Those around me fell to two knees while I, a Sun Chamber officer, needed only to fall to one – a quirk of Vispasian law that left me on a par with the greatest citizens of Tryum, but more nervous than it should have. Those nearby had their gazes fixed on the marble floor. Even the mighty General Maxant did not look up, though both he and Veron were on one knee also.
‘Please rise, all of you,’ Licintius called out. ‘You know I tire of ceremony when matters are of a serious nature.’ His voice possessed a lovely timbre, but was weighed down by melancholy.
Everyone rose to their feet while an aide to one side whispered in Licintius’ ear. His blond hair was wavy, in the style of the military heroes of the old Empire, and he was dressed in a purple tunic that, on closer inspection, contained a spectacular amount of subtle detail in the stitching. His highly polished boots were light brown, matching his belt. There were a couple of items of jewellery around his wrists, gold bangles, a surprisingly effeminate decoration for a king. Everything about his composure, the slight upturned angle of his jaw, the way he held his arms, all suggested years of practice to perfect the look of noble dignity.
Licintius nodded and regarded the rest of the room, moving his gaze across the gathered faces. ‘Lucan Drakenfeld?’
Being in the presence of kings always made my heart beat just a little faster. Licintius stepped forward to meet me. His eyes were a piercing jade colour and he gave off complex scents, reminiscent of jasmine and citrus. Close up he looked a little older, but he couldn’t have been many more years advanced than me, perhaps in his mid-thirties at most. His face was broad and lean, much like Maxant’s, yet Licintius was a slight man, and not anywhere near as tall.
We did not touch in any formal greeting, but surprisingly he placed a firm hand on my shoulder and gave me a sad smile. ‘Your presence is indeed welcome here.’
‘I’m honoured, but regret our meeting is under such circumstances. You have my deepest sympathies, sir.’
‘Sympathies… Yes, you do understand, don’t you? A lot of people have been saying that word to me without really meaning it, but you lost your father recently, did you not? We share in our grief.’ He looked back to the others and called over to them: ‘Please, talk amongst yourselves while I see to business with the Sun Chamber.’
Licintius steered me to one side, far away from the ears of the curious. ‘You will find whoever did this to her, won’t you?’ he whispered urgently. ‘You will see that they are brought to justice?’
‘I’ll do my very best, sir,’ I answered. ‘However, it is a puzzling mystery.’
‘Witchcraft,’ the king breathed. ‘I have heard of dark matters in the Senate in recent months. They have tried to harness the powers that belong only to gods.’
‘It is one option.’
‘I have another,’ the king added. ‘That she was assassinated.’
‘Was anyone a threat?’
‘Who was not? Foreign princes were lining themselves up, and she turned them all down.’
‘Her marriage was not your decision, then?’
‘No. I’m no northern barbarian. She could choose her own path.’
‘Are there any such foreign princes you think might have been responsible?’
‘A royal wouldn’t have done it himself. He’d have an assassin do his bidding, of course, but I’d place money on the attack having derived from Maristan.’
An old rival of Detrata, and one that had suffered greatly under imperial rule, Maristan stood just to the south of Detrata.
‘What will it take for you to find the killer?’ the king asked. ‘What help do you need from me?’
Taking a deep breath, I rapidly weighed my options. ‘If it isn’t much trouble, I would like to see Lacanta once again, though perhaps after your physician has seen to her.’
‘Of course, Drakenfeld. I’ll have my physician meet you after this and you can go with him.’
‘Thank you. I’d also appreciate two other things, if I may be so bold as to ask.’
With a tilt of his head he indicated for me to continue.
‘One is access to the Temple of Trymus once again, just to take another look at the scene. The second is to have access to senators, and over the next few days I’d like to speak to those who attended the party last night.’
‘You think one of them is responsible?’ The king looked concerned by the implication. ‘I know they like to stab each other’s back – figuratively, of course. Not here. Not in Tryum – this is no tribal backwater. We are a civilized people.’
‘I’d like to keep my options open.’
‘I’ll see to it that you are granted free access and I will address the Senate personally on this issue.’
I gave a short bow of thanks, but wanted to ask him more. ‘I may also have a few extra questions for you to help locate Lacanta’s murderer. No one knew her as well as you did.’
Licintius gestured with upturned palms. ‘If you have something to ask, please go ahead.’
I glanced back to the whispering crowd behind us. Maxant towered silently at the back next to Veron, who seemed to be smiling at one of the women nearby.
‘Did anything last night strike you as particularly out of character for anyone? An argument perhaps.’
Rooted to the spot, the king descended into deep concentration. He looked almost angry, and his momentary silence made that all the more potent.
‘Nothing odd, as such,’ Licintius said. ‘No. There were a few people upset at the actors I brought in, but that is to be expected when the classes mix. It does them good, though, whether they like it or not.’ I noted the promise of a smile, but nothing more. ‘There was a row. One or two of the grander families did not appreciate me bringing foreigners into Optryx. They don’t like those from abroad – they don’t trust our neighbours.’
‘What happened after that?’
‘Nothing. It all quietened down thankfully.’ The look of sadness on his face grew. ‘I do wish people would be more open-minded in this city.’
‘But other than that – there is nothing that comes to mind? Nothing in the days leading up to the event? Please, anything you suggest could be vitally important.’
He reflected on the matter for some time before saying, ‘Two nights ago, while out riding in the country, one of my men pointed out two meteors to me – one following another, and each with a large tail. Do you think it could mean anything? My astrologers suggested it meant the gods were displeased. Do you think such things would be connected to her death? Why else would it have occurred in the temple, if it was not the business of gods?’
‘I am afraid such matters are out of my area of expertise,’ I sighed.
Licintius glanced down at the floor and his silence was profound. ‘I will send a messenger to find you when I have more time for you to ask your questions, Drakenfeld, and we will talk in private. Now, sadly, I have too little time to grieve. Others demand my attention.’
With a look of profound weariness Licintius marched back to the group. In a quiet, firm voice, he enquired who was next.
Would She Have Screamed?
I waited on my own, sitting on the floor beneath the altar of Trymus, just in front of the spot where Lacanta had been found dead. No hard evidence remained now, of course, but I could clearly recall the position in which she had been found. What must she have been thinking in her final moments?
Some people preferred to see out their time surrounded by statues of deities, but they had usually lived a long and successful life; they had the luxury of choosing how their time would end. But not Lacanta.