be.’
He was surprised as he completed his account to see that the prince was
frowning. And, in fact, moments later, the young governor bent down towards one
of the men at a table below him to one side, and said something in a low voice.
The aide’s reply was equally inaudible.
The youngest ruler Sanctuary had ever had thereupon faced forwards. His gaze
fixed on Stulwig’s face. ‘There are several people in these parts,’ he said in
an alarmingly severe voice, ‘of whose whereabouts we maintain a continuing
awareness. Cappen Varra, for several reasons, is one of these. And so, Mr
Healer, I have to inform you that Cappen left Sanctuary half a moon ago, and is
not expected back for at least two more moons.’
‘B-b-bu-ut-‘ Stulwig began. And stopped. Then in a high-pitched voice: ‘That man
in the seeress’s dream!’ he stuttered. ‘Long black hair to the shoulders. Ils in
human form!’
There was silence after he had spoken there in that great hall of justice, where
a youthful Rankan prince sat in judgement, looking down from his high bench.
Other offenders were waiting in the back of the room. They were guarded by
slaves, with the two Hell Hounds that had brought Stulwig acting as overseers.
So there would be witnesses to this judgement. The wisdom of it, whatever course
it might take, would be debated when the news of it got out.
Standing there, Stulwig suppressed an impulse to remind his highness of a
certain night thirteen moons ago. In the wee hours he had been called out of his
bed, and escorted to the palace.