The Fifth Vertex (The Sigilord Chronicles) by Kevin Hoffman Read Free Book Online Page B

concealed by the mud poultice. He spun around and spoke to one of his men. Urus couldn't make out any of the conversation, but the soldier glanced back at Urus over his uncle's shoulder and nodded once.
    A moment later one of the emperor's attendants arrived with a clean white linen shirt, the scent of fresh flowers and soap wafting from it. The attendant handed the shirt to Urus, who quickly put it on, glad to have the culled brand hidden. He didn't know whether they wanted the symbol hidden for their sake or for his.
    "Your boy has the chest of an ox to fit so snugly into one of my shirts," Kaled said. "It is a shame one so strong lacks the skill to become a warrior."
    Aegaz swallowed and clenched his fists but said nothing.
    No one ever doubted Urus's strength, only his ability to use it to be anything other than a strong, clumsy failure.
    "On with it then," Kaled said, breaking the awkward silence. "Ask this Murin what he was doing in our dungeons."
    Urus faced the prisoner. The old man hadn't moved from the spot the entire time, his dark green eyes focused on the emperor.
    Urus made the sign for prison , as Orda's tradesign dialect had no sign for dungeon, then the signs for within and why . Urus always thought it crazy that a language created for trade had so many local dialects, practically defeating the purpose.
    "I was looking for something," replied Murin. His hands moved slowly, the huge dose of shaman sedative in his system preventing him from making fine gestures.  
    Urus turned to the emperor and signed the prisoner's reply in standard tradesign.
    "No, boy, say it out loud. I don't know the tradesign."
    "He says he was looking for something," Urus said aloud. Then he winced, waiting for the inevitable comments about his awkward speech, or that he'd been too loud or too quiet. Everyone except Goodwyn and his uncle made fun of it. It was the reason he only spoke aloud as a last resort.
    "Looking for what?" asked Kaled, paying no heed to Urus's speech problem.
    Urus relayed the question and awaited the answer. It was a long time in coming.
    "I must have the recipe for whatever was in those darts. The effect is…" The prisoner studied Urus, his brow furrowed, his green eyes moist. "A blessing."
    "Blessing? He should be dead by now. No one should be able to survive that much of the extract," Kebetir said.
    "Silence, shaman, I am handling this interrogation," Kaled snapped. "Ask him what he was looking for again. We don't have time for swapping recipes like handmaidens at the market."
    Urus asked again.
    "I seek a door," replied Murin, Urus barely able to keep up with the man's use of old and outdated signs. He wasn't sure if he had meant door or opening .
    Those in the room exchanged curious and confused looks. Some bent to whisper in others' ears, but Urus couldn't make out what they were saying.  
    Kaled raised a hand again, silencing the whispers in the room. His face turned cold and serious. "Surely you could have found a door closer to your own home, somewhere near the top of the world from the look of your skin. Why seek a door in Kest?"
    "This is ridiculous. Obviously he has no intention of talking under normal circumstances," Kebetir said, seeming as agitated as the emperor was calm. "My men can interrogate him privately using our own methods. We will have answers before nightfall."
    "You doubt my ability to interrogate a prisoner, High Shaman?" Kaled asked, his face still a mask of calm.
    Kebetir blanched as Kaled turned again to the prisoner. "Explain this nonsense about a door or I may actually let the High Shaman have his way with you."
    "This is no nonsense. For me, this search has consumed the last—" the old man paused, as if reconsidering his words. "—many, many years of my life. Somewhere beneath Kest lies what you might call a door but it has many other names. A more accurate name would be to call it a vertex . It was put there two millennia before the first brick of Kest's foundation was