The Fractured Heartstone Read online

  “Yes sir,” Idrahil said simply.

  “There is a man who I need you to follow. I can’t go into details as to why just yet but I’ll tell you when I am able,” Ydari started seriously. The two of them continued walking, their voices low. “He works in the dungeons of the White Tower and goes by the name Vedile. He smells like a cesspit or the privy after Lothram has finished using it.”

  “That bad sir?” Idrahil joked, a smile spreading across her face.

  “Yes, I’m afraid so,” Ydari responded. “Take Teobrin with you to the Tower and follow this man’s movements. I need to know where he goes and who he talks to and as soon as you find out something salient, send Teobrin to the watch house with a message and I’ll return with help. Also, I know I don’t need to tell you this but don’t get seen. He’s going to be suspicious enough as it is,” grimaced the Watch Captain.

  “Why would that be sir?” asked Idrahil.

  “I got into a brawl with him and knocked him about a bit,” Ydari replied. Idrahil’s eye roll was so noticeable it was practically audible. “I know, I let my irritation get the better of me.”

  “Don’t worry sir, you can count on me,” the young woman said, concealing an ongoing smirk.

  “I know I can. Thank you.”

  Idrahil saluted once more and she strode towards Teobrin. Ydari witnessed her whisper something into the young man’s ear and his enthused features light up as the two of them set off for the Palace. Ydari felt more confident of the steps he had taken thus far and even though he had got into a foolish fight, it had led him to an unexpected lead and he intended to follow it as far as it would take him. The Watch Captain wound his way through the hustle and bustle of Maleardhus, the sights and sounds to which he was usually alert to had become lost in the haze. In spite of the nagging doubts he knew well enough that he needed more information before he could make a truly informed decision.

  Ydari’s march through the city was uneventful. The minutes rolled by until at last the watch house loomed over him and he was surrounded by the comforts of the familiar. The Captain entered the building and he glanced at the desk where Lothram sat gloomily. Their eyes met and Lothram signalled the Captain over. A mound of paperwork was stacked neatly to one side and instantly the Captain knew that Lothram had helpfully piled it all away for him. Ydari knew, in spite of Lothram’s supposed helpfulness, that the man’s efficiency in letting the papers accumulate stemmed from sheer laziness. He understood the compulsion; Ydari often put such minutiae to one side, preferring instead the thrill of the chase and the reward in a job well done when a suspect had been rounded up.

  “I’ve got some forms for you to sign,” Lothram informed him.

  “Oh, joy of joys,” the Captain intoned sarcastically. “Look at all these gifts you got me and it’s not even my birthday.”

  “Have I told you that you’re not half as funny as you think you are?” Lothram grunted irritably.

  “Every time I make a joke,” Ydari replied simply. “If you happen to see Teobrin or Idrahil send them directly to my office,” the Captain instructed.

  Lothram’s answering nod was enough of an answer for Ydari and he scooped up the mound to add it to the ever-climbing mountain that resided on his desk. He sighed resignedly as he entered his office and saw the mounds of documents. Ydari shook his head but knew that it was a job that had to be done and besides, there was nothing else pressing to do. For the next few hours the Captain sorted through the heap until miraculously the surface of the desk could be seen. The afternoon whittled away with surprising speed until the last embers of sunlight clawed on the horizon and the day had slipped well into the evening. It had also helped to distract Ydari’s mind from the other events of the day so it came as a surprise when there was a soft knock at his office door. After shouting at the door for the knocker to enter Teobrin entered, huffing and puffing while holding his side. He was unable to maintain a vertical stance as he leaned on the desk, his face twisting in muted expressions as he tried to fight through abdominal pain.

  Ydari allowed his subordinate a few moments to catch his breath. He stood to his feet and led the young man to a small chair and seated him down in it with one push. His earnest face was reddened as if he had done laps along the city walls all evening before coming here. Eventually, the winded Teobrin was able to collect himself and he remembered his training, standing to his full height and snapping to attention sloppily. Ydari waved him down and waited patiently for the report that had been sent by Idrahil.

  “Reporting in sir,” Teobrin said.

