Imperial Traitor

by Mark Robson

  ‘One of the Imperial guards, I imagine,’ Shalidar replied with a shrug. ‘I didn’t actually see it coming.’

  ‘So you’ve been at the Palace. And did you apprehend our young infiltrator?’

  ‘No, Guildmaster.’

  ‘Hardly a great surprise given that he came back here,’ Ferdand observed, remaining still as he watched for Shalidar’s reaction.

  Shalidar’s eyes narrowed as he tried to see past the rim of the Guildmaster’s dark hood. It was no use. He could just about make out the tip of the old man’s nose. He would have given a lot to see Ferdand’s expression. He had never learned to read the inflections in the old Lord’s voice. Was he being serious, or was he conducting some subtle test?

  ‘It seems that when he left in a hurry earlier today,’ the Guildmaster continued, ‘he left something behind . . . well, when I say “something”, it would actually be more accurate to say “someone”.’

  ‘Femke?’

  ‘Precisely. Hmm, this is going to hurt. Would you like something to bite on?’

  ‘Thanks, but no. Did you catch her?’ Shalidar asked, unable to totally conceal a note of hope in his tone.

  The Guildmaster did not say anything for a moment. He dipped a small towel in the hot water and wrung it out. He placed it around the entry point of the bolt and braced Shalidar’s leg with his left hand as he grasped the protruding feathered shaft with his right.

  ‘No,’ he said slowly, ‘she got away. As did young Wolf Spider.’

  With a sharp pull, he wrenched the arrow from Shalidar’s leg. The assassin gasped at the pain, but did not cry out. ‘You were lucky,’ the Guildmaster noted as he clamped the cloth over the hole and held the bloodied bolt up to inspect it. ‘There’s been a recent trend of cutting barbs on the shafts of these. They tear the flesh when they are removed. This is a straight shaft with a normal point. The wound is deep, but it didn’t hit the bone and it doesn’t look as if it severed any major blood vessels. You will have to avoid running or any strenuous exercise for a while, but a normal padded dressing and bandage should see it heal well. I’m sure I don’t need to lecture you on changing the dressings regularly.’

  Shalidar shook his head. With iron control, he calmed his breathing until he felt he could speak normally. When he did so, his voice was strained, but he spoke with a normal tempo.

  ‘Who have you sent after them?’ he asked.

  ‘Cougar, Viper and Bear are all out in the city with orders to find and kill Wolf Spider. Brothers Firedrake and Griffin are watching his transfer stones. As Wolf Spider managed to get in and out again via the stone that Firedrake was supposed to be watching, I assume that Wolf Spider has neutralised him. The alarm has not rung, so he cannot be dead, but I’ve sent Brother Fox to see if she can find out where he is.’

  ‘And Femke? Have you sent anyone after her?’

  Shalidar could feel the intensity of the gaze emanating from under the Guildmaster’s deep hood. He had pushed the old man before about disposing of Femke. His previous attempts to secure permission to kill her had failed. After the incident at Mantor, Shalidar had felt sure the Guildmaster would authorise her termination, but instead it had felt as if he had been shielding her. The feeling had to be nonsense, of course. The Guildmaster was renowned amongst the Brothers for his neutrality.

  To Shalidar’s amazement, the old man began to laugh.

  ‘There’s no need to go after Femke,’ he chuckled. ‘She will find a way to come back and visit us soon enough.’

  ‘She will?’ Shalidar could not imagine why.

  ‘Yes,’ the Guildmaster said confidently. ‘She discovered something here that will draw her back like a moth to the light. When she comes, we’ll be waiting for her. In the meantime we’ll have our scouts in the city watch for both Femke and Wolf Spider. They’ll not run far and there are some people in the city with whom I know Femke deals regularly. I’ll have them watched. The infiltrators will surface, just you wait and see.’ The Guildmaster turned to the servant who had been standing in silence at the far side of the room. ‘Help Brother Dragon bind his wound, would you? I have to get back to the central chamber. I’m expecting reports at any time.’

  ‘Guildmaster, there is something I need to report before you go,’ Shalidar said quickly.

  The cloaked figure halted in his tracks and turned slowly to face Shalidar once more. ‘Yes? What’s that, Brother Dragon?’

  ‘It’s the Emperor, Guildmaster. He’s dead.’

