"Only if the man had actually swung for it," countered Oston, swinging his booted feet up onto the bed linen.
"Just thinking about that case disgusts me," replied Sallis. "And take your feet off my bed."
"All right, so you and Vayburn aren't exactly firm friends." Oston sat upright, feet now firmly on the floor. "Want me to hurry the Guard up a little? Get you interviewed so we can go and see Re Annan?"
"Please do. And while you're doing that, I'll unpack."
A grinning Oston took the hint, made his excuses, and left.
***
Chapter 6 - The Interview
Oston had called Sallis's new room a dive, but the same could not be said about the rest of Lyane's home. Her other guests were peddlers and small merchants, people who passed through regularly and rarely stayed long. But who also returned again and again. Lyane and her staff kept the entire building spotless and Sallis suspected his room had been offered free thanks only to relative neglect.
Perhaps once it had been used for storage.
Two young men named Aul and Chom, who might have been relatives, ran Lyane's stable block. Lyane did explain the link, but lost Sallis after a few moments. Cousins of cousins, he thought they might be, through her late husband's mother's side. Something like that, anyway.
Lyane also employed a cook named Ronnard, a middle-aged man Sallis suspected might be more than just an employee. There were also Jelina and Manelle, housemaids who claimed to be sisters, but who obviously weren't, and a sad-faced infertile sylph introduced as Rena. The sylph stared at him like he had sprouted a second head and fled immediately she learned his name.
Lyane smiled at Rena's reaction. "You have earned a reputation, young man," she told him.
Sallis thought the sylph had more likely sensed his Gift, and that had frightened her away. He doubted if sylphs would fear someone who helped uphold the law.
Sallis spent the rest of that day kicking his heels in his new room, hoping to be interviewed soon, but Oston did not return until the next morning, wearing uniform.
"Captain Elleyn will interview you today," he said. "Now might be good."
"The top man himself. I'm honored." Sallis's smile never reached his eyes.
"And this is my last watch," added Oston. "I'm officially on leave, so I can come and see Re Annan. Unless Elleyn arrests you as a murderer instead."
"Very funny." Sallis grimaced. "But knowing how the Guard so often conducts its business, that wouldn't surprise me in the slightest."
Oston ignored the dig and led Sallis through Marka's streets and to the main gatehouse.
"Crallin's not involved, is he?" asked Sallis, before they went inside.
Oston grinned. "He's at the west gate. Well out of your way."
Led deeper into the guardhouse, Sallis ignored those who gave him curious looks, though most must know why he was here. Movement caught his attention and he turned just in time to see a familiar female sylph quickly step back out of sight.
Oston rapped at a door, didn't wait for an answer and stepped inside.
"Sallis ti Ath," he announced.
"Send him in," said Elleyn.
Oston opened the door wide. "On your own from here," he murmured to Sallis.
"I'll survive," retorted the younger man, before going inside.
"Sallis," Elleyn greeted him, "come and sit."
The room was sparse, with a table and two chairs. Two mugs sat beside an alovak can on the table. A small stack of paper secured with a string tag sat to one side. A pen rested beside a jar of ink. Sallis took the chair opposite the commander of Marka's City Guard.
"Thank you for seeing me so quickly," said Sallis.
"I know you're addicted to this stuff," said Elleyn, hefting the alovak can and pouring out two mugs.
Captain Elleyn sat in his shirt and breeches, jacket slung casually across the back of his chair, four golden knots of rank showing on one shoulder. His dark hair was noticeably graying, and receding from his forehead. Unlike most other native Markans, Elleyn's eyes were a pale blue, and he regarded Sallis with a friendly air.
Sallis thanked the captain for the alovak and gestured toward it. "I take it you believe I'm not the guilty party."
Elleyn shook his head. "Two of my men on the walls were watching you fight more of my men. Not even you can be in two places at the same time."
"Unfortunately," muttered Sallis. "It would be a useful skill."
"Well, I have to see you," continued Elleyn, "despite all the good work you've done for us. A mere formality, of course."
