Iron of the Innocent: Mistress of Agony (Vol 2)

Chapter 26: The Rope

274 I.C.
Sacren
Solorn Kingdom
Solorn Province
City of Clendon

The smell of wet, burned wood and other materials drifted in the air. The late morning sun shone down within the open breaks in the white clouds moving across the sky. Shydler stood in silence behind the Ruin home looking at the thick, coarse rope tied to one of the trees. It wrapped around the central trunk, ran out along a thick branch making several loops, and then hung down toward the ground. A tight noose held a large man by the neck, as he swung lifeless. When the wind gusted, it pushed at him, causing the tree limb to groan under the strain.

Sartonius walked slowly out of the house, coming to a stop next to the mage. "The dead woman inside, Sesha Ruin, is indeed the one who attacked me," he said in a detached tone.

"How did she die?" Shydler asked.

Sartonius considered the question. "I'm not sure," he answered. "The broken jaw and shallow lacerations indicates some kind of trauma, but there is no other clear indicator for cause of death." He glanced at the headless corpse nearby. "That is the housekeeper. Her name was Tabitha. Murdered from the looks of it." He ran a hand over his chin and stretched his neck to his left a moment. Then he motioned at the pile of ash covered armor and garments. "I'm not sure what to make of that."

"Another death," Shydler told him, "from the design of the armor, I'd say it was a third woman. And I have no doubts that the arcane was involved here last night."

"Perhaps it was the housekeeper's armor?" Sartonius reasoned. "Maybe she was about to put it on due to the attack."

Shydler shook his head. "I don't think so. From my observations, the armor wouldn't fit the housekeeper." The mage lifted his hand and pointed. "See the ground there in the open field?"

Sartonius nodded looking the direction he indicated. "I do. Quite torn up."

"I would say at least two of the dragons landed there," Shydler said. "The burned soldiers and damage to the wall clarifies that fact."

"That makes sense," Sartonius agreed considering the details. "I don't think it's coincidence. I would say the dragon's presence and these murders are connected. The housekeeper was killed by a sharp blade, and the armor's design is not common to these lands."

"Then the dragon carried a rider," Shydler said, his thoughts moving along with the discussion.

"I would think so," Sartonius said, "the woman who wore the armor must have been one of the riders, and she died in the fight with the housekeeper."

"The housekeeper must have wielded the arcane to burn her attacker to ash." Shydler paused a moment, thinking as he gripped his staff. Then he shook his head. "But, there is no fire damage to the armor from what I see. It is in good order. I can't think of an offensive spell that would burn a body so completely, not even leaving any bone, or consuming the armor and clothing."

"There are no weapons," Sartonius pointed out. "Where is the blade that cut off the woman's head?" The two men stood looking at the scene pondering the information.

Shydler thought about it for long moments, "A second rider?" he said expressing the possibility.

"Probable," Sartonius reasoned. After another extended pause, his attention moved to the hung man. "Cut him down!" He called to several city guards coming out of the small barn having completed their search. He motioned to the corpse straining the strength of the tree limb. The guards moved that direction.

The mage and inspector came with a number of guards expecting a difficult fight with the woman who attacked Sartonius. When they arrived, the group found a quiet house with nothing amiss until they discovered the bodies. Everything appeared to be in place, and Sartonius ruled out a robbery as motivation for the killings. There were several reports of such criminal behavior across the city as a number of scoundrels and miscreants took advantage of the chaos caused by the attack. The murders in this house appeared motivated by something different.