Surrender to the will of the night

43. Alten Weinberg: Bad News, Bad News

A short man in dirty brown stepped out of the shadows in the Princess Apparent’s private bedchamber. She had just risen. Her women shrieked and fled.

“You.”

“Me. I have news. Listen closely. It’s critical. You’ll only get to hear it once before the guards arrive.” He told her what had happened to Katrin. He handed her a letter from Piper Hecht, now her Commander of the Righteous. He vanished seconds before Algres Drear burst in.

“He’s gone, Captain.”

“Who?”

“A sorcerer. The same one who took Ferris Renfrow. He brought a message. Get these people out and close the door. With you on this side of it.” That done, she said, “Katrin is dead. She fell into the Teragi and drowned. There were twenty witnesses, half of them her own lifeguards. There’s more to the story, I’m sure. The sorcerer brought a letter from the Commander of the Righteous. I haven’t read it yet. Right now, this very minute, I want you to start getting ready for whatever happens when that news gets back here.”

“You believe this sorcerer?”

“I do.” She gripped the letter from the Commander tightly, already willing Drear to leave so she could read.

“Then you’re right. I’d better get started. And stop talking. It won’t be long before someone or something moves in to spy.”

“Yes.”

Helspeth held on barely long enough to let Drear get out of the room. Then, in her haste to get to read it she fumbled the letter twice. And a moment after that she spit like an angry cat to get her women to leave her alone long enough to find out what the Commander had to say.