“Where is it?”
“With the rest of my things, in the saddlebags.”
“We’ll take a look.” The captain turned. “Now where has Venner gotten off to? Stephi, who knows where your things are?”
“Any of the men that came with me would know, or I could show you.”
“Stammel, why don’t you find them for us?”
“Yes, sir. Would you want one of the witnesses to come along?”
Sejek shook his head. “Not unless they want to.”
Stammel left the Duke’s Court and angled across the main courtyard to the stable. Stephi’s squad was hanging around the stable entrance, looking wary. He nodded to them.
“We need Stephi’s saddlebags,” he said. They looked sideways at each other.
“Sergeant—what’re they going to do? Stephi’s a good corporal—”
“I can’t say. We don’t know enough yet, and anyway it’s the Duke’s decision. Now—where are his things?”
A lanky private led the way into the smaller tack room. “That’s Stephi’s,” he said. “The first on that row.” Stammel lifted the saddlebags from their peg and turned toward the door.
“Come along,” he said, “and tell me who’s handled these things.”
“Nobody, sir; Stephi came in before supper from the Duke’s Court, and put his flask in with the rest, and nobody’s been at his things since that I know of.”
As Stammel came across the Duke’s Court toward the others, he saw Venner coming down the steps from the Hall. He wondered briefly where Venner had been, but dropped the thought as he handed the saddlebags to the captain.
“These are yours, Stephi?” asked the captain.
“Yes, sir. The flask will be in the right one, in a holder, and the potion bottle is in the left one, wrapped in my spare socks.”
They all watched as the captain opened the flaps of the saddlebags and took out the contents. He found the flask and set it aside, unopened for the moment. “It has liquid in it,” he said. “I can’t tell how much.” He began rummaging in the other saddlebags, removing a neatly rolled cloak and a comb, then a single sock, then another one, and finally a small cloudy-glass bottle with a glass stopper. “It wasn’t in the socks, Stephi,” he said as he slid out the stopper. “Phew! What a smell!” He looked up. “It’s empty.” He passed the bottle to the mayor, who sniffed, wrinkled his nose, and passed it to Kolya. She did the same before handing it to Stammel.
“Is this the same bottle?” he asked as he sniffed cautiously at the opening.
“Yes, sir. It looks like it. But it didn’t have a bad smell before. May I smell it now?”
“Go ahead,” said the captain. “But you wouldn’t have smelled it—looks like it had a wax seal around the stopper.”
Stephi sniffed the bottle. “It’s strange—but it reminds me of something. Just a little. Who could have emptied it?”
“One of your men says no one touched your things, but you, when you came out of the Duke’s Court yesterday,” said Stammel.
“But all I did was put the flask back. I didn’t open this bottle.”
“Let’s examine the flask,” said the captain. He opened it and looked in. “It’s not even half full, and the smell’s here, too.”
Again the witnesses checked for themselves. “If what made Corporal Stephi act unlike himself and forget what happened was in what he drank, then the evidence is that it came from this potion bottle,” said the mayor.
“But I didn’t open it,” Stephi repeated.
“You don’t remember opening it,” said Kolya. “If it was strong enough magic, you wouldn’t remember.”
“But I remember going in to supper after putting the flask away.”
“Stephi, are you sure you didn’t have a few more swallows of ale—after supper, maybe?” Captain Sejek sounded more tired than angry.
“Sir, I—I thought I was sure I’d never do anything like I must have done. I don’t think I drank any more—or opened the potion. But—how can I be sure? How can I be sure of anything?”
“Stephi—I don’t know.” Sejek sighed. “I believe that whatever you did was under some kind of outside influence. Right now that potion seems the likeliest to me—it wasn’t what you thought. The witnesses will have their own opinions—” He glanced at them.
“We still need the woman’s testimony—Paksenarrion’s,” said Kolya.
“From what Stammel said, I doubt it will help; but go ahead, of course.”
“I wonder if we can find out what the potion is,” said the mayor. “And I still have a concern for the Duke’s ale. Are we sure it is not contaminated? The smell in this bottle is suggestive, but—”
“We could seal it and hope it keeps until the Duke’s Court; he’ll have his mage there.”
“I’ve marked and sealed the cask,” Venner said. As they looked at him in surprise, he pursed his thin lips. “That’s why I went back inside. The entire cask will be available for examination at the trial.”
“All right, then,” said Sejek. “If you, Councilor Ministiera, will take Paksenarrion’s testimony, and gather such evidence as might be needed, the rest of us can get back to our business. Stammel—about Stephi’s parole—”
Stammel sighed. “Sir, I’ve known Stephi as long as you—and I trust him. But the recruits—especially my unit—won’t understand if you leave him free. They know that Paks was chained under ban last night. Korryn’s under ban now—”
“Sir, he’s right,” said Stephi. “I can’t believe that I went—crazy or something—and did that to anyone, but the evidence is against me. The troops won’t like it; they won’t understand it, if I’m not under guard.”
“I don’t say put him under ban,” said Stammel. “He’s cooperated, we think someone may have magicked him—so don’t ban him. But—”
“I see your point,” said Sejek, frowning. “Very well. Stephi, I’m sorry, but you’ll have to spend your time in the cell. I’ll be down to check on you, and you’re not under ban.”
“That’s all right, sir. I understand. I would like—if it’s possible—to know how the girl is, and if she’s well enough later, I’d like to—to apologize—”
“We’ll see, Stephi.” Sejek nodded to the guard, and they watched as Stephi was led back to the main court. The captain sighed heavily. “I’d like to get my hands on that granny, whoever she is. Tir’s gut, but that’s a fine soldier to be dumped in such trouble. Stammel, you’ll need to see to your unit, but I’d like to talk to you later.”
“Yes, sir. Any particular time?”
“Not until after lunch, at least. It’ll take me that long to settle my men and make some kind of written report of this. When you’ve time, check with me. I may have to put you off an hour or so, but I’ll try to be ready.”
“Yes, sir.” Stammel bowed slightly, and headed for the infirmary, tailing Kolya who was disappearing through the door.
Paksenarrion lay quietly as Maia cleaned and poulticed her thighs; a large cool poultice already covered the swollen half of her face. She’d been given a mug of beef broth and a half-mug of numbwine, and felt as if she were floating a handspan above the bed. She heard the door open, and saw Maia glance up.
“Well, Kolya; do you need to see her again?”
“If she’s able. What did the surgeon say?”
“She’ll mend. Her eye’s all right. She’s had numbwine; she’ll be drowsy and drifting a bit. Eh—Paks. Come on, Paks, wake up.”