Imperial Assassin (23 page)

‘I’d like to say excellent, but I don’t feel very excellent about this affair at all. I allowed my determination to outweigh my morality. Let’s pray the Guild accept him.
I’d hate to see him turn up dead in a back alley somewhere, and I’m not ready to sanction any more killing of this nature.’

Surabar’s words echoed Femke’s worst fear. She had thought of nothing else since she had parted with Reynik the previous afternoon. Sleep had not come easy. Even when her body had
finally succumbed to the need for rest in the early hours, bad dreams had tormented her through what was left of the night. Her ribs ached terribly today, more than they had since the early days
after her fight with Shalidar. She knew it was due to nervous tension, but also realised there was little she could do to alleviate it until she knew Reynik was safe.

The Emperor looked at the dark rings beneath her eyes and smiled sympathetically. He had lived for years with decisions that had sent men to their deaths. As a spy, Femke would have made similar
decisions when sending out her agents, but it was always different when you had worked closely with the people whose lives you were risking. The sense of responsibility was heightened above the
importance of the actual mission. He had suffered sleepless nights on many occasions in his days as a junior officer in the Legions. Even now he could remember what it was like to worry oneself
sick over a particular plan. He knew there was nothing he could say to make it better for Femke. She would have to deal with the emotions in her own way. If anything, what he had to tell her would
only make matters worse.

‘Femke, I’ve decided to call in the Legions,’ he said softly.

‘Which Legions, your Majesty? You have most of them here at the city already. You’re not planning to break your agreement with King Malo, are you? I’m not sure it would be a
good idea.’

‘No, Femke, you misunderstand me. I’ve decided to call the Legions into the city to search for the Guild. I’m going to have them take Shandrim apart – literally if
necessary. One way or another, I
will
find the Guild and destroy them once and for all.’

‘But what about Reynik, your Majesty? Are you not going to give him a chance? If he’s been accepted by the Guild, you could have the location of their headquarters within the next
few days.’

‘That’s true, but I might also save lives if I begin the search now. Another Legion Commander was murdered last night. This time they went too far.’

‘Commander Sateris?’ Femke asked, noting the deep hurt in the Emperor’s expression.

General Surabar nodded. ‘He has been a good friend for many years. The Guild chose the wrong man to kill if they think this will persuade me to let them be. I have sworn an oath over the
body of my old friend that I will hunt every last one of those murderers down if it’s the last thing I do. I take such oaths very seriously. If I achieve nothing more in my short reign as
Emperor, then ridding Shandar of this outdated abomination shall be my personal legacy. I intend to purge the streets of Shandrim, driving them out of whatever dark holes they live in. One way or
another, they will answer for their crimes.’

‘Your Majesty, I know you want to act swiftly, but we have worked so hard to get Reynik where he is. Will you not give him a chance? Lord Lacedian was killed last night on your orders.
Reynik killed him in cold blood, just as one of the Guild killed Sateris. I know what Reynik is feeling at the moment, your Majesty, for I abhor killing as he does. Reynik wants to be a soldier
like you. He would like nothing more than to be back with his unit, marching and drilling against the day he would be called to action for the Empire. Instead, he is carrying out a dangerous secret
mission for you that goes against his philosophy. Why is he doing it? Because he respects and trusts you, your Majesty. Your reputation for fairness and fighting for just causes has won his
loyalty. Does loyalty not work both ways? Will you not let him finish what you had him start?’

Emperor Surabar’s expression during Femke’s impassioned plea changed from cold and dispassionate to angry. Femke stood her ground defiantly and looked him in the eye as she asked her
final questions.

‘You dare to lecture
me
on loyalty, young lady? I respect you for your skills, and I value your support and your ideas, but I will
not
have you lecture me. Do I make
myself clear?’

Femke nodded, but her eyes smouldered with an inner fire.

