'Well, the other guy was handing out money.'
Fisher laughed. 'An honest Guard; you stayed bought.'
Hawk smiled. 'Like hell. I took their money, voted for Blackstone anyway, and defied them to do anything about it. It didn't exactly make their day.' He grinned broadly, remembering.
'I admire Blackstone's courage,' said Fisher, 'if not his good sense. Standing up against all the vested interests in this city takes real guts. We could do a lot more in our job if half our superiors weren't openly corrupt.'
Hawk grunted, and pulled at his collar again. 'What do you know about this sorcerer, Gaunt?'
'Not much. Fairly powerful, as sorcerers go, but he's not flashy about it. Likes to throw parties, but otherwise keeps himself to himself. Not married, and doesn't chase women. Or men, for that matter. No one knows where he came from originally, but rumor has it he was once sorcerer to the King. Then he left the Court under something of a cloud, and came and settled here in Haven. Made a name for himself in the Hook. You remember that?'
'Yeah,' said Hawk. 'I was part of the team that had to go in there and clean up the mess. We were still carrying out the bodies a week later.'
'That's right,' said Fisher. 'I was still working on the Shattered Bullion case.' She looked at Hawk thoughtfully. 'You never told me about this before. Was it bad? I heard stories;'
'It was bad,' said Hawk. 'There were no survivors among the gangs;no wounded, no dying; only the dead. We still don't know what killed them, but it wasn't very neat. Most of the bodies had been ripped apart. There's no doubt the gangs were evil. They did some terrible things. But what happened to them was worse.'
'And this is the man whose party we're attending as bodyguards,' said Fisher, grimacing. 'Great. Just great.'
She broke off as the front door swung suddenly open. A bright, cheerful light filled the hall beyond and spilled out into the night. Hawk and Fisher blinked uncertainly as their eyes adjusted to the glare, and then they bowed politely to the man standing before them. Gaunt took in their Guards' cloaks, and inclined his head slightly in return.
'William's bodyguards. Do come in; I've been expecting you.'
He stepped back a pace and waited patiently as they made their way past him into the hall. He shut the door carefully and turned back to extend a slender, well-manicured hand. Hawk shook it firmly, and then gritted his teeth as Gaunt all but crushed his fingers in a powerful grip. He hated people who did that. Somehow he kept his polite smile in place, and then surreptitiously flexed his fingers as Gaunt turned to Fisher. The sorcerer took Fisher's hand and raised it to his lips. Hawk frowned slightly. He wasn't too keen on people who did that, either. Fisher smiled politely at the sorcerer. He wasn't quite what she'd expected. After Hawk's tale of what he'd found in the Hook, she'd been expecting someone more; impressive. With his mild grey eyes and pleasant smile, Gaunt just didn't look the part.
The sorcerer looked at the two Guards thoughtfully. 'Captain Hawk and Captain Fisher,' he said, after a moment. 'I've heard of you.'
'Nothing good, I hope,' said Fisher, and Gaunt chuckled.
'You did an excellent job of taking care of the Chandler Lane vampire. Most impressive.'
Hawk raised an eyebrow. 'News travels fast in Haven.'
Gaunt smiled. 'I have my sources.'
'Yeah,' said Hawk. 'I'll just bet you do.'
'If you follow me,' said the sorcerer politely. 'Councilor Blackstone is already here, with some of my other guests.'
He led the way down the hall to a heavy oaken door on the right. He pushed it open, and then stood back to usher the two Guards into the parlor. The guests looked briefly at Hawk and Fisher, took in the black cloaks, and went back to their conversations. Hawk looked casually about him, getting the feel of the place. Two huge windows were blocked off by closed wooden shutters, despite the heat. There was only the one door, leading into the hall. Hawk relaxed a little. If push came to shove, it shouldn't be too difficult to defend the parlor against an attack. Assuming anyone was suicidal enough to take on the sorcerer Gaunt in his own home.
Gaunt went over to Blackstone and spoke quietly to him. Blackstone glanced at Hawk and Fisher, excused himself to the witch Visage, and walked back with Gaunt to meet them. He shook them both by the hand; the usual quick, firm handshake of the seasoned politician.
'Glad you're both here,' he said briskly. 'I'm sure I'll feel a lot safer with you two at my side. It's only for the next few days, until my bill has become law. After that, the danger will be over.'
'Really?' said Fisher. 'The way I hear it, you've got more enemies in Haven than the Chancellor on tax day.'
Blackstone laughed. 'Well, the immediate danger, anyway. If I'd wanted a safe occupation, I wouldn't have entered politics.'
'Well then, Councilor,' said Hawk briskly, 'what would you like us to do?'
'For tonight, just mingle with the guests and enjoy yourselves,' said Blackstone pleasantly. 'I'm in no danger here, not in Gaunt's house. Even my enemies know better than to risk his anger.'
'You are always safe here, William,' said Gaunt quietly. 'This house is protected against any and all intrusions.'
'And now, if you'll excuse us,' said Blackstone, flashing a quick smile at Hawk and Fisher, 'Gaunt and I have some business to discuss. Do help yourself to a drink and something to eat.'
The politician and the sorcerer moved away, talking animatedly. Hawk and Fisher looked at each other.
'Free booze,' said Fisher. 'This may not be such a bad assignment after all.'
'Yeah,' said Hawk.
They made their way over to the punch bowl and helped themselves to the fruit cordial. Hawk wrinkled his nose at the taste, but drank it anyway. The room was hot, he was thirsty, and besides, it was free. Various canapes had been laid out beside the punch bowl, arranged in interesting patterns in the mistaken belief that this would make the food appear more appetizing. Hawk didn't even recognize half of it, but he tried one anyway, just to show himself willing.
'Not bad,' he said indistinctly.
'I'm glad you think so,' said Katherine Blackstone. 'Gaunt prides himself on his culinary skills.'
Hawk chewed and swallowed quickly to empty his mouth as the councilor's wife looked him and Fisher over. She seemed friendly enough, in a condescending way. Katherine's gaze lingered on Hawk more than Fisher, and he wondered if he'd imagined the sudden glitter in her eyes. The way she was acting, he half expected her to lean forward and pin a rosette on him.
'So you're the best the Guard could supply,' said Katherine finally. 'I do hope you're as fearsome as your reputation suggests.'
'We try,' said Hawk.
Katherine looked thoughtfully at his face. 'The scars are certainly impressive, darling. What happened to your eye?'
'I lost it in a card game.'
Katherine gave him a startled look, and then dissolved into giggles. It made her look much younger. 'My dear, I think you won that one on points. Do help yourself to the spiced lamb; it's really quite delicious. I believe there's even some asparagus, though where Gaunt managed to get it at this time of the year is beyond me. Knowing a sorcerer does have its advantages, I suppose.'
There was a pause, while they all busied themselves with the food. Fisher smiled suddenly as she bit into a piece of cold garlic sausage.
'We could have used some of this earlier today.'
'What?' said Katherine. 'Oh, the garlic. Gaunt was just telling us about the vampire before you arrived. Horrible creatures. Did you really kill it by driving a wooden stake through its heart?'
'Eventually,' said Hawk.
'Such a pity about Trask,' said Katherine. 'I mean, he wasn't much of a Councilor, but he did a good enough job, and at least you knew where you were with him. And his was a marginal seat, you know. Now there'll have to be another election, and I hate to think who we might get in his place. Better the devil you know, and all that.'
Hawk and Fisher nodded politely and said nothing. They hadn't told anyone about Trask being the vampire's
