Masquerades - Kate Novak [138]
"It makes a certain amount of sense. But then, so do a lot of other scenarios," Alias said as she laid another log on the fire. "Your father might have wanted to use the golems on the nobles to consolidate his grip as croamarkh. The Night Masters might have realized he was using them, and fearing he would betray them, destroyed him. What I can't figure out is why the Night Masters went to so much trouble to be sure we found your father's body but then made sure the golem took it away from us. I'm surprised they left his coin mask, too. A piece of magic that powerful-why didn't they take it from him after they killed him?"
Victor reached calmly into one of the desk drawers and pulled out an ornate ring, set with a huge black opal. Pushing a tiny nub forced the opal to slide aside, revealing a needle tipped with poison. Alias, staring thoughtfully into the fire, did not notice the merchant lord's actions.
"It was as if they wanted us to discover that your father was the Faceless. Did they think I would stop hunting for them if they slew their leader? Unless-"
"Unless what?" Victor prompted as he leaned back in his chair.
"Unless he really wasn't the Faceless, and the real Faceless wanted to pin it on him," Alias said excitedly. "Surely the real Faceless couldn't have been killed so easily. He could have them all on the floor in agony with just a spell word. It was one of the Faceless's powers. He used it just two, no, three nights ago… but- Victor, that's it! You're father is innocent! They did set him up! They probably planted the key as well!"
Alias turned suddenly from the fire and looked down at the young nobleman. Victor stood suddenly. "You can't be serious," he said.
Alias paced before the fire. "Durgar said three nights ago he and your father sat up all night balancing their accounts and going over records, right?"
Victor nodded.
"Until dawn, when Ssentar Urdo came by," Alias continued as she swung about. "But, according to Melman, the Faceless was attending a meeting that night with all the Night Masters."
Victor seemed to be scowling, unable to understand what she was saying.
"Don't you see? Your father could not be the Faceless or even a Night Master," Alias explained, "because he was not at that meeting. He was with Durgar."
"Are you sure of the night of the meeting?" Victor said with an anxious tone. "Melman could have lied about the night, or you might have misheard him."
"No problem," Alias said. "We'll get Durgar to do a detect lie spell and ask him again."
"Ask-" Victor gasped. "Ask him? He's alive? You've captured one of the Night Masters alive?"
"Yes," Alias said. "I told you I got the key to the Faceless's last lair from him."
Victor looked aghast. "I thought you'd stolen it- I mean that that halfling Ruskettle acquired it for you. Why didn't you tell me?" he demanded.
Alias sighed. "When we talked about it before," she explained, "I was afraid your father was a Night Master, maybe even the Faceless, and I thought you might be passing information on to him-innocently of course. Then, too, I knew you might not approve of the arrangement I'd made with Melman. I agreed to let him go, providing he told me everything he could, and providing he wasn't lying."
Victor looked stricken. "So where is Melman now?"
Alias looked slightly guilty. "He told me all he knew, and it checked out. By now he's on a boat bound for Cormyr. But we could have Mintassan meet him in Cormyr and bring him back for something as important as clearing your father's name."
Victor nodded thoughtfully. "It shouldn't be too hard to find a branded Night Master," he mused aloud.
Alias nodded in agreement, then paused. "How did you know Melman was branded?"
Victor opened his mouth and closed it. "Didn't you mention it?" he asked, perplexed.
Alias frowned, reviewing in her perfect memory every conversation she'd had with Victor concerning Melman. She'd said the Faceless had branded someone, but not who. "No, I'm certain I didn't," she said.
Victor crossed to where Alias stood and laid a warm hand on her shoulder.