shook his head and hoped that the surgeon was wiser than the locals surrounding him.
And he was right. A tall, slender Shehed in an infantry uniform emerged from the crowd. The exposed parts of his body resembled oak bark, the spikes on his head were copper-coloured, and his pistachio-green eyes pierced right through you even from a distance. In one hand he held a leather bag, and in the other he clutched a white coat. Bleist hadn’t had much to do with members of his race, but even so, it seemed to him that the surgeon was tired.
The man quickly approached the Guards. He did not look frightened or overly anxious. His reaction was certainly a welcome return to normality.
‘Corporal Erthvat Oxern, at your service, Colonel.’ The soldier saluted and stood to attention.
‘Colonel Darius Bleist.’ Earl returned the courtesy, keeping an eye on the slowly growing crowd out of the corner of his eye. ‘I see you’re busy.’
‘I'm doing what I can since the city doctors stopped being paid.’ A note of discontent crept into the soldier’s voice. ‘Though often I can do little more than throw up my hands.’
‘Yes, I learnt from Lieutenant Al-Satar that you are also the local coroner.’
‘Oh, so that’s what this is about.’ All the air suddenly went out of the shehed. His hunched back, slumped shoulders and slightly narrowed eyes no longer spoke of fatigue, but of exhaustion. ‘I didn’t expect someone so prominent to take on this case.’
‘It has caused… quite a stir.’ Darius gestured suggestively towards the locals eyeing them suspiciously. ‘I’d like to hear your view on everything that’s happened.’
The corporal nodded and adjusted his coat on his shoulder.
‘In that case, I suggest we continue this conversation in my study.’ Shehed gestured invitingly towards the temple exit. ‘I rarely go there, but this time it will suit us perfectly.’
As it turned out, the small study that Oxern used was located in one of the side streets, quite close to the temple. Although it would be more accurate to say that