‘Yes, it was
my
idea to infiltrate the Guild,’ Surabar continued. ‘Reynik was
my
choice of agent.
I
will therefore take responsibility for his
actions. I will also take responsibility for his death if he should die in the course of his mission. However, I also have wider responsibilities to the citizens of Shandrim. Do you think I like
making decisions like this? All my life I have made decisions that have resulted in good men losing their lives so that my plans, or those of my superiors, will be fulfilled. Well, Femke, I no
longer have a chain of command above me that I can blame for these decisions.
I
carry the full weight of responsibility for
all
the deaths.’

He paused for a moment and took a deep breath. When he continued, much of the anger had gone from his voice. His face looked more lined with age than Femke had ever seen it. The weight of the
Mantle was clearly taking a heavy toll.

‘The Guild of Assassins has been blatantly flaunting their illegitimate trade under my nose for the last month. Last night they went one step too far. I’m not blind to the advantages
Reynik’s information would bring. It was my plan to put him there in the first place, damn it! However, this is a very fluid situation. Plans change. I’ll give him his chance, but
I’m not willing to wait long, Femke. He has two days. No more. After that time, I
will
begin taking the city apart. I suggest that if you have any strings left to pull, you pull them
now. I’m sick of the killing. I intend to put a final end to the Guild of Assassins this week.’

‘Send out messengers, Sasso. Contact the tattle touts. I want to speak with someone in the Guild of Assassins – today if possible. I want to place a contract, and
I’ll pay a thousand gold sen to the man who completes it.’

Lord Tremarle’s personal manservant bowed and left the room. His face was pale as he left. One of the other house servants was hovering outside the door as he emerged.

‘How did he take it? Not well from the look on your face.’

Sasso shook his head. ‘I’ve never seen him like this,’ he said, cringing as he thought of his master’s expression. ‘I thought when he lost his son that he was as
low as any man could be, but I was wrong. He’s hurt. He’s shocked. But more than anything, he’s angry. I’ve never seen a man so angry. It’s scary. I’m not sure
he’s entirely sane any more.’

‘What makes you think so?’

‘He’s ready to spend every last sennut he has to gain revenge, yet I don’t think he really knows who is responsible. I think he’ll strike out at whoever he feels to be
the obvious enemy. I think we both know what that means.’

‘I’ll start enquiring about jobs with other Lords right away, Sasso. We don’t want to get caught up in anything treasonous.’

‘Good idea. In the meantime, though, I’d better do as Lord Tremarle says. In his current mood, he’d have anyone flogged for the least deviation from his orders. Where are the
messenger boys?’

‘One’s down in the basement, the other two are running errands for the cook.’

‘Thanks. I’ll see you later.’

Reynik woke with a start. What time was it? How long had he slept? It was impossible to tell in this underground prison.

When the assassin had returned and told him he was to remain in his quarters until the following morning to await an audience with the Guildmaster, Reynik had not known what to think. Was this
normal? Were they deciding what to do with him in his absence? What had they found out about him? Did they know the Emperor had sent him?

‘Don’t be a fool, Reynik,’ he had told himself. ‘If they knew what you were doing, you would be dead already. Do as you’re told and ride out the
uncertainty.’

It had not been easy. The living quarters were not small by any stretch of the imagination, but they had not taken long to explore. There was a sleeping area, a separate dining area, a bathing
area and a small toilet chamber. Indeed, the complex was luxurious, with more than enough living space for several people. Where the man who normally lived here had gone for the night, Reynik had
no idea, but given the size of his underground apartment, Reynik did not think living space was something the Guild lacked.

The man had told him not to exit the room through the larger of the two doors on pain of death. He had not, though he had been sorely tempted. The temptation teased him again now. There was a
corridor there. Where did it lead? When would the Guildmaster come? If only he knew what the time was.

He paced up and down the room a few times before stopping next to the exit to listen. Was there anyone out there? Did he dare peek around the door? Would it be such a crime to look?

‘Patience, Reynik,’ he muttered. ‘He’ll come when he’s ready.’

