Maxim Darko: The Greatest Gift of Evil. A Vampire Chronicle

CHAPTER TWELVE THE MARCH TO CORFU

Three days later, Salih arrived at Mustafa's office with a messenger from the Church in tow. The nervous messenger handed Mustafa a wax sealed message. Mustafa accepted the message, and without formality, dismissed the messenger. "You may leave now." He turned to Salih, and said, "You may go to the canteen Salih. I desire absolute privacy."

To hide his disappointment, Salih bowed his head, and silently left the room. Along the way to the canteen, he plotted the various ways he could read the message later. He desperately wanted to divulge the contents of the latest message to his contact at the Monastery.

Mustafa poured a glass of cool tea and took a drink before examining the seal on the parchment. Once he confirmed the impression in the red wax matched Cardinal Todori's official seal, he broke the wax with a dagger, and read the message. When he finished digesting the message, he thoughtfully set the paper on his desk. For the next ten-minutes, he slowly paced his office. After stopping at a window facing to the west, he stared at the horizon, as if he was asking it to surrender its secrets. Feeling that he had fully thought the problem at hand, he pulled on a rope cord. Five-minutes later, Salih appeared. "Fetch me Ciril." Salih bowed his head in acknowledgement of the command and ran to the stables. Where he found Ciril busily checking his provisions for the upcoming journey.

Within minutes, Ciril was in Mustafa's office. Ciril skipped the usual formalities, and asked, "Did the Church's spy confirm our intelligence?"

Mustafa smiled. "Slowly my friend. Strange happenings abound on Corfu. Many slaves were purchased by the Temple of Artimis for no apparent reason."

Using his sharp mind, Ciril came up with a quick answer, "Except to feed vampires."

"Yes. Most likely," agreed Mustafa. "Local villagers are also talking about how the Priestess of Artimis seems to have greatly grown her magical powers."

"The Devil's Nun?" asked Ciril.

Mustafa stroked his beard. "Perhaps. If the Priestess is The Devil's Nun, you may do with her as you wish after you capture the vampires." He sternly looked at Ciril. "I do mean–after–you have captured the vampires."

Ciril smiled at the thought of taking a young Priestess in her own temple. "With your permission, Lord. I will finish my preparations to travel."

"When can you ride?"

"Tomorrow night."

"For the moment, you may go. Return this evening for supper. Be prepared to brief me on your plans."

"Yes. My Lord."

"By the way...," Mustafa dryly said, purposely leaving the sentence hanging in the air.

Uncomfortable with the pregnant pause, Ciril asked with concern in his voice. "Yes, my Lord?"

Mustafa smiled. "I shouldn't have let you win on the practice field yesterday."

Ciril roared with laughter. "Yes, my Lord," he smirked. "I appreciate your mercy on the practice field.

"You may go now my friend."

Ciril bowed and departed the office. Mustafa patted his stomach. "Salih. I am going to the canteen to dine with my warriors. Do not let anyone in my office while I am gone." Salih nodded his understanding of the order.

Five-minutes after Mustafa departed, Salih quietly snuck out of the building with his heart pounding in his throat. Traversing the back alleys, he made his way to the Monastery. At the rear entrance, he rapped a pattern on a narrow door. A small slit opened on the door, when the monk saw Salih, he opened the door, and spirited him inside. The pair padded down the hallway, and up a winding staircase. On the second floor, the monk stopped at a door and knocked. "Salih is here Brother."