Kaavl Conspiracy (7 page)

“So does everyone else in Rolban,” Methusal snapped in frustration. “They’re stored in plain sight.”

“A bloody knife proves nothing, Liem.” Erl’s voice was gentle.

“It proves my son was murdered!”

“Maybe so. But it doesn’t prove Methusal did it.”

“The note proves she went to the bluff!”

“Methusal says she never received it. I believe her. An equally logical theory is that the true murderer planted the note in her room. That way she’d look guilty.”

With gratitude, Methusal glanced at her father.

“Your theory is a day’s run from reason,” Liem bit out. “Face facts, Erl. Your daughter murdered my son. I want her in jail. Now!”

Erl sent Petr a look. The bigger man shuffled his feet and cleared his throat.

“Erl’s right. We need more proof.”

Liem’s face flushed even darker.

Petr turned to Methusal. “The proof is piling up. This won’t go away.”

“I’m innocent, and I’ll prove it.”

With shaking hands, Liem gathered up the knife again. “I’ll prove you murdered my son. This is not the end. I’ll prove
that
.” He strode from the room.

Methusal drew a shaky breath.

Deccia hugged her. “Are you all right?”

“No. It’s only a matter of time before Petr throws me in jail.”

“I’ll help you find Renn’s killer. Just tell me what I can do.”

* * * * *

Two cauldrons of goop later, Methusal’s arm ached from ladling. She carried her bowl of cold, pasty cereal to a table where Aali sat with Behran and Timaeus. Deccia hesitantly sat down too. After a quick glance at Timaeus, her lashes swept down against her cheeks.

“Are you all right?” Behran asked Methusal. His faint frown actually appeared concerned.

“I’ll be fine, thanks,” she mumbled. Actually, she was a complete mess, but she didn’t want to say so. “After I talk to Kitran, I’ll investigate the cliff. Maybe I’ll find something else Petr missed.”

One blond brow flicked up. “Really? I thought you were confined indoors.”

Methusal ignored this technicality and turned to Timaeus. “Did you just get back from a trip? I don’t think I’ve seen you for a few days.” She asked this because her sister would not. She also knew that Deccia had been pining to see Timaeus during the entire week he’d been gone.

His white teeth flashed in a grin. “I went to Dehre and then Aestoff.” Aestoff was a three day’s run from Rolban.

“How are things in Dehre?” Behran wanted to know. “Any better?”

“No. They’re starving, except for wild beast meat. The good news is, the beasts finally stopped raiding the town at night.”

“Why?”

“They’re hungry, but the Dehriens are hungrier.” Timaeus offered a wry smile. “You know the Dehriens, Behran. They’re fearless. Lately they’ve been pitting one man to a beast, just for sport. The beasts are wary now, so they circle outside the town at night, waiting for children to stray.”

Deccia gasped softly. “How awful! Don’t they have a wall, or any protection?”

“One wall is partway done. Word is, Tarst is giving them access to their pack beasts and their lower timberline. That’s all in exchange for half the logs the Dehriens harvest, plus wild beast oil.”

The oil glands of the wild beasts produced a pure, nonsmoking flame for Rolban’s lamps, too. The slow burning oil was highly prized, and difficult to obtain, because Rolbani hunters hated to hunt the dangerous wild beasts.

Methusal said, “Does Dehre already have an Alliance with Tarst?”

“If they do, it’s informal. It’s probably like the arrangement we have with Tarst now. But Dehre’s main need is food. I think that’s the reason why Mentàll is pushing so hard for the Alliance with Rolban. With Tarst, too.”

Methusal wondered if Rolban had enough food to trade away to their potential allies. From her brief stop in the supply room two days ago, provisions looked low.

Deccia at last spoke quietly, “Mentàll Solboshn is their Chief?”

When Timaeus smiled at her, a faint blush crept up her cheeks. “Yes. He’s coming here tomorrow. In fact,” he glanced upward at the pale sunlight streaming through the ceiling cracks, “I need to ask Erl if he has another missive ready for Dehre. If I leave now, I can be back with Mentàll’s response by tonight.”

He stood, and Behran did, too. “I need to get to work,” he explained. Both cleared their places at the table and with a word of farewell, left the girls.

