Chasing Sparks

Chapter 5.1

Tiel stood over the two bodies looking at the grim scene. “So, where is Sar’s spark?” he said.

No-one answered.

“And where is Medhi’s cape?” he added.

No-one suggested an answer to that either.

It was strictly possible that Medhi had lost his cape in the trees as he fell but that was unlikely. They all knew someone had taken it, along with Sar’s spark.

Tiel was a hair’s breadth from snapping. “Is no-one going to say anything? This Runner stays ahead of me for two years. He has more energy than Frisky the Wonder Horse and I’m to believe he wasn’t actually carrying the spark after all.”

Silence.

“Well?”

The silence stretched.

“Alona?” Tiel hissed eventually, “Give me your assessment of what happened here.”

Alona took a deep breath and did a good job of appearing calm. “Medhi broke his neck in the fall and died. The fall didn’t kill the Runner. Someone saw the bodies fall and came over to investigate. They were looting the two bodies, when the Runner woke up. The person panicked and stabbed the Runner. They saw the spark appear, grabbed it and took off. The thief also took Medhi’s cloak and Sar’s ring and is now trying to get away from here as fast as possible.”

Tiel looked down at the Runner’s hand. Alona was good. He hadn’t noticed the slightly paler band of skin around the Runner’s middle finger. “So the thief took a ring, too,” he mused.

Tiel turned to Alona, his initial anger beginning to dissipate a little as his cold calculating mind returned. “Thank you, Alona. However, this is what I think happened. I agree that the Runner didn’t die in the fall and someone saw. But they came over to help him, not steal from him. Sar spoke to this person before killing himself with his own dagger.”

He glanced at Alona and said, “I doubt a thief would leave their own dagger behind.” He then paused for a moment before continuing. “The question is what did Sar say before he died. I suspect he told the person to take his spark somewhere. Somewhere cold most likely given the lack of Medhi’s cape. I hadn’t noticed the missing ring but this makes me more convinced of my story. The ring is probably an artifact and explains why Sar took it off and gave it away. He wouldn’t want us finding it.”

Tiel then paused again to see if anyone had anything to add, but no-one did so he carried on, “But I do agree with you on your last point Alona, that whoever took the spark is right now trying to get away from here as fast as possible. And that means they can’t be far.”

Tiel was back in full control of his emotions. There was work to be done.

“Bolo,” he said, “Search the Runner carefully and bury the bodies.”

Bolo nodded.

Others might have left the Runner’s body to the birds, but that wasn’t Tiel’s way. Sar had been a huge pain in the neck for two years but you had to respect him, he was only trying to stay alive after all. Bolo would have said he had been a worthy opponent. Tiel wouldn’t have quite gone that far but he didn’t deserve to be left to the birds.

“After that is done,” Tiel added, “Find the trail of this friendly woodland sprite who took my spark. Come and tell me immediately when you’ve found it.”

Bolo nodded again.

“Me and Alona are going to see what we have over there,” he said pointing at the Gardens, “I’m sure she’s keen for a visit.”