The Stranger's Woes (53 page)

Whoa! It was easier than I thought. The buzzing itch in my feet was so strong that I could think of nothing else. I seemed to have no choice.

A few minutes later I felt a cold wind blowing in my face. I opened my eyes and looked around.

I stood on the Bridge of Kuluga Menonchi. A stupendous view of Jafax, the main Residence of the Order of the Seven-Leaf Clover, opened up before me. The trace was pulling me farther ahead. To my astonishment it ran up against the Secret Door of Jafax. The problem was that only the members of the Order of the Seven-Leaf Clover could use that door. Okay, so this is what it comes down to, I thought. The murderer’s in there, polishing the boots of Grand Magician Nuflin or attending to some matter of state, and then I show up, silly crime-snooper that I am. No, not a very clever idea. Not to mention that I can’t even go through the Secret Door, sealed with a curse by Grand Magician Nuflin Moni Mak himself. Even Juffin couldn’t squeeze through it. Although, come to think of it, Juffin probably could. I’d better call him for help. On second thought . . .

Then it dawned on me. Why bother Juffin when I had a good chance to get help from the holy of holies of the place I was trying to get into? Lady Sotofa Xanemer, the most powerful woman of the Seven-Leaf Clover, was Juffin’s old girlfriend. And if I wasn’t mistaken, she had a soft spot for me, too. In any case, I decided to grab the chance and send her a call.

Lady Sotofa
,
this is Max
.
I’m truly sorry
,
but I’m standing by your Secret Door now
.
Can you let me in?

Oh
,
what’s happened
,
boy? Have you developed a passion for me and come to serenade me under the walls of Jafax? I strongly suspect you’re tone-deaf
,
so let’s leave well enough alone!

Well
,
you read my heart all right!
I laughed
.
But I have another piece of news
.
Bad news
.

“Just how bad is it?”

Suddenly the smiling, pleasantly plump old woman was standing right beside me. Magicians only knew how she’d gotten there. Lady Sotofa laughed and gave me a hug. As usual, I was surprised by the warmth and cordiality of this powerful lady.

She took my hand, told me to close my eyes, and walked on ahead of me. I stumbled behind. A few seconds later I felt the wet branches of a shott tree touching my face. I opened my eyes. We were standing in the beautiful garden of the Residence of the Order.

“Where have you been for a year and a half? Since you returned from Kettari you haven’t shown as much as the tip of your nose in here.”

“I haven’t,” I confessed. “I was too shy at first, and then—”

“And then you slept for a year. I know. Well, what’s the bad news you were talking about?” said Lady Sotofa. “I doubt you were planning on kissing me by the light of the moon, which, by the way, just hid behind the clouds.”

“I sure was!” I said. “But since there’s no moon, we can just talk. Drat, though, I’m still standing on this trace! If only I could step off it for a moment, so I could explain all this to you.”

“Let’s do this: you keep following the trace—just don’t rush. I’ll walk right beside you, and you’ll tell me everything you want me to know on the way. Speaking of which, why are you on the trace of our Order to begin with? Is this a new policy of His Majesty King Gurig? I find it hard to believe. Times have changed.”

I quickly told Lady Sotofa about the events of the evening. She listened, and then became very serious.

“What a story! I’m glad you were smart enough to get in touch with me. I smell trouble with a capital
T
. You see, I’m absolutely sure that nobody here would soil his hands by killing that poor charlatan Ariama. Even if he did, why would a member of the Order of the Seven-Leaf Clover be covering his tracks? Our boys can get away with a lot more serious things.”

“I’m sure they can!” I grinned. “Well, I hope we’ll soon find out the truth. I’m getting the sense that we’re almost there. You know how it is when a Master of Pursuit is closing in on the quarry.”

“No, I haven’t the faintest notion about that,” said Lady Sotofa. “But I believe you.”

“There,” I whispered, pointing at a dense bush. “He’s right there.”

“Really?” said Lady Sotofa. “I’d like to know what a normal person would be doing, sitting in the bushes at night. There’s no shortage of restrooms in here. Let’s see . . . Oh, sinning Magicians! That’s none other than Senior Magician Jorinmuk Vansifis, the new favorite of our Nuflin. Just a run-of-the-mill wheedler, in my book, but Magician Nuflin knows best, of course. Is he sleeping?”

“It’s worse,” I said gloomily. “Much worse, I’m afraid. Melamori overestimated his powers by a long shot. Or underestimated mine. I must have killed him. Juffin will bite off my head and spit it out in the Xuron. Mark my words.”

