“According to what I heard, you were never scared of anything,” said Fisher, almost accusingly. “You rediscovered the missing South Wing when everyone else was too scared even to talk about it much.”
“You don’t understand,” said the Seneschal. He sank back in his chair, the fire going out of him. “No one understands, though God knows I’ve told them often enough. The Inverted Cathedral isn’t just a physical structure, it’s an outgrowth of Hell itself. The one time I went to see the Inverted Cathedral in person, to test my gift against it up close and personal, all I saw was a dark pit, falling away forever. I turned and ran and never went back. Let us change the subject. I understand you’ve been talking to my uncle Vivian?”
“The High Commander, yes,” said Hawk. “A strong-minded man.”
“Bloody-minded, more like. He lets his duty run his life, the way I used to. I keep trying to open him up but it’s hard going. We’re pretty much the only family we have here in the Castle. I’ve been encouraging him to adopt my family as his own—inviting him to dinner, having him sit with the kids. I think he’s softening toward them, but it’s hard to tell with Vivian. Always was a cold sort. Nothing like his brother, my father. My mother, Emma, died not long ago, in Redhart. King Harald wouldn’t let me go to Redhart for the funeral. Said I was too valuable to be risked. Bastard. I kind of hoped my father would come back, but apparently he’s very close to the new King Viktor, and can’t be spared. He writes now and again, when he remembers. So I make do with Vivian.
“And now to the real purpose of your visit. No, I don’t know how King Harald died or who killed him. I never liked the man, but if everyone who disliked Harald was a candidate for murder, you’d have a line of assassins stretching from here to Redhart. And back again. I have an alibi. I was right here with my wife and children at the time he was killed. There’s only one thing I can tell you that might be of any use. As Seneschal, I could feel the presence of the Magus’ protective wards in my head, like a background hum. They never fell, not even for a moment, and they weren’t broken. I would have known.”
“Tell us more about the Inverted Cathedral,” said Hawk.
“Oh, Jesus, do I have to?”
“What is it, exactly?”
“All right, if we must. Technically, it’s a large building that’s been turned upside down. Once you enter it, everything should seem perfectly normal, but the higher you ascend inside the Cathedral, the deeper into the pit you go. And at the peak of the Cathedral is perhaps one of the legendary doors into Hell that can only be opened from this side. I’ve studied the writings of my Seneschal predecessors, in the Castle Libraries. There have always been Seneschals of one kind or another for as long as there’s been a Castle. There’s evidence the Cathedral was constructed centuries ago, in the time of the first Forest King. He had the Castle built around the Inverted Cathedral, specifically to contain it and seal it off from the world. Its presence is the cause of the Castle’s unusual spatial characteristics. The interior is so much larger than the exterior because the heavy magical gravity of the Inverted Cathedral warps space around it. And perhaps its malicious presence is also responsible for the darkness and tragedies that have always followed the line of the Forest Kings. Who knows what subtle influence it had on all the people who lived unknowingly in such close proximity to it for all those centuries? How many lives has it damned or blighted over the long years?
“Records no longer exist to tell who planned or funded or designed the original Cathedral, or how it became Inverted. A lot of the records for that time are listed as destroyed. Deliberately destroyed. The only thing I can say for sure is that this is the first time the Inverted Cathedral has reappeared in the Castle. Don’t ask me what brought the bloody thing back. The reappearance of the lost South Wing? The Astrologer’s spell that first summoned the Demon Prince out of the darkness? The long night? The Blue Moon? All of the above? I have no idea. We’re talking about magic, not history. My own gifts are very limited, and some of the relevant books can only be opened by a sorcerer. My grandfather could probably have told you more, but he’s gone. You could ask the Magus. God knows I have. But if he does know anything, he’s keeping it very close to his chest. Enigmatic bastard.”
“You mentioned the Blue Moon,” said Fisher. “We’ve been told it could be coming back.”
