Chapter 38
The killer left immediately after making his offer, and it was truly instantaneous. One moment he was there, and the next, he — along with the roiling darkness — was gone, and my wall was back the way it had always been.
Wasting no time, I telepathically reached out for Rune, locating him in his quarters. Mentally, I told him to meet me in the living room of our suite immediately and then broke the connection. Eager to tell my story, I teleported to the rendezvous spot right away. Much to my surprise, Rune was already there waiting for me.
*****
Using telepathy, it took almost no time to bring Rune up to speed on what had happened. As soon as we were done, he insisted on seeing where it had happened. Thus, we ultimately ended up back in my bedroom, where Rune casually spun around once, his eyes raking over everything in sight.
“Okay,” he said after visually taking in the place, “the first thing I’m going to say — and which is something I’m sure you know — is that the killer doesn’t look like the visitor you had tonight.”
“I know he didn’t look like any of the Incarnates,” I stated.
“Well, he’d have a tough time claiming innocence if he’d shown up sporting his real face.”
“Seemed real enough to me.”
“Hmmm,” Rune droned. “That actually brings me to the second thing I wanted to say about your encounter with the killer: it didn’t actually happen.”
I stared at him in confusion for a moment, then blurted out, “What?”
“It wasn’t real,” Rune explained. “Looking around this room now, I don’t see any indication that what you showed me telepathically truly took place here.”
Stunned into silence, I simply gaped at him. I knew that Incarnates saw the world in a way that even I couldn’t, but in this instance he had to be wrong.
“So what are you saying?” I asked. “That I just made it all up?”
“No,” he insisted. “But I am saying that it was all in your head.”
Chapter 39
“Let me see if I’ve got this straight,” I began. “You’re saying that basically the killer created that entire scene that I saw in my mind?”
“Well, you did say you were sleeping just before it happened, right?” Rune asked.
“Yeah,” I agreed with a nod.
“Trust me, it’s nothing for an Incarnate to enter your mind — especially while you’re asleep or dreaming — and create any illusion they want.”
I let that sink in for a moment. We were back in the living room of our suite, where we had retreated while Rune offered his explanation of what had happened. He and I were now seated in our usual, respective positions on the easy chair and couch, discussing how events had likely unfolded. It went without saying, of course, that his explanation did not sit well with me. The notion of anyone — let alone a killer — running amok inside my mind had zero appeal to me.
“But when it was over, I was on my feet,” I protested, “standing right where I’d been while he and I spoke.”
Rune shrugged. “Maybe you sleepwalked through part of it. Maybe since your mind thought it was real, your body just reacted as it normally would. Or maybe…”
All of a sudden, he stopped speaking, as if something objectionable had occurred to him.
“Or maybe what?” I pressed, not letting him off the hook.
Rune looked pensive for a moment, then said, “Or maybe the killer took control to a certain extent, directing your actions so that the interaction you had was more real to you.”
My eyes went wide in surprise. “He can do that?”
“Unfortunately,” Rune muttered. “But we’re big believers in free will, so it’s not something Incarnates do as a matter of course.”
“And this guy is a stickler for the rules, right?” I blurted out sarcastically, then groaned in agitation. “You know, just when I think this situation can’t get any worse, it actually does. I mean, the last thing on my list of possibilities — even below getting killed — was the murderer getting in my head and puppeteering me.”
Rune responded with a what-do-you-want-me-to-say expression.
“Are you sure that’s what happened?” I pleaded, hoping for a different answer. “Not me being a puppet — I mean that entire conversation taking place in my head.”
“Pretty much,” Rune declared with a nod. “Aside from nothing in the room suggesting that it happened in the real world, I didn’t detect the use of Incarnate power at the level necessary to create what you saw.”
“Could it have escaped your notice?”
“Believe me, I would have felt it,” Rune insisted. “But if it makes you feel better, we can get a second opinion.”
Chapter 40
“I concur with Rune,” Endow said. “As far as I can tell, Jim, your encounter with the killer didn’t take place in the real world — or, at least, not in your bedroom.”
“Thanks,” Rune said, then turned to me.
We were still in the living room of our suite. Endow, of course, was the second opinion Rune had suggested. He had reached out to her, and she had responded almost immediately, showing up within moments. Then, after telepathically being brought up to speed, she had inspected my bedroom and was now sitting on the couch a few feet from me, rendering her opinion.
“Anyway,” Endow said, “I think we need to focus more on what was said during Jim’s interaction with the killer rather than when and how it occurred.”
“No need to build a think tank to figure that out,” Rune noted. “The conversation boils down to one thing: the killer’s not done.”
“So what’s next on his agenda?” she asked.
“I’d argue it’s more of a who’s next,” I stated.
“Well, you’re the detective,” Rune reminded me. “Any leads in that department, Sherlock?”
I was about to answer in the negative, and then I remembered a subject that had gotten completely overshadowed by my encounter with the killer.
“Maybe,” I said, leaning forward. “Let me ask the two of you something: have you ever heard the term ‘mouses’?”
