What was I supposed to do about the murderer’s threat to Tarben? I couldn’tnotreturn home. Maybe I could learn what I could about the killer, then warn the Royal Guard before I left. It wasn’t perfect, but it was something.
I saw one small patch of blue sky in this otherwise gloomy situation: at least the killer couldn’t get to Tarben at the border.
After I wrote my response, I found a servant in the hallway to deliver it to Tarben. Once I’d done that I returned to my bedchamber and, at last, melted into the softness of my bed.
***
I woke earlier than usual.
The sun had not yet made an appearance, its marked absence leaving the awaiting sky in shades of gray. If the cold morning air was anything to go by, I doubted it would ever emerge.
Clutching my cloak tightly around me, I trudged across the muddied grounds. It must have rained the night before.
“Good morning, Anders,” I called out as I reached my destination. My breath was mist in the chilly air.
Upon my unexpected arrival, the excitable figures of the dogs came running towards me. I obliged them with a quickscratch behind their ears, ignoring how damp and unpleasant their fur smelled.
“Good morning, Miss,” responded Anders. He looked weary; the dark shadows under his sunken eyes made me wonder if he had slept at all. “You’re up bright and early. Come to see the pups?”
“I have.” I smiled through chattering teeth, stroking my four-legged friends affectionately and earning a few licks in return. “But actually, I’m also here to see you.” I straightened and turned to face him.
“Me?” he looked confused. “Why’s that, Miss?”
I would have to play this very carefully. I offered him a look of heartfelt concern. “I heard that you were the one to find Lord Hywell and—”
“Begging your pardon Miss, but you aren’t one of them types that’s way too interested in gore and the like, are you? ‘Cause if you are, I’ll stop you right there. I ain’t got nothing more to say ‘bout it,” he said, his eyes narrowed.
I would have to think quickly, or this conversation would be over before it even began.
“Gracious no!” I exclaimed. “I haven’t got the stomach for gore. I simply wondered if anyone had come to check on you. It must have been quite the shock.”
He picked up a damp stick from the sodden ground and threw it for the dogs. I watched as they eagerly chased it.
“No one’s asked if I’m alright,” he finally said. “Plenty of questions from the Royal Guard— enough to last a lifetime. But no one’s bothered to ask how I’m doing.”
“It’s terrible. I can’t even imagine the horror of what you witnessed. Is there anything I can do? I could take the dogs off your hands for a few hours so you can try and get some rest?”
As I hoped he would, Anders instantly thawed. “Thank you, Miss, but no.” He shook his head. “Couldn’t rest, even if I wantedto.”
I made a sympathetic noise, accompanying him as he strolled to a nearby copse of trees. “It must have been the last thing you expected to find on your morning walk.”
“It was. These three were pacing and whining something fierce, so I figured something was off. Thought it might have been a fox. But when I got close to the kennels, didn’t reckon I’d find… find a body there. Tossed out like the dross.”
I arranged my features into a look of deepest concern. “Did you recognize the body? As Lord Hywell, I mean?”
“I’d seen him around.” He threw the stick again. “Knew who he was. Wasn’t much left of him to recognize, mind.”
I winced, but continued, “I heard his body was defaced. Someone even said there was something carved into him.”
He snorted. “The carving in his palm was the least of his woes, believe you me, Miss.” He accepted the stick from one of the dogs, petting its head with his free hand.
“You’re sure it wasn’t an old mark?”
Another snort. “Looked pretty fresh to me. The blood had barely dried.”
The murderer must have disposed of Hywell’s body right before Anders found it. The realization made me squirm. But I needed to keep going, no matter how uncomfortable this conversation made me feel. I didn’t hide my disturbed expression as I asked, “Do you think the carving meant something?”
“It meant something alright.” He halted and cast a glance over our deserted surroundings. He proceeded hesitantly, “You wouldn’t believe me. The Royal Guard don’t believe me…”
