When The Petal Fell

16-2

"It doesn't make sense." She flipped the paper over, looking at the empty back of the sheet, then dropped it back to the desk. Klaron retrieved it placed it back in line with the rest.

"She was under the influence of the healing draughts. I think we're lucky she made that much sense." Klaron glanced at her 'Lord' but the man said nothing, only watching them both over his steepled fingers.

"No, not the note. It confirms what I found out last night. Luhsn went to the bordello, played a fake version of himself in order to enjoy being a 'Petal' again. That's all clear." Again, she turned one of the sheets of paper around, trying to catch the writing before Klaron turned it back. "No. What I can't make sense of is, why kill Manderi? Why not wipe her memories like he did with everyone else? All killing Manderi did was give us more clues ... Oh! Oh!"

She pointed at both Klaron and the sheet of paper that had the translated note upon it. For a second, she couldn't manage to get her words out, the excitement of working something out overtaking her.

"What? Speak, woman!" Klaron snapped and Sora noticed Klaron's 'Lord' narrowing his eyes at the Kannai's outburst.

"What if that note isn't the only one?" She grabbed the translated note, crumpling it as she shook it before Klaron's eyes. "What if she kept a journal? One not written under the influence of healing draughts? One that says who the killer is?"

"You were right, Klaron, she is a clever one." The man stood, brushing down his robes, and moved around the desk. He clapped his hands, once, and another door, opposite where Sora had entered, opened. A thin man with receding hair stepped into the room, carrying a stack of papers clutched to his chest. "Vocha, have the City Guards search the bordello. We're looking for the dead Fae's journal, or writings of some kind. Oh, and discretely. They are, after all, citizens going about their business, not criminals."

"As you wish, My Lord." The man, Vocha, bowed his head and left, closing the door behind him.

"'My Lord', giving orders to the City Guard, office in the Palace of Words?" Sora dropped from the edge of the desk and caught the man's eyes, seeing an intelligent twinkle within. "You're the Lord Protector. You're Rifnarus. Patrons' blood! I'm in the office of the Lord bloody Protector!"

She laughed, clapping her hands, and almost spun in the spot. Klaron rolled her eyes.

"Try to contain your excitement. It's only a courtesy extended towards your employer, not you." Klaron began to collect the sheets of paper, placing them into a neat pile.

"Doesn't matter. I'm still here." Reaching over, she swiped one of the sheets from Klaron. The Kannai almost jumped to grab it back, but Rifnarus held up a hand, stopping her. "And what are these? A list of Thought Mages?"

"We have records extending as far back as thirty years. If the killer came to the city from that time onwards, we have them registered here." Rifnarus took one of the sheets himself, leaning back against the desk, squeezing his lip with thumb and forefinger. "But none of these are recorded as having the power, the strength that our killer has. Not even Pirizd, the most powerful Thought Mage ever registered in the city."

"What if they didn't register? What if they've been here since before records started being kept?" Sora handed the sheet of paper to Rifnarus as if he were any other person and the Lord Protector raised an eyebrow to Klaron.

"'Can see the simplicity where others see complexity'. Your report, as ever, Klaron, was quite accurate." Klaron inclined her head a slight at the compliment. "The only place that could hold older records is the Thought Mage Hall. See to it our Chief Thought Mage guest gives us every assistance required."