Sallis tried not to grind his teeth. "Nobody can be above suspicion in these cases," he said, aloud.
"Luckily for you, we have witnesses who spoke to Ulena after you left that morning, and even your friend Crallin says he saw you at his guardhouse. So we know you weren't there."
"But," said Sallis.
Elleyn sighed. "Yes, but. We cannot find any motive why anyone would want to do this. The family had no enemies-"
"I have," interrupted Sallis. "Whoever did this wanted to get at me."
His fingers closed around the scrap of cloth and he fought tears as he remembered Pelim, indecently arranged on his bed.
Elleyn kept his voice gentle. "They've always come for you before now. Nobody in that family even remotely looks like you."
"I know."
Elleyn took a careful swallow of his alovak before sitting back in his chair. "When I was a young guardsman, we had a maniac on the loose. He murdered people for absolutely no other reason than for fun. Some sort of lunacy affected him. He was a frenzied killer, which is how we eventually managed to catch him. But he only ever killed one person at a time. I must ask: if this is aimed at you, why kill all of them?"
Sallis silently thanked Elleyn for not mentioning Pelim by name.
"That's what I would love to discover," he said.
Elleyn leaned forward again. He took one sheet of paper, covered with handwritten notes. "This official documentation clears you of involvement," he said. "It contains witness statements and only requires your signature. All the original documents are in here." His hand rested on the small stack. "You are free to read them all before you sign."
"Yes please," said Sallis, holding out his hand.
Elleyn blinked before pushing the papers across the desk.
"Oston tells me he is traveling to Re Annan with you," he said, making conversation as Sallis began to read.
"That's right," grunted the bounty-hunter, speed-reading the papers.
"I know you must have the killer's trail," said Elleyn, quietly.
"Senator Olista refused to grant me the commission," replied Sallis, as he turned the sheets over. He saw nothing to deter him from signing.
"So he did, so he did." Elleyn took another swallow of alovak. "I'd be very surprised if the killer is still in Marka."
"Me too." Sallis lifted his alovak mug and drained it. "This looks fine; I'll sign."
Elleyn pushed the pen and ink across. "We'll probably never find him," he continued.
Sallis dipped the pen and signed his name. "Probably not." He blew on the wet ink, encouraging it to dry quicker.
"A young man," said Elleyn, "romantically involved with the daughter of a family he lives with. People he has grown to respect and perhaps even love. Then someone comes along and slaughters them. Just to make a point. And you're merely going home?"
"That's right." Sallis forced a smile, hoping all his rage and grief remained hidden. "I didn't get the commission, so I'm going home to sulk. Are we done here?"
Elleyn smiled back, though it didn't touch his pale eyes. "We are, Sallis ti Ath, and thank you for your time."
Sallis nodded. He stood, turned and reached for the door handle.
"Whatever you do," said Elleyn, hands clasped before him on the table, "don't bring him back here."
Sallis looked over his shoulder. "I don't know who you mean." Despite his words, he saw disbelief in the other man's pale blue eyes
.
"You know very well to whom I refer." Elleyn's smile had gone now. "Good luck, Sallis."
The younger man nodded and left the room. Free to go, he strode towards the door out from the guardhouse. He paused and opened his mouth to ask for his sword back, but he quickly grew aware of strengthening sinabra, the natural odor sylphs emitted. He'd forgotten the familiar sylph he'd espied on his way in.
"I'll pick the sword up in a few minutes," he said.
The old sergeant at the desk nodded.
Sallis turned. "Hello, Geyn," he said.
"Donenya," Geyn acknowledged him. "Anya would like to see you."
"Now?"
The sylph nodded, strands of silver hair on her earpoints swaying as her head moved. "She is through here."
"All right." He followed Geyn through to another small room, where a woman with light brown hair and sparkling sapphire blue eyes waited.
"Hello Sallis," she said, "come and join me. Only for a few moments."
"Sandev." Sallis inclined his head. This close, he could sense the Gift from her and wondered how Geyn managed to tolerate it. Or perhaps she had grown used to the feeling that usually caused sylphs so much discomfort.
