Dracula Chronicles: Son of the Dragon by Victor Foia
Author:Victor Foia [Foia, Victor]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Dracula Press, LLC
Published: 2012-12-21T08:00:00+00:00
CHAPTER 17: Evil in the Forest
Dracul didnât say a word until they reached his chambers in the castle. Only when the door closed behind them did he turn to Marcus with a pained look. âTell me the news has nothing to do with Frederickâs envoy, Son.â
âItâs Nestorâer, and the man from Vienna and Hunyadiâsââ
âWhat are you talking about?â Dracul shouted, stepping up to Marcus. âWhatâs Nestor got to do with Piccolomini?â Then he bit his lip and clenched his fists. âHunyadi sent Piccolomini under that weakling Nestorâs care, didnât he? That miserable fucker. What happened?â
âNestorâs downstairs in the guardhouse. Heâs got a wounded hussar with him. All others in his party have been killed in the forest.â
Dracul shuddered at the news and appeared shaky on his feet. Baba tried to lead him to a chair but he shook himself free.
âGet Nestor,â Dracul said to Marcus in a spent voice. âI need to hear the story from his lips.â When Marcus was gone, Dracul sat at his desk, chin resting on his fists. âThis isnât ordinary highway robbery and murder.â
âDoes this mean Hunyadi knows about your treaty with the emperor, Father?â Vlad said.
âHe might only suspect something, but thatâd be good enough reason for him to order a murder,â Dracul said, preoccupied. Then, as if heâd just realized what Vlad said he cast him a suspicious, angry look. âHow do you know about the treaty?â
Vlad realized heâd blundered, showing what he knew, and lowered his gaze, embarrassed.
Dracul shook his head, resigned. âItâs that brother of yours, isnât it? Heâs as loose with secrets as a sieve is with water. Well, you might as well be part of this. Youâre old enough, and better at keeping a secret than Marcus.â
âHow could Hunyadi have found out?â Michael said.
âHe might have spies in the Vienna chancellery. Though he couldâve simply guessed what Frederick and I were up to. Hunyadiâs shrewd that way, and he knows my thinking pretty well. In either case this kills my treaty.â
âNo, Your Grace,â Michael said. âAllâs not lost. Weâll send word to Frederick by one of our agents, and heâll reissue the treaty protocol.â
âPour me a cup of wine,â Dracul said to Vlad. He took a long draft, then said, âWhatâs to say his second envoy wonât end up dead, Michael? And the third? You know weâve got less than a year to put our defenses in order. With the time needed to recruit the soldiers, equip them, train them... every month counts.â
âYou think it was Nestorâs assignment to have Piccolomini killed, Father?â Vlad said, refilling Draculâs wine cup. âBut if so, why a forest attack? And why just a dayâs journey from Targoviste? He couldâve had him murdered anywhere along the way.â
âPiccolomini had to die in Wallachia, so Hunyadi could avoid any culpability,â Michael said. âAnd die in a way witnesses could testify was a random act of banditry.â
âAnd Nestor didnât want it done too deep in the forest,â Baba said. âHe knew he could make it safe from the edge of Devilâs Belt to here, once he got rid of his company.
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