Masque of Death (Kormak Book Nine) (The Kormak Saga 9) by William King Page B

all that you get.”
    “I will fight any man when my honour has been besmirched.”
    “Where did you learn rhetoric? The playhouse? The only person here besmirching your honour is yourself, and you are doing it by way of your excessive stupidity.”
    Count Shahad turned away from her, face reddening, bull neck expanding. A vein throbbed in his forehead. His great black moustache bristled. His bloodshot gaze fell on Kormak, and he smiled. He had found something to focus his aggression on.
    “Well, sir, will you give me satisfaction or not? We have our witnesses and unorthodox as the situation is I will not delay our meeting.”
    “Pray take it outside, Count,” said the Governor.
    “Don’t want blood on your nice hardwood floors, eh? Can’t say as I blame you. Step outside.”
    “You still haven’t told me who accused me,” Kormak said.
    “Are you still protesting your innocence?”
    “I would hate to kill you because somebody set this fight up.”
    “Set your mind at rest then. You will soon be too dead to kill anybody.”
    “Indulge me. Tell me who told you these lies. Was it your wife?”
    The big man looked sheepish now. His face became even redder, and his moustache bristled even more. “She has not returned this morning.”
    “So who told you?”
    “One of the servant girls. When I was questioning her about my wife’s whereabouts.”
    “Is this servant girl here now?”
    “Not at the moment.”
    “And you say you have not seen your wife this morning.”
    The Count shook his head. Kormak stared hard at the Count. He did not like the way this was going. It might be a simple case of mistaken identity. Or it might be a conspiracy to discredit him.
    From the floor above a scream rang out.
    “Murder! Murder!” The shout was filled with horror.

Chapter Six
    K ormak raced up the stairs . The others followed in his wake. A servant woman, mouth wide, howled and pointed into a room. When he got to the open door, he saw why.
    A woman lay naked on the bed. Her green costume was on the dresser beside her. Her throat had been cut, a pool of sticky blood surrounded her. Flies buzzed all around. As the heat rose, it would not take too long for corruption to take the body.
    It was Lady Khiyana. On her face was a look of surprise and horror.
    Kormak entered the room. Behind him, he heard a howl of grief and then a roar of, “Khiyana. Oh no! Oh no!”
    He turned on the people crowding into the room and put his hand on his sword. “Get out. Now. All of you.”
    The Count did not seem to hear him. He stood there shaking his head, tears running down his cheeks. The only words coming from his mouth were, “No. No. No.”
    The crowd stopped advancing but remained where they were torn between horror and curiosity.
    “I need to examine this body,” Kormak said. “And I need to look around for clues as to who did the killing.”
    “You did,” said a voice from the doorway. One of the servant women stood there pointing an accusing finger.
    “What?” Kormak said.
    “I saw you come in here with her.” A low growl sounded in the Count’s throat. Kormak turned to see the man advancing on him, fingers curled like claws, as if he wanted to tear Kormak apart with his bare hands. The Count sprang on him, a furious bestial rush. Kormak dropped him with a punch. The room went silent. Everyone except Rhiana looked at Kormak with horror-filled eyes. He advanced upon the servant, and they backed away.
    “You saw me come in here with the Countess?”
    The servant glanced around as if seeking an escape route. There were too many people for her to get away easily. The crowd hemmed her in. She took a deep breath, squared her shoulders and nodded. Her face was very pale and her voice came out as a squeak. “As the Holy Sun is my witness.”
    Kormak looked at the Governor and saw his smile vanish like a concealed blade being returned to its sheath.
    “When did you see this happen?” Kormak asked. He kept his voice gentle.
    The