Gary Gygax - Dangerous Journeys 3 - Death in Delhi (8 page)

"Oh. I'm glad. I thought you'd been bitten by a snake, or stung by a scorpion, or seen a lurking assassin. ..."

Inhetep laid a finger on her forehead. "Keep that wonderful mind in a serious vein. I am deadly earnest about this, Rachelle. What you just pointed out, what was obvious, what I should have seen immediately, is this: there is no urgent need for the recovery of the crown jewels of Delhi."

"What?"

"No need for getting them back in a hurry. You can stake your life on the maharajah having at least one imitation set available. On the few state occasions when he must wear the crown jewels, the fakes should serve as well as the real ones. After all, until a new ruler is installed, the regalia is merely for show."

Rachelle considered that for a moment. "Yes. The powers of the real crown jewels would only be activated in a coronation. That makes sense. Yet what if they were spirited outside Delhi? Fell into the hands of an enemy of the state? Sindraj, for instance?"

"For an opposing head of state to acquire such things by thievery brings discredit, not approbation. The Brahmans, all scholars and ecclesiastics, and thus the Hindic pantheon's faithful, would ostracize such a one. After all, save in a few cases all thieves are of the Pariah caste—untouchable and apart. No. I submit that if the crown jewels of Delhi come into the hands of any of the surrounding rulers, they will be returned. Courtesy between monarchs, if you will."

Not ready to give up, Rachelle tried another tact. "The regalia might be smuggled to a distant land."

"Magickal attempt would be detected, for the enchantments upon such items are certainly potent in the extreme. Likewise, heka is required to disguise the inner power of the crown jewels. To conceal such things from probes means they must go to ground and remain cloaked. Bringing them out and moving them would set off all manner of dweomered alarms, count on it. Trying to get them past any sort of inspection would be impossible. The missing jewels are somewhere in the state, probably in or near the city of Delhi."

Rachelle nodded, even though she knew he couldn't see that gesture in the dark. She spoke even more softly and slowly than she had before. "Why all this fuss, then? The necklace, the promise of lavish reward, the plea for immediate attendance upon the matter. ..."

"Why indeed, my dear? I haven't a clue . . . yet. With your continued help, though, I believe we can get to the bottom of things quickly, once we get to Delhi, even though the waters are deeper than I had imagined previously and there seems to be much murkiness in them." So saying, the magister gave her arm a pat by way of saying good night, then rolled on his side.

In no more than a minute, Rachelle heard his soft snoring. She envied Setne's ability to fall asleep almost anytime, anyplace, despite conditions or problems. When it was appropriate, the wizard-priest would take advantage of the opportunity and sleep, whether snatching a catnap or resting for a full night. While his body slumbered, Inhetep's mind went on working, that she knew. As for her. Rachelle had to remain conscious to solve problems. She lay awake for an hour after he dropped off.

The next day proved to be unremarkable. Inhetep chatted with this or that one of the small band as they trudged slowly up and down ever-rising hill country. As predicted, at the end of it they made the town of Igatpur. There the band dissolved, everyone going their separate ways, a sprinkling of farewells and platitudes about visiting or meeting again heard. Inhetep had managed to learn a fair amount of information regarding the way beyond, so the magister and Rachelle went into the center of the community, walked on, and exited the place by moonlight.

"We now walk the Indore Road, my dear," he informed her in /Egyptian as they left the dim lights of Igatpur behind.

Rachelle giggled. "Indore Road? That's rather funny."

"I don't see why."

She was still amused. "Oh, come now, Setne. You speak Phoenician well enough to know slang!"

"Flatulence isn't applicable to an artery of commerce," he responded after a moment of consideration. "Besides," he added, sniffing noticeably, "I can detect no trace of it here." They both laughed, glad to be free of their roles as natives. "I think it is time for us to bypass the intervening land. Let's get off the road, just in case. Find us a good spot, huntress."

