Paparazzi Burning
Part 4. Kassar's Story
Kassar Krinagar tried to maintain his composure, but he could not help but be unnerved by the gaze of Doctor Jessica Lovecraft-Bentley, the present administrator of the Lovecraft Asylum at Rymskigrad. He feared that the esteemed physician of mental illness and psychic diseases could easily penetrate his disguise, in fact, this entire charade to covertly investigate the burning of the Paparazzi Glantri printers.
Beside him, Melisante Erewan was fidgety and nervous—but at least, Kassar thought, she is supposed to act crazy and psychotic.
“And what would you have the Lovecraft Asylum do for your third wife, Lord Virayana?” asked the doctor.
“Juchi,” replied Kassar, “Please, Doctor Lovecraft, you may call me Juchi, as there are so many of us Lord Virayanas around.” (A fact, Kassar thought, I can exploit for future undercover assignments.)
“As you will, Lord Juchi,” said Jessica Lovecraft, losing none of her formality.
“And,” followed Kassar with sudden inspiration, summoning all that ‘Ethengarian mystique’ that Krondaharans are known for, “May I call you…”
“Doctor Lovecraft-Bentley,” said the doctor coldly.
Kassar saw his ruse had worked. He convinced the doctor that he was nothing more than another misogynist Krondaharan lord, whose primary concern was to unburden himself of a wife who had become deranged, probably because of his own lecherous habits.
Jessica Lovecraft-Bentley turned her attention to Melisante, with a gaudy Krondaharan headdress, a disheveled bouffant of strawberry-blonde hair, tear-smudged mascara, and all too thick face powder. Not only did these give her the semblance of a madwoman, but also successfully hid her elven features. Under Doctor Lovecraft’s scrutiny, Melisante twittered nervously in that distinctive high-pitched voice that (she pretended) she could not conceal.
A servant bursting into the door interrupted Doctor Lovecraft’s examination.
“D-d-doctor Lovecraft! There’s a f-f-f-fire! A-a-a-at the s-s-s-southern ward!”
The composed doctor all at once became pale.
“Excuse me, Lord Virayana, Lady Virayana, I must attend to this.”
As she was about to go through the door, she turned and added, “Do not worry. You will be safe here in my office. The south ward is at the other end of the Asylum.”
In a moment, she was gone and the room was silent.
“Finally!” Kassar exclaimed.
“I had thought Gaston had fallen asleep at the job once more,” said Melisante, in her normal high-pitched twittering voice, but Kassar had already begun rifling through Doctor Lovecraft’s desk and papers.
“Do you know what you are looking for?” Melisante inquired.
“Something! Papers! Documents! Anything about the fire at the Asylum,” Kassar answered, annoyed.
“Let me,” Melisante said confidently. She took out a wand from under her sleeves and waved it in the air in front of her.
Kassar had forgotten Melisante was a specialist diviner at the Great School of Magic—and if the rumors were true, in line to be the Clan Oracle of Ellerovyn at Erewan.
Three rings of magical pink sparks circled around Melisante, up and down, around and across, like rings of an astrolabe or a compass. One of the books on the shelves glowed with a matching pink aura.
Kassar reached for the glowing book, but before he could take it, the book floated out of the shelf and levitated towards Melisante, opening to the desired page.
Kassar was quite impressed at Melisante’s divination magic but found no words to express it.
“Well, what is it?” Kassar finally said, impatiently.
“Just one of those useful tricks for searching the library,” Melisante said absentmindedly, referring to her spell and not the book she was skimming through.
“No, Melisante, the book! What is it?”
“It’s a journal, or rather a log of the hospital events,” Melisante revealed, still reading.
“Does it link the fire here to the fire at the Paparazzi printers?”
“Apparently not. The fire here last Ambyrmont was magical in nature. ‘Elemental fire that could not be doused with water or wind, and even burned through stone.’ It burned for more than a fortnight, until they got some magical aid.”
Kassar sat back in the doctor’s large imposing chair. “No wonder the doctor was so scared of another fire.”
“And do you know what caused the magical fire in the first place?” quizzed Melisante with a knowing grin.
Before Kassar could reply, Melisante proudly announced, “The mad Countess Sinaria Verlien! And now, she has escaped!”
