Chentas’ head rolled a few feet across the ground, coming to rest at the feet of Assesia Wreth.
Four swords rang against the ground, falling from the limp hands of Chentas’ body just as Soen finished his turn, planted his feet in a wide stance, and swung the blade down from above his head, driving it through the back of the chimerian and out the front of its chest.
Only then did Soen hear the thunderous shouts of the Impress Warriors around him. The Tribunes were quickly sorting them back into their units and regaining order, as Soen knew they would. He whispered to his Matei, and the glowing blade vanished, leaving only the blood to emerge from the wound.
“Master Inquisitor,” Qinsei spoke as she approached him. “What does it mean?”
Soen knelt next to the body, considering it for a time, and then stood up, shifting his gaze to the fold portal at the other end of the marshaling field. We have not even crossed the Ibanian borders, he thought. It is worse than the Keeper believes. . worse than even I could imagine.
Soen turned back to his First. “It means that the trouble has found us. We will not be camping here or, I suspect, anywhere else tonight. Phang, have Assesia Yarou make a sketch of the Devotional tattoo on the chimerian’s head-he’s got a talent for that sort of thing-then prepare the Quorum for battle.”
“Battle, Master?” Phang asked in surprise.
“Yes, battle, Phang,” Soen said, placing his long hands on his hips as he thought. “We’re going to follow the trail back to its source, and if this Chentas is an example of what we have ahead of us, our best course will be following a trail of murderous, insane slaves attacking everyone in sight to their source.”
Qinsei’s eyes narrowed. “Back to this. . this House Acheran?”
“Yes, if there is such a House,” Soen said. “Have you ever heard of it?”
“No, Master.”
“Phang?”
“No, Master.”
“Neither have I,” Soen said, fingering his Matei staff as he thought.
“It must be a minor House nearby,” Phang said. “Some Fifth Estate fool who lost control of a handful of slaves.”
“No, Qinsei,” Soen said, looking down at the body of the dead chimerian. “The Keeper tells me this trouble started in Icara-and that more than a dozen Houses are involved.”
“Icara!” Qinsei’s voice rose in tone. “That’s at the edge of the Western Provinces. . it would take us another day just to get there.”
“Longer if we have to fight our way through some of the marshaling fields,” Soen agreed, “which we almost certainly will have to do. But it is the Will of the Emperor. . the Will of the Keeper. . and my will that we find this-this House Acheran or whatever House is responsible- and secure its truth for the good of the Empire and the glory of our Order. Gather the Quorum-we leave at once.”
“Aye, Master Inquisitor,” Qinsei said as she straightened her back with pride.
Soen watched his Codexia as they moved back to instruct the rest of the Quorum. He reflected for a moment that Jukung would no doubt find some way to report back to Ch’drei and he wondered what the old woman would think of all this.
He turned and gazed once more toward the fold portal at the far end of the hollow
House Acheran, he thought, struggling to recall anything in his vast memory about the name. Who in all the gods of the Void knows ANY House Acheran?