A Flight of Ravens by John Conroe (thriller books to read TXT) 📗

for his height, shoulders as wide as an axe handle, and no neck to speak of.  He wore a leather vest and a pair of thick cotton trousers, but no shirt.  We were all wearing jackets and multiple layers of wool, as the sea wind was damned chilly.

“We have to move him fast,” Jella said.  “He’ll overheat in that rug and could die.”

“You have to be spoofing us,” Cort said.  “We beat his head with clubs and only made him mad and you’re saying he’ll die of heat exhaustion?”

“Yup,” she said. “They live their lives in extreme cold—this weather is likely miserably hot for him.”

“Enough chatter,” I said.  “Let’s go.”

With a grunt, the guys heaved the rolled-up rug to their shoulders and walked around the rear of the buildings to a cart we had borrowed from Freyla and parked in position an hour earlier.

“Gods, I’m glad we don’t have to haul this lump very far,” Cort said.

“Except the stairs at the Lobster,” Drew muttered. “That climb is gonna suck.”

“No, he’s headed for the basement.  Freyla has a special room down there,” I said.

Despite the fact that they wouldn’t have to fight gravity with their burden, neither looked joyful at the news.  Special rooms were usually torture zones and no Shadow who works for me enjoys torture.

I smiled to myself.  This would be a chance for the whole team to see the benefits of having an eslling truthteller along.  There had been some mild bitching about adding someone more lady than operative.  So far, Kassa had endured a tough, fast-paced trip to the mission site without complaint and contributed valuable intelligence about the artifact. I was hoping this interrogation would put paid to any more nonsense from my team.

In short order, we had both subjects safely secured in separate rooms.  The old eslling was bound by ropes wrapped in silk to prevent him using his abilities to either read anything or project.

The dangerous Nuk was manacled with steel on his hands and feet.  Both had been thoroughly searched and each was gagged.

“Let’s get started,” I said, opening the door to Kazilionum’s room.  The rest of my team followed me in, including Freyla, who insisted, as resident agent, in observing.

The old man’s eyes took us all in, and despite the fact that he literally shook with fear, his gaze was direct and steady.

Every one of my people wore silk gloves in case they needed to touch him, and at my nod, Drew reached out and pulled the gag from the tailor’s mouth.

“Mr. Kazilionum, we have some questions for you,” I began.  “But first let me introduce myself.  I am Captain Savid DelaCrotia, formerly of the kingdom’s Ranged Reconnaissance Squadron, but now engaged in less visible service to the crown.  I’m going to ask you a series of questions.  Lying to me will be futile,” I said, nodding to Kassa, who sat to my right.  “As an eslling yourself, a Knower with the ability to Impress, I’m sure you understand.”

He glared at me but his nervous eye flick toward Kassa revealed his fear.  “Do you understand?” I asked.

At first, he didn’t change expression or make a sound.  But after moment, he finally nodded.

“He doesn’t fully believe that I am what you indicated.  He intends to hold out,” Kassa said.

“Funny how even well-informed people still fool themselves sometimes, isn’t it, Kaz?  Oh, do you mind if I call you Kaz?  Your name is just so long, and I have so many questions to get through,” I said.  “Anyway, let’s get going.”

I nodded to Soshi and she unwrapped the necklace artifact from its silk cover and let it dangle in front of our subject.

“Do you recognize this?” I asked.

He didn’t answer.  “Yes, he does,” Kassa said, earning herself a glare from the old man.

“Did you make it?”

“He didn’t make the gold and silver part, but he did Impress it,” Kassa said.  His glare was looking a bit like dismay now.

“Did you make this on your own or at the request of Mr. Andru?”

“No and yes,” Kassa said. “He is paid by his employer, Andru, to make them, but he handles all the Impression details at his own discretion.”

Kaz was looking mildly ill, but my people were clearly fascinated, as, unfortunately, so was Freyla.  I hate giving up Shadow secrets.

“Does anyone else make them too?” I asked.

“No, not that he knows.”

“Where do the little rectangles of gold and silver come from?”

A bead of sweat trickled down Kazilionum’s forehead but he still wouldn’t talk.  I glanced at Kassa, who was silent, and found her frowning.  “He’s thinking of needles and thread.”

“Ah,” I said, nodding.  I had watched Brona work with Oscar for years.  There were plenty of tricks an unwilling subject could use to slow or obstruct the eslling reader.  And there were just as many that the interrogators could employ to defeat the subject’s defenses.

“Needles and thread.  The tools of the tailor.  We found a surprising number of hidden needles, and more than a few sharp blades, tucked away in your clothing.  Well done, by the way; we took notes.  And some of those needles appeared to be coated with interesting substances.  We’re pretty certain most of those substances are toxins forbidden by order of the king. Between that and your active subversion, we pretty much legally own you.  In fact, the king, himself, gave me direct orders to put down this foreign plot by any means necessary.  Which means that I am your judge, jury, and if necessary, executioner.  If you know anything about me at all, you will understand that I have no qualms about executing you… if necessary,” I said, pausing to let that sink in.

“What we’ve uncovered so far is a foreign plot to incite war or insurrection on kingdom soil.  At the moment, it appears to be you and a foreign national from the northern icefields—the Nuks—who are behind it.  We will question your employer next, but suffice it to say you are in a truly deadly amount of trouble.  And