Murder in Cormyr - Chet Williamson [72]
Shortshanks raised a hand. He looked ill and was holding his hand to his stomach. All of the others appeared equally distraught, and even the sun-burnished faces of the Purple Dragons looked pale. "What did you do with the poison?" Shortshanks asked.
"We replaced the vial in the traitor's possession, so that he would not know we had found it."
"Wait a minute!" Rolf said, turning toward old Khlerat and pointing at him. "It had to get into the water supply for it to work, and he's the one who's in charge of the water!"
"Khlerat is not the killer," said Benelaius. It seemed that he chose to speak only when people needed reassuring. "And don't worry. None of you have been poisoned. Before the vial was returned, it was thoroughly cleansed and the poison was replaced with a harmless crystal."
"A crystal?" asked Rolf. "Wouldn't the killer see that?"
"A crystalline powder," Lindavar clarified, as I considered the possibility that Rolf had little room to be calling other people stupid. "One that dissolved in water as invisibly as the poison. Now," he said, "who drank from the water supply in Ghars this day?"
Everyone except for Benelaius, Lindavar, Kendra, and me raised their hands, all of them uncomfortably. Even the one I now knew was to be identified as the killer did. He probably thought it his last chance.
"Benelaius, Kendra, and myself," said Lindavar, "were not in Ghars today, and Jasper was told not to drink any water there." The young mage went to the first brazier and partially covered it so that only a small amount of light leaked out. He did the same with the others, so that the light remaining was similar to that of a nearly dead fire, enough for us to see each other's forms but no details of face or clothing.
"The crystal we used as a replacement," Lindavar said when we were in near darkness, "was discovered by Benelaius."
"There is nothing of magic in it," my master said, and I heard pride in his voice. "It is a perfectly safe, natural compound derived from crystalline rock. Its main quality is luminescence." He opened his mouth wide, and a ghostly, blue-green circle appeared. "As you see, it shows itself most clearly in the mucous membranes, such as the inside of the mouth and the bowels. If I were to be eviscerated and turned inside-out, I would be quite a sight."
I considered that that would be quite a sight even if he wasn't luminescent, but did not offer the observation.
"So open your mouths, everyone," Lindavar said. "And the outcome will be obvious. The person whose mouth is not glowing did not drink from the Ghars water supply today, even though everyone here, with the noted exceptions, declared that they did so. That person is not only the attempted assassin of the entire Cormyrean Merchant's Guild council and the citizens of Ghars but the successful killer of Dovo and Grodoveth. So open. Open wide, I pray you--"
And they did. One by one, irregular blue-green moons appeared in the darkness of the piazza, except for one person who sat, mouth clamped shut. The Purple Dragons were a row of luminous spheres, and those seated provided a jagged constellation of cool fire.
But on Benelaius's right, there was only darkness, the outline of a figure, a hunched shape that bespoke fear, refusal, and yes, malignancy.
Then Benelaius's voice spoke coldly. "What is the matter, Lord Mayor? Afraid you'll get a mosquito in your mouth?"
32
"Open your mouth, sir, or my men will do it for you," said Captain Flim, his voice as rough and grizzled as his beard.
Mayor Tobald hesitated only another moment, then opened his mouth. It was merely a darker hole in the darkness of his face. I heard the click of his teeth as his mouth slammed shut again.
"Khlerat," said Lindavar, "when I spoke of the poison several minutes ago, you were the first to be alarmed.