“Yes,” said the Seneschal. “I’ve heard those rumors, too. From usually reliable resources. It doesn’t seem fair we should have to face such evil and such horror more than once in our lifetime. But man proposes, God disposes, so let’s all hope He knows what He’s doing. If you’re asking me whether the Blue Moon is returning because the Inverted Cathedral is back, or vice versa, I have no idea. But I’ll tell you this: Whoever buried the secret of the Inverted Cathedral buried it deep. This could only have been done with the connivance of generations of Forest Kings. They really didn’t want anyone to know about this until they had to. I found a book. A strange book. It wasn’t listed in any of the library indexes. In fact, the Chief Librarian swore it had never existed until I found it. The book is handwritten in half a dozen languages, some of which no longer exist in the real world. It’s more full of hints than actual information, as though the writer was afraid to say too much, for fear of being noticed. There’s definitely a connection between the Inverted Cathedral and the rise and fall of Wild Magic. You know how Cathedrals were constructed originally to resonate as spiritual tuning forks? Yes, well, this Cathedral was supposed to be particularly potent because it contained wonders.”
He stopped and was silent for a long while, staring off into space. Finally Fisher prompted him. “What kind of wonders?”
“The Grail, perhaps,” said the Seneschal. “Furniture that the Christ made with His own hands, when He was learning to be a carpenter with His earthly father. The crown of thorns, with His dried blood still on it. An Ossuary, a museum containing the bones of saints, some of them carved and crafted into objects of great power. Opinion was divided as to whether these were reliquaries or blasphemies. And then there’s the Burning Man ringing the great and awful iron bell of Hell.
“And you wonder why I want nothing to do with the place?”
“Let’s change the subject,” said Hawk. “Who do you think killed King Harald?”
“I never follow politics. I have to be seen to be impartial, my services freely given to all. But there’s something very wrong about the Magus. And I’m sure Felicity had a lover, though I couldn’t tell you who. Beyond that, I’m as much in the dark as anyone.”
“If we set up an expedition to enter the Inverted Cathedral, would you come with us?” Fisher asked.
“What? Why the hell would you want to do a crazy thing like that? Haven’t you listened to a word I’ve told you?”
“I’ve got a horrible feeling it may become necessary,” said Hawk. “The Inverted Cathedral’s reappearance seems tied to so many things, including Harald’s death. So, would you join us if we had to do it?”
“My gout … I don’t know. Give me some time to think about it. You don’t know what you’re asking. Go away. I’m tired. I’ll send word when I’ve made my decision, one way or the other.”
And then the door burst open, and in came his merry wife, Jane, with scones and jam and fresh cream. Three small children came running in after her, clustering excitedly around the Seneschal to tell him all the things they’d done that day. Hawk and Fisher let themselves out.
And finally, like intrepid hunters braving the bear in his den, Hawk and Fisher went to see Duke Alric of Hillsdown. They’d deliberately left him until last, partly because he’d tried to pressure them while they were with the Magus, partly because they were mostly convinced their ambush and beating had come at the Duke’s orders; and mostly because Fisher desperately wanted her despised father to be the murderer. So they left him until last to allow themselves to get a better view of the various theories and motivations. And not at all because he was the most dangerous of the suspects, and th
ey still felt weak and broken inside.
The Duke’s guest apartments were the finest in the Castle, outside of the Royal suites; big airy rooms stuffed with every luxury and modern convenience from the south. Hawk and Fisher had to pass a number of armed guards just to get to the Duke. At every stage guards demanded that Hawk and Fisher hand over their weapons, and at every stage Hawk and Fisher calmly made it clear that wasn’t going to happen. The threat of imminent violence hung heavily in the air, never quite materializing.
