“We move downward,” said Calis without hesitation. “We must find who it was that raided this warren and if other warrens have also been destroyed.” To the assembled company he said, “The orders are changed.” Instantly every man there gave full attention to Calis. “We have another mystery. We will continue to move into the mountains, and if we find living Panthathians, we slay them, to the last living being.” He paused. “But if we find who also is killing them, that enemy of our enemy may be no friend of ours; we need to find out who this other foe is.” He lowered his voice. “They are powerful and now possess some of the most powerful artifacts of the Valheru—the Dragon Lords. They should be feared.”
He turned and signaled and the party moved back up the tunnel, returning to the well. When they reached it, Calis called a halt to the march, letting the men rest and eat. When at last it was time, he signaled, re-formed the column, and ordered them downward, deeper into the well.
18
Discovery
Roo nodded.
Duncan drew back his fist and struck the man in the chair. The man’s head snapped back and blood began running down his nose. “Wrong answer,” said Duncan.
Herbert McCraken said, “I don’t know.”
Duncan hit him again.
Roo said, “It’s very simple, McCraken. You tell me who arranged for you to embezzle my gold and who has it, and we’ll let you go.”
“They’ll kill me if I do,” he answered.
“We’ll kill you if you don’t,” said Roo. McCraken said, “If I tell you, I’ve got no bargaining power. What’s to keep you from cutting my throat once I talk?”
“No profit in it,” said Roo. “The gold is mine; it’s not as if we’re trying to break the King’s law in getting it back. If I take you to the City Watch office and file charges with the Duke’s constable, once we get a magistrate who can understand that puzzle of accounts you created, you’ll be working on the harbor gang for the next fifteen years.”
“If I tell you?”
“We’ll let you leave the city . . . alive.”
He thought a minute, then said, “Newton Briggs is the man’s name. He arranged for the transfer of funds.”
Roo glanced at Jason, who stood in the shadows behind McCraken, where he couldn’t see him. Softly Jason said, “He was a partner in the countinghouse before we bought it.”
McCraken said, “He wasn’t happy to lose control. I think someone paid him to steal from you. All I know is he promised me enough gold to buy a Quegan title, and a villa, and set up my own business.”
“Why Quegan?” asked Duncan.
Luis, who stood behind the man, keeping him in the chair, said, “Many in the Kingdom dream of being a rich Quegan noble, living in a villa with a dozen young slave girls”—then he shrugged—“or boys.”
Roo laughed. “You’re an idiot. You were played for a fool. You set foot on the docks of the city of Queg and within minutes you’d be on your way to the galleys. Whatever gold you had would be forfeit to the state. Unless you have powerful allies there, noncitizens of Queg have no rights.”
McCraken blinked. “But I was promised. . . .”
Roo said, “Let him loose.”
“Just let him go?” asked Duncan.
“Where’s he going?”
Luis had found McCraken waiting at a warehouse for a rendezvous with someone—now they knew it to be Briggs—less than four hours earlier. Duncan had already sent a rider to bring back those men heading for Sarth; if all went according to plan, they should be back at Roo’s headquarters within the hour.
The man stood up and said, “What am I to do now?”
“Go to Queg and try to buy a patent of nobility,” said Roo. “But use someone else’s money. If you’re in the city by sundown tomorrow, it won’t be just your confederates who will be trying to kill you.”
The man wiped his bloody lip with the back of his hand and stumbled out the door. Roo said, “Wait a minute, Duncan, then follow him. He’s too scared to try to get away on his own. If there’s another player in this, he may lead us to him. And don’t let him really get away; we may need him to give testimony to the Royal Courts. He may be the only thing that stands between us and a charge of robbery.”
Duncan nodded. “Where will you be?”
“At the docks,” said Roo. “Just against the possibility there is a ship that might be Queg-bound on the morning tide. Send for us there.”
Duncan nodded and left.
Roo said, “Jason, return to the office and wait there. Luis and I will send word if we need you somewhere else.”
Jason departed. Luis said, “We have a ship ready to sail as soon as you give word.”
“Good,” said Roo. “If we find our gold thief is making a break from the city, I want to catch him out beyond the breakwater. By the time any royal warship comes to investigate, I want the matter settled. I want the gold in our possession should some revenue cutter board us. It will be much easier to explain then.”
Luis shook his head. “Why move the gold? Why not just stick it somewhere in a back room and wait for the Bitter Sea Company to fold?”