The Howling Delve - Jaleigh Johnson [58]
"Indeed." So that was it, Kail thought. Magic had tainted his fathet's blood. "How did my father discover the spells affecting him?"
"He may have noticed when one ot both elements of the enchantment began to break down," Dantane said, "the spells… and his own mind."
Kali nodded. It made sense. Over time, the enchantment had slowly destroyed his father's sanity. He'd seen it that night in the gatden. "When my farher hired you, was he…"
"Lucid?" Dantane smiled sardonically. "He had stretches, long enough to keep his business scraping by. I could prolong some of them, with magic. Do you have any other inquiries, Lord Morel?" he asked impatiently, "or may I go?"
Kail considered the man. He knew what Cesira would say if she were here. Dantane was young, tidy with his speech and possessions, but with an unkempt ait about his person. His dark hair was too long and shaggy, his eyes perpetually jumpy and fatigued. And he was hungry, Kail thought. He'd watched the wizard poring over his books. The man was too eager for magic to have come willingly to a land so beteft of it. Kail had no doubt there was more to his reason for being here, but whethei it had anything to do with the Morel family was what he needed to know.
He knew what Cesira would say. Cesira would send Dantane away without hesitation.
•"I want you to watch the party," Kail said, surprising them both.
Dantane raised an eyebrow. "Watch it for what?"
Kail had no idea. "I have no mercenaries, no guards employed to see to the security of the house. You can act in that capacity."
Dantane hesitated. "Lord Morel, you claim a powerful druid as your companion-"
"Yes, but she's fairly intractable…"
"-so I fail to see what added benefit I can be."
"You're saying you don't want to continue to receive the impressive mound of coin my fathet paid?"
"I've seen your guest list, Lord Morel. It more resembles a creditor account. How long will you be able to retain my services once this evening's festivities are concluded?"
Kail had no notion of that either. "Start with the party. We'll go from thete." On the heels of one problem settled, another occurred to Kail. He took out his mother's pouch, held the sttings, then tossed the pouch to Dantane.
The wizard caught it, a puzzled frown crossing his face. "What's this?"
"A task for after the party," Kail said. "Search its contents for any dangerous magic." He still didn't completely trust Meisha.
"And if I find some?" Dantane asked.
Kail paused at the top of the stairs. "Destroy it."
Later, Kail sat at his father's desk, his arms folded behind his head as he listened to the muffled sounds of the party going on outside the study. He was still sitting when the door opened, and Lord Marstil Greve stepped inside.
Lord Greve was a handsome man just entering middle years, but his muscles had begun to soften. He wore a jeweled knife at his belt, inset with two gems-one a ruby in a nest of gold, the other a glimmering emerald.
"Lord Morel? I believe we had an appointment," said Marstil.
"My apologies, Lord Greve," Kail said, coming around the desk to offer his hand. "My mind was consumed by other thoughts-old memories."
The merchant nodded. "Understandable. It must be strange to come home after so long an absence. My sympathies on your father's death, he was-"
"Suicide," Kail corrected.
Marstil blinked. "I beg your pardon?"
"My father took his own life," Kali repeated pleasantly. "In this study, as a matter of fact."
Marstil appeared extremely uncomfortable. "I hope you don't mind my speaking with you privately, Lord Morel… and speaking plainly," he added, watching Kail's face.
"Not at all."
"Being newly arrived in Keczulla, I'm sure you're unaware that among the merchants of the city, my family is growing in prominence, though we do not have the history associated with the Tanisloves, the Bladesmiles… or the Morels." Marstil paused, waiting for Kali to comment. When he was met by bland silence, he continued, "Yet, I have been given to undetstand that the house of