Aali fluttered her eyelashes at Deccia. “Oh
my,
” she said in a breathy voice. “Timaeus can run all the way to Dehre and back in one
day!
” With a dramatic hand to her forehead, she pretended to swoon.

Deccia rolled her eyes. “Finish your breakfast. It’s almost time for class.”

“But he’s so strong and
dashing,
” Aali gasped. “Don’t you just want…”

“Aali!” Red colored Deccia’s face, and she cast a furtive glance at the archway through which Timaeus had exited. “Stop it.”

With a grin, Aali spooned up a glob of cereal. “You love him. You know you do.” Her voice was smug, as only a thirteen-year-old’s could be. Boys weren’t anything to waste time on, as far as she was concerned.

Deccia didn’t answer, but a frown pulled at her brows.

“He smiled at you,” Methusal encouraged.

“Maybe he loves you,” Aali suggested. Sing-song, she said, “Deccia and Timaeus, strolling down the hall…”

Deccia swatted her arm.

“Ouch!” Aali grinned, and slurped tagma juice.

“You know Father doesn’t like it when you do that.”

“Father isn’t here.” But she whipped an uncertain glance over her shoulder. Her next sip was quiet.

Deccia changed the subject. “Thusa, have you decided on your job yet?”

“No.”

“Old Sims needs a new assistant.”

Aalicaa pulled a gruesome face, doubtless remembering poor Renn.

“I know.” A weight settled in Methusal’s heart as she thought about Renn’s death again. Not to mention the threat of prison and possible execution hanging over her own head. Even so, she would decide on a job today, even though she’d rather continue to put it off. Barak was becoming impatient, and she didn’t want his volatile temper unleashed upon her. She could only handle so many problems at one time.

“Everyone else decided months ago. What’s taking you so long?” Deccia asked gently.

“I’ve had a lot on my mind.”

“You mean all you’ve cared about is making the Tri-level. Now you have your chance to beat Behran.”

Unexpected tears stung Methusal’s eyes. She blinked them back. “If I get to play.”

“What do you mean?”

Apparently, Deccia hadn’t heard the full story. Methusal explained Petr’s threat to throw her out of the Kaavl Games.

“I’m so sorry.” Deccia looked shocked.

“Father is so mean!”

“Thusa, that’s horrible. I’ll speak to him, and try to make him see reason.”

“Thank you. But we both know Petr never changes his mind about anything.”

“Even so. I’ll talk to him later.”

“Kitran is the only one who can ban me from the Tri-Level Game,” Methusal said. “I’ll talk to him after class. Maybe he’ll choose to take my side.”

“We have to find the real murderer,” Aali spoke up. “Then Father will have to let you play.”

“No, Aali.
We
won’t do anything,” Methusal said at once. “I don’t want you involved. Someone’s already killed Renn. I’m sure he’d kill again if he feels threatened.”

“He wouldn’t catch me.”

“Is your kaavl that good?”

Aali flushed, as if embarrassed by a memory she didn’t want to share. “Mostly. But sometimes I get too focused on one detail.”

“Keep your focus moving all the time,” Methusal advised. “Try to concentrate on something different every few seconds.”

“Thusa!” Deccia hissed. “Stop. You know Father doesn’t want you to teach Aali kaavl precepts.”

Methusal couldn’t help but roll her eyes. Right now, she couldn’t care less what the close-minded Petr wanted. He was wrong about her part in Renn’s death, and according to her father, he was wrong about the Alliance, too. Denying Aali permission to pursue kaavl was wrong, too. At least, it was in her opinion.

“Why?” she asked her sister. “Because kaavl is a weapon of war? We’re not at war, in case Petr hasn’t noticed.”

“Thusa. Do you want to stay on his bad side? Especially now.”

Methusal sighed. “I’m sorry. But it’s so wrong! Petr loves kaavl. He’s at the Bi-level, and he wants to advance. How can he deny Aali the right to pursue it, too?”

Aali scowled, and Methusal felt sorry for her. However, she didn’t offer her cousin any more kaavl bits of wisdom.

“It seems to me,” Deccia said thoughtfully, “that we need to focus on one thing right now. Clearing your name. How can we do it?”

Her twin’s staunch support comforted her. “I want to try to break into the ore mine.”

Deccia gasped. “
No.
You’ll be arrested.”

