Free Magebane by Lee Arthur Chane

opportunity to do so.
    If it actually pointed him to the person behind the assassination attempt, that would be pure gravy. He didn’t think it would, because of the Unbound symbol. It was stretching the limits of coincidence to think that the assassin would have worn that particular symbol purely by chance. It had been intended to taunt him. Someone knows , he thought. And they’re working against me .
    Still, being a man who lived by the motto “never let a crisis go to waste,” Falk stopped by Brich’s desk. “Brich,” he said.
    The secretary stopped text-stamping and blinked up at him with watery blue eyes. Brich had looked eighty years old for the last twenty years; Falk had no idea how old he really was. He pushed one of the few strands of gray hair that still spanned his brown-spotted scalp back from his forehead. “Yes, my lord?”
    â€œPrepare orders for all of our operatives in the Commons. They are to arrest for questioning anyone they know or suspect has ties to the Common Cause.”
    Brich raised an eyebrow so high it almost disappeared behind the hair he had just pushed back. “There are many who profess sympathy with the Cause,” he said. “That number of arrests will cause an uproar . . .”
    â€œLet them roar,” Falk snapped. “Issue the orders. And make certain that the word also goes out to all the Commons’ newssheets that this is a direct response to the most heinous crime ever attempted in Evrenfels: the attempt to murder Prince Karl, Heir Apparent to the Throne and the Keys.”
    â€œYou believe the Cause is behind it?” Brich unwound paper from the text-stamper’s platen, picked up a fresh piece, and wound it in.
    Falk snorted. “No. But this seems like the perfect excuse to ensure the Cause doesn’t interfere with the Plan, however inadvertently.”
    Brich rested his fingers on the levers of the text-stamper. “Then who do you think is behind it?”
    â€œI don’t know,” Falk admitted. “But I intend to find out.” He said nothing to Brich about the Unbound symbol. Brich was Unbound, too . . . which, perhaps for the first time ever, put him within the realm of suspicion. “And when I do,” Falk continued, showing his teeth in a predatory grin, “then the Rock of Justice awaits.” He turned his voice brusque. “Now carry out my orders!”
    Brich knew the limits of Falk’s patience to within the breadth of a rather fine hair. “At once, my lord. Will there be anything else?”
    â€œYes,” Falk said. “There is a . . . resource . . . at my own estate I need to consult. Order my magecarriage brought around to the west entrance, ready to leave at noon. I believe Robinton is the driver on call?”
    â€œYes, my lord.”
    â€œWe’ll need a second. We’ll be driving straight through.”
    â€œOf course, my lord.”
    â€œHave the body of the attacker loaded aboard. Not in a coffin—that’s too obvious—an ordinary packing crate. Magespeak Gannick and tell him I will be traveling overnight and will arrive at the manor by noon tomorrow.”
    â€œWhen may I expect your return, my lord?” Brich said. He sounded uncharacteristically tentative, as if reading something of Falk’s mood. “You have four meetings scheduled for tomorrow alone, and the operatives will ask—”
    When I’m good and ready , Falk almost snapped—a sign of how much the attack worried him, he realized even as he bit off the retort, not to mention another sign of how well Brich knew him. “The earliest I can be back is late the day after tomorrow, but it will more likely be the day after that,” he said in a level voice instead. “Reschedule the meetings with my apologies. Prepare a daily précis for me of any reports or information that make their way to this office during my absence. I will magespeak with