the ground the spider glowed briefly with a sparkling energy that was not natural. Then it dissolved to nothingness, leaving the leather thong as the only evidence of its existence.
At the same time, the man laying on the street suddenly convulsed and groaned as if in extreme pain before going limp and deathly pale. Reynik did not have to check his breathing to know that he
was dead.
‘What in Shand’s name . . . ?’
Assassins, he could cope with, but this weird magical stuff was a totally different prospect. The supernatural was something he had always left well alone. Had he killed the man by hitting him
with the handle of the shovel, or was there something more sinister at work here? The silver wolf spider talisman had clearly been more than just a decoration, but what had its purpose been? It was
a mystery that he suspected would not be easily solved.
It took Reynik a long time to drag the man back to the guard post at the end of the South West Avenue. He had not realised they had run so far. When he got there the entire Legion campsite was
in uproar. Fortunately, the two guards who had failed to help pursue the assassin were still a part of the group on duty. They were quick to relieve him of the body without too many questions.
‘What’s going on?’ he asked. ‘I’m guessing all the activity is due to our friend here, but who was his target?’
A Legionnaire with File Leader rank markings on his sleeve answered the question. ‘Our Legion Commander has been murdered. If this is his killer, then you’ve done well. None of the
others have been apprehended.’
‘I’m afraid he won’t be answering any questions, File Leader. He didn’t want to come quietly and I inadvertently rapped him on the head too hard. He’s dead. You
mentioned others, File Leader. There were more victims, or more assassins?’
‘Three other Legion Commanders died this evening, aside from our own. I can’t imagine this man was responsible for all four deaths. It would be impossible for one man to travel that
far in such a short time. It’s been a disastrous night for the Legions.’
The File Leader’s information brought a bitter flood of bile to Reynik’s throat. ‘My father is a Legion Commander. Do you know the names of the dead?’
The File Leader returned Reynik’s gaze apprehensively. ‘I don’t know all of their names,’ he said warily, ‘but I do know which Legions they commanded. Which Legion
does your father command?’
‘The Third Legion.’
‘Then as far as I know, your father still lives.’
Reynik heaved a grateful sigh and sank to the ground as his body flushed warm with relief. For a moment, he had felt sure that he was about to hear the worst possible news. His mind was racing
with memories of his uncle’s murder. Assassins were the worst kind of killers, he concluded: cold blooded, and motivated solely by monetary reward. It was good that the Emperor had declared
them
anaethus drax.
Now the assassins had given their response. It appeared that the Emperor had instigated a war of sorts. The assassins had fired the first volley, making sure it was the
military that took the casualties. It would be interesting to see how the Emperor would respond.
The File Leader thought it impossible for a single man to kill the four Legion Commanders, but an image of the disappearing talisman gave Reynik reason to doubt. This too sounded impossible, but
it had happened. He was certain of it. Was there a connection? If there was, then new lines of reasoning could lead them towards any one of a myriad of unlikely possibilities.
‘Are you all right? I can see you’re bleeding. Do you need the medics?’ The File Leader squatted down next to him.
Reynik looked at his arm and saw that blood had seeped through the bandage and stained his sleeve again.
‘I could do with a few stitches. He sliced my arm pretty badly when we fought. I bandaged it with my torn shirt and took his since he didn’t need it
At the same time, the man laying on the street suddenly convulsed and groaned as if in extreme pain before going limp and deathly pale. Reynik did not have to check his breathing to know that he
was dead.
‘What in Shand’s name . . . ?’
Assassins, he could cope with, but this weird magical stuff was a totally different prospect. The supernatural was something he had always left well alone. Had he killed the man by hitting him
with the handle of the shovel, or was there something more sinister at work here? The silver wolf spider talisman had clearly been more than just a decoration, but what had its purpose been? It was
a mystery that he suspected would not be easily solved.
It took Reynik a long time to drag the man back to the guard post at the end of the South West Avenue. He had not realised they had run so far. When he got there the entire Legion campsite was
in uproar. Fortunately, the two guards who had failed to help pursue the assassin were still a part of the group on duty. They were quick to relieve him of the body without too many questions.
‘What’s going on?’ he asked. ‘I’m guessing all the activity is due to our friend here, but who was his target?’
A Legionnaire with File Leader rank markings on his sleeve answered the question. ‘Our Legion Commander has been murdered. If this is his killer, then you’ve done well. None of the
others have been apprehended.’
‘I’m afraid he won’t be answering any questions, File Leader. He didn’t want to come quietly and I inadvertently rapped him on the head too hard. He’s dead. You
mentioned others, File Leader. There were more victims, or more assassins?’
‘Three other Legion Commanders died this evening, aside from our own. I can’t imagine this man was responsible for all four deaths. It would be impossible for one man to travel that
far in such a short time. It’s been a disastrous night for the Legions.’
The File Leader’s information brought a bitter flood of bile to Reynik’s throat. ‘My father is a Legion Commander. Do you know the names of the dead?’
The File Leader returned Reynik’s gaze apprehensively. ‘I don’t know all of their names,’ he said warily, ‘but I do know which Legions they commanded. Which Legion
does your father command?’
‘The Third Legion.’
‘Then as far as I know, your father still lives.’
Reynik heaved a grateful sigh and sank to the ground as his body flushed warm with relief. For a moment, he had felt sure that he was about to hear the worst possible news. His mind was racing
with memories of his uncle’s murder. Assassins were the worst kind of killers, he concluded: cold blooded, and motivated solely by monetary reward. It was good that the Emperor had declared
them
anaethus drax.
Now the assassins had given their response. It appeared that the Emperor had instigated a war of sorts. The assassins had fired the first volley, making sure it was the
military that took the casualties. It would be interesting to see how the Emperor would respond.
The File Leader thought it impossible for a single man to kill the four Legion Commanders, but an image of the disappearing talisman gave Reynik reason to doubt. This too sounded impossible, but
it had happened. He was certain of it. Was there a connection? If there was, then new lines of reasoning could lead them towards any one of a myriad of unlikely possibilities.
‘Are you all right? I can see you’re bleeding. Do you need the medics?’ The File Leader squatted down next to him.
Reynik looked at his arm and saw that blood had seeped through the bandage and stained his sleeve again.
‘I could do with a few stitches. He sliced my arm pretty badly when we fought. I bandaged it with my torn shirt and took his since he didn’t need it
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