Sharps by K. J. Parker

Author:K. J. Parker
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
ISBN: 9780748131723
Publisher: Hachette Littlehampton
Published: 2012-07-04T23:00:00+00:00

Addo was fast asleep when Iseutz came and banged on his door.

“It’s Suidas,” she said. “You’d better come.”

“What’s going on?”

“Now,” Iseutz said.

He climbed out of bed, and noticed that the sheath on his bedside table was empty. He thought for a moment, and could distinctly remember Baudila giving the messer back to him. “Just a moment,” he said. “I can’t find my boots. Oh, here they are.”

Suidas was in the post room. He was standing in the middle of the floor, holding Addo’s messer in a low middle guard. He’d been busy. A statue, life-size, presumably some pre-Imperial goddess or other, was lying on the floor with its head knocked off. A table had been cut to pieces, and there were deep gashes in several of the door frames.

“I think he’s asleep,” Iseutz whispered. “But his eyes are wide open.”

Addo nodded, put his finger to his lips and walked forward, taking great care not to make any noise. Even so, Suidas appeared to have heard something; he spun round on his heels to face the direction Addo was coming from and transitioned from low middle to high back. Addo froze, watching him carefully, then started forward again. Suidas was looking just past him, as if watching someone standing shoulder to shoulder with him. Iseutz jammed her fist in her mouth.

Addo stopped, just short of long measure. “Captain Deutzel.”

Suidas looked puzzled. Addo waited for a moment, then said, “Sergeant.”

“Sir.”

“What the hell do you think you’re doing, Sergeant?”

Suidas looked at him – straight at him, but couldn’t see him. Iseutz could tell by the look on his face that he was trying to figure out where the voice was coming from. “Sir?”

“Stand down, Sergeant. Now. That’s an order.”

Suidas didn’t move. Addo frowned, then walked round him in a tight semicircle. Then, so fast that Iseutz couldn’t follow the movement, he stepped in and punched Suidas on the side of the head. There was a clatter as the messer hit the floor, but Suidas was still standing. Addo punched him again, and this time he fell. He twitched once, then lay still.

“Iseutz.” His voice was high and shaky. “Get a doctor.”

“I don’t know—”

“Get a doctor,” he repeated. “Quickly.”

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