Chapter 3 - The meeting with Zigûr
We arrived at the palace as requested and left our horses with the stablemaster, a young man of about forty called Karrubên.
"You're Teti, aren't you sir?" he said.
"I am."
"It's an honor to meet you, Teti. I've read all your stories in the paper."
"They are Abrazîr's stories, actually," Teti corrected him. "I am not much of a writer."
Karrubên was unperturbed. "I'm so glad you're looking into the poisoning," he continued. "I know Elrond, he wouldn't do something like that."
A doorman led us into the palace. I must say, the inside of that building was even more impressive than the outside. Numerous windows of clear glass let in the sunlight to illuminate the detailed mosaics detailing the island's history and everything was gleamingly clean and well kept. We were led down a maze of hallways to what appeared to be the living quarters.
Teti paused a moment at a window at the top of a stairway. It looked out over the roof of another section. The sea was just visible beyond.
"Is something the matter?" the doorman asked?
"Are all the windows sealed shut like this?" Teti pointed to a bead of lead about the latch at the center.
"Just the ones that are higher risk for break-ins, like this one, for security" the doorman answered. "The rest can be opened to let in the breeze off the sea."
"This seal has been cut."
The doorman looked closer. "That's very odd. I shall make sure the proper people are informed. But for now we must continue on. I do not wish to keep Zigûr waiting."
We were taken finally to an office of some sort. Heavy curtains covered the windows and the only light was from an ornate gas lamp of red glass that hung from the ceiling. The air smelled of sulfur and incense, mixed with something incongruously floral.
A tall figure behind a desk rose as we entered. In all aspects his appearance was like that of a man, with a noble face and fair skin that looked almost sickly in the yellow gas-light. There was something in his gaze though that made it impossible to ignore that he was something other, powerful and dangerous. I found myself feeling suddenly small and vulnerable, like a rabbit away from its burrow.
"Teti, Abrazîr, I see you received my invitation," he said. The flowing sleeves of his dark robes rippled as he motioned for us to sit. "I am Zigûr, though, knowing your reputation, I imagine you have guessed that already, and more besides."
"Thank you for seeing us," Teti replied. "I am most glad that your previous commitment did not interfere with our meeting, though I am sorry to see you have had so little time between."
"Indeed, I did not. How did you know?"
"There is a small splatter of ink on your hand, as though you - or more likely, from its position, someone near you - were writing. It has not yet smudged or bled into the skin, so it must be recent, but your pens are dry and put away. Also, the small plate of food by your side is barely touched, but you have nothing out that might have distracted you from it. From this I see that you returned from a meeting where someone was writing, called for some food, but had hardly any time to eat it before our arrival."
"I see your stories do not exaggerate," Zigûr said to me with a smile that did nothing to soften his stern eyes. "I am told that Elrond requested you look into the poisoning at the spring feast?"
"He did," Teti answered, "and I think there is some cause to doubt the official theory of what happened that night."
The smile dropped, and Zigûr turned the full force of his gaze on Teti. "While I am grateful for your concern, I would recommend that you drop the case."
"With respect, you sound afraid of what Teti might uncover," I said.
"It is Teti who should be afraid of what he might uncover," Zigûr replied with a growing undercurrent of malice in his voice. "If he continues to snoop about this palace, well, let us say he may run afoul of someone quite powerful. It would be much safer not to get involved."
"Thank you for your concern," said Teti, unfazed, or perhaps unaware, of the thinly veiled threat in Zigûr's words, "but I do not intend to drop my investigation. You can be assured, however, that I will be most cautious. Once already I have been driven from my home for failing to consider the political implications of my work, I do not wish to have that happen again."
"I see." The smile returned, even less convincing than before. "Let no one doubt your courage. If the matter were up to me, I would not allow it. But the queen is understandably alarmed at the attempt on her husband's life. She insisted that if you were willing to look into it, that we not leave such a resource untapped. She will additionally see that your fees are paid if things do not unfold in your client's favor. Payment of debts is rarely a priority for those about to be executed, and while there is no question of your integrity, it seems best to decouple financial gain and the investigation outcome."
"That is most thoughtful," Teti replied.
"The queen also bids you take this to show you are acting under her authority," he handed Teti a large brooch set with a red stone. "Rûkhnar should be waiting for you in the hall. You are to be accompanied at all times within the palace wall."