“What if he does? Don’t fret, boy. He’s not dead; he fainted,” Lady Sotofa assured me. She cautiously pinched the neck of the bald man, dressed in the blue-and-white looxi of the Order of the Seven-Leaf Clover, who was lying on the ground. Then she frowned suddenly. “Wait! This isn’t Jorinmuk. He just looks a lot like him. I’d very much like to know what happened to the real Magician Jorinmuk. What a story!”

“You will know,” I said, eager to demonstrate my gratitude. “I promise. As soon as we finish with this case, I’ll send you a call and tell you everything.”

“You don’t have to. I prefer to think you’ll come round again, whining plaintively by the Secret Door, and that we’ll have a cup or two of kamra. Deal?”

“It’s a deal. Thank you, Lady Sotofa!”

“Wonderful. Now retrieve your quarry and take him to Juffin. The old fox will eat him alive, I’m sure. It’ll do him good, though. There must be some sunny days in the gloomy, monotonous life of the Venerable Head. Come on, I’ll show you the way out.”

The poor victim of my newfound talent found himself between my thumb and index finger. Lady Sotofa took me gently by the elbow and led me nimbly along the path, invisible in the darkness. When we reached the wall, she stopped and looked at me.

“How do you like your new heart, boy?”

“I haven’t really felt the difference yet.”

“No? That means the most interesting experience still lies ahead. You’ll find it very handy, trust me. The daughter of Loiso Pondoxo did you quite a service. You like her?”

I nodded, embarrassed.

“Funny,” said Lady Sotofa with a smile, revealing her charming dimples. “Who would have thought? Destiny is wiser than all of us, whatever people may think. But remember, boy, the children of Loiso Pondoxo are very different from ordinary people, even though you might not notice it immediately.”

“I’m also very different from other people, don’t you think?”

“You are,” said Lady Sotofa, “but . . . Anyway, nothing’s going to happen to you that you aren’t equal to. Now, off you go to that old fox Juffin. And don’t forget to visit me again sometime.”

“I won’t,” I said. “And if I don’t come for a long time, it means that I’ve grown shy again. That happens to me.”

“Don’t be silly,” said Lady Sotofa, laughing. “Shy of me? Of all the nonsense! Don’t you disappear again for a year and a half.”

“I won’t.”

“Well, good night, then.”

And she pushed me gently on the back. Just like that I found myself standing on the other side of the impenetrable wall surrounding Jafax. I sent a call to Juffin.

The mouse is in the trap
, I said enigmatically.
Can you send an amobiler for me? I’m standing by the wall of Jafax
.

What on earth were you doing there?

I was flirting with Lady Sotofa but was rebuffed
.

Were you? I’m surprised she still has some prudence left in her
.
Fine
,
I won’t torture you with Silent Speech
.
We’ll talk back at the office
.
The amobiler will pick you up in about fifteen minutes
.

You should really let me give your drivers a master class
.
Fifteen minutes to drive here? I can walk faster!

Don’t exaggerate
.
Walking will take at least half an hour
.

I made myself comfortable on the broad parapet of the Bridge of Kuluga Menonchi, lit up a cigarette, and began to wait. After a few moments of hesitation I sent a call to Tekki. I was worried she might be asleep already but hoped that a short conversation with me wouldn’t be the worst thing that could happen to her.

Are you in bed already?

Not even close! I still have a ton of customers
.
Maybe they’re waiting for you to appear
,
I don’t know
.
They’re looking at me like I’m a freshly resuscitated vampire
.
I can imagine the rumors making the rounds of Echo now
.

How did the Echoers find out about it? Well
,
it’s all for the best
.
Now I know nobody will be coming on to you
,
and that’s cool
.

Nobody has come on to me for the past hundred years
.
You were an exception
.
Granted
,
you only demanded food
.
The rest of it I had to do myself
.

I’m working on that
.
I already have a long list of ways to come on to you
.
I’ll read it to you next time I see you
.

I’d like to believe it
.

You know
,
it’s not easy to deal with me
.
I may show up at the most inconvenient time
.
Tomorrow at dawn
,
for instance
.
Or earlier
.
Or later
.
Is that bad?

Very bad
.
But I’ll manage
.

That’s what I wanted to hear
.
So kick out the remaining customers and go to sleep
.
Over and out
.

What?

Over and out
.
It means goodbye
.
One of my bad habits
.
And it’s infectious
.
You’ll never be able to stop saying it now
.

I see
.
Over and out
,
then
.