Blood in the Forest, Part 1 of Shadows of the Heavens

by Gareth Lewis

  *

  Kilipa had lived in accommodations on university grounds. While not as small as the barrack's sleeping rooms, it wasn't as spacious as Adajo had expected. Apart from his bed, the room held only a small desk and chair. A few books lay on the desk, but little else decorated the space.

  Adajo's gaze swept over the room, finding little of interest. Tsotu sat reading the books.

  'You read imperial script?' Adajo said before he could catch himself.

  'Yes,' said Tsotu, no offence apparently taken.

  Adajo's curiosity got the better of him, but he managed a less shocked tone. 'Doesn't the law forbid it being known by anyone... who shouldn't know it?' Anyone but bureaucrats or members of the high houses. And none of those would elect to be an enforcer or an examiner.

  While the empire had a single spoken language, its written language was split. The common script was more generally known, used for edicts, contracts, and other documents to be read by anyone. The imperial script was more elite, used for official documents not intended to go beyond the upper bureaucracy, or for most books – which were considered the province of the educated classes.

  'The teaching of it to one of lower rank is a violation,' said Tsotu. 'There is no restriction on learning.'

  Did that mean he'd learnt it unaided? It certainly implied he wouldn't say any more. Discussing personal matter while masked was frowned on.

  'Are they of use?'

  'They detail the little known about the ruins. Mainly suppositions about what they were, descriptions of objects recovered. Nothing unexpected.'

  The examination continued, discovering little of interest. Questioning his colleagues proved equally fruitless. Varnu had apparently had little to do with Kilipa before their joint exploration. It didn't sound as though Kilipa had much to do with his fiancé, most of his time spent in his studies.

  There were no hints of Kilipa being involved in another relationship in the city – with little likelihood he'd had the time – and no one seemed to have heard of his recent tryst.

  Surreptitious queries regarding Varnu revealed little of direct interest. He'd recently returned from a year at the university in Mirror of Heaven and seemed as dedicated to his studies as Kilipa, with fewer friends. No one questioned seemed sure where his current studies were focussed.

  Having exhausted the avenues they could lightly tread at the university – where they were treated as unwelcome intruders who couldn't be expelled, and who didn't take less-than-subtle hints – it was dark when they left the complex. Adajo couldn't help marvel that the campus must be nearly the size of his village.

  He silently followed Tsotu through the streets, curious at their destination but content to let his mind examine what they'd learned for clues. Unsuccessfully.

  Tsotu halted at the end of a street which revealed the temple of Rauthon. A large, expensive looking building, its entrance was topped with the symbol of Rauthon – a five pointed sun.

  'Are you intending to question Sobel?' said Adajo.

  'I'd rather not,' said Tsotu. 'Doing so could exacerbate the political situation. With politically connected suspects I prefer asking around about them, only questioning them directly when I've a fair idea of their answers. We won't approach without evidence of his involvement. Lesser adherents may prove more useful, if I can't find the individual I wish. Come.' He retreated down the street, before ducking down an alley, picking up speed as he approached the dead end. He ran up the wall, grabbed the edge of the single storey roof, and pulled himself up.

  After a moment's confusion, Adajo followed, running up the wall and taking Tsotu's hand. He stayed low, crouching next to the examiner.

  It was an affluent neighbourhood, whose roofs lay at a slight incline with tiles uniformly spaced and solid. At night the lights dotting the streets below offered little illumination, so Adajo saw only an unfamiliar and obscured landscape.

  He sensed Tsotu tense, and followed his gaze. Initially he distinguished little difference in the terrain. As his eyes adjusted he thought he saw faint movement a few rooftops away. Given the lack of a breeze, it wasn't something blowing.

  A shadow separated from the roof and darted away, completely silent.

  Tsotu darted after the fleeing shadow. Adajo followed.

  It took a couple of rooftops to acclimatise to running on tiles, by which point he'd lost the shadow. He still saw Tsotu, but the gap between them had widened. Seeing the examiner leap between rooftops, Adajo forced himself to move faster, gaining the momentum needed to follow. The tiles proved more reliable than expected, only the rare one sliding under him, and that not throwing him off too much. On cheaper roofs it could be different, but he began to accept these were safe.