"No problem," Rachelle said, leading him into the scrub bordering the highway. She was a skilled outdoorswoman, and it was no problem for her to locate a hidden place where terrain and vegetation secluded them completely. "Of course, this is just the sort of place a prowling leopard or hungry tiger will come," she told the wizard-priest as he admired her find.

"Ill leave the defense against such predators to you, my dear. Now then, have you got your dagger handy?" He was rummaging around as he spoke, then pulled out a flat leather wallet.

Rachelle responded by producing that weapon from somewhere under her garments. Without being asked, she understood what the magister desired. Plainly, he wanted to study something. "Here is your light," she said, cupping her palms around the glowing amethyst in its pommel so as to keep the rays downward and confined to the area around him.

Setne held a map, moving it so it was nearer the shining stone. "Yes. Good. Ill take us to a similar place beyond the city of Jaipur, so well be quite near the border between Sindraj and the maharajate of Delhi."

"How great a distance is that?"

"From what I can tell about the crookedness of the roads of these Hindic nations, Rachelle, I'd say something over two hundred leagues."

"By all means, dear Magister! I have no desire to trudge dutifully behind you carrying this mountain of supplies over more than six hundred miles of hill roads. Get on with your casting, and 111 be eternally grateful."

"How grateful?"

"Sufficiently so as to refrain from nagging."

"You are under a vow of silence."

"Nonsense."

"All right. How about—"

Rachelle made as if to prod him with the point of her blade. "Get busy! We can discuss rewards for performance when the crown jewels are recovered."

"I was afraid you'd say that," the magister said. His tone conveyed no hint of jest.

BORDER CROSSING FROM JAIPUR

"Nauseating or not, Setne, I am growing ever more positive about the art of dweomercraeft you practice. When we get back home I want you to teach me how to create spatial doors."

He knew that Rachelle referred to the queasy feeling she had whenever she utilized the dimension-warping place created by his casting. "You are a dabbler in dweomers, my dear, barely initiated in the basic arts."

"Then youH have a lot of instructing to do, won't you." It was a statement, not a question.

"As you wish—but we'll see if you stick to it when the time comes," the wizard-priest added. Of course, Setne was pleased that his amazon companion thought it worthwhile to gain more skill in one of his most potent areas of ability. He had used his skill to enable them to traverse hundreds of miles. By application of several of the Laws of Magick, he had made a short-lived anomaly in the three dimensions of length, breadth, and height. Being small and temporary, such a portal was thus referred to by those able to use heka power as a "door." Had it been larger, more permanent, the anomaly would have been termed a "gate" instead. No matter. Its existence had enabled them to step from a place near Igatpur in the Kandesh province of the Hind Empire all the way to a location not far from the city of Jaipur in the Rajputana province of Sindraj. Some step! Through the application of Similarity, Inhetep had, through a little reversal of position, managed to cause the anomaly's "other side" to exist just a few miles southwest of their desired destination. He was proud of it, not merely for its accuracy, but for the amazingly small disturbance he made in the aether and elsewhere when he activated the casting. "Of course, if you do study with determination, you'll become able in relatively little time—a few years. After all, I am among the best—"

"Yes, O Marvel of Magick. Now stop lecturing. Your chest thumping might be heard all the way to that city. And just how can you be sure that the scattering of lights in the distance is actually our desired city? How do you know it is Jaipur?"

"How quickly they forget," Inhetep murmured under his breath as he took Rachelle's arm. "Well, there's no practical way to be positive about that until the morrow. I doubt that

I could be so far off as to bring us to a city of Jaipur's size in a wrong direction. When the sun is up, well walk down there and find out for ourselves. Until then, I think we should make camp, eat a bite, and get some sleep."

Those words caused her to wince. "You want me to cook, don't you?"

"No, not really," Setne said with a shake of his head and a sad voice. "But we must eat, so there is no alternative." He laughed when she struck him with her fist.

