Ghost Nails by Jonathan Moeller

Author:Jonathan Moeller
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: greek, roman, sorcery, sword, sword sorcery
Publisher: Jonathan Moeller
Published: 2015-01-05T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 6: Shadows

The next day Korim summoned me to his mansion, and I went.

“I should have seen it years ago,” he said, his voice heavy.

We sat in his opulent audience hall, Korim slumped in his formal chair of office. The sturdy wooden chair creaked beneath his bulk. His loyal scribe waited at his right hand, and a troop of watchmen guarded him.

“I am sorry, my lord,” I said. “It…must be a grievous blow.”

“How did you know?” he said. “I never even suspected.”

I told Korim about the nails in the cake and the discovery of the letter with his seal, omitting Caina’s part in events.

“You have done me a great service,” said Korim. He sighed. “I cannot blame Dinaka, not really. I wed her to secure commercial advantages with her father. I had no wish to be cruel to her, so I let her do whatever she wished. Clearly this was a mistake.” He sighed again. “I will not bring charges against her. I shall simply divorce her quietly, and send her back to her father in Istarish Cyrica with her dowry.”

“That is…most generous of you,” I said.

Korim gave an indifferent shrug. “I am already a laughingstock. What is one more jest?” He scowled. “The Kindred assassin, though. His life is forfeit.”

“I bow to your wisdom, my lord,” I said.

“Mistress Damla,” said Korim. “Why? Why did you tell me? You have been paying…ah, gifts to me for years. If I died, you would be rid of the obligation.”

I shrugged. “If you died, my lord, the Padishah and the Wazir of the Treasury might replace you with a harsher man. And…you did not deserve to be murdered by your wife and her lover.”

“Thank you,” said Korim. “You have my gratitude. If you have need of my assistance, simply ask, and I shall aid you however I can.”

His gratitude took more concrete forms as well. As I left, his scribe presented me with a document that remitted the House of Agabyzus from the land tax for the rest of my life.

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