Eventually they were ushered into the Duke’s presence. He sat in a very comfortable chair in the exact center of the room while servants moved silently around him, hurrying to follow the endless series of orders barked in the Duke’s rough voice. Bring me a footstool. Bring me a drink. Bring me a different drink. Close the curtains on that window. Hawk and Fisher were clearly supposed to wait on one side until he summoned them, so they could be impressed by the Duke’s power and authority. Unfortunately for the Duke, Hawk and Fisher weren’t easily impressed. They just marched forward, scattering the servants like frightened birds, and planted themselves right in front of the Duke. They stood straight and tall, with no betraying hint of the bone-deep weariness that still filled their bodies.
“Nice place you’ve got here,” said Hawk.
“Far too small,” said the Duke. “Not at all what I’m used to. If it wasn’t for Felicity and the child, I’d leave this dump so fast, it would make people’s heads spin. But my daughter needs me, whether she wants to admit it or not. She needs my support. Those back-stabbing courtiers would walk all over her if I let them. They want to replace Felicity as Regent so they can get their hands on my grandson. I’ll see them all dead first.”
“You’re talking about war between the Forest and Hillsdown,” said Fisher.
“Wars are expensive,” said the Duke. “Something you only turn to when everything else has failed. That’s why I’m here, so far from home and real comforts. By protecting my daughter, I protect my interests here. Harald’s death ruined everything. I could talk to him. We understood each other. We might have had a few border disputes, just to see who could be pushed or pressured by a little military action, but never anything serious.”
“Serious enough for the men who died in those disputes,” said Fisher.
“Soldiers,” said the Duke. “Just soldiers. They’re paid to fight—and die, if necessary.”
He lifted a glass of wine slowly to his mouth. The leather straps and steel cables surrounding and supporting his arm made soft creaking noises as they moved. There were even delicate strips of bone and metal on each individual finger, hinged at the joints, like some exotic exoskeleton. The Duke caught their eyes on his supports, and laughed lightly, a dry, breathy sound.
“Arthritis. Every move I make is agony. Without my carefully designed cradle and the subtle magics that hold it together, I’d be a helpless cripple confined to my bed. But I’m not ready to give up my life to illness yet. There’s still far too much for me to do.”
“There are magics that could help,” said Hawk.
“Put my life and well-being into the hands of magic-users? I think not. I will be my own man, whatever that costs me. I use only the magics I must, and no more.”
“You see that polished black stone on a chain round his neck?” Fisher said to Hawk. “That’s the Candlemass Charm. Very old. Some say it came to Hillsdown with the first Starlight Duke, looted from the Forest Castle treasury. It’s a protective agent against all physical and magical attacks. But as long as he wears it, he can’t be affected by any spell that comes from outside, not even ones that might heal him. Of course, he could give up the Charm and be cured, but then he’d be vulnerable to attack. And you do have so very many enemies, don’t you, Duke? So you stay safe behind your Charm, safe from attack or help, a crippled old man crawling toward death, condemned by his own past deeds.”
“You’re very well-informed, Captain,” said the Duke, his face as calm as ever. “But then, there are always those ready to tittle-tattle in a place like this. Yes, I have many enemies, and I regret none of them. Everything I have done had at its heart the purpose of making Hillsdown strong, and keeping it safe and secure. I have given my life to the service of Hillsdown. That’s what it is to be the Starlight Duke.”
“And the Starlight Duke is Hillsdown,” said Fisher. “So what’s good for the Duke is good for Hillsdown.”
“Exactly,” said the Duke. “Politics is my lifeblood, now I’m too old and brittle to defend my country on the battlefield. Politics is just war by different methods, when all is said and done.”
“What about your family?” asked Hawk. “Couldn’t you delegate some of your power and responsibilities to them?”
The Duke smiled, but there was no humor in his eyes. “My last wife died ten years ago. My daughters have all been disappointments to me. None of my wives proved capable of giving me a son, and the chances of my fathering one at this late date would seem to be very remote. So when I die, there’s no direct heir to Hillsdown. God knows I tried hard enough. Someone must have cursed me. Rather than see Hillsdown split up among whatever strangers eventually marry my daughters, I have chosen my grandson, Stephen, as my official heir. Half Forest blood, but still of my line. It has to be him. All my other daughters produced only daughters. Apart from Sophie, who became a nun just to spite me.”
