• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

By Root 674 0

is my assistant, Andreana.“ The girl bowed and opened her mouth to speak, but Elhazir cut her off. ”Is there some service I may perform for you, Lord Lhal?“ Myrmeen stared at Elhazir's red, bleary eyes. The woman's heavy makeup had been applied recently, but it couldn't hide the fact that she'd been crying for hours. ”Perhaps if you could answer a few questions....“ ”Of course.“ ”How did you know Penn Othmann?“ ”He came by now and then to talk. Lots of the other merchants did. Business has been slow.“ ”You also had a financial arrangement with him.“ ”Yes, but it was a rare occasion when I had cause to send one of my customers to Penn.“ ”Did you hear or see anything suspicious last night?“ ”Nothing.“ ”Did he seem anxious or frightened lately?“ ”No, he seemed quite normal.“ Myrmeen placed her hand on the shoulder of the young girl. ”Did you see or hear anything?“ Andreana shrugged. ”I never paid much attention.“ ”Yes,“ Elhazir snapped, ”that's your problem. You never pay attention to anything, you little halfwit.“ Myrmeen watched the girl's hair fall into her eyes as she looked down. It did not disguise the hurt she saw there. Turning to Elhazir, Myrmeen asked, ”Would you have any objections to my men searching both your house and your business?“ ”Do what you like,“ Elhazir said. ”I'm not hiding anything."

“Of course not, but maybe you're overlooking something important. One other thing. We've heard from several parties that Othmann was involved with a red-haired woman about my age,” Myrmeen lied. “Do you know anything about her?” Elhazir was stunned. She flinched, then bit her lower lip. “No, I can't.” “He also had a wife in Suzail,” Myrmeen added. “We're thinking she may be our prime suspect.” “A wife,” Elhazir said flatly. “How interesting.” “If the wife found out about the mistress-or mistresses-she might have hired a mage to kill him.” “A mage? He was killed by a mage?” “Yes. You didn't know that?” “I didn't.” Myrmeen nodded. “I see. And about the wife?” “He never said anything about being married.” “Thanks for your help,” Myrmeen said abruptly. “Both of you are dismissed.” The woman nodded, took the arm of her assistant, and left the shop. One of Myrmeen's soldiers accompanied her. The dark-eyed ruler turned to Stralana. “Othmann and Elhazir were lovers.” “I gathered as much from your, shall we say, creative inquiries.” “I want you to use your best men to conduct the search of Elhazir's home and business. Go through everything.” “You're hoping to find some tangible evidence of Elhazir's relationship to Othmann? To establish her motive?” “That's part of it,” Myrmeen said. “Frankly, I wouldn't be surprised if she's a mage herself-or knows the identity of the mage who killed Othmann. But we can't arrest her without cause.” “What if my men find nothing?” “Then have her watched night and day. She's upset enough now after that story I made up about Othmann's wife and other lovers that she might make a mistake. Let's hope she gives herself away or leads us to the one we seek.” A scream ripped through the street, causing Myrmeen, Stralana, and one of the soldiers to race out of the shop. The mages and another soldier remained behind. “It came from there,” a young flaxen-haired soldier named Kynan Tofte said as he pointed at an alley across the street. There they found an old woman crouched atop a pile of trash. She brandished a broom as if it were a sword, holding off the collection of hissing, clawing cats at her feet. The felines had trapped the woman and seemed prepared to attack. “This does not bode well,” Stralana said as the soldiers went to the woman's aid. “Does it?” Myrmeen watched the cats scatter into the alley, then shook her head. “No, I'm afraid it doesn't” * * * * *

For the next three days, incidents involving the feline population of Arabel abounded: Two dozen people were assaulted by their household pets the first afternoon. Ten times that number reported confrontations that night. No one was seriously injured, though many claimed to have nearly died of fright. A marauding pack of cats, several hundred strong,