“No. If you go with me, you're going in disguise. Whether you can handle an attack or not, isn't the point. Better to not fight on the streets of Dralbara if we can help it.”
“Good point.” He scrunched up his face, then said, “Very well. I will disguise myself.”
I looked him over. “A hooded cloak should do it. That and leaving your guards behind. It's cold enough outside that people are bundled up anyway. You won't look out of place.”
“Indeed. But where are we going?”
“First, to that Chelli's home. Where we go from there will depend on what we find.”
The King opened the door and called in to the other Dragons, “I am withholding judgment until I conclude my investigation.”
“Your Majesty?” Lord Juri hurried toward us.
“Keep that man in custody, but see that he is comfortable and safe,” the King said. “I'll let you know when I return.”
The Dragon knights strode past the stunned Juri and waited at the door until the King and I walked away. When we did, they fell into place behind us.
“I’m leaving the castle in disguise,” the King said to his knights as he walked. “Alone.”
“No, Sire,” one of the knights said. “We must attend you. If you wish to go incognito, we will all disguise ourselves.”
King Cynric looked at me.
I shrugged.
“Very well,” the King said and sighed. “But no royal carriage.”
Chapter Eight
The Chelli man, whose name was Luvin, lived in the Forest District of Dralbara, named for its view of the Tuvasi Forest. Of course, you had to live above the second floor and near the city wall to get that view. Since it was a working-class neighborhood, most people lived in apartments, so quite a few had a forest view. Luvin was one of them.
I stood at his window, staring at the Tuvasi with an odd sense of dread. It wasn't my memories of the mueyaru that unnerved me. So what was it? I looked from the expanse of snow-covered trees to the little apartment and scowled. The Talons had searched the place thoroughly but not disrespectfully, so most things were in their proper places.
The King was searching the living room, his guards with him, but I was in the bedroom. There wasn't much to it. Just a bed, a small nightstand, a trunk, and a dresser. I had inspected everything, but something kept drawing me back to the window. Finally, I opened it and peered outside.
“Great fuck!” I exclaimed.
“What is it?!” the King came rushing into the room.
I straightened back into the room and waved toward the window. “Look for yourself. Tell me what you see.”
Frowning, the King went to the window and leaned out. “A pleasant view of the forest. We're right beside the city wall. There's a narrow alley down there, between the city wall and the building.”
“Look at the apartment wall just below the window, Sire,” I said as his knights filled the little room.
The King looked down. “What am I looking at?”
Sighing, I reminded myself that the King of Darimar was not a thief and therefore, was not familiar with the telltale signs I'd spotted. I went back to the window and motioned downward. “Just there. Do you see the holes in the mortar?”
“Holes? Oh, yes. Are they relevant?” He straightened and looked at me. Then blinked. “Hold on. Are those marks left by someone scaling the wall?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. Someone climbed the wall and entered this room through the window.”
“Wouldn't the Horns on duty have seen them?” one of the Dragon knights asked. “The city wall is right there.”
“I'm guessing this portion of the wall isn't guarded as heavily as others. The gate is within sight and the guards are only concerned about people climbing the city wall, not the wall of some random apartment building. My guess is, they watch the city wall from the gate and do patrols every hour. I know that's how they guard the city wall near the Forgotten, and that's down from the gate as well, just the other side of it.”
“So, someone climbed into this room, probably while the Chelli man was asleep, and either used a potion or a spell on him,” the King concluded.