Though Sallis was also Gifted, few shared his particular talents, and even fewer wished to associate with him. Sandev tolerated his presence in her city, but after one meeting when he first arrived in Marka, she had never actively sought him out.
Sallis took the chair beside her.
"I am sorry for your loss," said Sandev.
"Did you See it coming?"
"No." Some of the light left Sandev's eyes.
"You came here just to pass on your condolences?" Sallis rarely saw any reason to be overly polite with the Gifted who, in his opinion, were tainted with more than a little hypocrisy.
Geyn bristled at the rudeness towards her owner.
Sandev looked away and back again. "You're going after the killer," she said.
"I'm going home."
"Good," muttered Geyn. "Insolent boy."
A small smile showed on Sandev's lips. "All right. The reason I came to see you is because you've come to the Malefic Sephiroth's attention."
"Oh? Isn't it a bit late for them to try and recruit me?"
"Sadly, it's never too late for that," replied Sandev. "If only it were so. But you must be especially vigilant. Why they've chosen now to take a closer look at you, I have no idea."
"How do you know they're looking at me now?"
"Not only the City Guard have spies," replied Sandev. "My own network is extensive."
"Are they responsible for the deaths of my friends?" Pelim. He forced away the tears threatening to surface.
Sandev shrugged. "I wish I could give you the answer you need, but they are usually more subtle. It's possible they are involved somehow."
Either way, I'll be finding out soon enough, reflected Sallis, again touching the small square of cloth in his pocket. "Why are you so concerned for me?"
"You're one of us," replied Sandev. "Why wouldn't I be concerned?"
"I've felt like one of you ever since I arrived here." Sallis failed to keep a trace of bitterness from his voice.
"Now you're acting like a sulky boy," remarked Sandev, outwardly unruffled. "Naturally, we have let you run your own way; nobody I'm aware of completely shares your talents. But to suggest you've been sidelined, forgotten about or excluded is unfair."
"You weren't around when my friends were getting butchered," countered Sallis.
Sandev winced. "If only I could be there for everybody," she said. "But not even the best of us can See everything, and much of what we do See are things that might happen should a particular course be followed."
"I forget that you have no control at all."
"The Malefic Sephiroth exists to confuse, obscure, sabotage and disrupt everything we do. Can you think of any reason why your adoptive family had to die?"
"To get at me," replied Sallis.
Geyn gave him a sympathetic look and her earpoints wilted.
"To provoke a reaction," said Sandev.
They'll be getting one of those soon enough, reflected Sallis.
"It is unlikely that I could have Seen this, even had I wanted to."
Sallis nodded. "It's my own fault," he mumbled. "I ought to have moved more often. I should never have gotten so emotionally involved."
Sandev gave him a sharp look. "Do not say 'never' again," she cautioned him, "or you will lose part of your humanity."
Sallis said nothing to that.
Sandev stood.
"I wish you the best of luck for the future," she said. "Safe journey home."
Sallis nodded.
At the door, Sandev turned back to face him. "Don't lose yourself," she said. "They will find a way to exploit you. Be on your guard at all times."
"I'll pass on your best wishes to Elvallon," said Sallis.
Sandev smiled. "Of course you will."
***
Chapter 7 - Leaving Marka
Freed from the stables after a couple of days, Glyder pranced for a few moments before settling down. The horse could barely contain his excitement as he eyed weapons and bedroll, panniers and spare blankets, all of which spoke of a long journey ahead.
Finally satisfied that everything was as it should be, Sallis swung up into the saddle, the hood of his long brown cloak pushed back from his face. He managed a small smile at Oston's attempts to clamber onto his black gelding.
"Try swinging your leg over the saddle," he said, helpfully.
Oston growled something unintelligible.
"You didn't have this trouble last time we rode out," remarked Sallis. "Are you getting fatter?"
"It's Hammer getting taller," Oston snapped back. "He's still a growing horse."
"Aye, and you're still a growing lad," said bald Jerret, leaning on his spear, "except Hammer's growing upwards and you're growing outwards."
