The Spirit War(114)

“First,” Eli said, walking over to the table beside the door, “I’m going to find out who’s been drugging you at night, and how. I’m guessing it happened again?”

“Yes,” Josef said. “And it got Nico too.”

“Really?” Eli said. “How curious.”

Josef frowned. “Why curious?”

“Because it didn’t get me,” Eli said. “Which rules out the food.”

“And you think the sleeping thing is related to the duke’s death?”

“I don’t know,” Eli said, running his hands along the wall. “But as I said, this is too much bad luck, even for you. Now keep your voice down.” He glanced pointedly at the door. “Bored soldiers have surprisingly sharp ears.”

Josef looked skeptically at the door, but he nodded and moved over to the couch, sitting down with the Heart between his legs.

“Where is Nico, anyway?” he said, trying to keep the annoyance out of his voice.

Eli ducked his head to examine the bookshelf. “Probably making herself useful. She’s not locked up, after all. No point in sticking around here.”

Josef had to give him that one. Still, it annoyed him that he didn’t know where Nico was. But complaining wasn’t going to get him anywhere, so he sat and stared at his sword, letting his mind go blank as he traced the Heart’s scarred surface. He could feel the battle coming, like a storm on the horizon. Good. Let it come. He would be ready.

Josef took a deep breath, letting the anger and frustration flow out of his mind. Then, in one smooth motion, he stood up and stepped into first position. Mindful of the small space, he raised the Heart and began to practice his swings. Eli shot him an annoyed look and stepped out of the way, continuing his investigation around Josef’s sword work.

Outside, dawn turned to morning as the sun peeked over the mountain.

Josef had just passed his one hundredth swing when Eli shouted, “Got it!”

Josef lowered his sword. Eli was standing in the corner looking unbearably smug and holding a candelabra.

“It’s the candles,” Eli said, wrenching a candlestick out of its holder. “Here, smell the wax.”

“No,” Josef said. “You just said it’s poison.”

“Only if you burn it,” Eli said, shoving the candlestick in his face. “Smell.”

Josef sniffed, wrinkling his nose. “Smells like bitter greens.”

Eli nodded. “That’s incenteth. Doctors use it to knock patients out for amputation, usually by making them smoke it. I never even thought of putting it in candles.” He sounded deeply impressed. “Kind of brilliant, actually. The candles burn down, slowly filling the room with the drug. Servants and others can enter and leave with no ill effects except a little drowsiness, but anyone staying in the room would get the full dose and fall into a deep sleep until the candles burned out and the drug stopped.”

“Well, I’m glad you’re impressed,” Josef grumbled. “But unless someone signed their name on those candles, we still don’t know who did it.”

“Up to this point, I’d have said the duke,” Eli said, putting the candle back with a long sigh. “I still think it could be, but that’s a moot point now, isn’t it?”

Josef scowled at that comment, but before he could answer, he heard a familiar step on the carpet behind him. He turned just in time to see Nico step out of the deep shadows by the window.

He smiled, but his smile dropped when he saw the expression on her face. “What?”

“Something’s going on down at the storm wall watchtower,” she said. “Two guard squads have already been sent in.”

Josef caught his breath. That was where he’d had his argument with the duke the day before. “What have they got against me now?”

Nico shook her head. “I don’t think that’s it,” she said, her voice low. “They called in medics as well.”

Josef frowned. “How close did you get?”

“Close enough to smell the blood,” Nico answered.

Josef nodded and turned toward the door.

“Josef,” Eli said. “Hold on just a—”

Josef didn’t wait to hear the rest. He grabbed the door handle and turned it sharply, snapping the lock. He pushed the door open in time to see the two door guards turn and scramble to block his way.

Josef glowered. “Move.”

“I’m sorry, my lord,” the left guard said, shaking his head. “We can’t let you—”

Josef reached out with both hands and grabbed each guard by the helmet. Bracing his feet, he slammed their heads together as hard as he could. The helmets hit with a metal crash, and the two guards dropped.