Decimus’s room at the inn seemed fairly clean aside from the odd shard of glass left from the incident. Tullius began searching the wardrobe at the back of the room.
Lucullus searched the desk. “So, the Archiereus really cleared the curses from this room?”
Tullius moved to the chest at the foot of the bed. He sighed, seeing a lock on it. “He’s one of Lucium’s finest in the priesthood. I’ve heard great things about how he’s cast out evil spirits from the possessed. A few curses from some random sorcerer is nothing to him.”
He shut the desk drawers, and moved to the bed. “I do wish Titus would secure the western border against these savages. His inaction makes our country look weak to the rest of the world.”
Tullius bashed open the lock in frustration. “You mustn’t talk that way about King Titus. There’s more to the situation than you realize. Any rash actions could result in all-out war.”
He shrugged. “I suppose you’re right. I just hate to see evil perpetrated against my brethren.” He emptied the pillow case. “I guess that’s why I’m not the king. Not that I’d ever want to be. Certainly not, if that’s what I have to put up with.”
“I don’t think even Titus wants to be the king these days.” He ruffled through the various blankets and spare clothes in the chest. “If he does have any belongings besides clothes, he keeps them well-hidden.”
He looked under the bed, and saw something shoved all the way against the wall. “Tullius, I think we’ve got something!” He pulled scrip with papers spilling out from under the bed. “Looks like some letters...and something else. I think it may be a map”
Tullius stood up from the chest, and closed it. “I suppose we outta take these, and give ‘em a good look.”
Lucullus grabbed the scrip and stood up. “We’ll take ‘em back to my house.”
He looked askance at Lucullus.
“It’s the most secluded part of the village. I know that no one else will snoop on what should be Decimus’s business.”
“That’s not standard procedure for murder.”
“This is no ordinary murder, either. Remember that. Besides, there could be some very sensitive stuff in this scrip. How well can your boys keep a secret?”
He sighed. “I see your point... If you insist. I still don’t like it.”
“I know, I know. But his death is important to me.” He put his hand on Tullius’s shoulder. “I need this closure.”
Claudia greeted Tullius and her son at the door. “Hello, Tullius. How’s the investigation?”
He greeted her with a respectful kiss on the hand. “Lucullus has found something that may be crucial in closing this case. We’ve come here to privately review what we’ve found.”
She motioned for them to enter after hugging Lucullus. “You’re always welcome here, Tullius.” As she led them into the house, she took both of their cloaks. “I’ll go get some mead.”
Tullius nodded. “Thank you, Claudia.”
Lucullus motioned for him to sit at a table in the main room. “I’m most interested in looking at the map first.” He dumped all the documents onto the table, and spread the map out.
Tullius intently studied it. “Looks like this map is for business. I’m not sure what all these routes mean, though.”
“Could be him documenting someone’s movements. Maybe the journeys he took for his business.”
He grabbed one of the letters. “I suspect these letters may shed some light on it. You say he told you he was going on a business trip, right?”
He nodded. “Yea, why?
“It’s possible he did business with the wrong people.”
Lucullus raised an eyebrow. “People that would hire Dasos mages?”
“Don’t forget, some of these Dasos operate their cults within Lucium. It’s possible.” He opened the first letter.
He pressed his lips together. His eyes narrowed. “What sort of business letter contains sketches like a wanted poster would have?”
“I’d say your friend may have been hunting the same kind of people like the one who killed him.” He took a moment to reread the written descriptions. “Black robes. Casting illusions to fake an appearance. Generally wear large hoods to cover their faces in the light.” He looked back at the sketches. “That matches up with what the innkeeper said. And so do the sketches.”
He grabbed another letter. “I suppose we should look at the other two letters... If I would’ve known this was his ‘business trip’, I would never have let him leave my sight.”
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“I think he knew the risk. Though, to travel alone… I don’t know why someone doing something that dangerous wouldn’t have a guard.”
Lucullus unfolded the second letter. “Hmm. More sketches.”
“And more descriptions. Something about standing stones.”
“Must be related to some kind of ritual. No surprise there. Those mages from the west probably sacrifice children in their stone circles.”
Tullius sighed. “Perhaps Decimus was investigating a cult. Potentially one that encroached on his land, or perhaps he was investigating on someone’s behalf.”
As they were studying the sketches once more, Claudia walked in with two glasses of mead. She set them on the table and smiled. “I’ll have soup ready in a couple hours, if you’d like to stay for that, Tullius.”
He looked at her, and gave her a warm smile. “I could probably stay for some soup. We only have one letter to open, so we should be wrapping up in time for that.”
She left the room, and returned to the cooking area.
“So what’s the third letter about?” Lucullus took a gulp of his mead.
Tullius grabbed the last letter. “Not sure, but I bet, or at least I hope, it’ll shed some light on all this.” His jaw dropped as he opened and read the third letter.
