The High Lord

She smiled and nodded. 'That is fair.' She paused, then took a step backward. 'I should start looking for the woman.'

'I guess you should.'

Turning away, she walked across the room to the door. After she had gone he felt a vague disappointment, and he began considering ways he could have kept her around a little longer. The door opened again, but it was Gol.

'Ready to see Hem now?'

Cery grimaced. 'Send him in.'

He pulled the drawer open, picked up one of the yerim and a sharpening stone. As the merchant minced into the room, Cery began honing the point of the scribing tool.

'So, Hem, tell me why I shouldn't see how many holes I need to make before you start leaking money?'

From the University roof it was just possible to see the stump of the old, half-dismantled Lookout. Somewhere behind the trees, new stone was being taken by gorin-drawn carts up the long winding road to the summit.

'Construction may have to wait until after the summer break,' Lord Sarrin said.

'Delay construction?' Lorlen turned to the magician at his side. 'I was hoping this project wouldn't drag out any longer than three months. I'm already tired of the complaints about delayed projects and lack of free time.'

'I'm sure many would agree with you,' Lord Sarrin replied. 'Nevertheless, we can't tell everyone involved that they won't be visiting their families this year. The trouble with magically strengthened buildings is that they're not structurally sound until the stone has been fused, and we don't do that until everything is in place. In the meantime, we hold everything together consciously. Delays are not appreciated.'

Unlike Lord Peakin, Lord Sarrin had offered little input during the debate over the new Lookout. Lorlen wasn't sure if this was because the old Head of Alchemists didn't have a strong opinion on the matter, or if he had seen which side would win and kept prudently silent. Perhaps this was a good time to ask.

'What do you really think about this project, Sarrin?'

The old magician shrugged. 'I agree that the Guild should do something grand and challenging now and then, but I wonder if, perhaps, we should be doing something other than constructing yet another building.'

'I hear Peakin wanted to use one of Lord Coren's unused designs.'

'Lord Coren!' Sarrin rolled his eyes. 'How tired I am of hearing that name! I like some of what the architect designed in his day, but we have magicians alive today who are just as capable of designing attractive and functional buildings as he was.'

'Yes,' Lorlen agreed. 'I hear Balkan nearly had a fit when he saw Coren's plans.'

'He called them 'a nightmare of frivolity.' '

Lorlen sighed. 'I don't think it will just be the summer break that will delay this project.'

Sarrin pursed his lips. 'A little external pressure might speed it along. Is the King in a hurry?'

'Is the King ever not in a hurry?'

Sarrin chuckled.

'I'll ask Akkarin to inquire for us,' Lorlen said. 'I'm sure—'

'Administrator?' a voice called.

Lorlen turned. Osen was hurrying across the roof toward him.

'Yes?'

'Captain Barran of the Guard is here to see you.'

Lorlen turned to Sarrin. 'I had best see to this.'

'Of course.' Sarrin nodded in farewell. As Lorlen started toward Osen, the young magician stopped and waited for him.

'Did the Captain say why he has come?' Lorlen asked.

'No,' Osen replied, falling into step beside Lorlen, 'but he seemed agitated.'

They stepped through the door to the roof and made their way through the University. As Lorlen stepped out of the Entrance Hall he saw Barran standing by his office door. The guard looked relieved when he saw Lorlen approaching.

'Good afternoon, Captain,' Lorlen said.

Barran bowed. 'Administrator.'

'Come into my office.' Lorlen held the door open for Barran and Osen, then ushered his guest to a seat. Settling down behind his desk, he regarded the Captain soberly.

'So what brings you to the Guild? Not another murder, I hope.'

'I'm afraid so. And not just one murder.' Barran's voice was strained. 'There has been what I can only call a massacre.'

Lorlen felt his blood turn cold. 'Go on.'

'Fourteen victims, all killed in the same manner, found in Northside last night. Most were found on the street, a few in houses.' Barran shook his head. 'It's as if some madman roamed the slums, killing anyone he saw.'

'Surely there'd be witnesses, in that case.'

Barran shook his head. 'Nothing useful. A few people said they thought they saw a woman, others said it was a man. None saw the killer's face. Too dark.'

'And the manner of death?' Lorlen forced himself to ask.

'Shallow cuts. None that ought to have been fatal. No sign of poison. Fingerprints on the wounds. That is why I came to you. It is the only similarity to the previous cases we've discussed.' He paused. 'There is one other thing.'

'Yes?'

'One of my investigators was told by the husband of a victim that stories were going around about a fight in a bolhouse last night. A fight between magicians.'

Lorlen managed to look skeptical. 'Magicians?'

'Yes. One apparently floated to the ground from a third-story window. I thought it was probably a fancy invented in the dark, except that the murders all occurred in a line pointing directly to this bolhouse. Or away from it.'

'And did you investigate the bolhouse?'

'Yes. One of the rooms was smashed up quite badly, so something did happen there last night. Whether it was magic...' He shrugged. 'Who can tell?'

'We can tell,' Osen said.

Lorlen looked up at his assistant. Osen was right; someone from the Guild should examine the bolhouse. Akkarin will want me to do it, Lorlen thought.

'I would like to see this room.'

Barran nodded. 'I can take you there now. I have a Guard carriage waiting outside.'

'I could go instead,' Osen offered.

'No,' Lorlen replied. 'I will do it. I know more about these cases than you. Stay here and keep an eye on things.'

'Other magicians may hear about this,' Osen said. 'They'll be concerned. What should I tell them?'

'Just that there has been another disturbing set of murders and that the bolhouse story is probably an exaggeration. We don't want people jumping to conclusions or causing a panic.' He stood, and Barran followed suit.

'And if you do find evidence of magic?' Osen added.

'We'll deal with that if it happens.'

Osen remained standing by the desk as Lorlen and Barran moved to the door. Looking back, Lorlen saw that his assistant was frowning with concern.

'Don't worry,' Lorlen assured him. He managed a wry smile. 'This is probably only as sinister as all the other murder cases.'

Osen smiled thinly and nodded.

Closing the door to his office, Lorlen strode into the Entrance Hall, then out of the University doors.

- You should interview Captain Barran alone, my friend.