Only Darius, Rex and a few other members of the Azure Guard went to the crime scene. The rest were to wait for them in the inn’s main hall. Bleist had questions for the witnesses, but first he wanted to think them through and discuss them with his deputy.
The door to the indicated room was locked, which offered little protection even against those unfamiliar with magic. The lock clicked quietly and they were able to peer inside. The interior was flooded with the light of magical sparks, revealing a terrifying sight, and the smell of musty, stagnant air mingled with the sweet stench of rotting meat, causing stomach cramps.
The medium-sized room, containing four simple beds, a wardrobe and a small table, was in a state of utter ruin. Some of the furniture had been smashed to pieces and hurled with great force towards the outer wall of the building, whilst the rest lay overturned and covered in numerous gash marks. Furthermore, almost every surface was splattered with long-dried blood. The most blood was found beneath the window. A large stain resembled the shape of a human body lying in an unnaturally contorted position.
Even at a cursory glance, Darius could tell that some of the items had been moved after the massacre. It would be difficult to determine what the attacker had done and what the soldiers did. He thought, shaking his head. He had no illusions and could say with certainty that, despite the thoroughness of the on-site inspection report, there was no one there who had even the slightest idea of how to conduct an investigation in such cases. If any traces had been visible, they had long since been obliterated.
Bleist stepped inside. He didn’t feel like it, but he had to. He had no intention of leaving everything to his subordinates, and certainly not such a vile task. Although he could have. Wrinkling his nose, he took a few steps and looked around again. Little could be deduced from the state of the room alone, and the only certainty was that Caim Rocha had