  Adajo landed on the far roof, the brief surge of terror from the leap pushing him on as soon as he touched down. He spotted their prey running up the wall to the roof of a two storey building. The movement was too unnatural to not have involved invoking. He recalled a spirit known as the spider, its real name eluding him.

  Tsotu didn't try to follow directly, turning aside and leaping another gap, never slowing. Adajo had little choice but to follow, and soon caught sight of their prey leaping into a decorative garden which must belong to a high house. Tsotu followed without breaking pace, but Adajo slowed as he neared the edge, checking the descent. They must have leapt to the grass for a safe landing, but he grabbed the edge of the roof to ease his way down.

  Tsotu stood at the far edge of the lawn. The examiner stared at the area of blackness enveloping the corner of the garden. It took Adajo a moment to realise its darkness had little to do with night, not even allowing nearby light to penetrate it.

  The wall of blackness before them implied their prey had invoked the Hidden.

  While adherents devoted themselves to a single spirits, few even among the casual invokers did so. A farmer would invoke Trien, the spirit of agriculture to request his crops grow, or Kutan, the rainmaker, to ensure they didn't dry out. A fisherman may invoke Equinon, the spirit of rivers and sailing, to ensure calm water, or Tikel, the hunt master, to help catch their prey. How much aid the spirits gave was uncertain, any effect usually transitory, but most offered vague invocations so could hardly expect more than vague results.

  With explicit invocations, the spirits manifested as granted powers. This had become traditionally limited to those wearing masks, usually reflecting the symbol or colour of their favoured spirit. Masks had become synonymous with true invocations ever since the first known invoker, Grace of Spirits, had taught them to mortals.

  The adherencies had grown, and now wanted masks banned for the supplicants – their term for unaffiliated invokers. While masks offered no legal protection, and could be removed were the wearer found in violation of the Book of Law, tradition meant they obscured the wearer's social rank. This allowed adherents an easy path to political equality, one they didn't want to share with malcontents and misfits.

  Those not saddled by adherence to a single spirit could invoke any spirit, although frequent invocation could require communion with the spirit, especially if they also regularly invoked a spirit hostile to their patron. Failure could result in a curse, but that was rare. Most spirits didn't care who invoked them – every invocation maintained their existence, and the manifestations of their powers displayed that existence, potentially drawing more to invoke them.

  Adajo stood by Tsotu, regarding the area of darkness.

  'I'm sorry,' the voice from behind made him jump, spinning to regard her. 'Were you looking for me?'

  With spider-like markings visible on the mask, she stood not much shorter than Adajo. A lithe figure was apparent beneath the loose black suit laced with red stripes. Her most striking feature was the bright red hair sticking out wildly, far too red to be natural. And bright enough he was surprised he hadn't spotted it during the chase. While the mask hid her face, he heard the smirk in her tone.

  Tsotu, having not apparently flinched at her appearance, turned slo
wly to regard her. 'Enforcer,' he said. 'This is the Bride of Shadows. A... notorious eavesdropper.'

  She barked a laugh. 'Tell me, what would an examiner and an enforcer want in my garden at this time of night?'

  'Your garden?' said Tsotu.

  'I'm here aren't I?'

  'As are we.'

  'Do you wish to come in my house?' she waved casually towards the building behind her.

  'Were I to see you enter and learn it was not yours, I would of course have to take you under the magistrate's authority.'

  'But you won't be taking me here in the garden?'

  'Have I a reason to do so?'

  'Do you need a reason?' said the Bride.

  She swayed gently on her toes. Her tone was amused, betraying no hint of concern. The chase had been a game, and Adajo didn't think it had been the first.

  'I'd rather some information,' said Tsotu.

  'Information can be costly.'

  'And if repaid in kind?'

  'I'm sure we can come to some arrangement. What is it you're interested in?'

  'The likely target of your nocturnal activities,' said Tsotu.

  'I have no idea what you mean.'

  'You weren't spying on Sobel?'

  'Spying,' said the Bride with mock affront. 'Why that would very nearly be a transgression of your law.'

  'The empire's law,' said Tsotu. 'Laws to which you are a subject.'

  'Then I should probably be relieved spying is only nearly a transgression.'

  'That would depend on where you do it.'

  'And where would you like me to do it?'

  'You're familiar with Sobel's daughter?'