  The Guildmaster froze for a second as he assimilated Shalidar’s statement.

  ‘And how, exactly, did he die, Brother Dragon?’

  For the first time in a very long time, Shalidar could sense something of the emotions riding under the surface of the Guildmaster’s calm voice. Anger, disbelief and incredulity were discernible in his tone, though his speech did not rise one decibel above his normal mellow volume.

  ‘It seems a trap was laid for me,’ Shalidar began. ‘It was a subtle one and I walked straight into it. I should have realised they would expect me to go to the Palace after Wolf Spider. It was one of the more obvious places to look, after all. I was forced to fight my way free. I killed two of the Emperor’s guards, but not Surabar. He was shot by one of his own men in the crossfire. When I passed him, he had a bolt buried in his chest. I left in a hurry, so I did not see him breathe his last, but the arrow had clearly punctured his lung. He had minutes to live at best.’

  The Guildmaster was silent for a moment. Shalidar concentrated on breathing calmly as he imagined what was going through the old man’s mind.

  ‘I can’t let this go, Brother Dragon. You know that. Your actions with relation to the creed are in question here. Even if you’re telling the truth, the Palace will be sure to circulate a different version of events, most likely calling it an assassination by the Guild. There will have to be an investigation. In the meantime, you’re to remain here in your quarters. If you leave at any time without permission, then I’ll take that as an admission of guilt and you can be sure I’ll not rest until you perish. I’ll send the entire Brotherhood after you if I have to. You will answer for this. Shand’s teeth, Shalidar! Why, when things go wrong, do I always find you at the centre of them?’

  Shalidar shrugged, but his expression offered no apology.

  ‘If it helps, Guildmaster, I will take a truth test.’

  ‘You would submit voluntarily to truth serum?’ Ferdand was genuinely surprised by the offer.

  ‘I would – providing you administer it,’ Shalidar answered. ‘I presume the normal protocols will be applied and the questions will be limited to my involvement in the death of Surabar. I, like everyone else here, have secrets I would not wish to be exposed.’

  The Guildmaster nodded. It was no small gesture to submit to truth serum. The side effects of the potion could be dangerous, even fatal for a few. It also left one wide open to abuse.

  ‘It would be suitable proof to the Guild of your innocence,’ he said thoughtfully. ‘Under the circumstances, I believe it necessary that you provide such proof. I’ll not say that I’m sorry to see the back of Surabar. He hasn’t made my life easy during the last couple of months. However, if his demise is to be at the expense of the reputation of our Guild, the price outweighs the convenience of his death. Very well, I shall see it arranged. I’ll also ensure we have as many Brothers as possible present to bear witness. I don’t want any conspiracy theories growing within the Guild. We must remain united now more than ever before. If we can ride this out, then a new Emperor will most likely rescind the order declaring us anaethus drax. Assuming all goes well over the next few weeks, we could be back to business as usual.’

  ‘The sooner the truth test can be arranged, the better,’ Shalidar replied. ‘I know how fast rumours grow. If resolved quickly, there will be far less speculation.’ Besides, I have business to do, he added silently. Tremarle will need guidance if he’s to take power. He will need his son.

  Dong. The first doleful rin
g of the Imperial Bell rang out across the city. Cougar saw his chance and took it. A moment’s inattention by one of the soldiers was all he needed. In a flash, he had relieved the distracted Legionnaire of his weapon and begun dealing out blows in rapid succession.

  Viper reacted so fast that it appeared to the Legionnaires as if the two assassins had planned the escape in detail together. The two men, who had been all but carrying him along the street, did not stand a chance. They were both unconscious before they realised what was happening.

  The patrol group of six Legionnaires had been leading them through the city towards the military campsite on the outskirts. By chance, their route took the patrol close to Cougar’s second transfer point. He knew that if they timed their strike right, he and Viper could get away from the soldiers and transfer back to the Guild headquarters before anyone else had a chance to intervene.

  Viper had been feigning semi-consciousness since the men had hauled him upright off the street. Cougar had picked up on the subtle signs his fellow assassin had been giving. He knew he could count on support when he initiated the break.

