Read The Inquisitives [2] Night of Long Shadows for Free Online Page A

place?”
    The young man narrowed his eyes at Wren. “Outside Karrnath.”
    “Really? Would this be outside Karrnath in the Talenta Plains, or outside Karrnath in the rather unfriendly mountains of the Mror Holds?”
    “Uh—”
    “Or maybe it was in the Mournland? Yes? No?”
    “I … I can’t remember.” The man put a hand to his forehead as if he had a headache. “It’s the trauma, you see. It sometimes makes me forget things. But you wouldn’t know about that.”
    “I would, as a matter of fact. And I also know that during the War you were nowhere near the frontline. How did you get in here, anyway? I didn’t invite you.”
    “This is your party?”
    “It is.”
    “I didn’t know.”
    “Obviously.”
    They stared at each other. Finally, the young man looked away, flushing with embarrassment. “Uh, maybe I’d better go …”
    Wren waved his hand dismissively. “You’re here now,” he said. “You may as well stay. Have some wine. It’s from Aundair.”
    “Um, thank you.” The young man glanced at the girl, hesitated, then shook his head and wandered off. The girl stared at Wren, eyebrows raised.
    “That was rather cruel.”
    “Was it?” Wren scratched a pointed ear—a gift from his elf father—and frowned. “I didn’t notice.”
    “No, I imagine not. You were too busy staring at me.”
    “Can you blame me?”
    “No, not really.” The elf grinned, taking a small sip of wine and staring at Wren over the rim of the crystal glass.
    Wren smiled back. Maybe things were looking up after all. He took her by the arm and gently guided her away from the confused elf who had been so impressed by the war stories. “Should we go somewhere a bit less … boring?”
    “Didn’t you say this was your party?”
    Wren shrugged. “I’m afraid it hasn’t lived up to the hype.”
    “I see. So, where should we go?”
    “Well, my place is not far. We can enjoy the view of the park and enjoy some wine from my cellar.”
    “You have apartments in Skysedge Park?”
    “I do.”
    “May I ask—what do you do for a living?”
    “Oh. Forgive me.” Wren bowed low, almost touching the grass with his trailing fingers. “Abraxis Wren. Master inquisitive of House Medani. At your service.”
    “You’re an inquisitive?”
    “I am.”
    “Following philandering husbands and tracking down missing children obviously pays a lot better than I was led to believe.”
    Wren chuckled. “No, I’m afraid it doesn’t. But then, I don’t take on those types of cases.”
    “Is that so? And what types of cases
do
you take on?”
    “Ones that interest me. Ones that pose some kind of challenge. I’m easily bored, you see.”
    “Forgive me for prying, but how can you afford such an extravagant lifestyle?”
    “Extravagant?” Wren laughed. “Oh, my dear, you should have seen how my father lived. Now there was an elf who knew how to throw a party. No, my needs are humble. I inherited my apartments and some money when my father drank himself to death. Something my human mother had been warning him about for years. I—”
    Wren froze mid sentence and peered over the elf’s shoulder. She turned to see what he was looking at.
    “What?” she asked.
    “Forgive me, my lady. I’m afraid we’ll have to postponethat drink. I smell something interesting.”
    He handed his glass to the woman and hurried past her. He thought he heard her swearing at him but he couldn’t be sure. A shame. She looked like she would have been fun. But better things awaited. He targeted a group of important-looking men clustered around the tall figure of Master Larrien ir’Morgrave, the head of Morgrave University. Judging from the urgent hand gestures and the upset look on Larrien’s lean face, something dramatic was afoot.
    “Larrien,” Wren said, approaching the group. “Enjoying the party?”
    Larrien looked up in surprise, his features rearranging into a smile. He smoothed back his fine white hair. “Truth to tell, Wren, it’s not