  The Bride of Shadows sighed. 'You mean the one whose fiancé so recently met his end?'

  'Yes,' said Tsotu.

  'I'm familiar with her existence. But since she’s boringly bereft of any hint of intrigue, I have little interest in her.'

  'You haven't heard of Sobel being displeased with the marriage?'

  'Since he was the one who arranged it, I can't see why he would be. Do you believe he has reason to be?'

  Tsotu remained silent a moment, possibly considering how much to reveal. 'You're not aware of him learning his prospective son-in-law may have been indiscreet?'

  The Bride of Shadows almost purred. 'That is interesting, and a few more details would certainly make it worth whatever you wish to know.'

  'The knowledge without details should be sufficient.'

  She folded her arms, managing to radiate a hidden pout. 'You're wondering whether Sobel could have caught wind of this, maybe killed the boy in indignation?'

  'Have you heard anything to suggest it?'

  'No, and I find it unlikely. Sobel's concern for his daughter extends as far as it aids his political career. Were the boy in danger of running away he may act, but unless the political alliance the marriage represents is threatened I can't see him killing the boy. Possibly he'd eliminate whoever the boy was seeing, although buying or scaring her off would be more likely. While he likes throwing his not inconsiderable weight around, Sobel's temper is mainly bluster. Something as delicate as this would be approached with thought, not emotion.'

  Tsotu nodded. 'And the daughter? Would she be likely to act?'

  The Bride shrugged. 'From what I know she's merely a vapid socialite. I can't say more without investigating. Do you wish me to?'

  'No, thank you. Would his political rivals wish to prevent the alliance?'

  'Day in Night is his only serious rival at the moment, but I can't see him viewing this as a challenge. The adherency of the Hidden already has alliances with high houses, of which Sobel is unaware.'

  'Would the Sisama family be among those alliances?'

  'You suspect the other scholar?' An amused curiosity laced her tone.

  'I suspect everyone.'

  'I like that in a man,' said the Bride. 'While they do indeed have an alliance, it's tenuous, and no way would the family do something like this for an adherent. They view the alliance itself as a dirty secret, and wouldn't risk exposure. I don't know that the scholar has any personal links. Again, I'd have to investigate to find anything interesting.'

  'Thank you, but I believe you've provided sufficient information.'

  She shrugged. 'In that case, if you boys don't mind,' she sauntered between them. 'I do have other things to do tonight.' She strolled into the shadows, the darkness having vanished.

  'Sobel would appear less viable as a suspect,' Tsotu said when they were alone. 'Not that he seemed likely.'

  'Too obvious?' asked Adajo.

  'The method of killing was too distinct, as though intended as a message. As soon as word of it spreads, Sobel is likely to come under suspicion. And I suspect his movements at the time will rapidly become public knowledge.'

  'The killer wants him under suspicion.'

  'Which leaves us with the problem of how they achieved it,' said Tsotu. 'An adherent of Rauthon is the obvious answer. A free mask would need to be skilled at invoking Rauthon, but is also a possibility. I'm unaware of any within the province.'

  While they had a freedom, enforcers kept informed of all masks within their areas. Adajo was unaware of any masks near Water Dances on the Rocks.

  'Could it have been a rival within the adherency?' said Adajo. 'Someone planning to depose Sobel.'

  'Unlikely. Since Sobel will likely have witnesses to his presence here at the time, suspicion will remain that he sent a subordinate. The entire adherency would be suspect.'

  'So a sole invoker seems more likely. Someone unhappy with Sobel's pushing to outlaw them.'

  'The motive is guesswork,' said Tsotu. 'But that would appear to be where the evidence is taking us. The fact is invoking Rauthon is the only way we know to cause such a wound. While circumstances link the victim to Rauthon's adherency, their being responsible only harms them, and there appears no overwhelming emotional factor at play. Their link to Kilipa may be pure coincidence.'

  'So we've exhausted this avenue of investigation.'

  'We return to the other facts we know,' said Tsotu. 'Given the limited activities of the victim, and assuming a reason for him being targeted, having eliminated his fiancé as a reason for his murder we're left with his affair and his investigation of the ruins.'

  'Does that mean returning to the village?'

  'Not yet,' said Tsotu. 'And not tonight. We should question Varnu regarding exactly what they were exploring at the ruins. In the morning.'