18. Alistair #2
More than a minute passed before Liliana harrumphed and shoved to her feet.
Her attention fixed on Alistair as she pointedly avoided looking at Iggie.
“Fine. The necromancer can stay so long as you keep him on a tight leash. As for your question…yes, all four of the missing villagers worked here, including Erys’ old pupil.
He was never much of an artisan, but his knack for magic helped him interact with the harmonite, so I kept him on to do some of our easier tasks. ”
“And you didn’t think it odd that all of the missing villagers shared this clear connection?” Alistair asked.
Liliana shrugged. “It’s not as surprising as you might think.
Harmonite is the lifeblood of this village—its sole reason for existing.
Fewer people in Singer’s Rest don’t make a living off it than do, and even those generally exist to support our work.
” She raised an eyebrow. “Besides, I believe I did mention it when you first arrived. You obviously didn’t find it any more noteworthy at the time than we did. ”
Alistair frowned, trying to recall that initial council meeting. If she’d brought it up then, he couldn’t remember. Just like Erys, he’d likely been so focused on the undead threat that he hadn’t paid enough attention to anything else. A mistake he’d have to be careful he didn’t repeat.
“Was Matrim close with the other missing artisans? Or with anyone else you’re aware of?”
“How the Light should I know? You think I make it my business to keep track of who socializes with whom in their spare time?”
Alistair strained to keep his voice calm and composed. Further confrontation would get them nowhere. “I’d assume you have some inkling of what your artisans get up to, even if you don’t particularly care about the information.”
She shrugged again, and he clenched his jaw.
“Matrim might’ve had a couple associates among them.
Many of the other artisans idolized him, especially the younger ones.
I suppose even a washed-out mage evokes a certain sense of awe.
” The way she rolled her eyes made it clear what she thought of that. “None in particular stand out, though.”
Suppressing a sigh, Alistair inclined his head. “Thank you for your—”
“Hold on.” Liliana’s brow furrowed as her gaze settled on the workshop’s entrance. “Now that you mention it, I do remember another artisan who started hanging around Matrim these last few months: Julian Lerange.”
Beside him, Iggie perked up. Matching excitement flared through Alistair. Finally, a concrete lead. “Great! We’d love to speak with him, see if there’s anything he can tell us about Matrim before his disappearance. You said he’s an artisan here?”
“Former artisan if things keep up the way they have been. The Light-blinded man can’t even be bothered to show up for work when we’re already struggling to keep to our schedule, especially with the added preparations for Dawncoming thrown in.”
Alistair’s stomach sank. “You mean, he’s not here? When was the last time you saw him?”
Liliana scoffed. “The lazy oaf called out sick two or three days ago, but his work’s been slipping ever since he started hanging around Matrim. That’s why I remember the connection. I should have let that wannabe mage go months ago, magical talent or not.”
Iggie leaned into Alistair, the nearness causing Alistair’s heart to quicken. “Ask if Julian was close with anyone else who was taken.”
Alistair considered telling Iggie to ask her himself before he caught Liliana’s sneer. Perhaps Iggie had the right idea after all. He repeated his question, earning another infuriating shrug.
“Like I said, what my workers do in their own time is their business. But if Julian hung around that good-for-nothing Matrim, it’d make sense that they shared the same acquaintances. Perhaps he’s taking their disappearances harder than the others.”
For a moment, her face softened, her expression almost sympathetic. Then, she scowled. “Not that his personal troubles have any right impacting our work. We have a reputation to uphold after all—a duty to our customers to give them the value and quality they expect.”
Duty. Reputation. The words set Alistair on edge, conjuring memories of his father barking orders in their estate’s training yard.
Weren’t those the same amorphous concepts he’d allowed to drive him all his life?
Perhaps he was just as bad as Liliana, always sacrificing his own needs and those of others in pursuit of some supposed greater good.
