sway in their drunken stupor. No one made a sound, there was no opposition.
‘Rex!’ Bleist looked around for his deputy.
‘Yes, Colonel!’ The Guard quickly found himself next to his superior.
‘Take care of these...’ Darius didn’t finish. ‘And then take two of our men and bring the commander of this whole castle over here.’
‘Yes, sir,’ the corporal nodded and immediately began shouting orders.
Darius analysed the situation intensely. If there is a large criminal guild operating in Bushtabhar, it could complicate many things. He thought gloomily. It would be simpler if it turned out to be smugglers from the Sheheds. He shook his head in dissatisfaction. Neither possibility was good for him. Time will tell. First, let's deal with the murder. He concluded gloomily.
A sergeant in a grey army uniform appeared just moments after Rex disappeared into the enclave. The non-commissioned officer was followed by the Guards, and then several more soldiers. The middle-aged man was clearly in a hurry. His uniform was slightly dishevelled, and sweat glistened on his ebony skin, although it was unlikely to be a symptom of persistent heat. The soldier rushed on horseback, his terrified gaze trying to take in the scene unfolding between the crumbling cottages.
A few things had changed before he entered the enclave. First, all twelve people present at the sentry post had been placed in the middle of the empty area in front of the portal and tied with a thick rope. In addition, a binding spell had been cast on each of them, so they could do little more than follow the rope in single line. Secondly, the gate in the palisade, although it would be more accurate to describe it as a sliding barricade, was closed both physically and magically. Another change was that all the loot found in the surrounding shacks had been gathered in one place.
In the meantime, Darius wrote a short report to the headquarters in Alexandria, under whose jurisdiction Bushtabhar fell. Since Aphalis was involved, it was necessary to follow the rules. Bleist suspects that immediately after receiving the
