agrosek stretched his arms wide as he sat there against the wall. He’d let Agathe use the only chair in the room to watch the trial, at least once the cloth had been pulled from over the picture, their viewport into Metamor. She had used her abilities to stretch the mirror until it was large enough to occupy most of the wall, giving them a very clear picture of the trial scene. They were able to watch the faces of each witness as they were questioned, note the tenor of their voices, and the tremble of their fur.
Although they could not see everything, and their view was restricted to one angle, it was enough. After the Prime Minister had given the vulpine defender a few moments to collect his thoughts before starting his case, Agathe had stood up, and crossed to the window. Zagrosek glanced up at her, his face curious. “Well?”
“Your minion presents a fair case. I wonder if it is wise to allow him to come so close to the truth.”
Zagrosek grimaced and rose to his feet. “That rabbit is very intelligent. I simply gave him the impetus, he put the pieces together. Besides, who will believe him? You heard the jeers he received. Almost everyone sitting in that chamber thinks he is a liar.”
She spun upon him, the solemn red glow of her empty socket pulsing with some hidden anger. “And for how much longer will they doubt him?”
“As long as he continues to accuse the innocent of our crimes.”
His answer did not appear to please her, as she turned back to the shuttered window. He reached out a single hand, resting it upon her shoulder. She made no move to dislodge it, but she did not react to it either. It was as if she was not even aware of it.
Zagrosek stepped in closer, pressing his cheek against the back of her head. His hands squeezed along her shoulders in a smooth pattern, soft massaging across tense muscles. “It will not matter. This trial cannot end without drastically changing the affairs at Metamor. This will be to our advantage, I assure you.”
Her voice was hard, but quiet, “I trust you. I may not agree, but I trust you.”
Zagrosek turned her body around, and she complied. Their lips came together once more, the scars in her cheeks frothing with saliva. And then the sound of shattering wood and glass from the room next door broke them apart.
“What was that?” Agathe demanded, her face wary once again.
“My merchants,” Zagrosek swore, darting out the door, closing it behind him. Shouts came from the next room down, and he was upon the door in an instant. With a flick of his wrists, the door burst inwards, thick splinters spraying across the floor beyond. Inside he saw Kaleas and Marin, their faces flush with rage and fear. At the far end was the remnants of the window, broken nearly entirely free. Thulin was nowhere to be seen.
“Where is he?”
“He jumped out, master,” Marin spoke, his voice fast, fearing whatever reprisal the dark clad man may give.
“He told us that he wanted to serve you, so we untied him. He then threw the chair through the window and jumped out,” Kaleas explained, his face dripping with nervous sweat.
Zagrosek charged across the room to the window, and pressed his head and shoulders out of the broken frame. The cold winter air blasted across his face, as he peered down from his loft. The Inn fell away down to a small shed below. The ceiling of the shed was slanted towards the cobblestone alley that ran around the back. The next building beyond was only one story high, the rooftop similarly covered in snow.
The snow on the shed had been disturbed by Thulin’s fall, and it had been smeared around. The broken legs of the chair were spread out along the cobblestones, though there was no sight of the merchant anywhere. No blood was about, so Zagrosek could only conclude that the fall had neither killed nor injured him. That was good at least, though he had to be found and brought back before he did something foolish.
Pulling his head into the room, he pointed at the younger of the two men. “Marin, check to see if he went for any of your horses. If any of them are missing, find out where they went and ride after him. Kaleas, I want you to inform the city guard of his disappearance. Make sure that they know he is crazed and could bring harm to others, though he himself is not to be killed. Have them arrest him and inform us immediately if they can.”
Kaleas blinked in shock, even as Marin ran out the door, taking only a moment to grab his thick coat. “But the city guard won’t try to take him alive if he is crazed. They’d rather kill him.”
Zagrosek untied the money pouch at his side and tossed it to the heavy-set merchant. “Offer them this if they follow your instructions. They will listen to you then.”
Kaleas nodded as well, rushing off to do his master’s bidding. Zagrosek swore violently then and slammed his fist into the side of the room, breaking the sill, sending a crack through the wall. He immediately regretted doing that, as he wished to draw as little attention as possible during his stay in Ellcaran. But there was nothing to be done for it now. He walked back to his room, and grimaced to Agathe.
“My third merchant has run off before the control has completely set in his mind. I’m going to have to go apologize to the owner of this establishment and pay for the damages done. I will be back as soon as I can.”
Agathe snorted derisively. “You shouldn’t have been playing cards with them. You knew it was risky.”
He shrugged sourly. “Nevertheless, I will stay on the course I’ve set. Now toss me that pouch of coins.” He pointed at the brown leather pouch sitting upon the bed. Agathe drew a rune in the air, and the pouch floated across the room quickly, before being deposited into his palm. Zagrosek nodded once to her, and then closed the door back up. When the time finally came that evening, he would make sure that Thulin regretted causing them so much trouble.
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