The guardsmen beside the gate burst out laughing.
Sallis remained silent. Perhaps Hammer had grown some, but he could hardly tell the difference. The gelding's mane and tail, both with a reddish tint, had been braided.
"Ready Oston?" he asked.
Oston, red-faced through exertion or anger or both, nodded. "Lead on."
Sallis rode Glyder out through the south gate. As soon as they were clear, Oston brought Hammer alongside Glyder.
"Nobody believes you're going to Re Annan," said Oston.
"I noticed."
Now free of the city, Sallis took deep breaths of cleaner air and looked around. Most fields here were given over to arable crops, the first shoots already pushing through the dark soil. Pigs, sheep and cattle wandered across fallow land on the other side of the road. Forest-cloaked hillsides, the source of Marka's wood, surrounded the farmland except to the south.
"Hardly recognize that place," said Sallis, nodding towards the remains of a building.
"Mermack's," said Oston, as if Sallis did not already know. "He moved back into the city."
Little more than the foundations remained of Senator Mermack's villa, with most of the stone carted away for new buildings elsewhere. Sallis felt a twinge of sadness; after all, he had caught the trail that eventually established his reputation here.
A thief had been driving Marka's plutocrats insane with fear for their wealth, and Sallis had been set on his trail after a murder at one rich man's villa. Then the thief robbed Mermack's out-of-town villa: one last crime before heading south for home and safety.
And, for the first time, Sallis had found something belonging to that thief, which ultimately led to his capture. Better for him - but worse for the City Guard - he then knew for sure that thief and murderer were two people, and not one.
And because men like Vayburn of the City Guard were prepared to lump theft and murder together, Sallis ended up protecting the thief from a noose, and cleared his name of the murder charge.
Not that Kein had ever showed much gratitude for
the service.
"Wonder if it was that Kein," said Oston, as they passed the abandoned villa. "He did threaten you with revenge."
"Not his style," replied Sallis. "If he came after me, then mayhap, but not... not them."
"Maybe Pusila's family?" pressed Oston.
"I'm sure they would have acted before now," replied Sallis. "Besides, they are all in Marka, and we are out here."
"Only because you're going home," said Oston. He turned in his saddle to look back at Marka, already seeming to shrink as they moved away. Small dots showed where people entered and left the city. He turned back and his eyes narrowed. "You're following a trail!"
Sallis almost smiled.
Oston shook his head. "You aren't going home to Re Annan at all. You're going after the killer!"
Sallis shrugged. "Maybe."
"What did you take from the room?" Oston shook his head again. "You took something after you promised me you wouldn't!"
"This." Sallis flourished the small piece of cloth. "He pinned it to my board, and wrote me another message."
"Which you erased." Accusation thickened Oston's voice.
"Yes. The Guard has not always been open with me, so now it's my turn to return the favor."
"What did the message say?" Oston grinned at the prospect of a new chase.
"Come and get me," replied Sallis.
"So you are going after him?"
Sallis gave his companion a wolfish grin. "What do you think?"
He turned to look ahead again, and pulled the hood of his brown cloak forward to obscure his face.
Touching heels to Glyder's flanks, he leaned forward as the horse broke into a gallop.
Oston thinned his lips before copying Sallis's lead and urging Hammer to catch the other horse.
He'd known. Everybody had known. No way could Sallis just walk away from whoever murdered friends who had looked after him the past three years.
The chase was on.
***
Chapter 8 - Riding South
Oston reined Hammer to a halt, leaned on his pommel and gestured with his free hand. Trees and small copses dotted the scrubby land, grazed by semi-feral goats and sheep.
"Calcan road's along that way," he said.
"I know." Sallis smiled as he rode slowly past the turn, only a little less rutted than the road south.
"So we're off to Istwan?" Oston grinned at Sallis's cloaked back. "Sure we're not after Kein?"
"Kein doesn't come from Istwan," replied Sallis. "And like I said, I'm not after him. Thieving from families is his style, not murdering them."