The Power and the Glory

Book 2 Chapter XVI: The Storm Breaks

"She is now I've ordered her to protect me."

Despite how confidently she spoke, Abi walked through the palace gates with a growing sense of foreboding. It increased with every step. The crypt was a good distance away. Assuming she was attacked, even assuming the corpse did sense she was in danger, how could it get out of the coffin, up the stairs, and all the way from the main entrance in time to help her? With a shudder she remembered how heavy the stone coffin lid was. Could the corpse even manage to open it alone?

~~~~

There was still a great deal Abi didn't know about necromancy. To be fair to her, she knew this and acknowledged it -- though not out loud. She didn't know, for instance, that the corpse's limited awareness was tied to her magic. She also didn't know that her magic reacted to her emotions. It sensed she was worried, it sensed she knew of a threat to her life, and it instinctively prepared to defend her.

Down in the crypt the corpse stirred. One driving thought filled its brain. Its creator was in danger. It had to protect her.

With its stiff and clumsy hands it pushed at the lid with all its strength. Unlike a living person it never got tired and never felt pain. Inch by inch the stone slid back. The corpse staggered out into the open air. It had no need to take stock of its surroundings. Once again Abi's magic drew it like a beacon.

~~~~

Arrogant fool, Ilaran thought as Abihira walked away. She's going to get herself killed soon.

He went back into the house. A sudden feeling of unease made him stop on the doorstep and look back. Abi was already out of sight. There was no sound of a disturbance or struggle. He stepped into the hall. The uneasy feeling strengthened. It grew worse as he slowly walked towards the sitting room door.

Ilaran stopped. Years of knowing people were trying to kill him had taught him there was often a reason for seemingly-irrational worry. Sometimes his magic could sense a threat he didn't.

Instead of going into the sitting room he opened the door to his bedroom. His knives sat on the shelf beside the door. He picked them up and set out after Abihira.

~~~~

Even though the rain was over the pavement was still very wet. Puddles gathered in every crack in the stones. No matter how much she tried to avoid standing in them Abi found her footsteps made constant splashing noises. The most oblivious person in the world couldn't have failed to hear her. Worse, the splish-splash of her own footsteps made it almost impossible to hear anything else. Was that someone else walking through a puddle or just an echo? Or it might even be water dripping off leaves. She had no way of knowing. That uncertainty only increased her jumpiness.

It was almost a relief when she saw someone else ahead. Finally her alarm had something tangible to focus on instead of trying to convince her the slightest sound meant there were assassins lurking in the hedgerows.

At first glance there was nothing truly suspicious about the woman walking towards her. She wore the practical, unostentatious clothes of a senior maid or junior housekeeper. Abi almost dismissed her as a random passer-by only there by chance. When she took a closer look she spotted all the seemingly minor things that contradicted such a surmise.

A servant would always have keys at her waist. Whether they were the keys to every room in a mansion or just to her own lodgings, she would never venture out without them securely tied to her belt in case she misplaced them or got locked out. They would clank as she moved, making enough noise to be heard from a distance. This woman's movements were silent apart from the water splashing underfoot.