Chapter 20

Turi had been told that it was a beautiful ethuil – spring day, but she sure couldn't vouch for it. She was sat at her desk, going through a pile of old scrolls she had borrowed from Mýlill's study. Since the incident in the courtyard and her public humiliation, Turi had withdrawn from public life best she could. She'd taken solace inside the internal surveys office, busying herself with trying to figure out where she'd gone wrong.

Turi sighed and felt her cheeks burn. Again. Thranduil's eyes had pierced into her, showing a look of surprise mingled with disillusionment. That look seemed to be grifted into her mind now, playing over like a waterfall cascading down.

Raich – shit! She had been so sure of Areurion's involvement. Yet her heroic rescue, though well meant, had been nothing short of an utter fiasco.

Besides a healthy alibi for most of the attacks, Areurion had the complete and unwavering support of the king. Dead end number one. His brother Amarthelion's whereabouts were unknown, and no one had spoken to or seen him. Like, in forever. Dead end number two.

Turi hung her head low and balled her fists. She'd had to leave the scene in shame. Empty handed. She was humiliated and felt angry enough to quit the job altogether. But she was too smart to do so.

The cool morning air hit her face when Bam entered the office in a flurry. He went straight for her desk, his eyes lit up with something.

Whatever it was, she wanted some of it.

'You haven't heard?' he said. 'Nu-uh. What?' 'There's something you should come and see. Please, right now if you can.'

Turi tossed down the scrolls she'd been thumbing through and followed him out of the office.

The thin morning sun peeked through the treetops, leaves rustling in the wind. Beautiful Eryn Galen - Greenwood the great, she thought as they dashed across walkways to the central structure that housed border patrol.

Once inside, they were led to a small cluttered room at the back that was home to a timeworn chair and desk combo, a yellowing cabinet with various potions, and a slab of stone to the side of the room. Elves were crowding around the slab and the desk, busing themselves in a hive of activity.

Turi peered through the elves to the shape that was laid out on the slab. Her heart nearly stopped.

On the slab lay the lifeless body of an elf with looks so similar to Areurion that it could only be his brother, Amarthelion. From his chest protruded no less than three long arrows. He looked a mess.

For a second or two she wasn't sure how to react. Then she approached the body and started checking off relevant details in her mind. He looked unkempt, suggesting he'd been living rough, probably following the raid on the C.A.T.'s headquarters.

The victim looked otherwise healthy, of average built for an elf, and wearing a long roughly sewn grey cloak. She saw no defensive wounds on his arms, chest or face, no signs of violence. He hadn't seen this coming.

The impact of the arrows and their grouping suggested they had been fired from close range. She didn't know why Amarthelion had died, but it was clear to Turi that he had known whoever had fired the arrows that put him out of his misery.

A white haired and small-boned female elf stepped into the room and yelped involuntarily. Mýlill covered her mouth as she neared the body. 'Is this the elf who attacked you?' Turi asked, but she could read the answer on Mýlill's face.

'So like..' she started. 'Like his brother, indeed' Turi agreed. This was why Mýlill had failed to identify her attacker, thought she recognized him, but not quite.

Soon after, another member of the council walked in. Areurion stood tall and impassive over his brother's body. He exchanged a few words with border patrol officials, making sure to ignore Turi and Baimeldir's presence.

His demeanour was calm, but she could see sweat on his upper lip and worry in his eyes as he exchanged whispered words with the representatives. They overheard him say 'I can't believe he had anything to do with murders.'

Turi pitied him and his family. She was thinking as she walked out – about how this sure helped her investigation. The killer was dead, the C.A.T. shut down, and she could explain what had happened and why.

Putting this case together had been like corralling a drift of wild hogs while running through a forest fire, all the while blindfolded. But she'd done it, and all that was left now was to report to the powers that be.

Turi already rehearsed her speech in her head. She'd have to explain the logic of events and Amarthelion's underlying motive, and probably field some unanswerable questions from council members.

Let's see what would happen next. Only one burning mystery remained: Who had killed the killer?