Page 56 of A Trade of Blood

“The whole family was in attendance,” said Kozder. “They all came.”

“What was the number, in total?”

“There were thirteen present, sir.”

I frowned. “We were told thatfourteenof the Buravs were at the house. Was someone missing?”

“Well…y-yes. True. Jalin was not there. Or not at first.”

“Was that unusual?”

“N-no. He was terribly grieved by his sister’s passing. And more, Jalin…did not get on well with the rest of his family.”

I raised my eyebrows at him.

“Not enough to try to kill them all!” he said, aghast. “He struggled under the weight of being his father’s only son. And he disliked the cattle trade, and many thought him too weak for it. But he was there, sir, in the house—he simply came later. He could not have been the killer.”

“Where were these rites held?”

“In the second-floor banquet hall. It is—was—aprized place,” he said. “Most beautiful views, on a clear night. They said that…that it was proper and good for it to be there, as Zansay would have loved the sight. They began her rites late in the night. They invoked the blessings of Okovpir, the divinity of bridges and paths, to guide her into the afterlife. Then…then Guldeniv, divinity of pastures and blooms. And then they…theyshouldhave finished with Kyun, the divinity of the sun. But…”

“But?”

“Then they froze, sir,” he said softly.

“Who?”

“All of them.Allof them. The Buravs, both prime and minor. And the servants—footservants and valets and the housekeeper. They all…stopped.” He swallowed. “Those who had been holding wine, or goblets, or platters—they just dropped them to the floor. Those who had been sitting leapt to their feet. Some who had been in different rooms came to that chamber and stopped. They all stood facing different directions. Then they did nothing. I felt I was going mad. I spoke to them, touched them, shook them. I asked what was happening, if they were all right. Even my friend, the maid Miss Qurban—she did not move, did not answer. She just stared, straight ahead, hardly breathing. It was as if I wasn’t even there. Then…then I smelled the smoke,” whispered Kozder. “It came pouring up, up the stairs.”

“So the fire startedbelowyou?”

“I…assume so,” he murmured. “There came a great heat, and…and I saw the lick of flames down the stairs, and I began screaming. I pulled at the Buravs, tried to haul them away, but they would not move. Yet…” He swallowed again. “Yet as I drew near, I…I realized they were screaming, too.”

“TheBuravswere screaming? What do you mean?”

“It was very soft, sir. Like a whisper. As if they were screaming in their sleep. But I could hear it slipping from them, this…this soft, terrified sound. It was so awful. Like children, crying out in a dream!”

I grimaced at mention of a dream. “Then what happened?”

“Then…then Master Jalin came running in.”

“From where? You must tell me exactly, please.”

“I am unsure, but…I believe from the northern wing? That would be where his old bedroom was—as well as Zansay’s. He heard me screaming and came in and saw me. Then he stared about, confused. Saw the smoke. He choked and told me to run. I said I would not leave them, I would not leave his family, and he said he would stay and try to save them. He shoved me through the halls he’d come from, and…and last I saw he was trying to pull his father away. Then came smoke, and flame. I staggered back to the ground floor, and out into the air. I lost my senses then, for I had swallowed too much fumes.”

“You didn’t see Jalin Burav escape?”

“I didn’t, sir. I thought he’d died in the fire. He saved my life, though, of that I’m sure. I…I hope the young master recovers soon enough. I shall thank him when I can.”

“I will ask you something very strange now,” I said. “Did you hear any music, sir? Or see anyone play a pipe, or make an unusual sound?”

The fellow stared at me. “I…n-no? I do not believe I did…”

“Thank you. Have you been here at the house long?”

“I told you,” he said, faintly indignant, “that I have served Orman Burav for eleven years! But…I did take leave for much of last month.”

“Did you? Why?”