A Charm for Draius: A Novel of the Broken Kaskea (The Broken Kaskea Series Book 1) by Laura E. Reeve Page B

King’s Law and I can quote that paragraph, too, but it’s unlikely to ever be enforced.” Draius looked at Lornis coldly, then turned back to Perinon. “Sire, I cannot support the hysteria being whipped up by the H&H . If this case cannot be solved by methods that have stood us good stead for years, then perhaps I’m not the best—”
    “Officer Draius is correct.” Mahri’s voice, though soft and melodious, cut across her words like a knife. She stopped, looking confused at the unexpected support. “Mortal weapons and mortal evil killed those men.”
    In Perinon’s head the Phrenii whispered, her Meran blood will play a part we cannot yet see. In this, we are certain. The added phrase indicated they had a clear prescient flash of the future. He rubbed the temples of his forehead. He already had a headache, and the day was only at mid-morning.
    A messenger came to the door and Perinon waved him over. The young man gave him a note, which he opened and read. His heart sank. He waved the note toward Draius.
    “Well, Lieutenant Commander Draius, you’ve got your work cut out for you. There’s been another murder and it sounds similar.” His head started to pound as he felt the agitation from the Phrenii.
    He watched Draius read the note and saw compassion and anger wash through her body. She truly cared , though she gave little outward sign of her emotions. Her loyalty, her sense of responsibility, and even her stubbornness would serve him. She would hunt down these murderers with implacable justice and logic, and she would never give up until she found them.

CHAPTER TEN
    Murder by the Docks
    I believe my master Cessina fully intended to break the Kaskea, not just weaken it. At the time, he thought Tyrra’s ruler would never again need to command the Phrenii. He also thought the lodestone of souls would stay forever hidden and the Phrenii would always be safe. On his deathbed, in that flash of insight many sorcerers have when it is too late, he realized he was wrong on all accounts.
    —From the notes of Sorceress-Apprentice Lahna, tentatively dated T.Y. 1014 (New Calendar)
    When Draius and Lornis arrived at the office near the docks, the similarities to the murder of Councilman Reggis were obvious. Symbols had been painted in blood on the floor around the body, while two concentric circles with a scripted ‘N’ were drawn on the wall. The dead man in the middle of the room had been eviscerated. The deep incision twisted a bit across his torso, maybe made incrementally, one section at a time. This time, she didn’t doubt the blood on the floor and walls belonged to the victim.
    She studied him. She never forgot a face, but features frozen in agonizing death weren’t always recognizable. Trying to imagine the countenance without the mask of terror and brutality from his slow death, she was fairly sure she’d never seen this man before.
    The victim was Danelo Torna Tellina, an importer and owner of multiple ships. As his name indicated, he was Sareenian. Several years ago he’d moved his operations to the port of Betarr Serasa from Illus, a Sareenian City-State. The victim’s clerk unlocked the office this morning and discovered the carnage. He immediately notified the watch. This time no one had been allowed into the room, except those with authorization.
    “Over here, Draius.” Norsis bent over the body, making notes and clicking his tongue in concentration. He was the City Guard Coroner, complementing his regular mortician business. Coroner work didn’t normally provide full time employment, but this eight-day was disproving that theory.
    “He’s been here a while.” Norsis clicked his tongue again.
    “How long?” she asked. They’d arrived just past noon and she hadn’t had lunch yet. Despite the stomach-churning sights in this room, she was hungry.
    “Maybe a day, maybe longer. It’ll be difficult to decide time of death—not like Reggis.”
    “Speaking of Reggis, where’s your full