At the palace there were no servants to take care of the horses. Unwallis ordered the cavalry captain to find the stables and see to the mounts, then dismounted and trod up the steps to the gloomy main entrance. No lanterns had been lit and his footsteps echoed through the empty halls. His clothes were travel-stained, his hooded grey cloak wet from a recent downpour. He had hoped for a hot bath and a relaxed meal before beginning his investigations.
There was no such hope now. The place echoed like a great tomb.
Mounting the stairs, he walked past the near decapitated body of a servant, then through to a rear upper balcony to gaze down on the gardens below. A pyre had been set there, and ash had blown across the flower beds. The last remains of Landis Kan. No hope of resurrection for you, Landis, old friend, he thought. Unwallis rubbed at his weary eyes. Slowly he searched the building, seeking Decado.
He found five more bodies, three men and two women, lying together in an upper corridor. All carried similar slashing wounds; two had their throats sliced open, while the others had been hacked in what was obviously a frenzied attack. This was what happened when matters were left in the hands of a psychopath like Decado. The town was a near ruin, the people fled or murdered, the palace a shell.
Surely, he reasoned, the Eternal would not forgive this disaster. Decado was finished. There was no exultant joy in Unwallis as he considered this. The first body he had seen in the palace had been that of a plump, elderly man, ashamed of going bald. He had grown his hair long above his right ear, and had swept it up and over his crown. An ordinary palace servant, skilled, no doubt, at cooking or cleaning.
Unwallis had paused to stare at his face. There was a look upon it of horror and shock. He would have had no reason to believe that a berserk warrior would leap upon him and hack him to death.
Yes, it was good that the Eternal would finally see what a monster she had allowed to roam free. But not at the cost of even one old man’s life.
He found Decado asleep on a couch in Landis Kan’s apartments. He was unshaved, his dark clothes stained with blood. He awoke as Unwallis entered. The swordsman’s hooded eyes were red-rimmed and he looked weary.
‘What happened here?’ asked Unwallis.
Decado stretched and yawned. Then he rose and moved to a nearby table, filling a silver goblet with wine. ‘You want a drink?’
‘No.’ Unwallis waited. He had no power over Decado, nor any right to demand answers.
‘The blind man escaped,’ said Decado. ‘The people were hiding him.’
‘So you sent out the Jiamads to search the town?’
‘Of course. The Eternal ordered me to kill him.’
‘And the people panicked and fled?’
‘Yes.’
‘So the Jiamads chased them and killed them?’
‘It is what Jiamads do,’ said Decado, draining the goblet and refilling it.
‘And you found Gamal?’
‘Not yet. But I will. How far can a blind man get?’
‘I don’t know,’ said Unwallis. ‘Let me try to understand the situation. You killed Landis Kan, then sought Gamal and did not find him. What did the servants tell you? And where are they, by the way?’
‘I had to kill a few. The rest ran.’
‘I see. So there is no-one to supply us with food, the blind man remains at large, and a thriving, prosperous settlement has been brought to the edge of destruction. The Eternal will not be pleased, Decado. Is there any other ill news you would like to share? Where is the girl, Askari?’
‘We have had no contact from Corvin.’
‘Corvin?’ queried Unwallis.
‘The officer sent to apprehend her.’
‘Then we don’t have her either?’
‘Of course we have,’ snapped Decado. ‘He took a company of Jiamads. It is just that he has not reported back yet.’
‘At the risk of adding salt to the wounds, Decado, what became of Landis Kan’s nephew?’
‘He was not here when I came back for Landis. He too has gone.’
Unwallis was tempted to make another dry comment, but Decado’s eyes now had an almost feral glitter. Judging from the slaughter inside the palace he had already been involved in at least one killing frenzy. Unwallis decided to soften his approach. ‘I expect he will be discovered in due course,’ he said pacifically. ‘And now, by your leave, I shall instruct the soldiers with me to begin a clean-up of the settlement. There are rather too many bodies lying around.’
‘As you wish,’ said Decado. He gave a cold smile. ‘This is all your fault, Unwallis. You know that?’
‘No, I did not know that. By what miracle of logic did you arrive at such a conclusion?’
‘If I had killed them both, as I wanted to, when Callan first insulted me we would not have this problem.’
‘That sounds eminently reasonable,’ said Unwallis, with a short bow. ‘I take it you will lead the hunting party that goes after Gamal, and the man you call Callan.’
‘What do you mean, call him?’
‘The real Callan is dead. It was a ploy. I don’t yet know why he sought to fool me, but I intend to study Landis Kan’s notes. The man was an inveterate scribbler. The answer will be here somewhere.’
‘I don’t care who he is. I shall cut him into pieces.’
‘Of course, Decade’ Unwallis failed to keep a note of sarcasm from his voice. Decado’s face paled and he stepped forward.
‘Are you insulting me, old man?’
‘Far from it. Cutting people into pieces is a skill at which you excel. A man should always stick to what he is good at. Now, if you will excuse me.’
Unwallis bowed again, then turned and left the room. His heart was beating hard, and once he was free of the apartments fear flowed to the surface causing his hands to tremble. Do not be such a fool, he warned himself. The man is insane. Bait him again and he will kill you.
Not for the first time Unwallis found himself wondering just what the Eternal could possibly see in such a man. How could she treat him as a lover? He was as likely to kill her in a blind rage as any other.
Unwallis smiled suddenly at his own foolishness. How many times had she died already? Death held no fear for her. Through the original brilliance of Landis Kan, and the devotion of the sly Memnon, there were always fresh hosts for the Eternal’s soul.
Unwallis sought out the captain of cavalry, gave instructions for the removal of corpses. ‘Then send several of your men into the hills to seek out villagers. Make sure the men have friendly faces and easy personalities. Get them to tell whoever they find that it is now safe to return. And ensure that is true.
Keep the Jiamads away from them. Ideally, captain, find some palace servants who will know how to prepare a bath.’
The captain smiled. ‘Two of my men have already fired up the palace ovens. Give us an hour or two and I’ll arrange a hot bath for you.’
‘You are a prince among men, captain,’ said Unwallis. ‘I shall be in the library area downstairs. When the bath is ready, send someone to find me.’
The thought of relaxing in a hot bath eased his mind, and he felt calmer as he made his way downstairs to Landis Kan’s study.
He did not remain at ease for long. In the rear area, resting against a back wall, he found three picture frames containing stretched, dried, tattooed skin. The first was small, showing a black spider. The second had an eagle with flaring wings. The third was of a snarling panther. Holding to the last Unwallis sank into a chair, his mind reeling. He gazed at the long dead skin and shuddered. So, it was true then. Landis had discovered the true Tomb of the Damned.
‘What were you thinking, Landis?’ he said, aloud.
Leaning back in his chair Unwallis thought through the implications of Landis Kan’s treachery. A Reborn created from the bones of Skilgannon was not, in itself, a major problem. Unless, of course, one was stupid enough to believe in ancient prophecies. Surely Landis Kan was too intelligent for such nonsense? Unwallis stared at the tattooed skin in the frame.