Read Gary Gygax - Dangerous Journeys 1 - Anubis Murders for Free Online Page B

about one another, so to speak. I doubt, dear girl, that the average citizen of Camelough, for instance, has ever heard of me. On the other hand, we also have means of knowing just who isn't around any longer. That is what intrigues me. I should have known about the deaths of such magi—"
    "So should I have known—at least by means other than courier reports. There is nothing, a blank," the Behon finished with a shrug.
    Tallesian was hopeful as he spoke next. "There is no denying that you are most difficult to locate, Magister. It took much mundane searching and questioning to discover your whereabouts."
    "That's the power of the Egyptian thauma-turgists for you!" Aldriss asserted. "No offense, learned Magister."
    "No. Of course not. I have a question: Were all those murdered of the Black Arts?"
    The Behon shook his head. "We thought of that. There is no telling about the Northerners, but the grand duke was at best a dabbler in the energies of evil, and the masters of the Hansa were most certainly not inclined toward anything but profit and gain from trading—"
    "And then there's the most recent threat," Tallesian inserted.
    Setne noticed the frown the ovate bestowed upon Tallesian and directed his question to the Behon rather than the druid. "So this Master of Jackals has sent further demands?"
    "To Lyonnesse."
    "I thought as much," Inhetep said with a tinge of self-satisfaction. "I am puzzled. You surely, Behon, have sufficient heka to discover something about this whole matter, do you not?"
    "I am unable to," the gray man said, looking old and tired as he admitted it. "No casting will discover who is behind this thing. Magick of all sorts brought to bear on the scene of the murder, the corpse, the witnesses reveals absolutely nothing. It is as if it was all done by some strange power, some science, unknown to this world."
    "I need to know everything possible about the affair in Ys where Haut Omniurge Bertrand Frontonac was done in," Setne snapped. If any of his visitors noted his recall of the demonurge's full title and name, they passed it off as excellent memory. The Behon narrated the full story as it had come from Camelough's spy within the Academie Sorcerie. Because the bard had been trained for recounting from memory, Aldriss supplied many details the magus overlooked, and even Tallesian had a few bits to add. "What's this business about black jackals?" Inhetep finally asked when the whole tale seemed to have been related.
    "A pair of watchmen admitted seeing a pack of them—wild dogs, they claimed at first, but admitted later that they were strange-looking. Their descriptions fit only jackals—bigger than normal, though. Anyway," Aldriss went on, "these two guards saw the creatures first, just before midnight on the eleventh of the month, outside the gate to the college. There were a number of others who saw them too, and several boatmen and fishers swear that they saw and heard things like seawolves, only they were sea-jackals, swimming in the waters of the academy's shore."
    "Who is now under threat of death?"
    "That," the Behon said firmly, "must wait until you agree to come with us to Lyonnesse."
    Setne glanced at Rachelle. Her expression showed eagerness. "No, thank you noble sirs, but I must say no. You see I am on holiday—a holiday promised for a long time and finally delivered. I cannot break my word on this matter. . . ."
    "Holiday? Ridiculous!" said the bard. "How much longer is your blasted vacation to last?"
    "Oh, at least two weeks, I am sure. Isn't that correct, Rachelle?"
    "Well . . . Perhaps you might consider a hiatus. . . . she replied, without looking at the wizard-priest.
    "That is a possibility to keep in mind, but there is another matter I am curious about. You three have certainly noted your opinion of my ability to solve problems such as this one, yet I am far from being either the greatest dweomer-craefter or the most able criminologist. Tell me what caused you to come seeking me all