  “What news do you bring?” the Captain asked simply.

  “The man you asked Idrahil and me to follow…” he paused as if trying to remember. Hurriedly he pulled a slip of paper from his pocket and held it up to his face. “He did nothing interesting but it seemed he knew, or at least thought, that he was being followed. He left the White Tower in the early evening and made his way to the Ash Quarter in a roundabout way,” Teobrin reported. “Instead of taking the more direct route he took six different streets and walked the wrong direction for a good few minutes so Idrahil believes he was trying to throw off anybody who might be following.”

  “Damn,” cursed Ydari. His actions at the dungeon had tipped him off and now he knew following this particular thread would be much harder. “Thank you for the report Teobrin. We will have to keep an eye on this man but from a distance. Return to Idrahil and tell her to use as many men as she needs to keep this man under constant watch. He’s going to make a mistake eventually and I’ll be there when he does.”

  Chapter Four

  Ydari slammed his fists on the table and let out a guttural yell of frustration. His investigation had stalled and the thought of enemies waiting in the shadows caused his anger to grow with each of the three days that had passed. The Captain raised the crumpled note and read the words one more time, this doing little to aid his current mood. He swore loudly and threw the offending note into a corner of the room where a small collection of paper balls had been amassing since the city watch had begun their dogged pursuit. Ydari had to give the man credit grudgingly. Vedile had proven to be as slippery as he was loathsome and his frustrations grew daily. As such, the Watch Captain had simply given the order to arrest Vedile and haul him in for questioning.

  Ydari slumped into his chair resignedly, at a loss as to what to do while he waited for Idrahil and Teobrin. The usual medley of reports lay neatly on his desk and there was little to no thrill to be had in reading dry volumes of arrest records. The Captain made a snap decision and rose to his feet. He raced to the door and flung it open with gusto before stepping through it. The door clattered against the wall loudly and reverberated for a few seconds, causing everyone in the Watch House to turn and look for the source of the noise. Lothram was still parked behind the counter and he drummed his fingers on its surface with his head dropping into his hand which seemed as if it were there to prevent it from rolling from his shoulders.

  Ydari could see he was on the verge of drifting off to slumber-land and a mischievous thought flashed through his brain as he surreptitiously approached the counter. On tiptoed heels Ydari snuck up to the Desk Sergeant and yanked Lothram’s arm whose head smacked the wood with a thud and the watchman jumped to a vertical base, uttering a few choice words as he did so. He shot a sour expression at Ydari who merely shrugged his shoulders but privately this small action had lifted his spirits and he was grinning from ear to ear. Lothram muttered something to himself inaudibly but the Captain had a general idea as to the content. He settled next to Lothram and gazed around at the interior of the watch house, every inch of the place as familiar to him as his childhood home had been. In front of the counter two strong oak doors opened out onto the street. A line of dusty chairs sat either side of the entrance and behind Lothram’s perch a number of tables were stacked end to end. In the far corner two forlorn couches and a mottled desk sat and this was what passed for a recreational area. Further back, a door led to
a small but serviceable kitchen. Ydari’s reverie was broken by the voice of his Desk Sergeant.

  “Why did you feel the need to enter jerk mode?’ Lothram shrilled.

  “You looked as if you needed rousing.”

  “You know how to be so charming,” Lothram grunted. “The next time you feel the need to be an arse, don’t. Take a day off.”

  The doors were rammed open and the forms of Idrahil and Teobrin staggered into the watch house with a third man between them, his feet slipping off the smoothed wooden floor as he squealed and struggled wildly. The gruesome visage of Vedile greeted Ydari’s blank stare and understanding dawned on him instantly. The foul man spat in disgust; a thick glob of sputum slobbering down the wooden panels of the counter that Lothram had been leant on. The Desk Sergeant recoiled with revulsion as Vedile was manhandled into the far corner where the staircase was situated that descended into the holding cell area. Vedile growled with animalistic tones as he was dragged bodily down the stairs, his limbs thrashing to the extent that a couple of idling watchmen leapt to their feet and aided their colleagues in hauling the odious fool to the awaiting dungeon. A few minutes passed as the prisoner’s feet skidded and rattled off any surface where he could find purchase enough to struggle and make the task of the city watchmen as arduous as possible. Finally, after much effort, the clang of a cell door was heard and Ydari felt a grim satisfaction at the sound as he pictured Vedile scrabbling at the walls of his confinement.