“I have to try. I think the thief left my necklace in there. The mine is somehow tied into Renn’s death and the ore thefts. I need to figure out who has access to the mine. If I can’t break in, probably no one can. That means only someone with authorized access could have left my necklace inside. Renn’s murderer would be on that list.”

A frown still worried Deccia’s brow, but she said, “How can I help?”

Methusal leaned closer, “Do you know where the mine is?”

Aali leaned in, too. She whispered, “I do.”

Both Methusal and Deccia stared at her. Methusal spoke first. “How?”

A smug smile curved her lips. “Practicing kaavl. It’s easy to follow those guards. They’re not careful at all. Plus, I know
all
the passageways in this old mountain.”

“Can you show me where it is?”

“I could draw you a map. It’d be hard for two of us to get far without being noticed. Even though we could both easily get through the first door into the ore mine hall, after that, more passages branch off. Guards are posted at three different places in the halls.”

“Oh. Behran said there was only one guard.” Actually, he had said no such thing, Methusal realized. She’d misinterpreted his statement.

“One guards the door to the actual mine,” Aali agreed. “You can’t get past him.”

A new thought entered her mind. “Who are the guards? Maybe I could ask them who has access to the ore deposits.”

“Good idea. But I only know one, besides Renn. I sneaked past the middle one and didn’t see his face.”

Methusal waited. “Who’s the one you saw?”

Aali cast a sly glance at Deccia. “Timaeus. He guards when he’s not messengering.”

“I never knew that.” Deccia flushed. “I’ve seen him guard the entrance gate, but…”

In a sing-song voice, Aali lilted, “You looove him.”

“Aali, will you give me a map later?”

“Sure. And a key to the first door. You’ll need that. Luckily I know where my father keeps it.”

“Is there a guard on the first door?”

“Not anymore. Barak asked for more workers a while back. They probably think they have enough guards inside the hall, so they don’t guard the door with the lock.”

The brightness of the sun through the roof portals told them it was time to go. The three cleared their places, and Aali scampered off to her class.

“You know, Thusa, you never did say why you haven’t chosen a job yet. Is it because of kaavl?”

Methusal dumped her dirty dishes into the proper tub, now piled high with plates. “It seems silly now, especially since I may not be able to play at all.”

Her sister waited, her green eyes concerned.

Methusal bit her lip. “I don’t want a job to cut into my practice time. I’ve finally made the Tri-level, Deccia. I only have
one
chance to beat Behran. Is it selfish to want to focus on that? It probably is. It’s just that I’ve practiced so hard, for so long… If I can’t keep practicing hard, I’ll lose. And I can’t stand to think he’d win. I
know
that’s selfish. But I’m sick of him looking down on me. I don’t want it anymore.”

“Why don’t…”

“If I get an internship, I’d have to start work now. I want to wait until after the Game to start, that’s all.”

“Maybe they’d let you wait…”

“Sims needs help now. So does Barak. And look at you. You’re already working for Verdnt.”

“Part-time. Stop worrying. Just decide. I’m sure your supervisor will give you time to practice today and tomorrow.”

Deccia’s logic made sense. But even if her new supervisor did give her the time, she’d still have to practice inside, thanks to Petr. Practicing the hardest skills of integrating short and long distance kaavl while running would prove impossible.

Once out in the hall, they veered left and headed down the passageway where classes were held. When they slipped inside the classroom, Methusal noticed that Timaeus sat in the back of the class. Deccia noticed him, too, if her soft, indrawn breath was any indication. Erl had probably delayed the message to Dehre for an hour, so the runner could attend class. Timaeus, as well as all of the graduating students, was required to attend a general review class before graduation in two weeks. It was supposed to ensure that they hadn’t forgotten any of the basic math, reading, and writing skills they had learned over the last ten years. Of course they hadn’t, and usually little was accomplished in the class.

But this morning Methusal had a question for their teacher. It had been simmering in her brain ever since her parents’ fight last night. “I’ve heard about the Alliance. Will you tell us more about it?” Her teacher, Maxmil Verdnt, was on the Council, as was every man over the age of thirty. Plus, of course, he was running for Chief. So he should know all of the details.

Verdnt’s eyebrows shot up. Usually, the only time he could capture Methusal’s attention was when they discussed kaavl.

“I’m glad you brought that up.” He reached into the cubbyhole beneath the black slate writing board. “It’s an important issue. And one that will soon affect all of our lives.”