Part 27 (1/2)
”Then what is it?” she deest we try a seance”
Her face went a touch funny, and her tone went flat ”A seance That'sit ?”
”As a way of contacting Anton; then he can tell us what to do”
”Unless he's too busy being tortured by demons to hear”
”There's that, but if he's not, then I think he is most likely to be in the best position to advise us on a suitable course of action The advantage of a seance is that one does not require icis a help Otherwise there is a chance that whatever answers our call to the Otherside ht not be Anton I've heard soood at imitation and misdirection
Since they're not subject to the laws of ti a Talent on this side who can tell the difference between the overduke and an astral impostor would be handy”
”Yes, I see what youaround Ru the hell-riverexcept for Filiht occured to Cad Botello?”
”Filima? Don't be absurd, she has more sense”
He was suitably abashed Ofcourse his darling wouldn't dirty her hands with Botello's sche her in” ”But the curfew's on What do we say at the gate? 'Excuse ency seance to conduct, let us through, please' ”
”Dear lady, we have the palace doctor with us He has no need to explain himself Just ask him to toddle over to Dars Or not explaining things She ht find them difficult to believe just written out cold You can tell her everything when she gets here And I would strongly recoot the impression he was none too pleased with his wife-er-, that is to say If he sawher he et the wind up”
”Don't worry, I kno to handle him”
”But it's not the him you know! Not Anton He's Botello”
”He's a man I kno they work”
Cadue need to defend his gender, but so long as she was lending a hand to the cause what did ither down here”
”Here? Why?”
”Out of consideration for Captain Rockbush He won't let e place to hold a seance,” she muttered
”Indeed, they are rather more associated with candlelit parlors, but onebefore Botello takes it into his head to chopmine off”
”You think he would do that?”
”At the earliest opportunity”
”Why didn't he kill you when he had you in the Black Room?”
”I wondered myself until I reies of death A lot gets released and transfor me there would have disrupted whatever power construct he set up He h alone for thefor dahen the Talents coaze flicked at Rockbush She leaned closer ”There's a little proble the doctor to fetch Filima”
”Which is?”
”I already sent him out to warn the Talents not to coency loophole, too” Cadmus had intended to recommend it at some point
”Uh-huh” ”Well, that was very clever of you, but deuced bad ti I don't suppose you could slip out of the palace and fetch her yourself?”
”If I have some help”
”I'd offer estured at his cell
She straightened and turned ”I'll ask for the captain's assistance”
As she spoke in such a way as to indicate he was now a part of the conversation, Rockbush relaxed his ”I'” posture ”Yes, lady?”
Velma told him she required an escort to take her to Darmo House
He smiled and nodded ”I'll be pleased to see to it ht”
She did not look overly surprised ”You must be aware that I need to leave now”
”Sorry, lady, but the overduke's curfew is on Until he revokes it, or gives you a writ of exception, I have to follow h ”damn I suppose you do Even if the overduke is really so his body?”
”Not ht be able to help you if you're reluctant to speak with Lord Anton”
”What a estion, but Lord Perdle is not in the palace”
”It is a bit of a dilemma, lady” He was not unsympathetic in his manner, just tied by the restrictions of his office
But Cadh ”Oh, bother! Let's have the seance here and now and take our chances You know Anton well enough to tell the difference between him and an Otherside entity, don't you?”
”Yes,” said Velma ”But since Botello is involved we really should have Filis She needs to knohat her husband is up to I'll just have to go e, lady,” the captain reates without one”
”And if I should avoid the gates and sneak over the wall?” she challenged
”Then they would have to arrest you Sorry, lady, but they have their orders”
”Yes, one must have those, mustn't one? damn and blast! Out of my way!” She stormed toward the door