be difficult to come by in Bushtabhar.’ He shrugged. ‘Before anyone touches him, I’d also advise you to put on something protective yourselves.’ Shehed stretched his arms and yawned. ‘Do you gentlemen need anything else from me?’
‘No, that’s enough.’ Darius shook the medic’s hand. ‘Thank you very much for your help.’
'I haven't done anything worth thanking me for.' Oxern shook the outstretched hand. 'It’s a shame he ended up here and didn’t manage to reach the temple or the citadel. Perhaps then there would have been cause for gratitude.’ He sighed heavily and began to gather his things. ‘I hope you find the answers to your questions, Colonel. If there’s anything else I can do to help, please send for me.’
‘Thank you all the same,’ said Earl with a faint smile. ‘I’ll send someone with you so you don’t have to walk back alone after dark.’ He beckoned over one of the Guards who were still bustling about the room, trying to check thoroughly that they hadn’t overlooked a hiding place or some small object.
‘What do you think of that?’ Darius broke the silence as he and Rex emerged from the basement and sat down in the living area of the courier office.
‘Whatever happened, it didn’t take place in the city.’ The corporal shook his head. ‘One person couldn’t have used so many different types of magic. According to Oxern, there were a few curses as well.’
‘The question is, where did the fight take place?’ Bleist opened the manuscript found near the body and examined the notes. Although he was unable to decipher them, he could roughly tell that it was a diary. It was possible that, before his death, the Guard had been observing a target or making brief notes about the days that followed. ‘The tunnel leads south-west, so I assume it’s somewhere in that direction.’
‘But how far outside the city will we have to look?’ Rex stood up and walked over to the window. It was clear he was troubled by the situation with the slain Guard, though it was
