Tal painted a sneer onto his lips, adopting his usual performance for the King of Avendor. "You remember the incident those young noblemen had with ghouls last month, don't you?"
"Of course. I was supposed to have been in that courtyard."
Tal just inclined his head, the smile never fading. "Considering the circumstances, the first assumption would be that those glyphs were placed there in a play on your life. But if it was an assassination attempt, it was a clumsy effort."
"It nearly succeeded with you."
"It did," Tal admitted. "A typical summoning of ghouls lasts five waves. From the glyphs I briefly glimpsed in the fountain, these were modified to bring forth seven. To my dismay, over double that number assaulted me."
A smile of his own curled the King's lips. "Then you must have read the runes wrong."
"Perhaps. But there is another possibility — that the spell was amplified." He looked at Aelyn. "Isn't that right, Emissary Aelyn?"
The mage frowned, but he nodded curtly. "Yes. Through human sacrifice."
Falcon shivered visibly, and all eyes turned to him. "Your Highness," he said, a quaver evident in his voice. "One from my troupe went missing last night and hasn't yet been found. Could it be…?"
Tal placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed it. "We don't know it was Jonn yet," he said softly.
"But it might be," King Aldric said. "Harrenfel, find this missing trouper, then hunt down whoever killed him." He glanced at Master Krador. "You are to help him as he requests, and to search the castle for the trouper."
The Master-at-Arms nodded. "If he's here, my men will find him."
The King straightened and waved a lazy hand. "Krador, Falcon, leave us now."
The minstrel gave Tal a lingering look as he left, his face a mask of misery. And for once, he's not wearing a mask, Tal thought. But, his own performance still underway, he kept his face smooth.
After the door closed behind them, King Aldric looked at Aelyn, then Tal. "Have you made so little progress?" he growled as much as his high, nasal voice allowed. "Murder in my castle! Human sacrifice, no less! This traitor must be found and stopped, or Halenhol will be brought low with scandal!"
"King Aldric, I am making great progress with the cursed pendant," Aelyn said quickly. "I trust it will take no more than a few days before I am able to use the artifact to trace it back to the Extinguished."
"I will wait three days, no more," the King warned. "And you, Harrenfel. That mess in the courtyard — what were you damned well thinking? What did I promise the boy a duchy for if you're going to bungle the task?" He snorted. "Some Defender of the Westreach you've turned out to be."
Tal kept the smile firmly planted on his lips. For once, one of the King's barbs had found its way to his pride, and he didn't like its sting. "It wasn't for naught, Aldric. We learned several valuable pieces of information."
"And those are?"
"First, that the warlock is nearby — in Halenhol, perhaps even the Coral Castle."
"And how do we know that?"
Tal raised an eyebrow at Aelyn, but the mage just smiled coldly back. More than happy to let me flounder, as usual.
"When a mage bolsters a glyphic spell with sacrifice, they must be nearby. There's not a set distance, precisely, but it should be well within the city. Additionally, we know a trouper went missing last night. It's reasonable to conclude the Extinguished is behind it and is consequently among us. Here, in the castle."
For the first time, fear, true fear, showed through the King's haughty eyes. A moment later, he masked it with a snarl. "You must find him now, Harrenfel! My life is in danger until we do!"
Tal shook his head. "No, Aldric. I don't believe it is."
As the King's eyes threatened to bulge from his head, Tal smiled without humor. "It was made to seem like assassination with the initial placement of the glyphs. But as I said before, it was a clumsy attempt. The Extinguished have many other ways they could kill you if they so desired."
"How reassuring. Then what of last night?"
"Last night makes it seem as if I was targeted for assassination. But I have reason to believe that wasn't the case either."
"And what reason would that be?" King Aldric Rexall leaned forward, seeming like a dog straining at a leash.
Tal shrugged. "My reputation, for one thing. Once, even fifteen waves of ghouls would have posed only a moderate threat. But more pertinent is that here in the castle, I had many sources by which to gain aid." He gestured at Aelyn with a smile. "Like our Gladelysh emissary here."
The elven mage's lips twisted into something between a smile and a grimace.
King Aldric considered him for a moment, then turned back to Tal, calmer than before. "Then what is this cursed devil's goal, Harrenfel?"
Tal shrugged. "I'll ask him when I see him. Or her. But for now, I would appreciate you pointing me to where the Warlock of Canturith currently resides."
The King's jaw muscles worked for a moment as if he were imagining chewing through Tal's neck. Then he reached over and grabbed his chalice of wine, nearly upsetting it in the process. "East tower," he snapped, then drank greedily at the glass.
Tal watched him, his smile growing easier. For how early it was in the morning, the King of Avendor was indulging quite flagrantly in drink. Is it fear? Or guilt? He hadn't lied to the King; the Extinguished wasn't out to kill Aldric. But Tal could think of only one reason why Yuldor wouldn't take the opportunity to depose Avendor's ruler while he had the chance.
As little as he liked that inevitable answer.
When Aldric set down the goblet, he snapped, "Why are you still here?"
With a brief nod of his head, Tal took his leave.
"Where are we going?" Garin asked as he followed Wren down the halls.
"You've asked that how many times and I haven't answered?" Wren gave him a small smile, but it didn't touch her eyes. Jonn is missing — how could she be happy?
But despite that, and despite the other thoughts weighing on his mind, he was glad to be there with her. It was their first morning free of classes in the five weeks he'd been in the Coral Castle, and he could think of no better way to spend it.
And with no better company.
Some of the servants and guards gave friendly greetings, all of them knowing Wren, while they eyed Garin with a mix of curiosity and suspicion. No doubt most of them knew he'd come with Tal. And with the reputation he'd gathered for himself, it was no wonder people stared. He was a legend turned drunkard, from what anyone could tell, and a madman on top of that as news of last night's expedition spread. The only problem was that it drew attention to Garin, too. And attention was the last thing he wanted.
As much as he tried not to think about it, his thoughts went back to the ghouls exploding, and the strange, discordant sounds in his head. Had he imagined the whole thing? Was he going as crazy as Tal was said to be?
"You're quiet."
Garin shrugged. "Not really the kind of time to be talkative, I guess."
Wren gave a somber nod.