Over the next few hours, the three of them worked in near silence, only speaking when needing to ask a question or make a specific statement. Soon, they filled all five crates almost to their brims.
“Oh, no,” Kiri said, her voice almost a whimper and drawing everyone’s attention.
Gavin turned to see Kiri holding a box about the size of a plain, jewelry box. The lid stood open, Kiri’s face pale as she stared at its contents.
“What is it, Kiri?” Gavin asked. “What have you found?”
“He kept a log, Gavin, but that’s not all. He kept trophies, too.”
Gavin walked over and took the box from Kiri. He sat on an unused corner of the bed and examined the box’s contents for himself. Some papers with names and dates rested on the very top; all the names were female. Under the pages, Gavin found locks of hair bound by a small ribbon and labeled. Each name on the papers matched a labeled lock of hair.
Gavin adjusted the box so that Declan could see its contents, shaking his head as he said, “This guy must’ve been some kind of monster.”
“It looks that way,” Declan said.
The passage of a few hours found Gavin leading the others out of the dormitory, carrying crates loaded with what was now Gavin’s property; two more crates waited in the dorm room that was now spell-locked, thanks to a Word of Tutation Gavin had learned. Gavin wasn’t sure how much could be sold, let alone what the items would bring, but he hoped there was enough revenue to provide some form of reparations to Rolf’s victims.
“Gavin!”
A woman’s voice pulled Gavin’s attention from his thoughts, and he lifted his gaze to scan the area. He saw Mariana stepping down from a horse and hurrying to meet them.
“Hello, Mariana,” Gavin said. “Have you had any difficulties securing the transfer of property?”
“One of the Battle-mages assisting me with the property transfer found something at Vischaene Vineyard you need to see, Gavin.”
Gavin blinked. “Rolf had property outside Tel Mivar?”
“Yes,” Mariana said. “There’s a loophole a previous king slipped into civil law that reduces the nobility’s tax burden for any properties owned by the heir. Most noble families have put the bulk of their assets in the heir’s name these days, just to pay less taxes. I imagine that practice will change soon, since House Sivas will be almost destitute before the month is out.”
Gavin blinked while he stared off into empty air. At last, he pulled his focus back to Mariana, asking, “What all do I own now?”
Mariana produced a folded page from within her robe as she said, “Here’s a rough list. There may be a few other pieces buried in the records office; I have people scouring the books right now, assembling a complete list.”
Gavin accepted the page and scanned it. Other than recognizing the words, none of it meant anything to him. He held it so that Kiri and Declan could read it.
“Do these places mean anything to any of you?” Gavin asked.
Declan gave a low whistle as he read over the list. “You own Vischaene Vineyard? That’s at least the second or third of the five best wineries in the world. People have been trying to buy it for hundreds of years. I never knew the Sivas family owned the Wygoth Mines and Water Works, either.”
When everyone looked at him, Declan said, “The Water Works are a collection of watermills and sawmills on the River Cothos, near the borders of Cothos and Mivar Provinces. The Mines are in the nearby hills a few leagues farther into Wygoth Province.”
Gavin handed the list to Declan, for he and Kiri to examine further, and pulled Mariana off to the side, asking, “What did you find?”
“You’ll never believe me if tell you, Gavin,” Mariana said. “The vineyard is only a couple hours north of the city. You should see for yourself.”
Gavin held her gaze, gauging how much he could press her for details. Something about her expression gave Gavin the feeling that he should let it go and ride north with her.
Something in his own expression must’ve given away his decision to go with her, because Gavin saw Mariana relax. She took a deep breath and exhaled a bit before she said, “It’s…well, it’s not good, Gavin. I don’t know what to make of it, but I do know it’s bad. Don’t worry; I have people I trust securing the site as we speak.”
“We need to move these crates to my suite in the Tower,” Gavin said, glancing toward Kiri and Declan who were still marveling at the list of property Gavin now owned, “but there’s no reason I can’t leave with you right away.”
The passage of two hours found Mariana, Gavin, Kiri, and Declan approaching the gate of Vischaene Vineyard. Vischaene Vineyard was a sprawling estate dedicated to the production of some of the finest wines made by humans, and it was known the world over for those wines. The story went that a distant ancestor in House Sivas won the vineyard in a game of chance when it was little more than a grape farm, and over the years, the family built it into the successful enterprise it had become.
Upon their arrival, the person Gavin thought to be the foreman started to approach them, but Mariana waved him off as she led Gavin and company not to the main house but to an outbuilding that looked to be little more than a shack attached to the stables.
“I’m certain Master Kirloth will have more than enough time to discuss the fate of the Vineyard, Ektor, but we have more pressing matters now,” Mariana said, without even slowing. “Please, forgive me.”
The outbuilding was indeed a shack, and it was decorated to appear as though a common farmhand lived there. The building’s true purpose, however, was misdirection. Someone had discovered a trap door hidden inside. The short ladder below it led to a tunnel that, in turn, led to a planning room, littered with papers, maps, and other documents.
Gavin walked to the center table and started sifting through the papers he could see. The more papers he read, the more disturbing the emerging picture became.
“Mariana, is all this what I think it is?” Gavin asked, turning to her.
Mariana turned from speaking with Kiri, saying, “What do you think it is?”
“I have recruiting documents for mercenaries. I have logistical plans for moving those mercenaries in such a way as to minimize detection. I have maps of Tel Mivar and the College. Mariana, this looks like we’re standing in the headquarters of a plot to overthrow the Council.”
“Then, yes, it is very much what it looks like,” Mariana said before she pointed to a corner off Gavin’s left side. “The best part is in that iron strongbox over there.”
Gavin returned the papers to the table and approached the indicated strongbox, almost wary of what he would find. The powdered remains of the lock lay at his feet when Gavin stopped in front of the strongbox and lifted the lid. More papers lay inside. Gavin started scanning them and, as he did so, stepped backward to collapse into a chair behind him. Gavin wasn’t even reading the pages anymore; he just stared at them.
After what seemed like ages, Gavin heard Kiri ask, “Gavin…what is it?”
Gavin turned his head just enough for his friends to hear his words and said, “The plot is sponsored by the king.”
Chapter 39
Gavin’s answer to Kiri silenced the room for some time. Everyone stood rooted to their spots, as they stared at Gavin. Their eyes were wide to varying degrees, and all of them lost a little color from their pallor.
“What does this mean?” Kiri asked, the first to speak.