“And that’s really why you’re here?” asked Hawk. “To protect your daughter and your grandson?”
“And because the Blue Moon is coming back. Don’t look so surprised, Captains. We have witches in Hillsdown. They See things. The last time the Blue Moon came, I had no magic-users among my defenders. I never trusted them. The first we knew about the long night, it had already covered the whole Forest Kingdom, and demons were pouring across my borders. The Rainbow put an end to the long night in time to save us, but it was still a hell of a shock. I was determined never to be caught napping again. Now my newly installed and very expensive magic-users tell me the Blue Moon’s coming back again. They can’t See when or where, but they know it’s tied to Forest Castle somehow. So here I am, where I need to be, right at the heart of things. My army is massed on the Forest borders, waiting only for my call. If the long night comes again, and the demons rise, my army stands ready to do what is necessary.”
“Of course, you could always call them in if you just suspected the long night might be coming,” said Fisher. “You could even use them to take control of the Forest Kingdom—for its own good and protection.”
“My grandson will rule both the Forest and Hillsdown,” said the Duke. “He will combine them into one country, as it was once, long ago. I’ll be here to see he’s raised right. To be strong and mighty, and to stamp out all this Southern democracy nonsense. I will do whatever’s necessary to see that nothing threatens that.”
“We need to talk to you about Harald’s death,” said Hawk, deciding he’d had enough of standing around and listening while the Duke talked. “Where were you when the King was murdered?”
“Right here, with my people. My arthritis was particularly bad that day. Don’t seek to put the blame on me, Captain. I had no wish to see Harald dead. Fliss was far more use to me as a Queen than as a Regent. And Harald’s death has stirred up this democracy nonsense more than ever.”
“Who do you think killed him?” asked Hawk.
“You want me to do your job for you?”
“You’re as much an outsider here as us,” said Hawk. “But you’ve been here longer, and you’re much better connected. Perhaps your people have seen things, heard things, that we might find useful?”
“The Magus has to be your best bet,” said the Duke slowly. “He’s even more powerful than he lets on, he’s mysterious as all hell, and he knows far too much for anyone’s comfort. And who better to get through magical wards than the man who set them up? I did wonder about Fliss for a while, but she hasn’t the gumption.”
“There are rumors about a lover,” said Fi
sher.
“Just rumors. There was no one. I’d have known.”
“Could Harald have had a lover?” Hawk asked.
“No. I’d have known that, too. And I wouldn’t have permitted it. No one insults my daughter and gets away with it. There’s always the Hellstrom, of course, Sir Vivian. Once a traitor, always a traitor. Harald should have killed him when he turned up alive after the Demon War. And of course, there’s Sir Robert, the Landsgrave, and the democratic scum he represents. The only way they’ll ever come to power is by assassination. Dig there, and you’ll find dirt.”
“But with Harald gone,” said Fisher, “you’ll find it that much easier to pressure Felicity into doing what you want. Like you tried at Court yesterday. And you just said you had your own ideas on how Stephen should be raised. With your army massed on the Forest borders, you could pressure the Court into making you Regent, and then you’d be in effective control of both Hillsdown and the Forest Kingdom.”
“You think well,” said the Duke approvingly. “If any of my daughters had half your brains, I wouldn’t be so depressed about my legacy.”
Fisher swallowed an angry retort. She wanted her father to be the killer, but as yet there just wasn’t the evidence to justify accusing him. And she was too good a cop to let her emotions cloud her judgment. She wanted to ask the Duke more questions, just for the feeling of power over him it gave her, but it was hard to take satisfaction from browbeating a crippled old man. Hawk saw the conflict in her eyes.
“Time to be leaving,” he said quickly. “Thank you for your cooperation, Duke Alric.”
Beyond the Blue Moon (Forest Kingdom Novels) Page 34