this.”
Clumps of grass had been torn loose from where the door had been pulled open and shut again. The clumps had been pressed back into place. The door was still, almost imperceptibly, ajar.
Kedimius drew his sword.
“Would any of the living Varenni have had reason to come here?” Ilsimia asked.
“Not that I know of. I haven’t heard of any deaths in the family, though I was never close to any save Breskaro and Orisala. Even if family had come here, they couldn’t have come with horses. This was done under the cover of darkness … after the guards were neutralized. Then the signs were covered.”
Kedimius moved toward the door. Ilsimia looked about the cemetery.
“We’re the only ones left,” she said. “Everyone else has already left the cemetery. Should we summon help?”
His eyes were focused, his jaw set. He shook his head. “We can handle it.”
Kedimius heaved the door open. It went easily enough. Sword at the ready, he stepped in. Ilsimia slid in alongside him. She took a fist-sized crystal matrix from her pouch and spoke a simple prayer from the Book of Seshalla. Only priestesses of the Grand Order were trained and allowed to use these stones. Blessed by the Matriarch and imbued with the power of Seshalla, the crystal glowed, illuminating the open gate leading to Breskaro’s chamber. The stone’s light would have repelled any lesser demons or foul spirits. Anything greater than that she could attack with the matrix.
Nothing moved within sight. Ilsimia closed her eyes and chanted again. “I’m not sensing anything.”
He moved up and down the corridor, glancing through the iron gates that led to each chamber. He went to Breskaro’s chamber last. He took two deep breaths then entered. Ilsimia followed.
An empty marble slab awaited them.
Ceremonial armor and burial clothes lay discarded in the corner.
Kedimius’s sword arm went limp and the sword’s tip tinked against the floor. Ilsimia gasped. Both stood for several minutes, just staring at the blank slab of stone where Sir Breskaro Varenni should lie.
Kedimius squatted down and touched the armor pieces his master had been buried in. Kedimius had brought the body in here himself along with General Togisi. Gritting his teeth, he spoke at last.
“Mia, you report to the Matriarch. I’ll notify the White Guard.”
~~~
The sun bore down on the High Cemetery as Kedimius met Ilsimia again, this time on a slight hill overlooking the Varenni Mausoleum. Below them, knights of the White Guard in their gold-trimmed white cloaks meticulously combed the grounds inside and outside the mausoleum.
“How did it go with the Matriarch?” Kedimius asked.
“Not well. She was shaken by the news. I know I meet with her rarely, but I’ve never seen her disturbed by anything before. No wonder she was worried last night.”
“Does she know something we don’t?”
Ilsimia shrugged. “If so, she’s not going to tell me. How were things for you?”
“The White Guard grilled me for two hours, as if I were a suspect.”
“General Togisi’s inquisitors show little restraint. They are getting out of hand. He needs to bring them under control.”
“I think they mean well but I agree. They stopped short of torturing me.”
Ilsimia frowned and shook her head. “That’s exactly what I mean. I’ve heard a lot of stories like this lately. You’re a Knight Avenger, a member of the First Lancers under Togisi’s command, a former squire to Breskaro, and you’re living in the household of Sir Fortrenzi. Your word should have been more than enough.”
“What can I do? They know all that. It’s just their way. And it will be until General Togisi or the Matriarch herself makes them change. You’re just lucky you’re a priestess. I hope they’re gentle with Sir Varenni’s cousins. They’re interviewing the family now. They might show less restraint with them.”
“Think they’ll learn anything?”
“I doubt it. No one in his family
Clumps of grass had been torn loose from where the door had been pulled open and shut again. The clumps had been pressed back into place. The door was still, almost imperceptibly, ajar.
Kedimius drew his sword.
“Would any of the living Varenni have had reason to come here?” Ilsimia asked.
“Not that I know of. I haven’t heard of any deaths in the family, though I was never close to any save Breskaro and Orisala. Even if family had come here, they couldn’t have come with horses. This was done under the cover of darkness … after the guards were neutralized. Then the signs were covered.”
Kedimius moved toward the door. Ilsimia looked about the cemetery.
“We’re the only ones left,” she said. “Everyone else has already left the cemetery. Should we summon help?”
His eyes were focused, his jaw set. He shook his head. “We can handle it.”
Kedimius heaved the door open. It went easily enough. Sword at the ready, he stepped in. Ilsimia slid in alongside him. She took a fist-sized crystal matrix from her pouch and spoke a simple prayer from the Book of Seshalla. Only priestesses of the Grand Order were trained and allowed to use these stones. Blessed by the Matriarch and imbued with the power of Seshalla, the crystal glowed, illuminating the open gate leading to Breskaro’s chamber. The stone’s light would have repelled any lesser demons or foul spirits. Anything greater than that she could attack with the matrix.
Nothing moved within sight. Ilsimia closed her eyes and chanted again. “I’m not sensing anything.”
He moved up and down the corridor, glancing through the iron gates that led to each chamber. He went to Breskaro’s chamber last. He took two deep breaths then entered. Ilsimia followed.
An empty marble slab awaited them.
Ceremonial armor and burial clothes lay discarded in the corner.
Kedimius’s sword arm went limp and the sword’s tip tinked against the floor. Ilsimia gasped. Both stood for several minutes, just staring at the blank slab of stone where Sir Breskaro Varenni should lie.
Kedimius squatted down and touched the armor pieces his master had been buried in. Kedimius had brought the body in here himself along with General Togisi. Gritting his teeth, he spoke at last.
“Mia, you report to the Matriarch. I’ll notify the White Guard.”
~~~
The sun bore down on the High Cemetery as Kedimius met Ilsimia again, this time on a slight hill overlooking the Varenni Mausoleum. Below them, knights of the White Guard in their gold-trimmed white cloaks meticulously combed the grounds inside and outside the mausoleum.
“How did it go with the Matriarch?” Kedimius asked.
“Not well. She was shaken by the news. I know I meet with her rarely, but I’ve never seen her disturbed by anything before. No wonder she was worried last night.”
“Does she know something we don’t?”
Ilsimia shrugged. “If so, she’s not going to tell me. How were things for you?”
“The White Guard grilled me for two hours, as if I were a suspect.”
“General Togisi’s inquisitors show little restraint. They are getting out of hand. He needs to bring them under control.”
“I think they mean well but I agree. They stopped short of torturing me.”
Ilsimia frowned and shook her head. “That’s exactly what I mean. I’ve heard a lot of stories like this lately. You’re a Knight Avenger, a member of the First Lancers under Togisi’s command, a former squire to Breskaro, and you’re living in the household of Sir Fortrenzi. Your word should have been more than enough.”
“What can I do? They know all that. It’s just their way. And it will be until General Togisi or the Matriarch herself makes them change. You’re just lucky you’re a priestess. I hope they’re gentle with Sir Varenni’s cousins. They’re interviewing the family now. They might show less restraint with them.”
“Think they’ll learn anything?”
“I doubt it. No one in his family
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