“What do you mean, ‘all things considered’?” asked James.
Jorath put down parchment he had been consulting. “Confidentially, the Guild has been losing money for several years now. The Guilds of other cities, Durbin and Ylith, for example, have developed new techniques that enable them to work more efficiently. They’ve been winning all the contracts.”
James was silent for a long moment. Then he said, “How do you know it was this Kendaric who killed the Guild Master?”
Jorath picked up another scroll and glanced at it. “They fought constantly. At times they seemed near to blows. Abigail, the woman who cleans the Guild House, heard Kendaric and the Guild Master arguing the night of the murder.”
“That’s not proof,” said Jazhara.
“No, but he’s been missing ever since the body was found, so it’s a good bet he’s guilty.”
Jazhara was about to say something, but James shook his head slightly. To Jorath he said, “May we look at the Guild Master’s and Kendaric’s rooms?”
Jorath shrugged. “Help yourself. The Guard have already been up there, but if you think you can do some good, be my guest.” He turned back to his scrolls and left James and Jazhara to show themselves upstairs.
Jazhara waited until they had climbed the stairs. When they were alone, she asked James, “What?”
“What, what?”
“What didn’t you want me to say to Jorath?”
“What you were thinking,” said James, heading for the first of three closed doors.
“What was I thinking?” asked Jazhara.
Looking over his shoulder as he opened the door, James said, “That Kendaric might also be dead. And that someone doesn’t want anyone raising a certain ship off Widow’s Point.” He glanced down, and said softly, “Someone’s forced this lock.”
He cocked his head, as if listening, motioned for silence, then held up his hand. “There’s someone inside,” he whispered.
Jazhara took up a position beside James and nodded. James stepped back then kicked hard against the door, shattering the lock plate as the door swung open.
The old woman inside jumped back and let out a shriek.
“Heavens!” she exclaimed. “Are you trying to shock an old woman to her grave?”
“Sorry,” James said with an embarrassed smile. “I heard someone inside and saw the lock had been forced - “ He shrugged.
“When I couldn’t raise the master,” said the old woman, “I had two of the apprentices bring a bar and force the door. I found the master, there, lying on the floor.” She sniffled, and brushed at a tear with the back of her hand.
“What can you tell us?” asked James. “We’re here on behalf of the Prince.”
“The master was a wonderful man, but he had a bad heart. I used to fix hawthorn tea for him for his chest pain. It did him no good to be constantly arguing with Journeyman Kendaric.”
“What was Kendaric like?” asked Jazhara.
“He was a poor boy from the streets, without family or friend. The Guild Master paid his admission fee to the Guild, because Kendaric was so poor. But the old master knew the boy was brilliant, and it would have been a crime to deny him because of poverty. The master was right, as the boy grew to be first among the journeymen. He would have been the logical choice to be the next Guild Master, except . . .” Her voice trailed off as more tears welled up in her eyes.
“He was brilliant, you say?” Jazhara prodded.
“Oh, he was always coming up with new ways to do things. He was working on a spell that would allow a single guildsman to raise large ships by himself. He thought the Guild would be more prosperous with his new spell, but the Guild Master wanted to preserve the traditional way, and they fought about it. He used to say that he argued with Kendaric to train him, to make his mind sharp, to make him tough enough to take over the Guild when he passed on. That’s what makes it a bit odd.”
“What’s a bit odd?” asked Jazhara.
“Well, I just think it’s odd that Kendaric killed him. Despite all their arguing, I would have sworn that Kendaric truly loved the old master.”
Jazhara mused, “Everyone seems convinced that Kendaric is the killer, but isn’t it just speculation?”
The old woman sighed. “Perhaps. But I heard Kendaric and the Guild Master arguing on the night of the murder. They always fought, but this time was the loudest I’d ever heard. I found the old master dead the next morning when I came to bring him breakfast. As I said, it took two apprentices to force open the door. Kendaric must have hit him and when the master’s heart gave out, Kendaric must have escaped through the window. I said as much to the guards when I called them. They told me I was awfully clever to have figured it out the way I did.”
James could hardly keep from rolling his eyes, but simply said, “We’ll look around a bit, if you don’t mind.”