bothered to ask when he traded him a lucky “dragon’s tooth” for the tiny military charm soaking inside this phial. Such life and experience! Oh, this one would be fine. He cracked the seal and sucked down the bitter contents, then let out a cry as the concentrated, properly aged elixir struck his belly and mind. Colors wheeled around him, and snatches of beautiful music. He saw faces, felt the touch of hands upon his skin, the shuddering exultation of orgasms compounded by time, and life. So much life!
He came to lying on the floor next to the open jewel casket with no sense of how much time had passed. For all he knew, it could have been hours, or days. That was one of the dangers of overdoing things, but even now he felt the same old whisper of need.
No matter how many he drank, he was never quite sated, and he knew better than anyone living that drinking the powerful ones only made it worse. But he lacked Brader’s ability to deny himself the pleasure of excess.
Staggering to his feet, he pulled the parchment label from Laneus’s chain and fixed it to the empty phial with a few drops of wax. It pleased him to keep the empty bottles labeled until he needed them again, trophies to gloat over. He slid it in beside the empty one bearing Lady Kylith’s name and took off the bone necklace. Brader would be able to tell what he’d done, and he’d have to wear a little more cosmetic to keep the others from noticing, but ah, it had been worth it! He hadn’t indulged himself like this in months.
Reeling a little, he put the room back in order, avoiding looking at the racks and their still-enticing contents.
CHAPTER 29. Accusations
THE following morning Seregil woke to an insistent knock on the bedchamber door. Sliding out from under Alec’s arm, he pulled on his dressing gown and went to answer it.
“Forgive me for waking you, my lord,” said Runcer. “Lord Thero is downstairs and is most insistent that you and Lord Alec come down.”
“I see. Tell him we’re on our way.”
“What is it?” Alec mumbled from the bed.
“Thero’s here.”
“Again?”
They found the wizard walking at the back of the garden, near Alec’s targets.
Thero took in their bare feet and dressing gowns with a frown as they joined him. “It’s nearly noon, you know.”
“We were out spying for you. What’s wrong that a message wouldn’t do?” Seregil asked with a yawn.
“What did you do to Laneus last night?”
“Do to him? Nothing. I dined out with him and Malthus while Alec burgled his house, just as we told you. Then I was attacked by four assassins on the way home, right here in the Noble Quarter. Compliments of Duke Laneus and General Sarien, I suspect.”
“Sarien? Are you certain?”
“Not entirely, but I managed to snag a little memento from one of my attackers. It’s up in my room.”
“A soldier’s charm, from the City Regiment,” Alec put in.
Thero shook his head, incredulous. “And just when were you going to tell me about this?”
Seregil gave him a wry look. “When I woke up. Now, what’s all this about Laneus?”
“He was found dead this morning.”
“And you assume we had something to do with that?”
“The man did try to have you killed.”
“We’re spies, Thero, not assassins.”
“Then I have your word?”
Alec repeated it, too.
The wizard nodded, knowing that neither one of them would give it lightly.
“So what happened?” asked Seregil.
“He was found in his study by the servants this morning, still dressed from his outing with you.”
“I can assure you, we had no hand in that. He wasn’t a young man, Thero. Perhaps his heart just gave out.”
“Rather unluckily for you, I’m afraid. He collapsed at his desk and a letter was found under the body. Apparently he’d been writing it when he died. It’s addressed to
“And it says Seregil’s not to be trusted!” Alec groaned. “Bilairy’s Balls, I knew I should have taken it when I had the chance. Who has it now?”
“Korathan. I’m surprised I got here before his guards did.”
“Damn!”
“It would be better if we go to him on our own,” said Seregil.
“I’ll go with you,” said Thero. “Do you think Malthus has any idea that Laneus tried to have you killed?”
“Well, he does now, I suspect. I played it innocent last night, and given Malthus’s reaction to my story, I don’t think he knew anything about it. His only fault was in telling Laneus what he and I spoke of. With the duke gone, we may just be able to save Malthus from Traitor’s Gate.”
“Seregil, he’s been helping to depose the rightful heir,
whether he was going along with regicide or not. And the others were serious enough about it to kill you and Alec to protect their secret. Why are you still so loyal to him? I know you’ve been friends with him for a long time, but treason is treason.”
“I know. According to Laneus, though, they’re merely protecting Klia from being murdered by Reltheus and his lot. He bragged of his loyalty to Phoria and Elani.”
“Did you believe him?”
“Laneus? No. There must be more to his cabal than merely protecting Klia. Otherwise why would he try to have us killed rather than use us?”
“Indeed. If I were you, I’d get dressed, and quickly, before you have a larger escort,” Thero warned. “The sooner you appear before Korathan, the better.”
They left Wheel Street the back way, narrowly missing running into a turma of the City Regiment, who no doubt carried a demand from Korathan to attend him, or a warrant.
“Do you think they’ll arrest us on sight?” Alec asked nervously as they entered Silvermoon Street.
“I doubt it.”
Outside the gates to the palace grounds a throng of angry, shouting commoners were waving bits of cloth and various household implements over their heads.
“What’s going on?” Seregil asked a young noble watching from a safe distance across the street.
“It’s the quarantine, my lord,” the lad replied. “The sleeping death is striking people left and right now.”
Prince Korathan had issued a formal edict of quarantine after speaking with Valerius, but only on the areas where the sickness had occurred, rather than on the entire Lower City. The ends of those streets were boarded up and patrols of the City Guard joined the City Watch in patrolling the streets and rooftops once the riots began. Korathan managed to quell most of these quickly by sending in cartloads of food and ale, as reassurance that he didn’t mean to solve the problem by starving them. But the patrols and barricades remained in place.
“He’s feeding them, isn’t he?” said Alec.
“But not their families, who continue to suffer from the shortages.”
“If it was one of you, you wouldn’t leave them in that pest hole!” a woman across the street shouted, shaking a broom at the Palace. “Bad enough the high-and-mightys are starving us. Now they’re leaving our loved ones to die alone.”
“Plague don’t strike the nobles, does it?” someone yelled back.
