Numerous pairs of eyes bored in. Hecht asked the question. “When did you see Kait Rhuk?” When no answer was forthcoming, “I distinctly recall telling you, more than once, not to leave the house.”
Heris reminded them of her presence. “I can provide a convincing demonstration, Piper. It’s one reason Grandfather sent me.” She produced a shiny brown mahogany dowel an inch in diameter and eighteen long. She found the center of the room, lifted the piece of wood overhead, closed her eyes, and began turning. And singing in a bad voice, words in something like Church Brothen. The mahogany dowel wiggled, wobbled, and writhed.
It vanished in an eye-searing scarlet flash. Two more flashes followed quickly, then one sharp little crack of thunder.
Hecht’s eyes adjusted. Three black silhouettes now decorated three different walls, each near a corner of the room. The shapes were knee-high, nearly as wide, vaguely humanoid but without necks, demonic by the standards of every present or formerly held religion of those in the room.
Something more tangible lay a step behind Hecht. Twenty pounds of already rotting, greenish meat, shedding ribbons of lime steam. Severed extremities, shiny and lizard-belly yellow, lay scattered around the odiferous mass.
Heris said, “Pella, this is what we’re dealing with. The least dangerous of it. When you go out unprotected, things like these go with you. Some could make you look like that green mess if their master ordered it. Like this.” She snapped her fingers. “Piper, you just witnessed a triumph of technical education over an absence of talent. The old people can make a monkey over into a deadly weapon.”
Hecht gave Pella a hard, promising look, but asked Heris, “Why are you here? And how did those things get into the house? I thought the Principaté charmed the entrances against the Night.”
“There are ways to ride somebody through the wards. If that somebody is in a hurry and doesn’t take precautions. Pella.”
Hecht said, “Pella, out there it just might be something a whole lot nastier. Something that could kill you before you knew it was there.”
Noë Consent said, “Titus, we have to talk. When we get home.”
That did not sound promising. Hecht said, “You haven’t told me why you’re here, Heris.”
“That was part of it. Clearing the vermin.”
“Please.”
“The same reason I always come here when you’re in town. I’m Grandfather’s messenger. This time, besides getting the bugs out of Anna’s house, he wants me to warn you that you’re about to hear from Serenity. He wants you to be careful. The other old man has gone away again. Though he did sow some confusion before he left.”
As she talked Heris turned slowly, pointing her stick at every corner and shadow. And at Titus, his wife, and all the children. She did not care who might be offended.
Following the path blazed by her surviving male ancestors.
“Nothing got away when I came in. Anna, let’s take a quick look around. There may be more. Pella. Stay away from that.”
Dazed, Anna left the room with Heris. The children and Consents had sense enough to stay put. Titus asked, “What was all that?”
“You saw everything I did.”
Timid Noë wrung her hands, gathered her brood, and looked to the men for a cue.
Hecht said, “Pella. Do I have to strap you to get you to leave things alone?”
“I just wanted to see.”
“And what would there be to see if you’d done as you were told? You let those things in when you came back. Boy, there can be real consequences …”
Fierce red light. A crack! that rattled the house. A roar of rage and agony. Anna squealed in terror in the kitchen.
Hecht and Consent headed that way. As though there might be something they could do that Heris could not.
The blonde appeared. “That will be all of them. That was the big one.” She stepped aside, glared at Pella. It was plain there were things she wanted to say but could not in front of the Consents. “Grandfather will send someone to clean up. He’ll probably come himself, to fix it so this can’t happen again.” Pella had begun to wilt. “I’d clean up myself but … He’ll want better information than I can give. Being just a messenger.”
“You did have a reason for coming?”
“I told you. He suspected the kind of problem I just corrected. And he wanted you to know things are happening inside Krois. That you’ll be seeing Serenity and should be careful when you do.”
Hecht was sure there was more but Heris would not broach it in front of Titus.