They both frowned, the word obviously sounding as odd to them as it did to me.
“You mean mice?” asked Endow, putting forth the obvious question.
I grimaced slightly. “Honestly, I don’t know, but I don’t think so.”
“Where’d you hear that term?” Rune asked.
“Just came across it,” I replied casually, hoping that Rune wouldn’t delve further in that area.
“Well, if it’s in reference to vermin,” Endow offered, “we don’t have any here. No mice, no flies, no rats…”
“You have vermin,” I corrected. “He just walks upright, on two legs.”
Neither of the two Incarnates responded to that, but I hadn’t really expected them to.
“What about ‘kleop’?” I continued. “Ever heard of that?”
Both Endow and Rune shook their heads.
“Where are you getting these words?” Rune asked.
“I thought I heard one of the laamuffals mention them,” I replied, ingraining a bit of truth in my response. “I suppose it begs the question: what kind of education do those guys get?”
“Do you mean before or after they come into our service?” Endow asked.
I shrugged. “Both, I guess.”
“We look for people who are pretty savvy,” Rune offered. “You can’t be stupid and do the job we require. Moreover, as we tend to seek out people with a certain level of curiosity, they usually continue to learn after they’re with us.”
“To be honest, though, it’s self-education to a large degree,” Endow added.
“Interesting,” I muttered, but — not wanting to pique the curiosity of my two companions too much — I didn’t say anything more.
“Well, if that’s all for now, I think I’ll be going,” Endow said, coming to her feet. “I need to check on Ursula.”
“I’m sorry,” I intoned a b
it sheepishly, and then stood up as well. “I didn’t even ask: how is she?”
“Fine — practically back to her old self already,” Endow replied with a smile. “All thanks to you, of course.”
I found myself blushing slightly, struggling for something to say.
“Oh, that reminds me,” I blurted out a moment later. Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out the stone prism that Ursula had made materialize earlier. “This belongs to Ursula.”
“Ah,” Endow droned in surprise. “That’s what happened to it.” Taking the object from me, she asked, “Do you know what this is?”
“No,” I replied, shaking my head.
“It’s a relic,” she said. “After what happened in the room where Gamma died, I gave it to Ursula. It was supposed to protect her — specifically, from Reverb’s voice if she were ever around when he spoke.”
“Really? That was thoughtful of you to be mindful of her safety like that,” I noted. As I spoke, I cast a steely glance at Rune, who somehow at that moment found something incredibly interesting on the floor to look at.
I turned back to Endow, saying, “Any idea why she wasn’t wearing it at the time Reverb was attacked?”
“She said it clashed with her outfit,” Endow answered, shaking her head in derision.
I laughed, and a moment later, Endow joined me.
“Anyway,” I said a few seconds later, “at least she knew where to find it when she needed it, and I bet she’ll have it handy next time.”
“There won’t be a next time,” Rune interjected.
His comment, a sobering reminder that Reverb was gone, seemed to suck all the air out of the room.
“Here,” Endow said, holding the relic back out to me. “Why don’t you keep it — as a souvenir.”
“Are you sure?” I asked, tentatively reaching for the prism.
“Of course,” she declared. “And with Reverb gone, it’s not like it’s needed any more.”
“Thanks,” I mumbled, putting the prism back in my pocket. “Oh, one other thing before you go.”
“Yes?” she murmured inquisitively.
“You mentioned earlier that laamuffals can engage in self-education,” I reminded her. “What kind of resources do you guys have for that?”
“Well, with respect to Permovren, the castle has a library,” she stated in a matter-of-fact tone. “Didn’t anyone tell you?”
Chapter 41
The information about the library was welcome news, and I was eager to get there. First, however, I felt the need for a more in-depth discussion with Rune.
Thus, almost immediately after Endow departed (vanished, to be honest), I turned to him and said, “Okay, why me?”
He gave me a blank look. “I don’t understand the question.”
“Why’s the killer bothering with me?” I clarified. “I mean, it’s just like you said before: back home my power set is considered impressive, but here — compared to Incarnates — it’s nothing. I’m nothing. So again, why’s he bothering with me?”
“First of all,” Rune began, “that’s not exactly what I said. Second, I think that we both know — even compared to Incarnates — you’re far from nothing. More to the point, there’s more to you than just your powers.”
A bit embarrassed by the compliment, I made a noncommittal grunt in response.
“As to why the killer is interested in you,” he continued, “I’d say it relates to the very fact that you’re here.”
I gave him a baffled look. “I don’t think I follow.”
“Your very presence here means that you’re uniquely qualified in some way for the task you’ve undertaken. That being the case, the killer doesn’t know how close you are to figuring things out — to being able to identify him.”
“Oh yeah, I’m real close on that,” I remarked sardonically. “About as close as Pluto to the sun.”
“Well, the killer doesn’t know that, so he’s seemingly playing the odds.”
I thought about it for a moment. “So essentially, what he’s done is the equivalent of an indicted mobster trying to warn or buy off witnesses or the judge.”
