Nights of Villjamur - Mark Charan Newton [136]
Urtica said, “You suspect he’ll find the murderer?”
“I’m certain of it,” Tryst said, hoping he could mask the fact that he himself had caught her already. Once he had finished with Tuya, he’d make sure she was arrested and executed, but meanwhile he had his own schemes to pursue. Yes, timing was everything. In the meantime he didn’t want to consider his actions a betrayal of Urtica’s trust.
“I have received numerous requests from the Inquisition hierarchy about permitting Investigator Jeryd into the Council chambers for extensive questioning sessions. I am however wary of allowing such a move.”
“Certainly not, chancellor. I have taken moves already to ensure that Jeryd is sufficiently distracted.”
“Good.” Urtica scrutinized Tryst till the Inquisition aide felt nervous. “Tell me, as his assistant, what do you yourself know about these murders?”
“Very little,” Tryst lied, “because there isn’t much to go on. It seems each councilor was hunted down with a purpose. By some savage creature, in each case.”
“Creature, you say.” Urtica’s expression revealed surprise. “Hmm, these are indeed strange times. I have had reports of the dead rising up to walk among the living … but that is strictly between you and I.”
“Of course, chancellor. Of course.”
“Our military operations must not be declared openly, though news will filter out eventually.”
“Who do we fight?” Tryst asked.
“The Varltungs. I’m slightly concerned not to have heard any further intelligence yet. The routine garuda flights have stopped. Not only that, but we’ve thousands of stinking refugees outside our fucking gates, living in their own sodding filth and disease. It’s only a matter of time before their diseases reach into the city itself.”
“You have schemes in mind, sir?”
“Indeed I do, Tryst. Indeed I do. Another reason why I wanted you here was to pick your brains.”
Urtica walked to the door, opened it to check if anyone was around. He then locked it, drew Tryst into the furthest corner of the room. “We swear to the Ovinists now,” he said, and Tryst understood what he meant.
Urtica placed an arm around Tryst’s shoulders. “Say our new Empress were to sign various decrees to … eliminate these refugees. Say she set things in motion secretly, and they were suddenly… revealed to the Council and the Inquisition. What would be the official outcome as denoted by the laws of the Empire?”
“Well …” Tryst began pondering the question, while he tried hard to recall his studies of the ancient and complicated laws of the Jamur Empire. “It would be considered an act of conspiracy of genocide against her own people—against the free people of the Empire. At the very least she would be stripped of her title, and probably executed. But this all depends—wouldn’t it be tantamount to a coup? How do we get the military on our side?”
“The military do not serve Rika directly. They never served Johynn either—they take orders from the Council, so as to prevent a dictatorship. That’s why he never trusted any soldier apart from Commander Lathraea for most of the time. Don’t worry—I have pacts in place with certain senior officers.”
Tryst felt proud at this sign of proximity to his Ovinist leader, infatuated by their closeness. The man had thought of everything. He was an inspiration.
“Now then, what I’m about to tell you will be extremely confidential. I will reward you with immense power after this is done, for I myself will ascend the ranks. At the very least you shall step from grade Minoris to Majoris …”
Power.
The dialogue had moved on, but the word still hung in the air like a noxious odor. Power was what he should have achieved in the Inquisition, and it was power that Jeryd had denied him simply because of his race. Power was what he wanted so badly, to prove himself worthy.
Tryst said, “I will honor your confidence, Magus Urtica.”
“Good. Now, I fear this next discussion will require us to be somewhere even more private. Shall we?”
On one of the bridges overlooking the frosted spires, and well above this city suffocating under snow, Urtica discussed his concepts.