"What if an unclean spirit gets into the corpses, sir?"
"They bury them face down, so that if they try and claw their way out, they burrow down."
"And we're supposed to check out this whole place, sir?"
"I doubt we will have to, Weasel, but we will should it be necessary. Everybody have their truesilver bullets ready?" He hoped they did. He had provided those bullets at his own expense and he would not have liked to order any man flogged for having sold his on the black market. He suspected that more than a few of them had.
Every man present nodded. "Remember if you do see any ghouls don't let them bite you. If you are bitten pour whiskey on the wound, and flame it if need be. I know it’s a waste of good whiskey but better that than becoming a soulless monster. If we don't encounter any trouble you can always drink the stuff later."
Sardec wondered if the army's sorcerers had got this right. He did not understand how bathing a wound in whiskey and then cauterising it could prevent the onset of the disease but doubtless there was some deep alchemical principle involved. It was all beyond his understanding.
"If you see a ghoul, shoot first. If worst comes to worst use your bayonets but try not to let them get too close. I want every man paired with a torchbearer. Ghouls fear fire."
"I do, too," said Weasel, "particularly if it’s been set to good whiskey."
The Foragers moved into the graveyard. Sardec felt sure that inhuman eyes watched them from the shadows.
The manufactory was a large shed on the outskirts of town. It stunk of alchemicals. Inside a long hall, a dozen seamstresses sewed a huge structure of fabric together, working on the panelling. In another place, artisans treated a mass of cloth with some sort of chemical mixture. Everybody present had handkerchiefs wrapped round their faces and gloves on their hands.
In part of the chamber, rope-makers twisted long strands of hemp together. The largest basket Rik had ever seen stood in one corner. In the most distant corner of the room, blacksmiths worked on metal cylinders. In the middle of the works, Master Benjario presided over the bustle of activity, pausing only occasionally to take snuff or a swig of wine from a goblet that a small dark-skinned scolding woman presented to him. As soon as Rik and Asea entered he hustled over to them.
"Lady Asea, Master Rik, Benjario is pleased that you visit his humble premises."
"I am pleased to be here, Master Benjario. I am glad to see my investment is being put to such good use. I trust that things are progressing well."
"Better than well, my Lady. Better than well. Superbly. As they must when Benjario supervises."
Whatever else he might lack, Rik thought, the engineer was not short of self-esteem.
"All is in readiness for our flight?" Asea asked. Benjario looked a little shifty.
"My Lady doubts the word of Benjario?"
"Not in the least, Master Benjario. I can think of few mortals I would trust more. I am simply excited by the prospect of a trip through the heavens."
Benjario smiled indulgently and kissed his fingers. "Your Ladyship's presence will grace the skies as much as the shining of the sun."
The dark-skinned woman behind Benjario glared at him. She must be his wife, Rik guessed. She saw Rik looking at her and shot a daggered look at him too. His fine clothes obviously did not daunt her. Rik nodded to her as pleasantly as he could.
"It is your mechanism that will make it possible, Master. I am looking forward to tomorrow very much."
"Tomorrow?" said Rik.
"Tomorrow," said Asea.
"Tomorrow…" murmured Benjario, with something less than certainty.
"You assured me that the air-chariot would be ready by tomorrow," said Asea. "Surely that is the case. It is not possible that Benjario could have miscalculated. His genius is too enormous for that."
Benjario swelled like a toad at the praise. His smile grew broader but he said, "There may be a few minor delays, Milady. My work force is lazy and even Benjario cannot be everywhere at once. I wish to check every detail of the preparations. It would not do to have something go wrong as we ascend triumphantly into the skies. It would be a tragedy if the genius of Benjario and the beauty of the Lady Asea were to be lost to the world."
"I could not agree more," said Lady Asea. "Still you assured me that you had more than enough time to complete your preparations. It is important that we take flight on the feast day of Saint Aviara. She is the patron of birds and it is a most auspicious day for our journey. Surely you want as many witnesses to your triumph as possible?"
"Indeed I do, Milady, but surely one feast day is as good as another. What matters a delay of a week when one is about to step into the pages of history."
"Of course, Master Benjario, you are right," said Asea with what Rik thought of as astonishing mildness for her. She paused for a moment, looked at him and said. "Lady Sybea was telling me last night that her proteges, the Gazarone brothers, are preparing to fly in two days time."
"The Gazarones! Charlatans! Benjario has forgotten more about the science of stratospherics than they ever knew."
"I thought that must be the case," said Asea. "I told Lady Sybea, it was impossible that they would beat Benjario into the annals of aeronautics. I have no doubt that your place in history is secure Master Benjario. After all, if you assure me that they will not get their vehicle aloft in two days, then the thing is not possible. Two Kharadrean charlatans could not know more about these matters than you."
"Two days, you say, Milady?"
"So Lady Sybea assures me, but no matter, I will tell her that the great Benjario has assured me otherwise. I am sure she will be the first to admit her mistake."
"But Milady if there is even the slightest possibility that they may somehow complete their chariot within two days then we must fly tomorrow."
"Certainly not, Master Benjario. You have assured me that such a thing is not possible, and I would not presume to doubt you in such a case."
"Even the mightiest intellects may miscalculate occasionally, Milady. Even Benjario, if only very rarely indeed, but a truly great intellect must never discount the possibility that it might be mistaken."
"But what about the safety factors?"
"Benjario sneers in the face of danger."
"But what of the risk to Lady Asea?" asked Rik.
"If there is any danger, Benjario will gladly face it alone."
"I am sure that if Master Benjario thinks the vehicle is safe enough for him, then it will be safe enough for us, Rik," said Asea with the blandest of smiles.
"Us?" said Rik.
"You will be accompanying me, I hope."
Rik stared at her. Benjario bowed. "Milady, if I may be excused, I must see to it that these lazy swine do not slack on the job and that our chariot is ready to carry us into the history books."
"Of course, Master Benjario," said Asea with a nod of her head. As they departed Rik heard Benjario roaring like a bull at his staff. They all rushed to obey, except for his wife who stood nearby, making small circling motions with her forefinger against the side of her head.
Chapter Seven
Sardec glanced around. The graveyard was getting dark and they still had not found anything. The men were starting to show signs of unease. What had started out feeling almost like a game had become progressively grimmer as the day wore on. Clouds gathered overhead, cutting off the light and making things still gloomier. Sere leaves dropped from the cemetery trees crunched under his feet.