‘What is that?’ Leana asked, stepping closer.
‘I saw vials similar to this at the apothecary…’
We held eye contact for a moment.
‘You went to one last night.’ Leana possessed a sudden look of pride.
I nodded, but wasn’t going to say any more on the subject.
‘So what do you think this was?’ she asked, nodding towards the vial.
‘I’m not entirely sure. I wonder if he was on a form of medication?’
‘Did he suffer from seizures also?’
‘No. Well, not to my knowledge – not unless he hid it.’
‘You say his heart had stopped,’ Leana continued.
‘That’s what I was told.’
‘Perhaps he used a herbal concoction to soothe his pains? It is not out of the question. Where was the box likely to be stored?’
‘Probably in a drawer,’ I replied. ‘Somewhere out of sight, where he kept a couple of coins…’
Leana nodded. ‘Perhaps you should go back to the apothecary and ask if they know about where such vials are sold. They might know other traders who deal in such things.’
‘That could be worth a go.’
A child looked up from smashing walnuts on the side of the kerb, shading his eyes from the sun. I said hello to him, but he either did not hear me or did not care. Behind him stood a pepper merchant dressed in fine silks, who was hawking his wares rather forcefully to passers-by.
Leana and I continued through the busy streets outside my house, and upon entering the next street saw an elderly man wearing the robes of a priest strolling serenely through the gates to my property. Was this the one Bellona had referred to in her message? There was no time to go back, but I had left firm instructions to get more details. We headed deep into the district of Regallum. Protected by armed personnel, the banking building was in fact a refurbished temple, one dedicated to a god no longer in favour with the Senate. It was an impressive structure, with eight ornate limestone columns on its front, and a brazier either side of a stairway leading up to the main entrance.
Building work was taking place along the shaded side, where a stonemason stood on a ladder making some fine adjustments higher up another column. As we approached the main door, the soldiers, whose armour was concealed by heavy black cloaks, examined us closely. I made sure my Sun Chamber badge was on full display and let it be known Leana was clearly with me. They stood back and watched us impassively, with only a quiet nod to indicate that we might continue through.
Inside the bank, on the marble floors under an ornately painted dome, where people spoke in hushed, almost spiritual tones, I cashed in my credit notes from Venyn and arranged to transfer money in coin to Veldrum Hecater. They knew him well, it seemed, and I half expected some comment as to my father’s affairs – though none came. They were curt, efficient and exceedingly dull individuals, who tried to negotiate a higher fee at every transactional opportunity.
I could not leave soon enough.
Optryx
‘Well, that’s finally dealt with,’ I said. ‘I’ve just about enough money to last a few weeks, but unless we get a salary payment delivered soon, we will be licking limestone blocks for dinner.’
‘Then you should find a way of getting more money,’ Leana said.
‘And how do we do that?’
‘I do not know,’ Leana replied. ‘You are supposed to be the thinker.’
As we walked up the gentle slope towards the king’s residence, I felt a sudden relief having put my father’s debts behind me, and the family name cleared once and for all. I imagined him trying to work, to solve the riddles of some crime with such financial problems on his mind. To have no money was bad enough, but to owe others such a fortune would have been torturous. To very nearly pay it off would have been an immense relief, and suspicious in itself.
When we arrived at Optryx and gave the day’s password, we were permitted inside the building. I spoke with the administrative staff about the king’s desire to see me this morning. While there it seemed a good idea to examine other parts of the building. These officials, who wore beautiful green and cream silk gowns, seemed more than willing to help, so it was not long before we were ushered through a double door, along a bright marble corridor, and beginning the preparation to be in the company of King Licintius once again.
We waited in a small, private room. I perched on one of four long, cushioned seats that had been arranged in a semicircle around a window overlooking the internal gardens. For a while Leana and I sat in companionable silence, enjoying the warmth of the morning sunlight on our faces, watching the tops of the plants stir in the breeze. From my casual glance, there was no henbane there.
The door opened without warning. A small armed escort from the King’s Legion led Licintius into the room and I knelt to one knee, Leana to two. His expression changed to one of surprise when he saw her, but he made no further comment.
‘Drakenfeld, please – on your feet.’ The king seemed genuinely glad to see me. His outfit was breathtakingly ornate, a cloak comprising of both blues and purple silks, and a rich yellow tunic embroidered with the black falcon of Detrata. It was luxurious, a stark contrast to the armour of the four soldiers, who took precise and slow steps to take their places along the side of the room.
I introduced Leana, but after that, for the rest of the conversation, he hardly acknowledged her presence. I enquired how he was coping with the matters surrounding his sister’s passing.
His expression changed and beneath the royal glamour was the look of a tired man. Licintius simply shook his head and gestured for us to take a seat on one of the couches. It was only when the sunlight reflected off his jewellery that I realized quite how much he was wearing.
‘Let us start on a more positive note,’ he sighed. ‘Tell me how your investigation is proceeding. I’ve been eagerly awaiting your report.’
I explained where my investigations had taken me so far: to the Skull and Jasmine troupe, as steered by the suspicions of many of the guests that night. I felt it had been the will of the people to send me down there to investigate the most suspicious but least likely individuals – though I did not tell him that.
‘You do not believe the actors are truly implicated in this?’ Licintius asked, gazing across his gardens. ‘I enjoyed their company very much. They seem good people, of which there is a shortage here.’
‘It’s too early to say, sir. However, the leader of their troupe, a man called Drullus…’ I paid close attention to the king’s expression, waiting to see just how much of what Clydia implied could be seen.
‘I know Drullus,’ the king replied. ‘What of him?’
‘He was found with his throat cut in a small hideout, further down in the city.’
I saw, briefly, the signs of distress in Licintius’ face, his creased brow, the gaze at me – right through me. ‘Oh, what a waste.’ Licintius shook his head. ‘I must see to it that his body receives an appropriate send-off.’ He waved over one of the nearby soldiers and muttered something into his ear. The man left the room, presumably to set the royal wheels in motion.
A king would not see to the funeral requirements of someone so low in the city without there being some kind of bond between the two of them.