“What does it say?”
“According to the sender, it’s from someone in House Avarus.”
He took the letter from Tullius’s hand. “This must’ve been what that trip of his was about. Perhaps it was even how he got those letters.” He scanned over the contents of the letter. “It mentions something about a conspiracy. Something about a cult influencing the major noble houses of Lucium. Though it doesn’t go into much detail.”
“Probably didn’t want to put too much sensitive information in a letter, given that Decimus was going to meet this person face to face somewhere. Does it say where?”
“It names a fishing village a little west from here.”
“Quite a distance for a member of House Avarus to be traveling.”
Lucullus put the letter on the table, and took another sip of his mead. “I guess we have a bunch of clues now.”
Tullius sipped on his mead. “But no solid lead.”
“We do have that mystery sender.”
“All we seem to be getting is one mystery man after the other.”
“But we at least know it’s one of these wicked sorcerers from Emporikos. If we can find out where some of the major groups are operating, we could track them down, and eventually find out who’s behind all of this.”
He scoffed. “How are we supposed to find one man among that many? They could’ve killed him to cover their tracks.”
He shook his head. “I’m thinking bigger picture here. We could expose this whole conspiracy. We could purge Lucium of all these terrorists, once and for all.”
He sighed. “After seeing what just one of these people can do, I’m not so sure I’d want to take on even two of them. This may be better handled by the higher courts.”
“If they’re in the pocket of these conspirators, as the letter said, what makes you think taking our case there will do any good?”
He shrugged. “I could at least take this matter to Lord Quintilius. Surely you don’t think the conspiracy has reached the lord of our village.”
“Word can spread. If we reveal what we know too soon, it could jeopardize this whole thing.”
Tullius rubbed his temples. “Look, how about we just call it a day, I’m sure soup will be ready soon.”
“I suppose it’d be good to come back later with a fresh mind. I am getting quite hungry.”
The two walked over to where Claudia was cooking, and took a whiff of the soup.
“Lucullus is lucky to have your cooking everyday.”
She giggled. “You’re welcome to my cooking at any time. You know this.”
“Oh I know. I just don’t have the time to sit and wait for the good food. If I slacked from my post for even a second, I just know a certain someone’s fields would be raided by the notorious gangs of rabbits and deer.” He snickered.
Lucullus playfully elbowed him. “That just means my fields have high quality crops growing.”
She poured soup into the bowls. “When you boys are done horsing around, the soup is hot and ready.”
The three took their bowls, and ate at the table. The evening sun streamed through a window on the far side of the room as they ate through their hot meal. Soon, only the crackling flame in the fireplace and a few candles provided light in the house.
Tullius gulped down the last bits of his soup, and wiped his mouth. “Looks like I should be going. Don’t want to let it get too dark before I get back to the guard barracks.”
Claudia gathered the bowls, and went to hug Tullius. “It was nice having you over.”
“It was nice to have hot food, and to be out of the elements for a while.” He hugged Lucullus before going to the door. “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow in the temple, Lucullus.”
“See ya tomorrow.”
After Tullius left, Lucullus sat back down and studied over the sketches and map from the scrip.
“He didn’t take the evidence?”
He looked up, nearly forgetting that his mother was still by the table. “I guess he figured he’d be back here tomorrow. We haven’t yet come to an agreement on what to do about all this evidence.”
She pulled up a chair, and sat by her son.
“This conspiracy seems to run pretty deep, but he thinks reporting it to the higher courts who could be in the pocket of the same conspiracy will help.”
“This sounds very dangerous.”
He put his arm around her. “I know you don’t want me to get involved in all this. But it’s because my friend of many years died. That’s why I’m going through all this.”
“I still don’t like it. You’re all I have left. I don’t want to see you dead, too.”
He rubbed her shoulder. “With Ferax at my side, I’m certain I’ll be fine.” He held up one of the letters. “Decimus was on the verge of blowing this case wide open. I can finish what he started.”
She sighed. “I know I can’t stop you. Just listen to Tullius. Hear him out. He also wants to keep you safe.” She stood up and went to sweep the floor.
Lucullus went to bed early that night, though he couldn’t get the image of the sketches out of his mind. But how would they be able to find this mystery sender, let alone the murderer? They certainly couldn’t barge into the court of the Archduchess, and demand to see whoever sent the letter. And if Sabina is in on the conspiracy, too, then what? Perhaps Tullius had a point. This case was beyond them. He would need King Titus himself to intervene if they had any hope of finding this out. If it was just the two of them asking around about those mages, they’d paint a target on their backs.
Then an idea came to him. If they could figure out the connection between the letters and the map, they would have enough evidence to bring to King Titus. Only he had the authority to banish these mages once and for all. With such a mountain of proof, even a cowardly king would be forced to do something.