Stolen Dream

Chapter Ten

Keenan had carefully questioned every single guard that had been stationed there when Keyvon's mother had been poisoned.

None of them knew anything.

It was rather surprising, really, how little they knew considering they were the Sovereign's guards at the time.

Was there no investigation whatsoever?

He went to the head researcher, Novo, who mostly oversaw the research of others now, but Keenan knew Novo was still far more aware of the goings on in the world than anyone else under the sea.

"Novo, long time no see," he greeted the elder.

Novo glared at him. "You only come around when you want something. What is it?" Novo demanded impatiently, without preamble.

Keenan chuckled. "Just as prickly as ever. I'm looking into the poisoning of Kalixa."

Novo frowned. "That was decades ago. Why the interest now?" Realization dawned on him even as he asked the question. "Sanyo's found himself a mate, then, eh? Good. About time. There are some that have been concerned that there wouldn't be an heir with the way things have been going."

"You mean you don't know?" Keenan asked in genuine surprise. He thought of anyone, Novo would know of Javen's arrival and heritage.

Novo's frown deepened. "Know what?"

"If you don't know, I'm not going to tell you."

"You always were a pest."

"I care about you too, Novo. The poison?" he reminded.

"It was a very fine poison. Derived from an Oleander plant, I believe. Kalixa struggled for some time before going into a coma. She, of course, later succumbed to the poison and died, but she fought hard against it for some time. Mirek looked for a cure right up until her death, but as far as we could tell, there was nothing we could do for her but keep her as free of pain as possible. The coma was a blessing that way, at least, as she no longer suffered."

"There must have been an extensive investigation into who poisoned her."

"There was, of course. The culprit was never found."

"Who were the suspects?"

Novo thought for a long time before he came up with the list of names. "Each were cleared after long interrogations by the lead investigator at the time."

"Who was that?"

Novo smiled coldly. "Your father, Travon, of course."

"Why wasn't he a suspect?"

"Mirek trusted him implicitly. I've often suspected that things would have been different twenty-two years ago with him and his sons had Travon not been on assignment up north."

That assignment had cost Travon his position. Not because of Sanyo's ascent to Sovereignty, but because Travon had been badly injured in his search for a missing merman. The merman's remains had been found and removed, but Travon's battle with the vicious killer had left him quite brutally handicapped.

"Is there anything else you may have forgotten? Any clue that was overlooked or under-investigated?" Keenan wondered.

Novo shook his head. "As far as I know, the investigation was done thoroughly. The fact that no culprit was uncovered was a disappointment to everyone and a crushing blow to Mirek."

"Who benefited most from Kalixa's death in the years that followed?"

Novo smiled his appreciation of the excellent question. "As far as I can tell, the only one who benefited directly from her death was Sanyo."