The Bishop raises his eyebrows slightly, which seems to signify that I've got through to him. He dismisses his attendants from the room. I help myself to some more wine. Tastes like a fine vintage. #101 | | |
"Where is the Cloth now?" he demands, when we're alone. #102 | | |
I tell him truthfully that I don't know. #103 | | |
"Disappeared down a sewer and it's probably not coming back. Which is bad for me, as I was meant to be finding it. But that's not my main problem. I'm meant to be clearing the Princess's name. #104 | | |
That's what I've been hired to do. The rest doesn't bother me too much. Help me sort that one out and the whole sordid story will never pass my lips." #105 | | |
Bishop Gzekius sips his own wine, savouring it. "Are you telling me that you were not after the Cloth for yourself, Investigator?" #106 | | |
I shake my head. "Just doing the work I was hired for." #107 | | |
The Bishop looks at me for a long time. He's puzzled by the thought that I might be honest. He transfers his gaze to Makri. He's wondering how far he can trust us. #108 | | |
"I have heard, Thraxas, that you do perform the job you are paid for. In an honest fashion. Perhaps I can trust you to keep your word. It would, in some ways, be easier than having you killed." #109 | | |
We stare at each other. It floats through my mind that Pontifex Derlex must have given him a reasonable report of my character, which comes as a surprise. #110 | | |
"And how would you suggest I help clear the Princess's name?" #111 | | |
I shrug. "Call in some favours at the Palace. From what I hear, the King owes you a few. The Cloth's gone now, it doesn't do you or the Church any good to have a major royal scandal." #112 | | |
The Bishop stares at me for a while longer. "I do have influence," he says, finally. "Enough to sway the King, possibly. And enough to make your life in Twelve Seas short and full of incident. So be sure never to trouble me again." #113 | | |
He dismisses us from his presence. #114 | | |
"What did that mean?" asks Makri, as we find ourselves again out in the warm night-time streets. #115 | | |
"I think it means he'll help the Princess. And give me hell if our paths ever cross again. Well, that'll do for now." #116 | | |
I glance up at the stars. #117 | | |
"About an hour till we're due to meet Sarin. We've just got time to go and see Astrath Triple Moon. #118 | | |
It's high time I had some proper sorcerous help on all this. Someone slugged Hanama and took the Cloth and I want to know who. Also I wonder if he might locate Sarin. Tas of the Eastern Lightning couldn't find her but, whatever means she was using to hide, she might be out in the open now. If I knew where she was I might be able to take her by surprise and get the letter back for free. No point wasting thousands of Cicerius's gurans if we don't have to." #119 | | |
I glance at Makri. "Incidentally, when did you and Hanama become friends?" #120 | | |
"What? We're not friends." #121 | | |
"Oh yeah? The way you cradled her head when we found her unconscious seemed pretty friendly to me. And she said, "Thanks, Makri," when you gave her water. That's friendly for an Assassin." #122 | | |
Makri snorts dismissively. "So? She'd been hit on the head. You're rambling, Thraxas. I only met her one time, when she attacked you in your room." #123 | | |
I'm suspicious about this, but I let it lie, and we hurry down to visit Astrath Triple Moon. It's still the middle of the night. The streets are quiet, except for a few bakery workers on their way to light the ovens for tomorrow's bread. #124 | | |
Our visit to Astrath is unproductive. He doesn't actually mind too much that I wake him in the middle of the night, but when I ask him if he can locate Sarin he draws a blank. Likewise for the six sacks of dwa. #125 | | |
"She must have left the city." #126 | | |
"Impossible. She's due to meet us at the Stadium Superbius in half an hour." #127 | | |
The Sorcerer shrugs and asks if I've anything else he can look at. I still have the fragment of the Red Elvish Cloth but of course he can learn nothing from that. By now I am fairly sick of Red Elvish Cloth. #128 | | |
The stuff is nothing but trouble. I hand him the rock I've been carrying, the one that was used to club Hanama, and ask him if he can learn anything from it. #129 | | |
"Take me a while, Thraxas. It's always difficult getting information from rocks. Auras cling to them very tenuously, if at all." #130 | | |
I tell him to do his best, and meanwhile ask if he can lend us his landus. #131 | | |
"You can't ride in the city at night." #132 | | |
"I have senatorial privilege." #133 | | |
| | |
"No. But I'm working for Cicerius, so I can pretend. And we're late." #135 | | |
"So which one of us is the Senator?" enquires Makri, as we thunder off in the carriage. #136 | | |
Makri knows full well that women can't be Senators. I'm starting to think she's going to too many of those meetings. #137 | | |
