Council of War by Richard S. Tuttle Page A

will lie for you?"
    "No," Garth answered.
    "What is your supposed business in Giza?" asked Headman.
    "I am a special agent for a merchant," replied Garth. "I deal in gems and expensive artifacts."
    "Mencham?" Headman asked Morro.
    "Mencham would suffice," Morro agreed. "I will send for him now."
    "Who is Mencham?" asked Garth as Morro slipped out of the room.
    "He is a jeweler's apprentice," answered Headman. "He is also one of my people. His knowledge of delivery methods has brought in a fair amount of gold this year. If Mencham was not in a public meeting at the time of the attack, we will get him to vouch for you. You can say that you were discussing a sale with him. His word may not be enough to alleviate all of your problems, but it will give you time to figure out a way to leave the city. The worst thing you need to avoid right now is immediate arrest. With that in mind, we need to get you into your room at the Palace Keep Inn quickly."
    "Mencham will have to vouch for my wife as well," Garth stated as Morro reentered the room. "I am not sure about the others."
    "We need to find out," Morro said. "I will go and ask them while we wait for Mencham to arrive."
    Morro left the room again, and two humans entered a few minutes later. Headman waved one of them to a seat at the table. The other human stood waiting by the entrance.
    "Where were you when the trouble started, Mencham?" asked Headman. "Were you with anyone?"
    "I was minding the shop," the jeweler's apprentice answered. "With the city tightened down as it has been, I had no visitors at all today."
    "That is about to change," smiled Headman. "I would like you to meet Garth Shado, special agent for a merchant dealing in gems."
    * * *
    Squirt flew over the southern section of the Sea of Tears. Her eyes searched the waves of the sea desperately, trying to pick out anything that looked like a floating body. She had been searching for weeks, and she was tired and depressed. Feeling the strain of her exhausting search, the fairy banked sharply and headed for an island in the distance. She needed to rest her wings and recoup her energy. Gliding towards the rocky island, the fairy focused on a flat section a thousand paces from the shoreline. She landed roughly, and she berated herself for not getting enough sleep between searches. As the tiny blue fairy looked around for a suitable crevice to nap in, a large head suddenly appeared below her. The fairy flattened herself on the rock and stared at the back of the head in horror. She frowned at the stringy white hair as if something were tugging on her memory, but she did not recognize Haditha until the water witch turned around and the fairy could see her face.
    "Haditha!" exclaimed the fairy as she jumped to her feet. "You are alive!"
    The water witch heard the fairy, but she could not determine where the voice had come from. She looked around until Squirt waved her arms.
    "There you are," smiled Haditha. "What are you doing here?"
    "I am searching for Captain Gomery," replied the fairy. "I have been searching since the attack on the fleet. I was beginning to think that my search was in vain, but finding you gives me hope. Have you seen him?"
    "Not lately," the water witch replied suspiciously. "Why would you want to find him? The need for a sea captain is long gone now. Surely, Garth and Kalina do not need him any more."
    "It does not matter if he is needed," frowned the fairy. "I am supposed to support him. Fairies never give up their task once it is assigned."
    "I am sure that he would be touched by such devotion," Haditha responded, "but I am sure that the others could make better use of your skills than searching for someone who is no longer needed. There is no shame in accepting the ways of fate and getting on with your life."
    "I don't know," frowned Squirt. "I do not think Prince Midge would look kindly on my giving up so easily."
    "So easily?" Haditha echoed with a raised eyebrow. "You have diligently searched for