something about Murphy ages ago,’ Al-Satar almost growled. He seemed embittered and somewhat weighed down by the information he had just heard. ‘If only I weren’t afraid of his father...’
‘We all make mistakes,’ Darius said, looking at his companion. ‘Unfortunately, you eventually have to pay for every one of them.’
The lieutenant didn’t reply; he just looked around. Apart from the two of them and one of the Ruby Guards, they were alone, or at least out of earshot of bystanders.
‘It was all too much for me,’ the officer suddenly confessed. ‘I couldn’t react in time; I went along with everything that was happening, thinking we’d manage somehow. Nothing worked out.’ He sighed heavily, trying to calm himself down a little. ‘First tax evasion, a drop in security, bandits, and now Aphalis being handed out as bribes.’ He gritted his teeth. ‘I suppose the only thing missing is a dark wizard, and we’ll have the full set of troubles.’
‘I admit that when I set out for here, I had a completely different idea of Bushtabhar. The reports and documents paint a very different picture of the enclave. They mention problems that no one here has heard of, and what plagues the inhabitants most isn’t in the papers.’ He shook his head, not knowing what to make of it all. ‘Since I arrived, I’ve found more questions than answers here.’
‘The charm of this cursed place.’ The lieutenant laughed hoarsely. It seemed that his earlier tirade had helped him, and he had shed some of the weight. ‘I could swear that ever since Murphy turned up, something’s been haunting us all.’
‘I'd be careful with statements like that; who knows if they might turn out to be true?’ Darius smiled wryly.
‘That would be such a simple answer,’ the officer sighed.
Suddenly, a rider on a foaming horse burst through the main gate. Even from a distance, it was clear he was agitated. Without waiting for anything and paying no heed to etiquette, he rode up to them. The soldier dismounted right next to the lieutenant and seemed
