“The auction will take place within the palace grounds,” Wize explained. “Please, allow me to lead the way.”
Outside the palace, we followed our black-suited guide through an expansive garden. As I admired the scenery, I reflected that every single flower must have been thoughtfully arranged.
Rashid flashed his bodyguard a roguish smile. “Are you sure you don’t regret your decision, Shawza?”
“I am unsure what you mean.”
“The audience with my father. It might be bold of me to say this in front of the palace’s security supervisor, but that was an opportunity you might never have again.”
“Oh?” Wize regarded the pair with curiosity. “Does this concern me?”
“In a sense. It relates to the best way to kill my father.”
“Oh, young master... You do have a knack for jokes.”
Rashid turned back to Shawza, grinning. “Still, a certain someone has made sure to stay rather close to me since the audience hall. If you had tried something, I suspect my head would have been parted quite suddenly from my body. So, I commend your judgment. I’m rather fond of living, after all.”
Wize’s features softened into a gentle smile. “Perish the thought. I might be in charge of Master Zaid’s security, but I could never do such a thing. Do these old bones of mine even look capable of such a feat?”
“No, not at all, which is what makes you so two-faced,” Rashid shot back, his expression unchanged.
“You are too kind in your evaluation of me, young master.”
There was a dangerous edge to their conversation, I thought—though it was so hard to pin down that I wondered whether it was there at all. Perhaps I was simply confusing malice with mischief.
It wasn’t long before another gargantuan structure came into view. It was as massive as the palace, though it resembled a temple more than a royal residence.
“This is where the auction will take place,” our guide explained.
“It’s just as huge as the palace,” I noted.
“Yes, my family enjoys wasting exorbitant amounts of money on such things,” Rashid interjected. “Though, I suppose one could argue it’s not entirely a useless enterprise. It does produce some rather excellent craftsmen.”
“I can’t even imagine the skill you’d need to build something so immense.”
“If you come with me, I will show you to the venue’s entrance,” Wize said. Then, he came to a halt and uttered a quiet, “Oh?”
“Is something wrong?” I asked, noticing he was staring curiously at the scene ahead of us.
“It appears we have other visitors.”
Following his gaze, I spied two hooded figures by the entrance, caught in what seemed to be a tense exchange with the doorman.
“I wonder what the trouble is...” I muttered.
From what I could see, the two wearing robes were a man and woman of roughly the same height. The woman stood well within the doorman’s personal space, petitioning him for something.
“Huh? What do you mean we can’t go inside?”
“The venue is open only to those with an invitation. My sincerest apologies, ma’am, but I must ask you to leave.”
“Sure, but...could you not bend the rules a little? For us?”
“Unfortunately not, ma’am.”
“But we came all this way for the auction. It’s supposed to be held soon, isn’t it?”
“Pardon me, ma’am, but may I ask where you obtained that information?”
“Huh?” The hooded woman hesitated. “Um... Somewhere in town. Just overheard it, that’s all.”
“In town? Can you tell me where?”
“Oh, you have to let us in! You just have to!”
The doorman shook his head. “As I said, ma’am, only those with an invitation are allowed inside. If you cannot provide proof of one, I cannot let you through. Once again, I must ask you to leave.”
“So we just need an invitation, then. How can we get one?”
“I do not know the specifics, but my understanding is that recipients must possess a certain degree of status and wealth, and undergo a lengthy appraisal process to verify their credibility. It is not something that can be arranged on such short notice. So, once again, I must advise you to leave.”
“Can you not, you know, grease the wheels a little? We really need to be there for the auction.”
“No, I cannot. And if you insist on being stubborn, I will have no choice but to call security.”
“Seriously? That’s a bit much, don’t you think? We’re not suspicious or anything! Look, we just have to get in there—no matter what. You can understand that, can’t you? What if I ask really nicely? Please, please let us in!”
“Ma’am, my answer is the same...”
The woman seemed to be trying everything—glaring, pleading, even bowing—but the doorman just kept shaking his head. Honestly, I sympathized with him more than with the robed pair trying to sway him; he was just doing his job.
As time passed, the doorman’s expression grew more wary of the woman who continued to pester him. “Do you have any means of identification, ma’am?” he asked. “Or perhaps some proof of your assets? If so, I can at least inquire with my superiors about your entry.”
The woman hesitated, then glanced at her companion. “Did we bring anything like that, Tirrence?”
“Please don’t refer to me by name, mother. We’re here in secret, remember?”
“Oops. It completely slipped my mind.”
Only then did it occur to me—I recognized their voices. Lynne must have realized something too, judging by the look on her face.
“Those robes...” she muttered. “Aren’t they the same ones worn by members of the Church of Mithra?”
“Huh? Could it be...?” The woman turned at the sound of Lynne’s voice, giving me a clear view of the face beneath her white hood.
“Astirra?” I asked.
“Noor? What are you doing here?”
She had taken the words straight out of my mouth. Before my very eyes stood the reigning high priestess of Mithra, distinctive long ears and all.