She said, “Go comfort Anna. Don’t whip Pella. Just make him sit watch on the thing in the kitchen. Sense might penetrate.” She went out the front door into a bright morning. Carefully.
***
Anna was badly rattled. She stood in a corner of the kitchen, hands clasped between her breasts, staring at a mess like that in the other room but five times its size. It was evaporating. It stank. Hecht wondered if it would be all right to open a window.
Best not. Not till an expert said it was safe.
Anna sounded like a frightened little girl when she asked, “How could that thing be invisible? And not make any noise or smells?” Then, more focused and more determined, “I can’t live like this, Piper.” After a pause, “These things happen because you’re you. And they only happen when you’re here.”
Probably not strictly true but he did not argue. “I won’t be long. I can move to the Castella. If that will make you more comfortable.”
He watched Anna struggle to behave like an adult. She wanted to scream at him for being willing to desert her. Even though she had told him that having him around was intolerable. Only a short time after telling him that she refused to leave this place for any other. Even if moving put her beyond reach of those inclined to deploy the Instrumentalities of the Night against her.
Anna took deep breath after deep breath. Her color improved. The ugliness of anger faded. He knew she wanted him to utter some magic words that would close the situation neatly. He remained silent. This was outside his expertise. He had a Sha-lug’s sense of being a fragment of a larger instrument. He took what was given and did not look beyond. Otherwise, God might find him guilty of hubris.
Anna said, “We’re all counters in a game. We don’t get many choices, however much we whine about the injustice. I’ve never regretted following you here. But sometimes I do miss the quiet old life.”
Hecht took her into his arms. It felt good, having her there. Felt good having put together this makeshift family from human spindrift, all flotsam like himself. Though he had found a blood family of his own, as well.
“We still have company, Piper.”
But not for long. Noë Consent had had all the excitement one timid woman dared enjoy in one morning. Titus was apologetic as he followed his wife to the street.
Hecht told him, “I understand, Titus. If I was Noë and had three knee-highs to worry about, I wouldn’t want to be around me, either. Well. Look at this.”
Principaté Delari’s coach was approaching, surrounded by outriders armed with firepowder weapons. They wore smoldering slow matches on their hats.
Consent grumbled, “How the hell did he get here so fast?”
“Has to have been on his way.”
Titus eyed him suspiciously. He did not buy that. Not whole, though it had to be true. Something was going on. He was not trusted enough to be taken inside.
“There’s that thing called need to know, Titus.”
“I understand.” But he was not happy. He considered coach and outriders. “They do say he’s a wizard. And he knew there were eavesdropper entities on the premises.”
“He is a wizard. And a damned sight more scary one than people realize. I’ll keep you posted on my plans.”
“Be careful. I really don’t want to look for another job.”
“A vote of confidence. Excellent.” Hecht surveyed the street, checking for gawkers interested in Anna Mozilla’s house. What he saw
startled him. Two of his old bodyguards were hanging around up the way, trying to be inconspicuous.
They were not doing a clever job of it.
Was he still under the protection of the Brotherhood? If so, why? The castellans, the masters of the commanderies, and the overlords over in Runch, they all liked their Patriarchs driven. They had that kind of a man in charge, now. Except that Serenity’s obsession was not the Holy Lands.
“Piper? Are you lost in the next world?”
He blinked. Heris’s face was just a foot away. And there was Titus looking back, clearly wondering how the blonde could be riding with Principaté Delari. “No. I’m lost in this one.”
The Eleventh Unknown, with help from his coachman, had descended and started for the house. Bent and taking small steps.
Hecht asked, “What happened to him?”
“Nothing. Protective coloration. The world doesn’t need to know how spry he is. Especially the part that lives inside Krois.”
“I understand. They’ll be more patient if they think he’s on the brink.”
