She gave us the names of the people she saw. Most of her testimony consisted of gossip she’d heard; a parade of half-remembered, half-sotted conversations that had been half drowned out by the pipers. She only saw Nusis and Uhad fleetingly.
“Uhad, being insufferably supercilious,” Kalista said, “was there but a moment. Stayed long enough to be polite, and no longer. Nusis attended with some of the Apoth folk. If I recall, several of the younger, rather sotted men tried to chat with her—it was quite late in the day by then—but she dissuaded them all, claiming she was bound to another.” A rather cruel smirk. “First I’ve heard of that.”
“You didn’t see anyone who didn’t seem to belong there? Perhaps a tall, stern woman with pale yellow hair?” asked Ana.
“You mean Jolgalgan? No, I saw no one resembling her.”
“Nor anyone looking, say, slightly dirty?” asked Ana. “No one with a bit of soil on their sleeve?”
“Dirty?” echoed Kalista. “I…No, not that I recall.”
“Did anything of note happen?” asked Ana, growing impatient.
“I did hear a commotion before I left. There had been a fire in the second-floor hall. A small one. Some spark had escaped its hearth and alighted on a rug. I didn’t see it, but I passed by the area, and saw nothing awry. There was a smell in the air, though.”
“Describe it, please.”
“Oh, well…I’m not sure how.” She wrinkled her nose. “Smelled like goat’s piss, if you ask me. A powerful aroma. Thought it odd. Though…” A nervous smile. “Though I’m not the sort of person to often handle goats, of course.”
“I’d never dare suggest so,” said Ana, grinning. “Did you see anyone about this fireplace beforehand?”
“No. As I said, I didn’t see it.”
“And you didn’t see anyone unusual entering the party from the gardens?”
Kalista stared at Ana placidly and blinked. “I’m afraid,” she said, “I’d had a bit too much fumes and wine by that point to be, ah, reliable.”
“You mean you were sotted enough to piss your trousers,” said Ana, “and never know it.”
“Well,” said Kalista, scandalized, “I…I wouldn’t quite say tha—”
“You know now of Kaygi’s death, yes?” demanded Ana.
Kalista stopped and nodded nervously.
“And you likely know of the nature of the death.”
“Dappleglass. Again. Yes.”
“Do you know of any connection between Kaygi Haza and Commander Blas?”
“I know they were friendly,” said Kalista. “But Blas was known by man—”
“By many people, yes, yes, yes,” said Ana. “But you are not aware of any special relationship between the two?”
“No. I am not privy to such things, of course.”
Ana nodded slowly. “And are you aware of any connection between Commander Blas, and Kaygi Haza, and the canton of Oypat?”
There was a long silence.
“Beyond…” Kalista said slowly. “Beyond that all three were apparently killed by the same contagion?”
“Yes. Is there anything else that could connect the three?”
“No. But why should there be? As far as I am aware, Blas has never served in Oypat.”
Ana nodded, her smile retracting very slightly. “I see…Then thank you, Immunis Kalista. I believe that is all we need from you.”
* * *
—
NEXT CAME IMMUNIS Uhad, entering slowly in his storklike gait, his blue Iudex cloak swirling about him. He looked exhausted and beleaguered as usual, like a piece of vellum worn so thin you could see the cloudy sun through it. He sat down in the chair, his fingers threaded together, and sighed and said, “So…Kaygi Haza is dead.”
“Correct!” said Ana.
“In fact,” he said balefully, “the man has been dead for over two weeks.”
“So it seems.”
A taut silence.
“They’re going to come at you, you know, Ana,” said Uhad.
“I beg your pardon?” she said.
“I’ve worked as Iudex investigator here for too long to think otherwise. The Hazas will find a way to attack you. You might think this is their key play—coming in and announcing this hidden murder, starting off this bit from the negotiator’s chair—but they will have other designs, surely.”
“Do you really need to tell me, Uhad,” said Ana, “of all people, that the Hazas are prone to schemes and plots?”