Page 24 - Mad Shadows II

“Oh, my. I’m forgetting my manners again,” said Valuta.
“Tibraxu, this is Dorgo the Dowser. He’s a friend. Remember
that, and tell your clan of him.”

Tibraxu approached the table and lowered his head. Valuta
scratched behind his long ears. I wondered how he got that scar
across his muzzle, but didn’t ask. When he stood straight again,
the ghoul bowed to me. I found myself giving him a cordial nod
in return.

“Tibraxu comes here every day. Tilaro, his younger brother,
often visits, too,” Valuta told me. “They’re both good friends of
Crystal’s.”

Valuta conversed quietly with Tibraxu for a few moments.
Ghouls understand the tongues of men but for some reason are
unable to speak it. They have their own secret language, and the
fact that Valuta was privy to that language was most
impressive.

When they were done, Tibraxu bowed and left, closing the
door behind him.

“So where was I?” Valuta asked.
“You were about to ask if I’d help you track down whoever
is responsible for the murders being pinned on the ghouls.”
“Oh, that’s right. Well, you see, I have a way to find out
who or what is behind these killings. But in order to do so, I
need you to find the unmarked graves of thirteen priests buried
in the graveyard next to the ruins of the old church in Glacken.”
“I can do that.” The words just popped out of my mouth
before I had a chance to think about why those priests had been
buried in unmarked graves.
She scratched the side of her nose. “Great! Because you’re
going to have to dig up those graves and bring me the skulls of
those priests.”
“Wouldn’t a ghoul be more suited for this kind of work?”
“One would think so, but ghouls are superstitious and won’t
disturb the grave of any priest or holy man. Besides,” she
paused to give me a wink, “none of them have a dowsing rod.”

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