An elderly figure in a plain cloak, presumably the philosopher himself, steps forward through the blizzard to lay his hand on her shoulder, indicating I think that he doesn’t wish to see violence done. Vadinex confronts her, flanked by his helpers. Makri raises her axe. I step forward.
“Stop!” I yell.
I have a loud voice when necessary, and a lot of bulk. It’s hard to miss me, even in a snowstorm.
“I’m halting this work. As Tribune of the People, I am referring the matter to the Senate.”
There is general astonishment. Captain Rallee actually laughs. Vadinex doesn’t seem so amused.
“What the hell are you talking about, Thraxas? Get out of my way.”
Various others now step forward in support of my statement. Several cold-looking lawyers, accompanied by armed men, courtesy of Lodius, announce that the eviction cannot now go ahead.
“The Tribune has spoken.”
Everyone looks at me. I feel foolish. Senator Lodius has now stepped into the fray. As people recognise him they realise that this is not a joke. Captain Rallee addresses Vadinex.
“It’s legal,” he says. “The matter has to go to the Senate. You can’t carry out the eviction.”
Vadinex starts to protest but Captain Rallee cuts him short.
“I said it’s legal. And if you keep me standing here in this snowstorm any longer, I’m liable to throw you in prison for assaulting a Civil Guard. Eviction over. Everybody go home.”
Vadinex eyes me with loathing.
“The Praetor will be down on you like a bad spell for this,” he growls.
Makri hurries over.
“Stay away or I’ll kill you,” she spits at him.
Vadinex always had a short temper. Were the area not so thick with Civil Guards, he’d quite likely attack her. I’d like to see Makri killing Vadinex. The way the huge man looks at her before he departs, she may yet get the chance. He moves off, taking his companions with him.
“Thraxas, you were great!” enthuses Makri. “I knew you’d come through in the end. Come and meet Samanatius!”
I shake the elderly philosopher’s hand. He thanks me warmly, but when he looks into my eyes I know he knows I’m not here of my own free will. All around, tenants of the slums are congratulating me for rescuing them from Vadinex.
“Good work,” booms Senator Lodius, and gets round to letting everyone know that he is the man responsible for their salvation. The congratulations fail to give me a warm glow. Makri might be as happy as an Elf in a tree that Samanatius has a reprieve, but I’ve got other things to worry about.
“Where’s Lisutaris? You’re meant to be protecting her.”
Makri tells me she’s asleep in her room at the Avenging Axe. Direeva is with her.
I frown.
“I’m starting to get suspicious of Direeva. I don’t like the way she keeps sticking to Lisutaris.”
“Tilupasis likes it. Tilupasis seems to have a lot of influence, even with the Consul.”
“She ought to. They’re having an affair. Well, according to scurrilous rumour anyway, and I generally trust that. Do a good job for Tilupasis and she might help with the university.”
“I already thought of that.”
I ask Makri if Tilupasis is a supporter of the Association of Gentlewomen, but Makri doesn’t think she is, which strikes her as odd.
“Maybe she thinks she’s doing fine already,” I suggest.
Makri isn’t enjoying her employment as bodyguard.
“I expected I might have to kill the occasional attacker and maybe fight off a few Assassins. I never thought it would involve being nursemaid to a woman who can’t stand upright after lunchtime. What were you thinking of, nominating her for head of the Sorcerers Guild?”
“I didn’t nominate her. Cicerius did. Is she still going at the water pipe?”
“Like a hungry dragon chewing on a carcass. How does she ever remember any spells? I mean, you can’t remember them even when you’re sober.”
“She studied more than me.”
“It was hell at the Assemblage. I had to keep dragging her away from visiting Sorcerers so they wouldn’t see how doped she was. Isn’t she meant to be impressing people?”
Despite her recent lapses, Makri does have something of a puritanical streak, which now appears to be resurfacing. She thinks that people should get on with their work, and Lisutaris is certainly failing to do this. I agree that Lisutaris can’t be impressing the Sorcerers with her performance.
“The delegation from Turai are doing their best. The other two Tribunes have been spreading hospitality around to the extent that some of our guests are now so sated with sex, alcohol and dwa that they’d vote for anyone they were told to. It’s not going to be enough to defeat Ramius in the vote, but remember, our candidate only has to make it into the top two.”
“But those two go into some sort of final contest,” Makri points out. “How is Lisutaris going to manage that?”
“Who knows? It wouldn’t surprise me if Tilupasis is working on some way of cheating right now.”
At the Avenging Axe, Makri goes to check on Lisutaris. I’ve barely time to load up with stew, venison and yams before I’m back at work, studying the list of recipients of dragon scales. It’s an interesting collection, containing the names of quite a few aristocratic Turanians. These rich ladies like to make their hair sparkle with dragon scales, but it seems as if they prefer to buy them at a discount, even if it’s illegal. Coralex and Rezox were doing a good trade. Clients include Praetor Capatius, Prefect Galwinius, several other Senators and various high-up city officials. Rich merchants too, including, I note, Rixad. I’m not surprised. He was keen to keep his wife happy, and nothing says I love you better than a sprinkling of well-cut dragon scales.
Unfortunately, few people on the list have any knowledge of sorcery. I can’t see Capatius or Galwinius huddled over a cauldron, cooking up a magical brew. The name of Tirini Snake Smiter catches my eye. She might be buying dragon scales for making spells. She is a Sorcerer. But she’s also a woman who loves to display herself to her best advantage, and I’m inclined to believe she wanted to make her hair sparkle rather than work some malevolent spell. Tirini would be an unlikely murderer. She never dabbles in politics, or crime, to my knowledge, being more concerned with party-going, temporary romances and generally enjoying herself. She has a lot of power, but the most notable thing she’s done with it recently is light up the trees in her garden in a fantastic display for a reception she held. The Renowned and Truthful Chronicle was impressed. They liked the fireworks too. I don’t see her as a murderer.
The only other name of note is Princess Direeva. Direeva has recently bought dragon scales from Coralex. I muse on this. In my eyes Direeva is already a suspect for the murder of Darius. No known motive but plenty of opportunity. And now it turns out that she’s been clandestinely buying the main ingredient for a hitherto unknown spell of erasement.
Unfortunately Direeva also wears beads made from dragon scales in her hair. If I confront her she’ll simply say she needed some new jewellery. She does have a lot of hair to decorate.
I need a drink. After a lifetime as a private citizen, suddenly being obliged to act in an official capacity has unnerved me. I’m grateful it’s midwinter. People have enough problems worrying about staying alive without paying too much attention to the startling sight of Thraxas suddenly appearing as a minor politician. With any luck it will soon be forgotten about. It had better be, I’m not planning on defending anyone else’s rights.
[Contents]
Chapter Thirteen
Next morning at Lisutaris’s villa I find Makri sitting in front of a well-laden breakfast table.