thirty-three #3
Mira rubbed her eyes and adjusted the bust of her dress as it had ridden up beneath her breasts while she was catatonic, her brain running a mile a minute as she searched for Rahara in the room and eventually gave in to a nap, hoping to see her again.
She hadn’t. Mira was still here, though, so Ramaron hadn’t taken her home to her parents.
Voices echoed in the foyer. Mira combed her fingers through her hair to ensure she was presentable enough before stepping through the parlor and into the foyer, where Ramaron had greeted a familiar visitor.
One that Mira assumed had not gone through the proper channels downstairs, implying he was welcome to teleport past Ramaron’s wards.
“Ah…” Both he and Kanhith looked at Mira as she appeared in the parlor archway. “Lady Mira. I didn’t know you were here.”
“I was about to mention it,” Ramaron said.
“What are you doing here?” Mira groggily asked.
Kanhith glanced at Ramaron before addressing her. “I was informing Master Marlow about what was happening in Harksplit next week, as he and Lady Dunsman are due to return to resume their research. But, since I’m here…” He cocked his head at Mira. “I have news, if you’re interested.”
“What kind of news?”
Ramaron suggested they take this back into the parlor, where a servant was called to bring them some caffeinated-cageh to ensure everyone was properly awake. Whatever Kanhith had to say must not have been confidential, for he openly spoke in front of the maid who appeared with their drinks.
“The authorities have finally tracked down Marco di’Flare,” Kanhith said with renewed gravity.
Mira leaned forward, perched on her own knees.
“He was hiding out in Dassil. The transcripts I procured of his interview via the local authorities were quite illuminating. Naturally, he did not admit to hiring the mercenaries who slaughtered the Gardiah family, but we all noticed he did not come to any of the funerals,
and there was no way he could not have known what happened. He’s set to return next week, under the guise of attempting to help the authorities determine the next of kin of the estate.”
Mira’s nostrils flared as she asked, “What about Graella? Is she still alive?”
Kanhith’s face did not betray any emotion about what he had to say. “I have not heard she has perished, and Tharin would have informed me. The last I heard, she was transferred to the major hospital in the area for care. Lord and Lady Coralia are overseeing everything.”
“I see. So, a blood heir still lives.”
“One who has been married to another family.”
Mira scoffed. “Not like there’s anything anyone can do if it comes out that Marco was involved with the contract. If his name is on a Cerilynian contract, he is immune.”
“Truly, mercenaries are a blight upon our humanity,” Kanhith said.
“Well… at the very least, the treaty with the Federation is highly favorable toward them,” Mira said. “High mortality rate and you’re basically a slave, but there’s a plus and minus to everything. Any other news from Arrah?”
“Only that the crime scene has been cleaned up and many of the survivors have been huddling in Harksplit. I’ve been praying over many souls lately, Lady Mira. They will be quite relieved to see your mother’s presence next week.”
“Lovely for them. Doesn’t bring back any of the dead, now does it?”
“Mira,” Ramaron softly said. “The matter is no longer related to us. It’s for the human authorities to sort out.”
“Hmph. Would you say the same thing if your soulmate was a victim of the slaughter?”
Kanhith shuddered. “My continued condolences, Lady Mira. Sulim was—”
“Sulim was alive, and now she is dead. You’ve all but confirmed that Marco was involved, but he couldn’t have afforded that on his own.”
“The rumor among the town is that Lord Gardiahs’ rival may be involved. It turns out, one of his children recently married Marco’s cousin. The Flare family is quite powerful and wealthy where they’re from, and it’s known that the rival has coveted the Gardiah horses for many generations. Granted,
this is an awful way to make a move—”
“And expensive. But legal.”
“How much do you think it costs?” Ramaron mused. “Two attacks on the same day. That requires much more manpower. Not to mention, they’ve been hired before.”
“Tens of thousands, easily,” Mira answered. “Possibly a hundred, but they would have bartered that the mercenaries could take whatever they could carry, hence the cargo cruiser we saw that day. If you think about it, that’s chump change to any human psychopathic enough to be known for that.”
“Good thing you qualified that with human,” Ramaron continued. “Because a hundred thousand doesn’t sound like much at all for that level of risk and carnage.”
“Makes you think, doesn’t it?”
“Makes me think that it’s a wealthy man’s bargain,” Kanhith said. “I’ll pray for the man who did this, for he sounds like a top candidate for the Void’s reincarnation program.”
Mira almost couldn’t laugh. “Save your own soul. But thanks for the information. I’ll be sure to use it.”
She was aware that Ramaron watched her through the corner of his eyes. Whatever. Mira was so deep in metaphysical bullshit that she almost didn’t care that she contemplated murder.
Why not? I’m already tainted.