They found a good place, and after the magister had laid a protective globe around the area, built a little campfire, cooked a meager supper, and went to sleep. No prowling animal or human predator would be able to molest them without suffering severe harm in the attempt. Any such intruder would discover a perimeter of energy which inflicted injury and alerted those protected by it that something was attempting to get at them. Both Rachelle and Setne were undisturbed. No assailant approached, and they slept in relative comfort, conditions notwithstanding, until the full sunlight and the cries of raucous birds and chattering monkeys awakened them.

They were some distance from the walled city now seen clearly from where they were in highlands, so it took them almost two hours to arrive there. First, they had to find their way back to a road, then follow it down to Jaipur.

They walked purposefully on empty stomachs, for both agreed that breakfast could await their finding a good meal in the community. There was a light flow of people and animals through the gate. Guards collected tolls, and with nothing more than paying over a bronze coin, an anna, wizard-priest and amazon in the guise of Hindi travelers went through the gate. It was indeed Jaipur.

In a short time, Inhetep located a place which catered to travelers, providing accommodations and meals. Once inside they both noted it was pretentious and thus would overcharge. Rachelle went from subservient wife to a sharp-eyed lady of a household in an instant, the trick merely one of changed bearing and mien. Similarly, Inhetep stood straight and strode confidently to where several persons were clustered in a group, chattering together. It was evident these were staff, not guests of the establishment, and they were bent on ignoring a pair of shabby, travel-stained inferiors daring to enter their exalted premises. The foyer, if such a large and grand hall could be properly termed that, was impressive. Floor and walls were brightly tiled. Vivid paintings adorned the walls and rich draperies screened several doorways. A big fountain in the center shot many small and silvery streams of water upwards to tinkle and splash in tiered pools alive with brightly colored little fish. Large oriental carpets covered sections of the huge floor. Ornate furniture of teak and mahogany was scattered about in appropriate places. Vases and brass-work, even ivoiy, made the decor fairly shriek that only those with great wealth dare enter.

The magister stopped when he was within a few feet of them, dropping his burden. Rachelle was at his side, likewise relieving herself of the bag she carried. The studiousness with which these actions were ignored was almost laudable. Inhetep, however, had no such reaction. In fact, he was annoyed at the pretension and implicit insult conveyed.

He snapped his fingers. "You there! Yes, you!" he snapped when one of the men turned languidly to stare down his nose at the offensive display. "I will speak to the owner now. Immediately. Fetch him!"

Contempt fled sniveling before unease, followed by fear. What if this fellow was
somebody
after all? After a slight hesitation, the man swallowed and said, "Yes, sir." When their comrade said that, the other three looked at Inhetep, trying to seem self-assured and casual.

"You have duties here?" the magister said in his authoritative voice. The gossipers scattered, suddenly remembering important matters demanding their attention.

Just then a man in an expensive robe of silk appeared, the one sent to fetch him fluttering in his wake. "How may I be of assistance?" he inquired with a tone somewhere between lofty doubt and efficient hospitality.

"That remains to be seen," the magister said sharply in reply as he ran his eyes over the shorter man as if appraising him. "You are the owner of this . . . place?"

"Ah, well, no. I am the
manager,
however, and—"

Inhetep sniffed when he identified his position, cut him short with, "That will do if the owner isn't here. Your establishment is lax. Your help inefficient and rude. That reflects badly on the owner—and worse on you who are in charge of such a staff. Train them or find competent people. Such advice I give you at no cost."

The manager's mouth worked, but Inhetep refused to allow him the opportunity to say anything. "We have come all the way from Bombay, stopping here because the secretary of Prince Parvanarma assured me your facilities were adequate. I shall be sorry to disabuse him." With that, the magister turned as if he were leaving.

"Please, sahib," the manager pleaded. "Do not be over hasty, I beg of you." He came to place himself between the two and the exit, saying rapidly in unctuous tones. "This is indeed a worthy place of rest and enjoyable relaxation, offering every amenity to the visitor of high caste and distinctive taste. Stay here! I will see that any little oversight you experienced on first arriving will be more than made up for—"