Edric wryly. ”How quaint. We lost over a score of our tribe, and you call it 'an inconvenience.'”
”I thought the Shadows were supposed to be masters of their craft,” said Ankhor scornfully. ”And over a score of them were brought down by mere caravan guards? Had I known your people were so inept, I would have spent my money elsewhere.”
”They were ambushed,” Edric said. ”You might have done better to rob your own caravan at a time when Kieran of Draj was not there to take command. He knows his trade, that one. He laid a brilliant trap. Your money was well spent in hiring him. But your timing in having him on that particular caravan left something to be desired.”
”I could not control his movements,” Ankhor said. ”When I discovered he was coming on that caravan, it was already too late to change the plan.”
”And so we paid the price for it,” said Edric bitterly. With his right hand, he refilled his goblet and drained it in one gulp. ”Still, but for that elfling, the plan might have succeeded. What makes it truly galling is that I was the one who told them when the attack would come. I had no choice. To resist would have been suicide, and I was not prepared to give up yet. My people are very dissatisfied with me at the moment. And they are even less satisfied with you.”
”Is that a threat?” asked Ankhor.
”A statement of fact. I did not come here alone, in case you're thinking of doing something foolish,” Edric cautioned him. ”I have brought some of my people with me. If I do not return, they will see to it that all of Altaruk knows who it was who hired us to rob the caravan.”
”Very well,” said Ankhor. ”Let's get down to business. What do you want? Reparations for your losses? Name your price.”
Edric considered. ”Fifty thousand in gold.”
”Done,” said Ankhor. ”Anything else?”
Edric snorted. ”I should have asked for more. But yes, there is one more thing. I want the Nomad.”
Ankhor shrugged. ”Take him. He does not concern me.”
”I beg to differ,” Edric said. ”He happens to be yours.”
”Mine?” Ankhor frowned. ”What do you mean?”
”Kieran has hired him to be his lieutenant in your house guard,” Edric said. ”The two of them are thick as thieves, and it would be difficult to seize him while he is under your protection.”
Ankhor chuckled.
”You find that amusing?” asked Edric, scowling.
”Yes, frankly, I do,” said Ankhor. He smiled. ”The Nomad and I seem fated to cross paths in fascinating ways. The first time, it was to my benefit. The second, to my loss. But this time, there is more at stake. I do not want him getting in the way.”
”Then we will be pleased to take him off your hands,” said Edric. ”In addition to the gold, of course.”
”You will have your gold,” said Ankhor with thinly veiled contempt. ”As for Sorak, I will make it easy for you. I'll greet the caravan when it arrives, as a show of grat.i.tude for his a.s.sistance in foiling the attack. To prove I hold no grudge against him for the royal twit, I will offer him the use of one of our apartments in the shopkeeper's quarter. It is on the Street of Clothiers, above the shop of Lorian the Bootmaker. The house is marked with the sign of a blue boot. The entrance to the stairs leading up to the apartment is through an alley to the right of the shop. I'll see to it that Kieran is otherwise engaged tonight, with the remainder of the house guard, so they cannot interfere. The rest is up to you. Will that be satisfactory?”
Edric pursed his lips and nodded. ”It will do.”
”Good. And though it is not my habit to give rewards for failure, I'll arrange a discreet payment of the gold, through our usual intermediaries, as a gesture of good faith. I expect no problems with the Shadows on any future s.h.i.+pments in my caravans. I do not expect to be seeing you again. Our business is concluded. Feel free to have another drink before you leave.”
Edric picked up the crystal decanter and carried it with him to the secret panel. ”Just see to it the gold is delivered promptly.”
”Of course,” said Ankhor. ”And in the event you should decide it is not enough to buy your silence, be mindful that any difficulties you may try to cause me will be countered by the full resources of the House of Ankhor. Should you renege on our agreement, within a month all of Athas will know the Shadows do not bargain in good faith.”
”A bargain is a bargain,” Edric said. ”But this has been a most unhappy business, all around. Good-bye, my lord.”
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