Page 21 of The Empty Throne

"What now?" Bittersea muttered.

Extinguishing all the lights in the room, hedrew a knife, slit his wrist, and let the blood splash on thefloor. It wasn't strictly necessary, but it served as an anchorpoint and made everything easier.

Impatiently tending the wound, he cleaned andsheathed his knife and said, "Let's get this over with then, youcreepy bastard."

Voices seemed to fill the room, along with awind that came from nowhere, like the prelude to a storm that wouldnever come.

Then, in the center of the room, right whereBittersea had let his blood fall, a soft blue glow appeared, thesize of a raindrop at first but rapidly growing, spreading, untilit had the shape of a familiar figure, translucent and glowing.

"Lord Sobeki," Bittersea greeted. "What did Ido to earn this pleasure?"

Sobeki laughed, the sound echoing like therustle of cloth in an empty cave."Bittersea, it took a while tofind you."

"Good."

"Matters are dire. Cohea is missing, likelykidnapped by Terek. Oskia is missing, and we've no idea why, thoughshe seems to have left of her own volition. Kite has left for yourold residence seeking a bloodstone."

"Why in the world is he doing that?"

"Take too long to explain. Any chance ofsuccess?"

Bittersea lifted one shoulder. "I've no clue.Father used to mumble about us still possessing one, but he neversaid where it was stashed, never took me to see it, and my briefsearches of the place turned up nothing. There's said to be secrettunnels and caves beneath the estate. If a bloodstone exists it'sthere, but again, I never found the entrance—if there was one tofind at all. Also, Cohea isn't missing. He was kidnapped by LairdFazekas, and I assume is still being beaten and tortured."

"Why didn't you get him out of there?"

"Because Lindquist is a stubborn ass whosehonor will get him killed, probably very soon. So stubborn that,upon noticing the ring thatprovesthe depths of hisstupidity, Fazekas immediately hired me to seek out his Bonded andbring them back, so they can torture them to get Lindquist tocooperate."

Sobeki blinked. Blinked again."I see. Sowhat are you really doing?"

"Lindquist would have left clues at hisestate as to who this bloody heir is. I am headed there. TellQuinta's people to leave me the fuck alone. I assume you're incharge, anyway, since Kite has hied off to Kuluris lands. Once Ihave answers, I'll head for Cremin. Now go away, before youcollapse from the strain and cause even more problems."

Sobeki laughed."I'll send you a messagewith details. The usual name and place. Should I send forces afterLindquist?"

"Leave him. He'll either be safest there, ormore likely, he'll get himself out and head for Cremin all on hisown."

"Understood."

Sobeki faded away, and Bittersea relit thelights around the room before stripping down and shrugging into therobe hanging on the back of the door. With knives in the pockets,he went off to relax in the hot spring.

One of the staff brought him cool yuzu juiceto drink while he soaked. Hot springs were yet another thing heprobably shouldn't enjoy so much, with all the vulnerabilities andrisks it came with, but his pleasures were few, and so he enjoyedthem whenever he could.

When he'd soaked as long as he could,Bittersea returned to his room and dressed, then called for a mealand pot of tea.

Once he'd finished eating, he brought out hissharpening stone and set to work on his knives, starting with thesmallest and working up to the largest ones that were his primaryweapons and rarely left his person.

By the time he finished that, it was time forbed, the city bells tolling the hour of final prayer for those whocared about such things.

After his knives were stashed around theroom, he put out all lights but one and finally crawled into bed,sighing at the unexpected softness of it, when inn beds wereusually so hard, the warmth of the duvet and sheets specificallymade to fight back the particular chill of Endless Night.

As relaxed as he ever got, Bitterseaslept.

He woke early, as the callers went aroundwaking people up. Dressing quickly, he retrieved all his knives,packed his bag, and headed out.

Snow had fallen in the night, and the airhurt to breathe. Looked increasingly like winter was going to beespecially bitter this year. Seemed like all those people and theiraching joints were right for once.

He headed across the city first, to the greatlibrary that all cities of a certain population or greater wererequired to have in Cremisio, a law passed several generations agoand ruthlessly upheld, since every generation some noble or anotherdecided peasants didn'treallyneed free access toliterature.

For various reasons, the new library systemhad merged with the postal system not long after its inception,meaning that where you found one, you nearly always found theother.

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