Irressa didn’t speak while they walked, focused on rooting out any danger to keep Kari and Aeligos safe. Kari exchanged more than one glance with Aeligos to see if he sensed any danger. Aeligos had worked for many years as a rogue and infiltrator, and consequently had finely tuned instincts when it came to sensing trouble. Whether it was a feel to the air, a sense of anxiety among the common people, or even just a troublesome look to where they were going, Aeligos had the street smarts to pick up on things that most people missed.
Kari had a great nose for danger of a physical nature: people, creatures, or even unclean spirits. She had the instincts of a seasoned demonhunter that made her an incredible survivalist, even three years removed from active field duty. And yet Aeligos’ senses left Kari in awe at times. He seemed to have a sixth sense for danger, which either stemmed from or contributed to his roguish nature and brilliant tactical mind.
Thankfully, Aeligos seemed perfectly at ease walking the nighttime streets, which were well-lit but far from bright, even under the rising moons. The night air was cool, so most people had cloaks wrapped about them, but Aeligos didn’t seem find anyone alarming.
Irressa led them to the city’s lower east side, south of the docks and the arena, one of the dirtier and rougher parts of the city. It wasn’t a slum, but simply where the laborers and dockworkers tended to congregate, so it was more in line with what many called “low-class.” It may have lacked the polish and luxuriousness of the nicer parts of the city, but to Kari, this rougher part held some charm. She had grown up on the streets of Solaris, a street urchin who survived by her wits and wiles, and she had seen far worse in those days than DarkWind’s lower east side.
At last they arrived at Charlie’s Boarding House, a ramshackle-looking two-story hostel. In the nicer districts near Kyrie’s home, Kari imagined the place would likely go out of business in short order. Here, though, its rugged exterior fit right in, giving visiting sailors and migratory workers the impression that it wasn’t a high-priced establishment. It was the type of place Kari remembered visiting in those odd times as a youth when she’d squirreled away enough coin to afford a decent meal and a bath. Those times were few and far between in her days as a homeless teenager, but for all the rough reputation such places held and the disdain the more well-to-do might have held for them, Kari remembered the pity those proprietors had taken on her. Despite her Lady title and her position among the Order, Kari still considered these “her people.”
Kaelin Black was on the inn’s porch speaking with members of the city watch when Kari approached. Black glanced toward her briefly and his expression was a mystery to her. She expected he would either be angry that his safety had been threatened or embarrassed that he’d been wrapped up in a homicide in another duchy, but she found neither in his measured gaze. She thought, based on his expression, that he was expecting her to be angry, and bracing himself for a verbal lashing.
Kari held her tongue. She couldn’t let her personal feelings toward Kaelin Black lead her to do or say anything foolish or threatening. The Order had broad authority, but they still had to respect the nobility, as Master Bennet had reminded her. With that in mind, Kari merely nodded her head curtly to Lord Black as she approached. After returning the gesture, he continued speaking to the serilian-rir watch captain. Aeligos regarded the watch captain curiously but gave no voice to his thoughts.
“Ah, Lady Vanador, thank you for coming,” the captain said. She turned toward Kari and bowed her head politely. The captain was a burly serilian-rir—half-elite by Kari’s reckoning—with smooth features and a warm smile, given the situation. Female half-demons were fairly rare and were generally marked by strong features and accentuated curves. The captain’s hair was braided and tucked into her chain coat, which had splits in the back to allow her wings through, and her dull crimson eyes were full of skeptical experience that was plain to see when she met Kari’s gaze. “I’m sorry to have bothered you at this hour, but I understand Lord Black has been speaking with the Order, so I assumed when I found him at the scene that the Order might take an interest in this.”
“I seem to have underestimated the Blood Order,” Black said dryly, which drew an irritated glance from the watch captain. “They found me a lot faster than I expected.”
The watch captain sucked in her lower lip, trying hard not to say anything rude to the visiting Earl, and Kari was relieved to find he had that effect on more than just her. It was well-known that the Blood Order was a sore point to bring up with the city watch. Kari had to imagine Kaelin Black would know that with his own ties to organized crime. The captain was working hard to keep up the appearance of respect and courtesy, but the Earl’s words had clearly struck a nerve. Kari had to stifle a laugh as she beheld the serilian-rir fuming silently at each other. Though Kaelin Black was a big man, the watch captain was a burly woman and Kari didn’t imagine she’d hesitate to cuff the Earl if she felt she was within her rights to do so.
Kari sized up the massive form of Kaelin Black and shook her head. “Somehow I doubt finding you would be any trouble at all,” she commented, and he smirked at her before Kari turned her attention to the watch captain. Kari extended her hand, and the captain shook it and took the cue to introduce herself.
“Captain Sul’Imadra,” the half-elite woman said with another polite bow of her head. “We’ve kept anyone from entering the inn so the scene would remain relatively undisturbed. If I may ask, Lady, who is this?”
“This is my brother-in-law, Aeligos. He’s got a sharp eye for details, and he offered to help take a look at the scene,” Kari answered.
“Ah, well, by all means, then,” Captain Sul’Imadra said, gesturing toward the door.
Irressa stayed by the door to let Kari and Aeligos investigate uninterrupted. Whatever the outside of Charlie’s Boarding House suggested, its interior quickly overcame. Its common room was cozy and warm with the heat of a fire that cast an eerie soft glow. The floors were clean except where the bodies lay, the furnishings were well maintained, and two simple chandeliers would allow for more lighting as necessary. The place was far from a dive. It would’ve been odd to see a good-quality inn with no one about early in the evening in this district, but as Kari looked at the scene of the crime, the emptiness became the least curious thing.
Splayed about the room were three dead humans lying in pools of their own blood. It was obvious, even at first glance, that each had died from slash and stab wounds that had found every weak point in their armor. Their weapons lay impotently beside them. Aeligos confirmed they were members of the Blood Order: Their shoulders were tattooed or branded with the guild’s mark. Something seemed strange about the scene, but Kari couldn’t quite put her finger on it; she was glad she’d brought Aeligos along.
She looked around again, getting a measure of what might have happened, and marked the positions of the bodies: one at the base of the stairs, one in the far-left corner, and the third halfway between the other two. It seemed unlikely that Kaelin Black could have killed three well-trained assassins without getting so much as a scratch on him.
Kari looked over at Aeligos when he muttered a surprised whoa. “What is it?” she asked as she approached.
“Take a look here,” he said, pointing to a stab wound on the body nearest the stairs.