Murder in Cormyr - Chet Williamson [66]
But perhaps there wouldn't be as much to burn as I had thought. As we rode by the hydra's bulky corpse, we heard the scuttling of dozens of predators who had been feasting through the night on its carcass, the same way, I thought grimly, the councilmen had been wolfing down their treats in Ghars. The dead creature's severed heads were probably already gone, dragged off into the swamp for a more leisurely meal. I shuddered and looked back at the road ahead.
As we rounded the final bend, I saw that all the lights were burning at the cottage, including the large one on the post near the road. There were lights in back of the house as well, as though the braziers that ringed the piazza were all burning. The light shone weakly upon the Vast Swamp itself, and it had never looked closer to the house than on this night. It seemed a huge lump of malevolent life that needed only to hump up just a bit higher to crush the cottage and destroy all the light in and around it forever.
Or maybe that was just my imagination.
I was feeling a little jumpy, and more than ready to hear what Benelaius was going to say. You don't pull a dozen Purple Dragons, their captain, and a wagon load of important or easily irritable townspeople out to the swamp in the middle of the night unless you've got something big to tell them.
Lindavar emerged from the front door as our caravan came lumbering up, and bowed with more grace than I had previously seen in him. "Greetings," he said.
Barthelm Meadowbrock was in no mood for niceties. "What's the meaning of this? Why has that madman of a wizard had us all brought out here at sword point?"
"Our swords, sir," said Captain Flim with a touch of pique, "are all sheathed."
Lindavar held up a calming hand to quiet any further disputes. "Benelaius is waiting for us on the piazza in the back of the house. There he will explain why your presences have been required."
Two of the twelve soldiers stayed with the horses, and I allowed them to watch Jenkus as well. I could rub him down later. Lindavar led us into the house, the rest of the soldiers flanking all of us, with me and Mayor Tobald bringing up the rear.
The cats, even though unused to such hordes of company, parted like the waters of an enchanted sea as we passed through them. Mayella murmured, "Pretty kitties," and leaned to pat a few, who responded with deeply appreciative purrs.
But over their mellow rumbling, I heard the louder sound of one of the feline congregation hissing, but when I turned to look, I saw only Mayor Tobald, his face set in a grimace. He smiled quickly, as if to show nothing was wrong, and we continued on through the main room and Benelaius's study, and out the doors to the piazza in the rear of the dwelling.
There Benelaius sat in a large chair next to Kendra, who still occupied the chaise, which I assumed Lindavar had moved outside. There were also nine wooden chairs that I had never seen used before in the cottage. They were designed to stack one atop the other, and had always been stored in a closet. Four braziers sat on the piazza rail, providing enough light for all of us to see one another. Two of our cats sat beside each brazier, making quite a picturesque arrangement.
Benelaius rose to his feet and smiled at the assembled multitudes. "Pray forgive me for keeping all of you from your well-deserved rest," he said, "or your further joyous celebrations at hosting such a distinguished gathering as the Grand Council of the Cormyrean Merchants' Guild. I assure you that each of your presences was required here tonight. All will be explained in a short while, but what most of you probably already suspect is true. It does indeed have to do with the murders that have caused such pain in Ghars."
"Then tell us what you want to tell