Delari straightened up as soon as the door closed. He considered the members of the household. He did not appear to be in a good mood. The look he gave Pella made the boy cringe. Nor was there the customary gentle indulgence when he considered Vali and Lila. “You girls go do whatever you’d be doing if I wasn’t here. Pella. You’ll clean up the mess you caused.” He indicated the green meat. “Starting now!” when Pella opened his mouth to protest.
The boy did not know what he should do or where he should start. Heris took him by the ear and headed for the kitchen.
Delari stared at Anna so long she finally demanded, “What?”
“Are you ready to move to the safety of the town house?”
“What? No! This is my home.”
“I can’t protect you here. You’re too far away.”
“I don’t need protecting if Piper isn’t here. And he’s about to run off to Alten Weinberg.”
“If those are the facts you perceive, then I bow to your superior feminine wisdom. It’s Piper who concerns me, anyway. I offer friendship and protection because you’re important to him. It’s not something I do lightly. Neither will I argue. You want to be on your own, so be it.”
Anna considered Delari with always big, dark eyes gone huge.
Pella stumbled through, headed for the front door. He lugged a chamber pot filled with reeking demon flesh. Heris opened the door.
Delari said, “I won’t argue with you, either, Piper. You stay at the town house for the rest of your visit. Stop! That wasn’t a request. That was a statement of fact. That’s the way it’s going to be. Don’t waste your breath.”
Piper Hecht chose to avoid a squabble. For the moment. This would be one he could not win without losing the Principaté, too. And it made sense. Assuming he still had enemies. Say, someone so powerful he sent Night things to spy in Anna’s house.
Hecht caught Anna’s eye, glanced at the meat pile not far from where he stood. That thing had come in with Pella, not with Piper Hecht.
She would come around. He hoped.
Though feeling fierce, Anna also saw a fight she could not win. She left the room to see what the girls had found to do.
Pella trudged back in with an empty chamber pot. He started on the mess in the front room.
Principaté Delari heard Hecht’s report on events, remarked, “The balance has tilted slightly in our favor. For the moment.”
“I don’t understand.”
Delari shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. So long as you exercise due caution. Now. You’re going to be summoned by Serenity. Expect him to be unpleasant and verbally abusive without burning his bridges. I want to use your visit to get around his security precautions.”
“You know he won’t let me in with anything dangerous.”
“It won’t be anything dangerous. Just the kind of things Heris rooted out here. Pella! That boy is dogging it, Piper. He needs a little more direct encouragement.”
“He’s a kid. It’s what they do at that age.”
Delari grunted. “May be. I don’t remember ever being that young.”
Heris and Pella returned from another trip to the gutter. Pella lugged the chamber pot. Heris carried a covered stoneware dish. She handled it like it was hot. “Are you ready for this, Grandfather?”
“Yes. Set it on that stand.”
She did that. Delari removed the lid. Fragrant steam rolled up.
“Damn! That smells good!” Hecht said. He leaned into the steam.
The dish looked to be something featuring lamb and rice, with red beans, fragments of vegetable, seasoned heavily with garlic and fennel and something less familiar.
Delari said, “This would be some of Mrs. Creedon’s best work.” He took a packet from a pocket, added what looked like a dozen dried button mushrooms. He stirred those in with a wooden spoon presented by Heris. “We’ll let this set a minute.” Heris replaced the lid. Delari continued, “I’m sure Anna has fed you up just fine. You’ve filled out some already. But when I tell you, you should gobble this down. The mushrooms are particularly important.”
“Why?”
“I’ll explain when you get back. Also, we need to get Grandfather’s amulet off you before you head out. That’s the sort of thing they’ll be looking for. Bronte Doneto is already suspicious because you’ve survived so much. We’ll reinstall it when you get back. Be especially careful while you’re doing without.”
Hecht had a library of questions but got no chance to ask them.
“Time to eat.” Delari lifted the stoneware lid. Heris proffered a tin spoon. Pella slumped past, grumbling because he had to do all the work.
