vehicle.
The carriage door opened and a richly dressed man climbed out. For a moment Dannyl was taken aback. He had seen Elyne courtiers before, and had been relieved that he would not have to adopt the ridiculous finery that was fashionable in the Elyne court. Yet he had to admit that the elaborate, close-fitting garb suited this handsome young man. With such a face as that, Dannyl mused, this one must be a favorite among the ladies.
The man took a hesitant step forward. “Ambassador Dannyl?”
“Yes.”
“I am Tayend of Tremmelin.” The man bent into a graceful bow.
“I’m honored to meet you,” Dannyl replied.
“I am most honored to meet you, Ambassador Dannyl,” Tayend replied. “You must be tired after your journey. I will take you directly to your house.”
“Thank you.” Dannyl wondered why this man had been sent in place of servants, and looked at Tayend closely. “Are you from the Guild House?”
“No,” Tayend smiled. “I am from the Great Library. It was arranged by your Administrator that I meet you here.”
“I see.”
Tayend gestured to the door of the carriage. “After you, my lord.”
Climbing aboard, Dannyl breathed a little sigh of appreciation for the luxurious interior. After so many days living in a tiny cabin, with little privacy or comforts, he was looking forward to a bath and something more sophisticated than soup and bread.
Tayend settled on the opposite seat, then knocked on the roof to signal the driver. As the carriage pulled away from the wharf, Tayend’s gaze slid to Dannyl’s robes, then flitted away. He looked out of the window, swallowed audibly, then rubbed his hands on his trousers.
Suppressing a smile at the man’s nervousness, Dannyl considered all he had learned of the Elyne court. He hadn’t heard of Tayend of Tremmelin, though he had read of others from the family.
“What is your position in court, Tayend?”
The young man made a dismissive gesture. “Only a minor one. I avoid it, mostly, and it avoids me.” He glanced at Dannyl, then smiled self-consciously. “I am a scholar. The Great Library is where I spend most of my time.”
“The Great Library,” Dannyl repeated. “I have always wanted to see it.”
Tayend’s face lit with a wide smile. “It is a marvellous place. I will take you there tomorrow, if you wish. I’ve found that magicians appreciate books in a way that most courtiers never do. Your High Lord spent many weeks there once - long before he became High Lord, of course.”
Dannyl looked at the young man, his pulse quickening. “Did he really? What could have interested him so much?”
“All sorts of things,” Tayend replied, his eyes bright. “I was his assistant for some days. Irand - the head librarian - couldn’t keep me out of the library when I was a boy, so he employed me to fetch and carry. Lord Akkarin read all the oldest books. He was looking for something, but I never found out exactly what it was. It was such a mystery. One day he didn’t arrive at his usual time, or the next day, so we asked after him. He had packed up and left all of a sudden.”
“How interesting,” Dannyl mused. “I wonder if he had found what he was looking for.”
Tayend glanced out of the window. “Ah! We’re almost at your house. Would you like me to collect you tomorrow - oh, you’ll want to go to court first, won’t you?”
Dannyl smiled. “I will take you up on your offer, Tayend, but I cannot say when. Shall I send a message when I know?”
“Of course.” As the carriage rolled to a halt, Tayend unlatched the door and pushed it open. “Just send a note to the Great Library - or just come. I’m always there during the day.”
“Very well,” Dannyl said. “Thank you for collecting me from the wharf, Tayend of Tremmelin.”
“It was an honor, my lord,” the young man replied.
Dannyl climbed out of the carriage and found himself standing in front of a wide, three-story house. Columns, bridged by arches, supported a deep verandah. The space between the middle columns was wider than the rest, and the verandah there curved upward to form an arch reminiscent of the University entrance. Beyond was a replica of the University doors.
Four servants had removed the chests from the carriage. Another stepped forward and bowed.
“Ambassador Dannyl. Welcome to the Guild House of Capia. Please follow me.”
From behind, Dannyl heard a cultured voice repeat the title in a whisper. He resisted turning to look at Tayend; instead he smiled to himself and followed the servant into the house. The young scholar was obviously more than a little awed by magicians.
Then he sobered. Tayend had met and assisted Akkarin ten years before. Lorlen had arranged for the scholar to meet him. Coincidence? He doubted it. Lorlen obviously intended for Dannyl to enlist Tayend’s help for his research into ancient magic.
In the little garden the scent of flowers was almost unbearably sweet. A tiny fountain pattered somewhere in the background, hidden by the night shadows. Lorlen brushed away the petals that had fallen onto his robes.
The couple sitting on the opposite bench were distant relations and members of the same House as Lorlen. He had grown up with their eldest son, Walin, before entering the Guild. Though Walin lived in Elyne now, Lorlen liked to visit his old friend’s parents now and then, especially when Derril’s garden was at its best.
“Barran is doing well,” Velia said, her eyes shining in the torchlight. “He’s sure he’ll be promoted to captain next year.”
“Already?” Lorlen replied. “He has accomplished a lot in the last five years.”
Derril smiled. “He certainly has. It’s good to see our youngest has become such a responsible man - despite Velia spoiling him so much.”
“I don’t spoil him anymore,” she protested. Then she sobered. “I’ll be relieved when he no longer has to patrol the streets, though,” she added, her smile suddenly gone.
“Hmmm.” Derril looked at his wife and frowned. “I must agree with Velia. Every year the city becomes more dangerous. These recent murders are enough to make even the bravest man lock his doors at night.”
Lorlen frowned. “Murders?”
“You haven’t heard?” Derril’s eyebrows rose. “Why, the whole city’s in a stir about them.”
Lorlen shook his head. “I might have been told, but events in the Guild have occupied my mind lately. I haven’t paid much attention to city matters.”
“You should poke your head out of that place more often,” Derril said disapprovingly. “I’m surprised you haven’t taken an interest in this. They say it’s the worst set of murders seen in the city for over a hundred years. Velia and I know more about them, of course, because of Barran.”
Lorlen smothered a smile. Not only did Derril relish telling people the “secret” information that his son passed on, but he enjoyed being the first to know anything. It must have been satisfying indeed for him to be the first to inform the Administrator of the Magicians’ Guild of these crimes.
“You had better tell me about them then - before anyone else realizes my ignorance,” Lorlen prompted.
Derril leaned forward and placed his elbows on his knees. “What is chilling about this murderer is that he performs some kind of ritual as he kills his victims. A woman witnessed one of the murders two nights ago. She had been packing clothes away when she heard her employer struggling with a stranger. When she realized the pair was coming into the room, she hid inside a cupboard.
“She said that the stranger tied up her employer, then took out a knife and cut off his shirt. He made small cuts on the man’s body, five on each shoulder.” Derril splayed his fingers over his shoulder. “Those cuts are how the Guard knows it’s the same man doing the murders. The woman said the murderer placed his fingers over the cuts and started chanting under his breath. When he was finished whatever he was saying, he cut the man’s throat.”
Velia made a noise of disgust, then rose. “Excuse me, but this gives me the chills.” She hurried inside.
“The servant said something else,” Derril added. “She said she thought the man was dead before his throat