  Idrahil and Teobrin returned to the entrance where their Captain was waiting. The spectacle had drawn a few interested stares but nobody had questioned what had just unfolded since it was a common enough occurrence when hauling prisoners off the streets, though usually not this early in the day. The other watchmen who had helped to escort Vedile to his new accommodation had settled back in their seats and were idling the rest of the morning away. Ydari’s gaze shifted from the faces of Teobrin, Idrahil and Lothram and they swapped similar glances, though Teobrin’s features were noticeably more vacant. Wordlessly, the Watch Captain motioned for them to follow. Ydari led the way to his office while his three companions trooped behind him. Lothram brought up the rear, having had to elbow Teobrin to get the earnest young man to move with them. The Desk Sergeant closed the door with a faint click while Ydari took up a position behind the desk.

  “Thank you for finally nailing that wily scumbag,” Ydari began, his voice trailing off. “Three days ago, I learned King Aynhar of Tirgaal was murdered and moreover of a plan to assassinate the Queen. That man you arrested was named as a participant and he may know of others who are involved.”

  “That bastard,” Lothram began to swear before he was silenced by a raised hand from his commanding officer. His eyes had baulked in reaction to the news and now understanding was finally dawning on those present, even Teobrin. “What do you need from us?” the Sergeant asked professionally.

  “I need your help in getting him to talk. I need to know what his part was in this and just how far it goes. I don’t know where this will lead us but I’ll need you all ready to act,” Ydari said simply.

  Ydari proceeded to explain the altercation in the cells and the extent of the information he had gleaned as well as Vedile’s suspected involvement. Lothram cracked his knuckles ominously, a deliciously wicked grin etched on his visage as he envisioned all sorts of methods that they could use to extract any pertinent information. The four of them chatted for a few more minutes with questions being interjected every so often. Finally, they all came to an agreement. Ydari nodded at Idrahil and Lothram and the two watchmen fell in behind him as they wound their way through the door and over to the staircase that led to Vedile. Teobrin fell back to the counter and looked forlornly over to them as they disappeared from view.

  The footfalls of the three city-watch officials caused Vedile to dart his gaze over to them. Recognition dawned on the odious man as he beheld Ydari and he spat in distaste once more. Barely suppressing his anger, the Captain maintained a fixed expression to prove to this maleficent individual before him that he was not about to get under his skin. Every instinct inside the Watch Captain screamed at him to simply beat the answers out of this man and Lothram’s clenched fist exhibited that he too was trying to keep this compulsion in check. Only Idrahil showed no outward signs of violence. Vedile meanwhile merely laughed throatily as he strode up and down as the three of them approached. In spite of his current predicament he paced the cell with a cocky swagger.

  Idrahil stepped up to the cell door and the keys rattled as she unlocked it. Ydari stepped into the cell first with Lothram only a step behind while Idrahil kept vigil on the outside of the cell in case anything unexpected were to happen. Vedile held his ground as the two men approached, a sneer plastered on his greasy features. Irritation got the better of Lothram as he rushed up abruptly and thumped his fist squarely into the prisoner’s chest. Vedile dropped to a knee, coughing and spluttering turbulently. Lothram raised his fist again but Ydari grasped his shoulder and tugged on the man feverishly until Lothram came to his senses and relaxed his posture.

  “Well that was a fine hello,” Vedile wheezed, shooting his aggressor a sneer.

  “Don’t make me beat you within an inch of your life,” Lothram thundered as he stepped forward again; his balled fists shaking visibly.

  “Enough!” Ydari shouted. He shoved Lothram back before dropping to his haunches in front of Vedile. “We need to have a little chat. My friend here is more direct than me, as you may have gathered, but you surely know the reason you’re here. If I don’t hear answers that I like then I’m going to let him loose. In fact, I might still do that. It all depends on how you answer.”

