Murder in Cormyr - Chet Williamson [75]
At last the silence was broken by the still, soft voice of
Benelaius. "I think," he said, "that the orders from Suzail have been carried out." And none of us could disagree with him.
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Needless to say, after Tobald sank to the bottom of the Vast Swamp and Fastred's ghost returned to wherever it is ghosts return to after they've finished with their supernatural vengeance, things calmed down quite a bit.
Captain Flim and his Purple Dragons came back onto the piazza, and Lindavar and I brought new coals and relit the braziers so that we had light once again. Once the ghostly chill was gone, everyone was congratulating Lindavar and Benelaius, and even me. Mayella Meadowbrock told me that she thought I had done "a simply wonderful job," but from the way that Rolf was looking at me, I merely thanked her without extending the conversation.
Barthelm was the happiest of the lot, and I thought he was going to fall to his knees and kiss the hem of the two wizards' robes in gratitude for saving the lives of the Grand Council. "Rest assured that I shall see to it that everyone in Cormyr knows of your genius, young man," he told Lindavar, and I suspected that any negative impressions his fellow War
Wizards might have had of their new colleague would disappear as quickly as… well, as a ghost, when news of his deductive triumph reached them. His reputation would be enhanced a hundredfold, especially since Benelaius kept implying that all the deductions were Lindavar's.
In truth, I thought it all too possible, especially when I considered the piece that didn't fit.
I was dying to ask Benelaius about it. After everyone but Lindavar and Kendra had left for Ghars, I approached him in his study. "Master," I said, "there is still one thing that I would like to ask you about."
He held up a hand and shook his head. "Our guests leave tomorrow morning," he said, "and it is quite late. There will be plenty of time on the morrow to tie up… loose ends, Jasper. Now, get you to bed for a well-deserved rest."
The finality of his last sentence allowed for no objection, and I wearily went upstairs. Yet despite my tiredness, it took a long time for me to fall asleep. The terror of the ghost was still fresh in my mind, but what really kept me awake was my certainty that Lindavar's deductions were not totally correct. Oh, yes, Tobald was the traitor all right. His placing what he thought was poison in the public cistern was proof of that, along with his outburst at Benelaius once he had been found out.
But what haunted me more than any ghost was the thought of the pills that I had delivered to Tobald that very morning.
*****
The next day dawned without its usual dryness and sunlight. Dark clouds had gathered on the horizon over the swamp, and a brisk wind sent them scudding northwest, toward us and, hopefully, the farms beyond.
I was the first awake in the cottage, and when I went downstairs I saw Kendra sleeping on the chaise, beneath a coverlet of cats. She looked quite comfortable, and I heard her snoring softly.
In the kitchen, I pushed the window open and let the strong wind blow in. It brought a fine mist of water with it. Good. It had begun to drizzle. With luck, rain would follow. I breathed in the damp air, trying to get myself awake and alert for the day. Both Lindavar and Kendra were leaving, and I wanted to send them off with a good breakfast. Then, once they were on the road, I could at last talk to Benelaius.
By the time the others were up and dressed, I had a sumptuous repast ready for them, and they feasted triumphantly. I, on the other hand, only picked at my food, my mind far away from the needs of my stomach.
"Jasper,"