Masquerades - Kate Novak [143]
The next morning brought a similar note from Jamal. Alias bad not returned, but a fisherman had relayed a rumor that Alias was seen battling a fire elemental in the plaza around the Westlight. Jamal had checked with the watch stationed around the lighthouse, only to learn that some itinerant wanderer had started a trash fire by the water to keep herself company.
That afternoon, after Lady Nettel's funeral, one of the Thalavar halflings returned to the castle with the rumor that the Faceless was holding court in a tavern in Gate-side. With Thistle again locked in the study with her account books, Olive hurried down to the tavern in question, but discovered only an outlander in a heavy cloak. He was not holding court, only recruiting bodyguards for a caravan going south, and he kept his face covered with the hood of his cloak to hide a particularly ugly scar received from brigands.
Olive spent the afternoon interviewing halflings to serve as guards for the castle, for the warehouses, and, most especially, for Thistle. While she found several sturdy, sensible recruits worth training, no one with any real combat experience came forward.
By evening, Jamal sent another negative note. The adventurers had not returned. A beachcomber down by the river claimed to have seen Dragonbait battling the quelzarn in the water below the bridge. After interviewing the witness, Jamal had concluded he was into his third tankard of ale and was seeing anything the actress could suggest to his vivid imagination and besotted brain.
The third morning after the ball brought a new rumor to the servants' quarters of Castle Thalavar: the Faceless was dead. Night Mask activity was so low for the past two days, people had begun to believe that perhaps the Night Masks were in mourning for their leader. Speculation was rife that perhaps one of the deceased nobles had been the lord of the Night Masters. Olive wondered if Victor had had a hand in spreading the rumor.
Kel appeared at the Thalavar castle gate right after breakfast. Olive realized he brought something more than rumor. The boy had been crying. This time he hadn't brought a note. "Jamal's at the Old Beard," he reported. "She says come now." Still crying, Kel ran off.
Olive arrived at the tavern near the river just as House Dhostar's massive carriage was pulling away. People were pouring out of the tavern. Olive hurried inside. Jamal was sitting at a table, looking pale and shaken.
"What is it?" the hauling asked.
"A fisherman found it near the Athagdal docks," Jamal explained, "where the Thunn runs into the harbor."
"Found what?" Olive demanded.
"Alias-Alias-her-oh, gods!" The actress broke into sobs.
Olive looked up at the tavern's host. "It was an arm," the man explained, "covered with a tattoo of thorns and waves, with a rose at the wrist."
"I found it floating in the water," a young fisherman said. " 'Tweren'-t chewed up or anything. Someone had hacked it off at the shoulder. It had a domino mask clutched in its hand-in a death grip."
"Where is it?" Olive demanded through clenched teeth.
"Croamarkh Victor took it," the tavern owner said. "Wept over it like it were the lady 'erself. Wrapped it up in a piece o' velvet and said it would be laid to rest in the Dhostar family crypt in honor o' 'er service to the croamarkh."
Olive nudged Jamal to her feet, anxious to get her away from the somewhat crowded tavern.
As they walked down the street, Jamal explained. "I sent Kel as soon as I heard. I thought you might be able to tell for sure-tell if it were hers. You said it was a magic arm. You could tell if it were a fake, couldn't you?"
"Maybe," Olive said. "Why'd you let Dhostar take it?"
"He was weeping. He asked the fisherman and the people in the tavern if they would let him take it. No one could turn him down. If he's really as bad as you say, he's the best actor in Westgate," the actress said. "I don't think I could show more grief them he did."
"If you're not careful, hell make your troupe obsolete," the halfling snarled.
If rumors flew before, now they teleported