  “You’re all fools,” Vedile whined contemptuously. “I remember you from the dungeon. You have no reason to be holding me here. I’ve done nothing wrong!” he exclaimed.

  “I beg to differ,” replied Ydari. Wordlessly, Idrahil handed her Captain Vedile’s knife. The dragon bladed dagger was held up and Ydari saw the man’s expression falter for just a moment. “I had an interesting conversation with your friend in the dungeon and he told me about this and your part in recent events at the White Tower.” Ydari paused a moment. As he had been talking Ydari had pointed the dagger at Vedile and the blade inched closer and closer until it was only a few millimetres from his throat. “This is yours isn’t it?” the Captain asked. Ydari continued, not giving Vedile a chance to reply. “I’ve been asked to handle this matter and handle it I shall.”

  “What did that fool tell you? I wasn’t involved in that!” Vedile almost screeched, his eyes widening in alarm.

  “So, you do know what that was?” Ydari asked through a smirk. “I see that your memory is starting to clear up.”

  “It was all his idea! That scum approached me! I wanted no part in it!” Vedile whined.

  “Then why do you have this?” Ydari asked, holding up the blade meaningfully.

  “He gave it to me,” Vedile responded. “He said I was to become a trusted associate.”

  “An associate to whom? Give me something!”

  “They never mentioned any names. I swear.”

  “I’ve heard enough excuses. Talk!” Ydari screamed. He seized Vedile by his dirty tunic and raised him to his feet roughly. “Tell me something useful,” the Watch Captain bellowed as he hurled the prisoner backwards. Vedile was thrown violently and he clattered into the cell wall.

  “The catacombs,” Vedile squealed. “I don’t know much about them but I know they meet there. I followed them one evening after I was approached.”

  “Keep talking!”

  “Ok…ok,” Vedile pleaded desperately. “The best way I know to find them is to enter the catacombs by Temple Gate. Follow the dragon glyphs carved into the walls.”

  “Good enough for now,” Ydari glowered ominously. He handed the dagger off to Lothram as he retreated back to the cell door. “You’re going to be here for a while so get comfortable. If you lied to me then we’ll be revisiting this c
onversation and you may not like how it ends.” Vedile’s answering nod was all the acknowledgement Ydari needed. “I’ll leave you to your thoughts,” Ydari shot back as he exited the cell.

  Ydari left the wretched oaf jabbering to himself as the three watchmen exited the dungeon before the Captain excused himself and returned to his office. Jubilance rose within him and he practically skipped around the room. He opened a chest and rooted through it until he found a clean shirt and towel and set off to have a thorough wash. Minutes later, Ydari returned to the room feeling rejuvenated and ready to tackle the challenges that lay ahead. The Captain quickly clothed himself and strapped his leather armour back into place before picking up an impressive-looking long sword. He swung it a couple of times experimentally, slashing at the air before placing it into its scabbard and securing the weapon on his belt. Finally, Ydari exited the office.

  The Captain nodded at his recruits and they joined him once more. Ydari spoke to the assembled guardsmen and they drew themselves up into formation as he issued his orders, all present nodding their assent. They set about their tasks as Ydari, Lothram and Idrahil marched toward the exit. Teobrin watched them walk away forlornly and he fidgeted on the spot, torn between remaining behind and following Ydari and the others on their adventure. They disappeared from view and the young man looked crestfallen as he turned his back and gazed around despairingly until Lothram’s voice called out to him. His face lit up instantly as the grizzled Sergeant motioned for him to follow, the simple fellow bounding and skipping after him gleefully.

  Beyond the doors the allure of the city called to Ydari and his company. The city’s familiar chorus filled their airs and the lingering odours of spices from the market stalls wafted over to them on a faint breeze. The Captain sighed, the smells and sounds of Maleardhus reinvigorating him with renewed resolve as he set off at the head of his patrol. The group walked in silence as their commanding officer led the way off the busier thoroughfares into the winding alleys that bordered the Sapphire Quarter, or the Moon Quarter as the poorer citizens had called it. It had become a recurring joke amongst the working class that they had as much chance of living here as setting foot on the moon and so the name had stuck.