In Shade and Shadow

Chapter 17

The following night, Wy

"We should not have agreed to this," Chane whispered.

Shade whined as if seconding that opinion.

"I don't like it either," Wy

The light of street lanterns didn't quite reach them, but Wy

"We have to follow the plan," she stated flatly, "and keep our wits."

"Can the Suman do what he claims?"

Wy

This answer didn't sound convincing, even to her.

"But if the Premin Council learns what we did here, I'll certainly be dismissed. And Domin il'Sänke will be sent back to his branch in disgrace, at the very least. He's risking more than his life, so we must trust each other, or we'll fail."

The day's preparations for il'Sänke's trap had been exhausting. The Upright Quill was the only scriptorium to which the wraith had come more than once. After too much speculation concerning how it was tracking folios, this one scriptorium seemed the only choice.

Wy

"I do not like him using you—or the scroll—as bait!" Chane rasped.

Wy

For Chane to be effective, he had to keep his ring on. With it, he could mask Shade's presence as well, though it had taken great fuss to get Shade to let him touch her. The dog disliked contact with anyone but Wy

Wy

"I won't be hurt, or lose the scroll, if you wait long enough," she said. "Stay focused. You and Shade have to come at the right moment."

The plan was straightforward but depended on dangerously close timing.

For now, il'Sänke carried the sun crystal staff. Once he was in place across the street, he would whistle softly from whatever vantage point he found. Then Wy

The main catch in their plan was Shade.

For the last part of the day, Wy

Each time Wy

"Don't close too quickly," Wy

"Yes, you said this before," he rasped. "As has the Suman."

"Sorry."

"But if you are in trouble," he said flatly, "the Suman can fend for himself."

"Stop calling him that! He has a name."

"There is something wrong about him," Chane hissed. "I can nearly smell it!"

Wy

When—if—the wraith took the bait, she was to run in the direction from which il'Sänke had whistled. Chane and Shade would wait as long as possible, until il'Sänke appeared to engage the wraith. Shade would charge out next, suddenly filling the wraith's awareness, as she slipped from the protection of Chane's ring. Then Chane, still shielded by the ring, could surprise the wraith. Hopefully this would give il'Sänke time to take advantage—and get the staff to Wy

But Wy

Step by step, the plan was straightforward… in theory.

"It will work," she repeated.

Chane sighed.

"How did you and Shade and this domin leave the guild after dark?"

"Out the front gates," she said. "The city guards weren't there… or maybe they were late."

A long, low whistle pierced the air, cutting off any more questions. It took Wy

"He is ready," Chane whispered, and pointed toward a small shop half a block beyond the Upright Quill and on the street's far side.

Wy

Shade merely rumbled and pushed Wy

Chane gazed across the night street over Wy

Wy

Chane's expression appeared to change, though it was hard to be certain in the dark. Whatever faint color remained in his eyes suddenly drained away. Only the crystalline irises of an undead stared out into the night… toward the place from which il'Sänke had whistled.

Wy

In that instant Chane looked like the mad feral monks who had come with him and Welstiel to Li'kän's ice-bound castle.

"Omission can hide the truth… or a lie," Chane added.

Rodian took supper alone in his office, not caring for even Garrogh's company. He wanted solitude and time to think.

The pieces of this tangled intrigue were disintegrating, and he saw no way to keep them whole. Il'Sänke was the murderer—of that much he felt certain. The domin was the only one who fit all the criteria of ability and inside knowledge. But Rodian had no proof.

What was that man after in the translated pages? What was his motive?

Suddenly Rodian regretted his poor treatment of Wy

Rodian looked down at his half-eaten beef, potatoes, onions, and carrots, then lifted his gaze to the growing pile of reports on his desk. Petty thefts, one other yet-to-be-solved murder, and a handful of social disputes required his attention. He'd let everything sit while trying to solve these guild murders and thefts. And with royals and sages standing in his way at every turn, all he had left were his other poorly attended duties—and his failure. Still, he couldn't let it go.