“Lansho's brother. The Chelli. He must have known about it too. They were all partners.”
“And he didn't bother to mention that the Ricarri they worked with was actually Lady Juva and their partner.”
“After speaking with Rulli, I am leaning toward the same conclusion that Alensi has. He was coerced by Lady Juva's status and aggression.”
The King narrowed his eyes. “I could execute her for this. But she's the wife of my valued general. I don't want to turn him against me.”
“That's a tough decision, Your Majesty.”
The King sighed deeply and looked out the window. Buildings blurred as we sped through the streets, but he wasn't looking at them. Tor'rien was focused inward, weighing justice against prudence.
I knew which would win. Because I knew Tor'rien. A startling thought. Especially since it gave me pleasure.
He looked at me, and I saw it in his face. The King had made the difficult but morally right choice. “I will need definitive proof, Claw Shinkai. I can't execute the wife of a general based on rumors.”
“If there's truth to be had, I will find it for you, Your Majesty.”
With a sharp whiny of horses, the carriage came to an abrupt stop. Gilhu jumped down and ran for the building,leaving Sir Heicren to open the door for us. Not that he needed to. The King was out of the carriage before Heicren could reach us. I darted out after him and all of us ran into the building, then up several flights of stairs.
Fear kept me going when I might otherwise have taken a break. I wasn't about to stop now. So close. The end of the game. Oh, and Vasren too. But I had a feeling that Vas would be fine. Heartbroken, but fine.
“Vasren!” Gilhu's shout came from above.
I looked up just as he went into Katai's apartment.
A few seconds later, I reached the landing. The King was already inside.
“Vasren! Vas!”
Sir Heicren and I ran in last.
With a room that small, it took two seconds to see that Katai wasn't there. Even the bathroom door was open as if to say, “Look, no Katai.” The King and his knights were at the bed, trying to wake Vasren, who lay there like the dead. Not dead, though. I saw that immediately. His skin had a healthy flush and his chest moved. Drugs probably, although I didn't know of any that could do that to a Dragon.
Hallaxgral obviously did.
I let the Dragons take care of their own and searched the apartment. Not a lot of places to look. Or to hide anything. And there was less there than before. Because Katai had fled. The game was indeed over. Hallaxgral had won. But I hadn't exactly lost. And after learning about the Hallax Mine, I wasn'tinclined to pursue my opponent. He didn't feel like an opponent anymore. More like an informant.
Looking back at the bed, I realized what Katai had to give up for his vengeance. Those people who died must have meant something to him. More than just sharing his race. This was personal. Only such a drive could make a man give up what Katai had.
Doubtless, Katai had enough wealth to start over. He certainly hadn't spent any on his living quarters. But a man like Vasren—who cared so deeply about him, maybe even loved him—was irreplaceable. People might see it as cold—what Katai did to Vasren. They might even think Katai used the Dragon knight. But the game had proven one thing to me above all others. Katai was not a cold killer. He was a man who cared deeply—who cared enough to kill.
“Kind eyes,” I whispered. “He was talking about himself. Giving me another clue.”
“Gil?” Vasren groaned and sat up. “What are you doing here? What the fuck happened? My head.” He rubbed the back of his head and brought his hand forward to look at the blood.
Well, that explained it. Not drugs, after all. Katai had gone traditional and bonked Vasren on the back of his head. With Dragon healing being what it was, Katai couldn't be far. We must have missed him by mere minutes. Also, I was impressed that a man of Katai's stature could administer a blow to take down a Dragon, even if just briefly.
“Oh, thank the Gods,” King Tor'rien murmured.
“Where's Katai? Who hit me?”
“Uh, probably Katai,” Gilhu said. “I'm so sorry, Vas. He's the one. The guy we've been chasing. Hallaxgral.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?”
That's when I saw them—two folded pieces of paper held down by a large bottle. I inspected the bottle first. Kurline. Of course. It was the remaining kurline that he'd stolen. I put it down and opened the letters. One was addressed to me and the other to Vasren.
“This is for you, Sir Vasren.” I went to the bed and handed him the letter.