While he was waiting, he decided to have yet another look around the living chamber. It was a fascinating room, with lots of interesting things to look at. The image which most intrigued him,
though, was the hanging depicting the viper. The fact that the image was repeated on the wooden shields above the two doors was clearly significant. Was it the Guild emblem? It would make some sort
of sense. Snakes struck with venom, and assassins often did the same. But if the viper was the Guild emblem, then why had this never been discovered before?

Reynik was still standing and contemplating the picture when the door opened and two figures entered. One was the man who had led him here. The other was shorter, but also dressed in a cloak and
hood that was so deep he could not see the face under its shadow. Although the man did not stoop, Reynik instantly recognised the man as being advanced in years. It might have been the way he
stepped, or some other subtle body language sign Reynik had subconsciously picked up on, but he was pleased when the man spoke, for his voice had the slight rasp of age in it that confirmed his
instinct.

‘Welcome, young man, to the headquarters of the Guild of Assassins. Judging by your expression, I gather you have deduced I’m the Guildmaster here. Has Brother Viper told you why you
were brought to us?’

Brother Viper! That explained the snake emblem, he thought. ‘He has, Guildmaster. I understand I’m being considered for membership of the Guild. May I ask if a decision has been made
yet?’

‘You may ask what you like. That’s why I’m here – to answer your questions, and for you to answer mine. You will be inducted into the Guild shortly, but you will not
become a full member until your first contract for the Guild has been successfully carried out. Until then, you’ll be on probation. Most members keep secrets – it goes with our
profession. However, if you join us and do not follow our creed, or your presence prejudices the future of the Guild in any way, then you should know that you will die at the hand of one of the
Brothers. That is no idle threat. I have had to order such deaths in the past. I will have no hesitation in doing so again.’

‘I understand,’ Reynik replied solemnly.

‘Good. Brother Viper, please leave us for a few minutes. I don’t think our friend here will be foolish enough to try to harm me. He does not have the look of a suicide killer to
me.’

‘Very well, Guildmaster. The guards will remain within earshot, should you need assistance.’

The assassin bowed and left, his feet once again making no sound as he moved. Reynik watched him leave with a sense of fascination at the man’s smooth, flowing movements. He would begin
practising again as soon as he got a chance. Devarusso had been able to move with cat-like grace when he wanted to, but the assassin known as Brother Viper took the art to a whole new level.

‘Now, young man, I will only ask you this question once. It will be for my information only. No other member of the Guild will learn of your answer unless you choose to reveal the answer
for your own purposes. What is your true name?’

‘Reynik,’ he replied, looking straight at the Guildmaster’s shadowed eyes as he did so. Reynik knew enough about reading body language to know that he could not lie easily to a
man who could read others well. His was a fairly common name in central Shandar, so when Femke had built his false identity for him, she had decided not to alter his birth name. For someone
inexperienced in the art of maintaining the façade of a false identity, it would reduce the chances of his making a mistake from which he could not recover.

‘It is good to meet you, Reynik. I would tell you my name, but the fewer people who know that information, the better. I’ll not lie to you. Some in the Guild do know my real name,
but this is because they knew me before I took over as Guildmaster. It is tradition that when being inducted into the Guild, the newcomer bares his face to the assembled assassins. This is the only
time the others will see your face, and you will never see theirs unless they choose to reveal it to you. This, I feel, is one of the wisest of the Guild traditions, as it means only the very
senior, most trusted, members of the Guild will have ever seen the faces of the majority of the other members. By the time they become senior members, it will often have been many years since they
last caught their one glimpse of many of the others. In the event that a member is captured and tortured for information, none of them can reveal much current information about the others. It works
well.’

The Guildmaster watched Reynik’s face intently as he explained this aspect of Guild life. He was always interested to see how the new members reacted to information about the Guild. The
young man was thoughtful and listening intently to his every word. Most did to begin with. If they were going to stray, it normally took a year or more for their baser instincts to tempt them into
ignoring rules for personal gain. When members did stray from the creed, there were no second chances. However, they had to be caught for the Guild to exact its harsh justice. The Guildmaster was
more than aware that not all infringements were discovered. There were certain members, even now, who lived life precariously – constantly straining at the boundaries of the creed.