Hexadai, Week 48 – 27th Lufial, 20th Lufis 1210
Oedran – Medlars Close
IN OEDRAN, the streets were cooling down after the heat of the day. The men watching Gad were bored of the vigil; he’d given them nothing new for a fortnight. Wharfsratter, half-hidden by a stall in front of a shop, watched as Gad turned, caught his eye and gave a four-fingered wave, fading out of sight. Wharfsratter turned so the spot was in his peripheral vision. Nothing. Gad had disappeared. There wasn’t any sign of him. He swore so loudly that passers-by looked around and a voice admonished him from above.
Then Gad whispered in his ear, “Tut, tut, tut… you should be more careful,” as a dagger plunged between his ribs.
Blood poured from the wound and ran along the pavements into the gutter. With the last breath he held, Wharfsratter croaked, “Tell Lord Landis, now…” to a lady passing, as, with the last of his sight, he saw his companion, yards away, fall as well.
The passer-by screamed. People flocked to the spot. A yeoman calmed the hysterical woman. When she was in control of herself, he asked her if the dead man had said anything. When he heard the message, he glanced around. What was a street vagabond doing waving the name of a King’s Defender around like it was normal? His mind jumped to conclusions he never dreamed it could, more quickly than he liked to recall later.
He spotted a colleague walking towards the crowd and said, “Sort this out. Send the body to Lord Landis’, I think.”
He didn’t reply to his colleague’s confusion but simply hared off. They were on the opposite side of the city from the Landis House, and he had to somehow talk his way in and get to see the Lord of Oedran.
* * *
A footman answered his hurried ringing of the bell. Seeing the yeoman he said, “You should have gone round the back.”
The yeoman, panting, his hands on his knees, ignored the rebuke. “I must see Lord Landis. I’ve got a message from a dead man.” Even to his ears it sounded mad.
The footman reacted as though it was completely normal and stood aside. “Wait in the hall, please. I’ll see if His Lordship is busy. Your name?”
Rushton took it that he was invited in. He half stumbled into the entrance hall, unsure if he was glad to get the chance for a breather. A minute later, he was shown into the lord’s study.
Landis was obviously busy. “What’s the message, Rushton?”
“Tell you truth, sir, I’m uncertain. A dying man, stabbed through the ribs, said to a witness ‘Tell Lord Landis, now’. That’s as much as I know.”
Landis’ concern was easy to read. “When and where was this?”
“Quarter of an hour ago or more, in the Teran lordship, in the mouth of an alley called Medlars Close, m’lord.”
“Shit! Right, catch…” Landis tossed the man two darl. “Keep your mouth shut about this. Really shut. My servants will show you out and thank you for your promptitude.”
Perplexed by the abrupt dismissal, Rushton said, “Right, m’lord. Erm… thank you.”
Before the man had even left the room, Landis was in a link with Wynfeld.
The captain said, “Mine was killed too. We’ve lost him and I’d bet we’ve been led a dance for weeks.”
“I’ll inform the King.”
Wynfeld swallowed. “We should have anticipated this. Tell His Majesty I’ll resign my commission.”
“No, you bloody well won’t, Wynfeld, and that’s an order. Stop being melodramatic and get every man you possibly can onto finding Gad. There’re more major events in the next week than the rest of the year put together. Sicla! Their Highnesses are due to arrive from Ceardlann any time now.”
Wynfeld said, “Fitz is ill, here in Oedran. Last night he started throwing up; our doctor won’t let him out of bed.”
“Thank Alcis for that. The Comptroller won’t let them out of the valley without him. It’s the Guild Banquet. I’m going to be there, as is His Majesty. I’ll tell him there. He’s in a meeting with two of Scanlon’s supporters. There’s no way I’m barging into that and letting them know we’ve lost one of Scanlon’s men. Just make sure that His Majesty’s route is safe.”
Breaking the link, he saw a timepiece and swore again. He had thirty minutes to get to the Guildhall. Racing up to his private rooms, he ignored everyone he met en route. He flung on his official tunic and mantle with more haste than was normal. Even William ended up flustered. On second thoughts, Landis decided to warn Adeone before he left the Palace. Fully dressed, he contacted Richardson, who answered the messenger.
Landis was brusque. “We’ve lost Gad. Warn His Majesty.”
Richardson said calmly, “His Majesty left for the Guildhall early, my lord. He should have reached there half an hour ago.”
“Send a damned runner to his sergeant, go yourself or messenger him. Just make sure they know. I’m still at home. I’m about to set off for the Guildhall… Are Their Highnesses staying in the Rex Dallin?”
“As far as I knew they were coming here—”
“Fitz is ill. Check and get the Comptroller to keep them in the valley.”
Startled, Richardson nodded and Landis broke the link. He had quarter of an hour to reach the Guildhall. It was half the city away. He flung on his sword and raced to where Clodach was holding his horse. He ended up galloping most of the way, for once ignoring the fact Skit didn’t like crowds and urging him on as never before.
* * *
Landis reached the Guildhall at the same point as a runner from the Palace was leaving. He acknowledged the lad and later realised it was Sergeant Hillbeck’s nephew; the sergeant met him, looking grave.
Hillbeck said, “I’ve told them to check all invitations. That won’t help if the man’s already here or uses some other method to gain entry, but, with the King’s presence, there are palace guards here this evening. Merchant Chapa insisted on them.”
Landis blanched. “That’s no guarantee of anything, Hillbeck. Think back. The man has a guard’s tabard! Damn it. I should have issued a new one. Alcis, I’m a fool! He could be here and we wouldn’t know.”
“I would, sir. I’ve not spotted him yet. Trust me, I’ll be watching carefully, from all areas of my sight as well. I’ll tell the lads too. Everything will be fine, my lord.”
“I wish I could believe that, Hillbeck, but my gut is telling me something else entirely. I’ll inform the King. Where is he?”
“Talking with Merchant Chapa, my lord.”
Landis was gone. He knocked on the Chief Merchant’s door, walked in and bowed. Carefully, he said, “I’ve just seen Hillbeck, Sire…”
“How pleasant for both of you. Sit down and stop being official. I gave Hillbeck orders to be elsewhere. I’m hardly in danger here.” Adeone saw his face. “Well?”
“We’ve lost Gad, sir. He faded from sight and then killed two men watching him.”
“Great Alcis! Your timing couldn’t be worse!”
“Trust me, Sire, we’re doing everything we possibly can to find that man.” He inwardly prayed that Wynfeld was doing that. “I’m having every measure possible put around the building here tonight. Gad was lost about an hour and a quarter ago in the east of the city. I expect he disappeared to give himself time to plan whatever it is he’s planning.”
“Do what you can then think over what I’m likely to be saying to you all in the morning. That’s all.” Adeone sighed and turned back to the Chief Merchant. “Sorry about that, cousin.”
“I can cope, Your Majesty. There’s good men working on the problem you might say. Shall we go down to hall?”