  The pair downed four of the six soldiers before they had a chance to react. The last two drew weapons and met Cougar’s stolen blade in a rapid exchange of clashing blows. Viper turned and ran up the nearest side street. Cougar leaped away from the two soldiers and sprinted after him. To his relief the soldiers did not follow. A glance over his shoulder saw them attending to their fallen colleagues.

  ‘Viper! Take the next left,’ Cougar called softly. Viper complied. ‘Stop there a moment. They’re not following.’

  In the distance, the Imperial Bell was still ringing. Cougar caught up with Viper and they exchanged knowing looks. If the bell was to be believed, then the Emperor was dead.

  ‘What do you reckon?’ Viper asked. ‘Is it for real?’

  ‘I don’t know,’ Cougar replied. ‘I wouldn’t put it past Wolf Spider to have arranged it as a diversion. He’s the Emperor’s man. The Emperor is desperate to see the Guild destroyed. If it served his purpose, then I imagine he would allow the bell to be rung. People will surely gather at the Palace gates to hear the news. He could be planning to use the crowd as a smokescreen, but to what purpose?’

  Viper scratched an eyebrow thoughtfully. ‘I can’t think of one. Why would he need a crowd at the Palace gates? It doesn’t make any sense to me. Do you think we should go and take a look, or is that what Wolf Spider is hoping? Perhaps he is trying to lure as many of us into the crowd as possible.’

  ‘To be honest, I don’t care,’ Cougar said bluntly. ‘I need to go and clean up my face. I want to know how badly he cut me with that blasted stave. My cheek feels swollen and I want to remove any splinters from it as fast as possible.’

  ‘It looks ugly,’ Viper confirmed, ‘but I don’t think it’s deep. I can’t see any splinters in this light, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any.’

  Cougar looked at the unfamiliar face of his fellow Guild member. He had never seen the man’s features before tonight, as he had been accepted into membership more recently than Viper. ‘Your face isn’t exactly a bunch of flowers either, Brother. Your left eye looks as if it’s blackening and I can almost feel the lump on your right temple. He must have caught you with a good crack there.’

  Viper probed the lump gently with a finger. He winced. ‘I’ll treat him with a bit more respect next time. It seems the Emperor’s man is more talented than I gave him credit for. He’ll live to regret today, though. Mark my words, Cougar, I don’t take kindly to being made to look the fool.’

  ‘You speak for both of us there. I’m going back to the Guild to get cleaned up. I suppose we had better make a report to the Guildmaster as well.’

  ‘Let’s not rush to communicate our failure, Brother,’ Viper suggested. ‘How about we get cleaned up and meet again in an hour? If we’re lucky, we might even catch young Wolf Spider tonight.’

  ‘A sound plan,’ Cougar replied. ‘Where shall we meet?’

  ‘The front door of the Old Crossbow?’

  ‘I’ll see you there in an hour.’

  Shantella watched the Guildmaster pacing the central chamber and a sly smile crossed her face. He was losing control. She could sense it. He was vulnerable, but she had no intention of revealing her hand too early. For now she would continue to play the loyal Guild member and wait for the perfect moment to strike. ‘I found Firedrake, Guildmaster,’ she called, drawing his instant attention.

  The Guildmaster walked across the meeting hall to Fox’s booth. He had not heard her arrive, but that was not surprising. Most of the Brothers were very stealthy in their movements.

  ‘Well done, Brother Fox. Where was he?’

  ‘He wasn’t where he was supposed to be, so it took me a while to find him. He was lying at the roadside a couple of streets away, completely unconscious. Do you want my report here, or shall we retire to my quarters where it is more comfortable? I have an excellent bottle of wine that is crying out to be opened.’

  ‘Another time, maybe,’ the Guildmaster replied, his voice remaining neutral. ‘I’d prefer your report here. I’m still waiting to hear from Cougar, Viper and Bear.’

  Shantella sat down and stretched out her long legs like a cat. ‘Very well,’ she said, a hint of disappointment audible in her sultry tones. ‘I couldn’t wake him, and he was too heavy for me to carry, so I had a couple of men from a nearby inn carry him to one of the guest rooms there. I paid the innkeeper well to see that he was left in peace. Judging by the lumps on his left temple and the top of his head, I doubt that he’ll be waking up any time soon. It would be unfortunate if someone sought to take advantage of his condition and tried to steal his icon.’

