Hadrian and Royce shook their heads.
“That solves it, then,” the wizard said as if everything was perfectly clear. The party stared back at him in confusion. Esrahaddon sighed. “The dwarf killed Amrath.”
“That’s not possible,” Alric said, challenging him. “My father was a big man, and the dagger thrust was downward. A dwarf couldn’t possibly have stabbed him in the upper back.”
“Your father was in his chapel, as any pious king, kneeling with head bowed. The dwarf killed him as he prayed.”
“But the door was locked when we entered,” Hadrian said. “And there was no one in the room besides the king.”
“No one you could see. Did the chapel have an altar with a cabinet?”
“Yes, it did.”
“They did a millennium ago as well. Religion changes slowly. The cabinet was likely too small for a man but could easily accommodate a dwarf. After he killed the king, he locked the door and waited for you two to find the body.” Esrahaddon paused. “That cannot be right you—two—to?” He rolled his eyes and shook his head. “If this hast been done to language, I fear to know the fate of all else.
“With door locked, a night guard or cleaning steward would not find the body prematurely. Only a skilled thief would be able to enter, which I assume at least one of you is.” He looked directly at Royce as he said the last part. “After you left, the dwarf crept out, opened the door, and sounded the alarm.”
“So, the dwarf is an agent of the church?”
“No.” The wizard sighed with a look of frustration. “Not a dwarf alive who would carry a common dagger. The traditions of dwarves change even slower than religion. Given the dagger he was by the one who hired him. Find that person and you will find the true killer.”
Stunned, everyone looked at the wizard. “That’s incredible,” Alric said.
“Nay, not so difficult to determine.” The wizard inclined his head toward the cliff. “Escape was hard. Speaking as you do is hard. Determining the murderer of King Amrath was … was … soft?”
“Soft?” Hadrian asked. “You mean easy.”
“How be it that easy forms the opposite of hard? Sense this makes not.”
Hadrian shrugged. “And yet, it is.”
Esrahaddon looked frustrated. “Alas. Now, this is as much assistance as I shall lend in this matter. Therefore, I will be on my way. As I have said, I have affairs to attend. My help was sufficient to prevent any loose tongues?”
“You have my hand on it,” Alric said, reaching out.
The wizard looked down at Alric’s open palm and smiled. “Thy word is enough.” He turned away and without so much as a parting gesture began walking down the slope.
“You’re going to walk? You know, it’s a long way to anywhere from here,” Hadrian yelled after him.
“I am looking forward to the trip,” the wizard replied without glancing back. Following the ancient road, he rounded the corner and slipped out of sight.
The remaining party members mounted their horses. Myron seemed more comfortable with the animals now and climbed confidently into his seat behind Hadrian. He even neglected to hold on until they began down the ravine back in the direction from which they had come. Hadrian expected they would pass Esrahaddon on the way down, but they reached the bottom of the ravine without seeing him.
“Not your run-of-the-mill fellow, is he?” Hadrian asked. He was continuing to look around for any signs of the wizard.
“The way he was able to get out of that place makes me wonder exactly what we did here today by letting him out,” Royce said.
“No wonder the emperor was so successful.” Alric frowned and knotted the ends of his reins. “Although I can tell it didn’t come without aggravation. You know, I don’t extend my hand often, but when I do, I expect it to be accepted. I found his reaction quite insulting.”
“I’m not sure he was being rude by not shaking your hand. I think it’s just because he couldn’t,” Myron told them. “Shake your hand, that is.”
“Why not?”
“In The Accumulated Letters of Dioylion, they told a bit about Esrahaddon’s incarceration. The church had both of his hands cut off in order to limit his ability to cast spells.”
“Oh,” Alric said.
“Why do I get the impression this Dioylion fellow didn’t die a natural death?” Hadrian asked.
“He’s probably one of those faces in the hallway.” Royce spurred his horse down the slope.
CHAPTER 6
REVELATIONS BY MOONLIGHT