A clatter rose outside, the Principaté’s coach leaving hurriedly. Heris spun sideways and disappeared. She rotated back into being seconds later. Anna and the children gawked like that was something new. Heris said, “The Patriarchal messenger is just a few blocks off, Grandfather. Let’s get busy. The watchers out there need to forget seeing anything after Lieutenant Consent left.”
“Right. Do what you can while I deal here. Piper. Be honest with the Patriarch. But don’t volunteer anything. Make him work to find out anything. Eat, damnit! Those mushrooms. And stick your left hand out here so I can get that amulet off. Anna. You and the girls need to come in here for a second.”
***
The pounding on Anna’s door bespoke arrogance. Bewildered, Anna answered it. She suffered that confusion one has after hastening into a room to do something, then not being able to remember what. The children had the same confused air.
Piper Hecht occupied his customary chair. He shared the confusion. Something had happened but he was not sure what. He rubbed his left wrist. It felt odd. Moist, too. And it itched.
A mild stomach cramp startled him. He belched.
The man at the door was being unpleasant to Anna. Hecht went over, pushed children aside, moved Anna, smacked the man squarely in the nose. “Pella, bring my sword. And a rag for the blood.” He wore a short sword when he was out and about. Though the blade had seen action, it was more symbol than substance.
Anna begged, “Don’t start anything, Piper.”
“I won’t, sweet. Much. Except for this asshole. Who seems to have lost the manners his mother taught him.” The deliberate use of “asshole” was more likely to get the man’s attention than the pop in the snot locker. All Brothe knew that the Captain-General — emeritus, now — used bad language only when extremely provoked. “Or can we expect those manners to improve, Mr. Silo?”
Hecht knew the man, barely. Deepened Silo. Related to the new Patriarch. An ambitious thug with none of the skills necessary to get where he thought he deserved to go. He had been rejected by the Brotherhood, had enjoyed a three-week career with the Patriarchal forces of Captain-General Piper Hecht, then had been asked to leave the constabularii of the City Regiment after failing to shine there. Family connections were all he had.
None of his pr
oblems, of course, were his own fault.
Hecht wondered what Silo was doing working for Serenity, family or no. Bronte Doneto seldom let sentiment ignore incompetence.
Silo was, undoubtedly, scheduled to become a throwaway in some underhanded scheme.
“Do I have your attention, Mr. Silo? Or shall I break something else?”
Venom sloshed behind Deepened Silo’s eyes. There would be paybacks for this humiliation. But, right now, he just wanted the pain not to get any bigger.
“Yes, sir. No, sir. I was just …”
Hecht drew back, ready to indulge himself again.
“Sir, the Patriarch sent me to bring you to see him. He wants to consult you. In person.”
Curiously put. A summons, but just slightly soft.
“Is that so? Then I’d better get going.” He strapped on the sword that Pella handed him. He tested the ease of its draw. As encouragement to Mr. Silo. “Thank you, son.”
***
An interesting journey, that to Krois. The Patriarch’s men had not come with a coach or horses. They walked, soaking up the morning sun. The Patriarch wanted to deliver a message to the rabble. Hecht did not think they were getting the one Serenity intended. He saw anger over what appeared to be the arrest of a hero.
So. Maybe Bronte Doneto felt threatened by Piper Hecht the way Gordimer the Lion had felt threatened by Else Tage.
Everywhere he looked, along the way, Hecht saw a tall, hard-eyed blonde watching from the shadows. Silo and his henchmen failed to notice.
Heris must have made herself familiar with every inch of Brothe.
Absent his amulet, Hecht felt countless focal points of malice, low-grade concentrations of the Night he would not have noticed normally. His companions, though, sensed nothing at all, or just ignored what was there.
Must be something to do with Cloven Februaren’s amulet.
What was that old man up to these days?
***
Hecht was searched and checked and found free of both offensive and defensive weapons and sorceries. During the process he belched twice, massively. That problem had grown steadily during the walk to Krois. He belched again, violently, as he entered the Patriarchal presence.