'And what about Kaleen's mother?' Gerard asked.
'Ah, Gatrice Duhar. She's an elegant, self-possessed woman from Palanthas high society who has never really felt at home in Solace. I suspect that she resents Cardjafs decision to move to so backward a place, a decision in which she had little part-as she has on occasion publicly reminded him. Nevertheless, she attempts to make the most of her situation by educating the women of Solace in the cultural refinements she feels appropriate for one of her station.'
'I see.'
'Yes,' Palin concluded tartly.
Gerard, sensing that Palin was going to say no more on that topic, tactfully switched gears. 'I gather you and Cardjaf Duhar don't always see eye to eye.'
'Oh, we don't, but who does? We're always extremely respectful of one another. It never degenerates into anything personal.' Palin sighed. 'No, we don't always see eye to eye. As I say, Duhar favors unlimited growth, a view he has convinced certain others on the council and in the town to adopt. I fear that Solace is in danger of losing the very quality that makes it special.'
Gerard saw Palin's eyes blaze with real pride as he spoke of Solace, and he knew the man had found his true calling as mayor. It was clear Palin loved the town and relished being responsible for helping to build and oversee its future.
Caramon would have been proud, Gerard reflected sadly, wishing the elder Majere had lived long enough to see his son in this surprising role.
'How is the murder investigation going?' Palin asked when the conversation seemed in danger of stalling.
'Progress is slow, I have to admit,' said Gerard, feeling guilty. 'But I've been mulling things over, and I think it might be a good idea to pay a visit to this bandit Samuval. You know, get the measure of the man, look him in the eye, and ask him just what he knows about the sheriff's death. I understand Sheriff Joyner actually used to visit Samuval occasionally.'
Palin nodded, then pursed his lips. 'I suppose it might be a good idea to talk to Samuval personally. But be careful,' he warned. 'Joyner had a kind of personal truce with the ruffian. Vercleese can guide you part of the way to that fortress of his, but after that you'll be on your own. Samuval would take two men coming as a threat, but one man, carrying a white flag… well, you'll probably be safe enough. Samuval is a villain, but he's not a totally unprincipled scoundrel, and he probably wouldn't attack you without some sort of reason. And he'll know all about you already because he has plenty of spies and confederates who pass through town and will have already passed along information about Solace's new sheriff. I'm sure he'll be anxious to meet you, if only to gauge how much of a threat you might pose to him in the future. Maybe you can put a scare into him. It's best that he keeps his distance from Solace.'
Gerard found this explanation less than reassuring, especially since he and Samuval had met briefly during the war and he regarded him as a scoundrel without honor. Fortunately, Samuval wouldn't remember him. The sheriff stood. 'Well, I'd best get going. But first, let me help you clean those up.' Gerard indicated the dirty dishes with a sweep of his hand.
Palin winced. 'I don't think Usha would forgive me if I made you help with dishes. You're our guest, and besides, it's my job. But here, before you leave, there's something I want you to see.' Palin led the way to the back of the house and ushered Gerard into a room that turned out to be Usha's studio. She was busy working on a painting, a portrait of Odila, dressed in priestly raiment and standing in front of the temple as it would look when finished.
'Why, that's beautiful!' Gerard said. Then, stepping closer, he took a better look. Within the architectural details and the shadows cast by the building lurked vague, distorted images suggestive of grinning skulls and bloody shrouds, dripping daggers and gallows' ropes. 'Oh!'
Usha jabbed her finger vexedly at the painting. 'Don't worry. I don't know what all of this means yet.' she explained. 'I don't know what it has to do with Odila or a temple devoted to healing. I'm afraid maybe it foretells some unhappy event or disruption that is to befall during the dedication ceremony, but I won't be sure until the painting settles and is done.'
Gerard was puzzled, knowing little of magic and less of magical painting of the sort Usha specialized in. The Knights of Solamnia had an almost hidebound objection to magic and even though Gerard was no longer a knight, he still shared this attitude. Magic made him uncomfortable, suspicious. 'I don't understand,' he said warily, intending no discourtesy. 'How did those strange images get there if you yourself didn't paint them?'
'This is one of my gifts from the gods that I can't really explain myself,' Usha said, gazing unhappily at her work. 'Sometimes, when I'm painting a scene or portrait, my mind just goes kind of blank. When I come to my senses again, it's almost as if the painting has painted itself. Sometimes, I won't even notice until the next morning. Then I don't know whether the auguries appeared from my own hand or whether they were etched there magically overnight, in my absence. Often, it takes a while to see what is being revealed, although this example is less subtle, more legible than most. And sometimes the auguries vanish by the time the work is finished. Are they warnings to be heeded, or are they sent to cause the very things they show?'
'What do you mean?' Gerard said. He gestured vaguely at the painting. Palin, his hands clasped behind his back, stood there listening, without saying anything.
Usha was quiet for a while. At last, she began to speak. 'Once, I was asked to paint a portrait of a wealthy businessman in Solanthus,' she said softly. 'He was an influential man, very powerful, and like other men of power, he boasted many enemies.
'All went well with the portrait at first, and the businessman was very pleased with my work. Then a strange thing began to happen. First, the eyes in my painting became glazed, as in death. I would restore their look of vitality each day, putting in the points of reflected light that characterize vital eyes, only to have them turn cloudy again each night. After that, I began to find the mouth open each morning as if in a silent scream. Finally, a bloody line started etching itself across his throat, opening further each day until the bloody line became a gaping wound.
'With great unease, I showed my client these omens and told him they might be warnings of what is to come, unless he took steps to prevent things. He concluded that his enemies were out to kill him, and immediately set out for Palanthas until such time as it seemed safe to return.' Usha paused, as if unwilling to continue. 'On the way, he was set upon by robbers,' she added at last, speaking so softly Gerard had to strain to hear. 'He was killed. His throat was cut.' She looked Gerard full in the face. 'So you see, I must have inadvertently caused his death by showing him what the picture revealed. In a way, I contributed to his death. And now I don't know whether to warn Odila of these portents, or whether it would be better for her if I keep silent.'
'But she has to be alerted!' Gerard said vehemently. 'We can't just sit by and let whatever it is befall-not if there's a chance we could stop it.'
'Gerard, weren't you listening to what I told you? I helped cause that businessman's death!'
But Gerard wasn't listening. He stumbled back from the painting, his eyes wide with horror. 'I had a dream a few nights ago,' he said in a whisper. 'I was standing in the new temple. The statue of Mishakal was holding a body, a corpse, and trying to tell me something, but I couldn't understand what Mishakal was saying. Nor could I tell whose body it was, for it was covered in a bloody sheet.'
Usha gasped and clapped a hand over her mouth.
'What?' Gerard said. 'What is it?'
But it was Palin who answered. 'I had the same dream. And I, too, couldn't tell whose the body was.'
'It might have been Odila's!' Gerard declared, turning toward the door.
'Wait,' Usha called. 'Don't do anything that might cause this fate to happen.'
'He must do what he thinks is right, dear,' said Palin.
'I must go to Odila,' Gerard said, hurrying from the room, 'and at least tell her.'
Without further ado, he made for the stairway that would take him to ground level, the bridge-walk trembling beneath his frantic steps, and there he met up with a panting guardsman rushing in his direction. 'At the temple!' the guardsman gasped, bent forward with his hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath. 'A terrible accident… Must tell the mayor.'
'Was anyone injured?' Gerard asked, already feeling a tight foreboding.
'At least one dead.' The guardsman straightened.