  ‘Indeed. To lose any more Brothers now would be a disaster. We have already lost Brother Scorpion tonight.’

  ‘Really? Do you know how he died, Guildmaster? Where did it happen?’

  ‘He was killed here in the complex, guarding Wolf Spider’s room. He was taken by surprise. It seems Brother Wolf Spider left a guest hidden in his quarters during his last visit. With Wolf Spider already gone, Scorpion had no reason to expect an attack from within the complex. He stood little chance.’

  ‘A shame,’ she observed. ‘I take it the intruder has been dealt with?

  ‘No. She escaped.’

  ‘She?’ Shantella said, clearly savouring the word. ‘Ah, let me guess – the Emperor’s pet spy. I’ve heard tell of her, but I have no idea what she looks like. How did she escape without an icon? Surely that’s impossible.’

  ‘Wolf Spider came back for her,’ the Guildmaster replied.

  ‘That makes sense. Is she pretty?’

  The Guildmaster paused for a second before answering. ‘She can be attractive if she so chooses. Is that relevant?’

  ‘It is if you’re a woman, Guildmaster. Beauty can be a powerful weapon in itself if used properly. But I digress. If the bell rings true, then Scorpion was not the only one to die tonight.’

  ‘You refer to the Emperor, I trust?’

  ‘Ah! You have heard then.’ Shantella was disappointed that she was not the first to bring the news.

  ‘Brother Dragon told me.’

  ‘And did Brother Dragon know any more than the fact the Imperial bell is ringing?’ she asked shrewdly.

  Under his deep hood, Ferdand grimaced. Shantella really was a fox, he decided. She was far too perceptive for her own good sometimes.

  ‘That is between Brother Dragon and me for the time being,’ he replied slowly, knowing that she would read his response as easily as she would a book.

  ‘Of course, Guildmaster,’ she purred. ‘And what of Wolf Spider? Has anyone located him yet?’

  ‘Now just wait a minute! Who is reporting to whom, here, Brother Fox?’ he asked and then chuckled to take the sting from his words. ‘I had hoped you would have news of him. I’ve not heard anything yet. Do you have anything else to report tonight?’

  ‘Only that half of the population
of the city is gathered in front of the Palace seeking news. The streets are full of people teeming towards the city centre. It’s chaos out there.’

  ‘It’s to be expected, I suppose. Another inevitability is the call on our services by about half of the nobility over the next few days. I think we’re going to need a Guild meeting at the first opportunity to discuss the situation. I don’t want Brothers accepting hits until I can get a clear picture of the power structure in Shandrim. There’s no doubt we stand to benefit from this turn of events – particularly if the right person takes up the Mantle.’

  ‘Surely everyone is fair game until the coronation,’ the Fox observed. The anticipation in her voice was clear. ‘The trick will be to ensure that a candidate who is sympathetic to our cause is left standing.’

  ‘Sometimes, Brother Fox, I wonder if the wrong person was chosen to be Guildmaster. Thank you for your report. Please go back and check on Brother Firedrake first thing in the morning. If he is able to move, bring him back. It would be safer for him to recover here. In the meantime get some sleep while you can. I suspect that it may be a rare commodity in the next few days.’

  Femke looked across at Reynik and shook her head. ‘You know, that moustache and goatee beard do make you look totally different. You’ve made me jump a couple of times when looking across at you. The combination of the facial hair and the clothing is very effective. It’s like riding with a total stranger.’

  ‘That’s the idea, isn’t it?’ Reynik replied. ‘I’d be worried if you looked at me and saw Reynik, the Legionnaire, or Reynik, the assassin.’

  ‘True, but I kind of like both of those Reyniks. Reynik the merchant is a bit . . . hairy and foppish for my taste.’

  ‘Ah! That’s a shame, because this particular merchant is rather partial to redheads.’

  Femke did look striking with a cascade of deep ginger curls. She had dyed her eyebrows to match and wore make-up that accentuated her cheeks and lips. A Lady’s riding dress in heavy blue material, topped with a matching cape and hood, gave her a wealthy appearance without being extravagant. This was very much a new disguise, made up from things borrowed from Lady Kempten, but it was very effective. It was hard to imagine her infiltrating the Guild of Assassins when she was dressed up in such ladylike clothing, yet she seemed as at home as she did when dressed in black and armed to the teeth.