“Look out the window,” smiled Fisher.
Lord Marak gazed out the window. The view of the front of the palace was over the roofs of the other houses on the block. He nodded in appreciation.
“There is more,” smiled Fisher. “The building used to stretch through to the next street, but a merchant divided it and had a tavern put in the other half.”
“So the broker mentioned,” nodded Lord Marak.
“They closed up everything that connects the two except the basement,” Fisher continued. “That door is merely locked on both sides.”
“How does that help me?” asked Lord Marak.
“It allows you to have people come and go without being seen,” grinned Fisher. “I have already talked to the tavern owner. He is old and willing to sell his business. If you could arrange for a free man to buy the tavern business, it would never be tied to you.”
“And spies could go to the tavern and end up in my home,” nodded Lord Marak. “That does have merit.”
“There is also an unimpeded view of the rear of the palace from above the tavern,” added Fisher. “Right now the tavern owner lives above the tavern. The two floors above him are empty and unused. You could modify the structure so that your upper floors ran across the whole building and no one would be the wiser.”
“Meaning we could house several cortes comfortably in a house that appears to be only capable of holding two squads,” grinned Lord Marak. “I should never doubt your analysis, Fisher. This building will do splendidly.”
“What about its location, though?” questioned Gunta. “A member of the Lords’ Council is expected to live much finer than this. Won’t that cause the other lords to not take you seriously?”
“It would,” frowned Lord Marak. “While I would normally not care how I am viewed, this election to the Lords’ Council requires a few changes on my part.”
“There is more than one lord who has multiple residences in Khadoratung,” Fisher offered. “Use this one as your residence, and buy another for show. You could also use the larger one for entertaining. That way there will never be a reason for outsiders to enter this building.”
“I agree,” responded Lord Marak. “Find me a large estate along the river just south of the city, preferably around the bend from the docks of the city. I want to be able to have troops arrive by river during the night without anyone noticing.”
“Are you expecting to wage war in Khadoratung?” questioned Halman.
“I am not expecting it,” answered Lord Marak, “but I am preparing for it. I will be setting up new cortes of Torak troops chosen from the clans that owe allegiance to me. Lectain Zorkil is already working on that. I do not expect my enemies to attack me only outside the city. Today was a good indication that my thoughts are valid. This time it was a lone assassin, but it may very well evolve into open warfare before long.”
Chapter 18
An Act of War
Mistake finished her meal in the Wine Press Inn and slipped out the back door. She looked both ways and saw a series of wagons coming up the street. She dashed in front of the lead wagon and was going to dart down an alley when she stopped and turned around to look at the road. The four wagons coming down the street were lashed together with only two drivers. The first driver was a large bear of a man draped in a black cloak and hood. He sent shivers down Mistake’s spine, just as he had in the inn. The other driver was the young soldier she had seen with the mystery man the day she had arrived in Khadoratung, but he no longer wore his brown and yellow uniform. Now the man was clothed in a simple brown tunic and pants. The wagons were loaded down with sacks of seed, except for the last, which carried six wasooki and six clova. She watched in puzzlement as the wagons rolled by. She was not sure who the men were, but she was sure that they were not farmers.
Mistake shook her head and ran down the alley. She used the alley to cross several blocks of the city before turning onto one of the streets. She slowed down to a fast walk until she reached the house that Lord Marak had purchased. She loped up the steps and the door opened as she reached for it. Mistake smiled at HawkShadow as she slid through the doorway.
“Now we can get started,” taunted HawkShadow. “I have always wondered how those who are so blessed with speed can always be the ones who arrive late.”
“I was eating,” protested Mistake. “It is not good to hurry your meals.”
“There is no rush for this meeting,” smiled Lord Marak as he waved Mistake into one of the rooms. “In fact, the purpose of this meeting is to determine where you three go from here.”
“Our mission is complete,” announced StarWind. “General Didyk has given us the slip.”
“I suppose that I will accompany the Sakovans back to the Sakova,” shrugged Mistake. “Rejji has no need of me right now.”
HawkShadow gazed at Lord Marak expectantly. “You did not bring us here to bid us a safe journey,” HawkShadow finally said. “What did you have in mind?”
Lord Marak grinned. “I am planning a delicate mission, and I could use some of your talents,” he replied. “Two Sakovans who are nearly invisible in the wild and know how to make an air tunnel would be a great asset to me at this time.”
“I know how to make an air tunnel,” interrupted Mistake. “I can be invisible, too.”
“I have something a little different in mind for you, Mistake,” chuckled Lord Marak. “I will get to it in a moment.”
“I am game,” offered HawkShadow. “I could even be talked into teaching the little elf how to move silently.”
Mistake frowned and opened her mouth to protest, but Lord Marak cut her off. “Your tutoring her could be of great help,” Lord Marak stated, “but my time is short. We will be leaving before sun up.”
“Tomorrow morning?” asked StarWind.
“Yes,” nodded Lord Marak. “We will begin to gather after midnight. I want to be well outside the city before dawn breaks.”
“What do I get to do?” asked Mistake.
“Do you still carry that blow tube the Qubari gave you?” asked the Torak lord.
“Of course,” nodded Mistake. “It is always ready. What darts are you thinking of?”
“The tyrik venom,” replied Lord Marak. “How long do the effects last?”
“About three hours for a fair-sized man,” shrugged Mistake. “Maybe less if it is a big man. I only have six tyrik darts. There are other types of darts, though.”
“Six should be enough,” declared Lord Marak. “I am not looking to kill with the darts, so only the tyrik venom will be used. If you could spend some time with HawkShadow today, Mistake, it would be of benefit to the mission.”
“I will,” promised Mistake as she began to get excited about going on a mission with the Toraks.
“Any news about the assassin?” asked Lord Marak.
“Not much,” frowned StarWind. “I did pick up a piece of curious knowledge in the marketplace concerning the attack on you. Everyone was confused about what was happening, but more than one person remembered seeing an Imperial guard running away from the attack. I found that most strange. Even better is the description that people agreed on. This Imperial soldier was wearing gloves.”
“That is interesting news,” frowned Lord Marak. “Did anyone remember anything else about him? His face? Scars? Anything?”
“No,” StarWind shook her head. “Too much attention was drawn your way.”
“That is more knowledge than we had before,” shrugged Lord Marak. “Come over to this map and I will explain what I need you to do.”
* * *
Botal looked around the empty suite for anything his men might have left behind. Satisfied that everything had been taken, he left the suite and stepped into the corridor. The Imperial Palace was dim and desolate, everyone having gone to bed hours before. He had dispatched his men over the last few hours in groups of two, and now he was the only one left. Botal adjusted his weapons and strode quietly along the corridor. He passed through the entry foyer and was stopped at the door leaving the palace by two solitary Imperial guards.