the more I heard about it, the more inclined I was to believe it.’
‘Rumours usually turn out to be cheap sensationalism or a massive distortion of the truth.’ It was difficult to narrow down the matters a historian might have heard about, but Darius ruled out all those with which he had no connection, and not many remained. He considered the leak of information about Bushtabhar the most likely explanation. Even if he’d expected it, he hadn’t anticipated it happening so soon. The second matter that might have unsettled the Count to such an extent that he decided on an unexpected visit was the truth about Draco's race. Questions about Nikos, particularly about the book on dragon ailments, might have put the old man on the right track, and a rumour he’d overheard might have aroused further suspicion.
‘With so many years under my belt, I know this all too well, believe me, Colonel.’ He paused briefly. ‘However, it doesn’t matter whether the rumour is true or not. It was precisely that, combined with our conversation, that reminded me of something. Two decades ago, one of my friends asked me for my opinion on a certain manuscript. Even back then, I was regarded as an expert on the works of Nikos of Itea, and the manuscript was said to be his. Fascinated, I agreed to help. The book, or rather what remained of it, was in a pitiful state. Not only had it been ravaged by the passage of time, but a large part of the folio had been burnt, leaving only the central sections. It took me quite some time to decipher the somewhat faded characters, but it was a labour of love. The vampiric dialect, the recurring word ‘persis’, the style and character of the handwriting, everything matched… Except for the content.’ Veson fell silent, as if he were sifting through his own memories and wondering why he hadn’t noticed something earlier.
‘I take it this wasn’t another volume of Rare Ailments and Their Cures.’
‘Yes, it wasn’t.’ The Count’s expression darkened. Whatever was contained in the