It took him a while to notice Iggie subtly nudging him in the side. When he did, he shook himself back to the present. “Right. Well, did either Matrim or Julian have a dedicated workspace we could examine?”
He glanced about the room, eying the scattered crystals and tools. Merciful Light, how could anyone accomplish anything in this mess?
Catching the look on his face, Liliana smirked.
“This room is little more than a glorified tourist trap. We use it to put on a show for visitors during the summer, as well as to give our less experienced artisans a place to practice. The harmonite here is nothing but scrap. The real work takes place in the Catacombs below.” Her eyes narrowed.
“Though, that area is usually restricted. What do you want with their workspaces?”
Alistair fought to keep his tone neutral. He could already tell this was going to be a long day. “I’m not certain. But after speaking with Master Erys, we suspect that Matrim may be involved with that creature out there. This seemed as good a place as any to begin searching for answers.”
“Sounds to me like you’d be better off cornering Julian at his home.”
Dawn Aspects grant me patience. “We’ll certainly follow up with Julian as well. First, however, it might help to examine the place where Matrim spent most of his time. If he didn’t leave any clues about what he was up to at home, then perhaps he left some here.”
Liliana grimaced as if she’d tasted something sour. “Fine, I’ll show you where they work. Follow me.” She fixed Iggie with a hard look, and he shifted to stand behind Alistair. “But if your pet necromancer sets one toe out of line…”
“I trust Iggie to handle himself,” Alistair replied, his voice cold.
Liliana gave him another considering look, then shrugged and moved to the stairs without another word. Alistair followed, Iggie a few steps behind. That suited Alistair just fine. While he doubted they’d encounter any danger here, he’d rather be between Iggie and potential threats.
The staircase descended about twenty paces before letting out into a well-lit hallway.
Despite its moniker, there was nothing decrepit or tomb-like about the space—like the workshop above, the stone appeared well-maintained, enchanted lanterns illuminating the passage in a steady glow.
Doors perched along the sides at regular intervals, each affixed with a detachable nameplate.
Private workshops, Alistair figured, studying the closed doors as they passed.
It made sense that the artisans would have their own spaces in which to work rather than a shared communal space like the showroom above, especially while handling something as delicate as harmonite that reacted to any audible sound.
Several minutes passed, and Alistair was just starting to wonder how massive this underground complex was when Liliana paused before a door, jerking it open.
“Julian’s workspace. Should be the same as he left it. He…”
She trailed off, her eyes narrowing as she studied the room.
Alistair peeked past her to see an orderly space.
Tools neatly lined a tray atop a desk big enough to fill the far wall.
Shelves covered with musical instruments and random items capable of emitting sounds coated the rest. A strange glass case sat in the middle of the desk with a metal frame inside that looked like it was meant to hold something in place, though the case currently stood open, the frame empty.
“How dare he take his project home with him,” Liliana growled.
“His song crystal?” Alistair asked.
“His harmonite. And yes, he’s supposed to keep it safely in that case until it’s complete.”
“Ask her why the case matters,” Iggie murmured.
Alistair opened his mouth, but Liliana snarled, “Don’t bother.
I can hear him well enough, even if I’d rather not.
These cases are enchanted by Master Erys to completely muffle outside sound.
That way, a work in progress can be preserved until the artisan is ready to continue.
Each workspace possesses a similar enchantment—with the door shut, you can’t hear a peep from outside and vice versa.
Otherwise, the aural pollution down here would be horrendous. ”
Alistair nodded slowly. He thought he followed well enough. “Any idea why Julian might have taken his current project with him?”
Liliana scowled, her gaze still fixed on the open case.
“No clue, especially if he didn’t know he’d be out.
I swear, if he’s faking illness to get out of work…
” Her face brightened. “Unless, of course, he brought his project home with him precisely because he knew he wouldn’t be here to complete it.
I suppose I’d be willing to overlook the infraction if it meant he completed his crystal on schedule despite his time off. ”