“Exactly.”
“Of course, all of this presumes that you aren’t the killer.”
“Of course,” Rune echoed in agreement.
“Hmmm,” I droned, as a new thought occurred to me. “Doesn’t it concern anyone that you’re a suspect, and I as the investigator am essentially giving you the benefit of the doubt?”
Rune appeared contemplative for a moment, then said, “After Gamma’s murder, it was up to one of us Incarnates to find someone to investigate. I mean, aside from not having the proper skills, there was an inherent conflict in having us investigate ourselves.”
“One of you was — is — the murderer,” I chimed in. “Wouldn’t do to have the killer investigate his own crime.”
“Bingo,” he said with a nod. “Now, with respect to finding someone, I drew the short straw.”
“And you selected me.”
“Yes, for reasons we’ve already discussed. However, we all knew that whoever was brought in was going to have lots of questions — about Permovren, Incarnates, the murder, and so on. It was imperative that they be able to rely on the answers they were being given, which meant pairing them with someone they trusted.”
“Which is how you ended up being my handler for this project,” I concluded, “despite the fact that you’re a suspect.”
“Well, I’m not wild about the term ‘handler,’” he stated, “but that’s essentially it.”
“Isn’t anyone worried that I’ll go easy on you?” I asked. “Cut you some slack because we’re in the Alpha League together?”
“Would you?”
“No,” I declared without hesitation. “Especially not if murder’s involved.”
“That’s my point — that you’re going to do the right thing. It’s something all the Incarnates sensed about you.”
I spent a moment considering that, then said, “But if you all sensed that about me, why is the killer basically offering me a bribe?”
“Because, like bad guys everywhere, he’s assuming that deep down inside you’re like him. That being the case, he’s looking to exploit a vice he believes is fairly common.”
“Which is what?” I asked.
“That everyone has a price,” Rune said flatly.
Chapter 42
After my conversation with Rune ended, I decided to spend a little time at the library researching the two words Cerek had written. Of course, I had no idea where it was located, but Rune was kind enough to simply transport me there with a wave of his hand.
I popped up in the middle of a cavernous room that seemed at least as wide as a city block. The place was populated primarily by elegant ten-foot-tall bookcases that were geometrically spaced throughout (and, as expected, filled with books). In addition to its breadth, the room rose up about four stories in height to a magnificent domed ceiling. Moreover, each floor above me was framed by an ornate wooden railing and looked out over the area in which I was currently located.
Apart from its size, one of the first things I noticed was that the room displayed a certain degree of opulence, starting with baroque architecture in the form of stately columns. There were also florid chandeliers that hung down from the ceiling, and all the furnishings — desks, tables, chairs, and more — appeared to be made of hand-carved wood. In a similar vein, the floor appeared to be comprised of marble tile. Finally, there was beautiful artwork everywhere — everything from paintings to sculptures to ceramics.
I stood there simply admiring the luxurious layout of the library for perhaps a minute after I arrived. I might have stood there longer, but for someone tapping me lightly on the shoulder from behind. Caught by surprise, I spun around and found myself facing a lady dressed in the garb of the castle servants.
I didn’t know where she had come from — hadn’t even seen or heard her approach — but didn’t get any impression of menace from
her. She was a handsome woman, maybe forty years old, with brown hair that came just short of reaching her shoulders. Smiling, she gestured toward a nearby desk and chair.
Taking the hint, I walked over to the desk and took a seat. In the meantime, the woman — whom I took to be a librarian of sorts — went to a nearby bookcase and pulled out a large, richly bound tome. Bringing it over, she placed it on the desk in front of me and walked away.
I stared at the book for a moment. It was oversized — approximately a foot-and-a-half in height and perhaps one foot wide. It was also markedly thick, and if I had to guess, I’d say it had at least a thousand pages. Maroon-brown in color, it was hardbound and made from some material I would be hard-pressed to identify. In addition, although it was untitled, it was covered with unusual designs and symbols embossed in gold.
In short, the book was stunningly beautiful, practically a work of art. Moreover, from all appearances, it struck me as being antiquarian, although I was nowhere near knowledgeable enough to guess its age.
I looked around for the librarian, suddenly curious as to why she had placed this particular tome in front of me. (My initial thought was that Rune had somehow reached out and given her instructions of some sort.) However, she had seemingly vanished as swiftly and silently as she had appeared.
With nothing else to do (and with the obvious course of action in front of me), I opened the book to the first page and got quite the surprise: it was blank.
Frowning, I swiftly leafed through the tome, haphazardly stopping here and there to look at random pages. They were all blank.
Letting the book fall open to its center, I leaned back, trying to make sense of the situation. Assuming the librarian knew why I was here (and to be honest, I wasn’t sure that she did), why would she give me a blank book? For that matter, why would anyone make such a spectacular item and just leave it barren?
Of course, it was possible that someone had intended to write something on the pages by hand and had simply never gotten around to it. Or maybe the words were written in invisible ink or something. Or maybe…
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