Free 4 City of Strife by William King Page A

eyes widened, but he reeled to his feet and limped away, leaving Kormak to contemplate the pile of dead bodies and wonder whether he had done the right thing. Then he went to check on the remaining Oldberg guards. Many of them were wounded, a few of them were missing presumed fled. Rene remained rallying the troops. His arm was bandaged but he seemed otherwise all right.
    Kormak returned his flask. The Guard Captain took it and put it to his lips then he made a face, “Empty,” he said.
    “I gave your liquor to the Silent Man,” Kormak said. “It warmed him up all right.”

    Balthazar held the amulet Kormak had taken from the dead infiltrator at arm’s length. It dangled from one bony finger. He turned it so that it caught the light of from the study’s chandeliers. Their glitter made the mystical symbols obvious. He sniffed and his forehead wrinkled in distaste.
    “It’s magical all right,” he said. “I’m guessing it lets the Silent Man know who’s on his side and who’s not. It is protection of sorts for his allies.”
    “Very good,” said Karsten Oldberg. “Do you think you can duplicate it?”
    Balthazar lifted a scented handkerchief to his nose, sniffed again then wrapped the amulet in the cloth. “Given time.”
    Karsten rubbed his meaty hands together. “Excellent. Maybe the next time the thing appears we’ll have some protection against it. Other than Sir Kormak’s strong sword arm, of course.”
    Kormak decided that playing ignorant was in his best interests. “You think he’ll be back then? No man could have stayed under water so long without drowning.”
    “He’s survived worse. You yourself say you saw him pinned with a blade and struck with a crossbow. You burned him as well and still he kept on coming.”
    “Burned him,” said Balthazar, in his high rasping voice. “That was quick thinking of you.” He stared at Kormak again. His eyes did not blink for a very long time.
    “I was lucky,” Kormak said. He had not mentioned his sword, instead had concentrated on how he had burned his foe with alcohol.
    “Your luck has earned you five gold solars.”
    Balthazar simply stared as Karsten tossed him a pouch. It clinked heavily as Kormak pulled it from the air. The merchant prince was being generous indeed.
    “What was your impression of the Silent Man?” Balthazar asked.
    “He smelled. Like a corpse.”
    The sorcerer nodded as if Kormak had just confirmed something he had expected.
    “You are sure.”
    “I’ve had plenty of experience of what corpses smell like,” Kormak said. “I am curious—how did you know he would attack tonight.”
    Karsten looked at the wizard meaningfully.
    “I used potent divinations.”
    “He can see what is happening around the city in his crystal,” Karsten said.
    “That is a useful power.”
    “Less than you might think,” said Balthazar. “Such magic is not reliable. It works only when the spirits allow and the portents it shows are often cloudy.”
    “I would see such wonders,” said Kormak. Balthazar gave him a suspicious smile.
    “My secrets are my own,” he said. “Just as yours are your own.”
    He left the words hanging in the air so that Kormak could guess at their meaning. He seemed to like doing that, to draw other people out, to imply he knew more than he was saying.
    “Sir Kormak is no sorcerer,” said Karsten. “He cannot steal your secrets. Surely there can be no harm in showing him your devices.”
    “Is that a command?” Balthazar asked.
    “Let us say it is a request.”
    “Clearly Sir Kormak is high in your favour, so I will grant it.”
    “You will not find me ungrateful,” said Karsten.
    “Very well.” He led them from the study and out into the corridor, eventually down the stairs into the cellars. He took a torch from the bracket in the wall at the bottom. As they progressed, Kormak smelled incense. They came to a door, triple locked. Balthazar produced the keys and they entered.
    Within it looked like a