Excerpt: De Votre Paix

The curtains in the room were drawn, so nothing but a dim sort of light from a few old lamps did anything to brighten the place. The figure in the green leather chair in the middle of the room didn’t seem anything like a horror film extra, especially given the fact that his skin wasn’t rotting off.
Thereze, Robert, Renée-Cerise and Sebastian all stood around him in mixtures of complete confusion and incredulity.
“So, LeKaw says he found him down by the river?” Thereze said, rasing a flawless eyebrow.
“Yes,” Renée-Cerise said. “He knocked on the door and said that Augustin had heard through some of his other aquantinces-”
“Ah yes, the rest of the mountebank community-”
“Of a man wandering around there. They were the ones who first used to the word ‘zombie,’ but I think that it is more than accurate.”
“The zombie apparently inquired after my whereabouts, in which case Augustin decided that he had little choice but to contact me. Strangely, them most effective way was to simply send him to me directly, knowing that I would probably be able to get a great deal more out of him that Augustin would. I believe the zombie made it clear that for whatever reason he would explain his purpose to me and to me alone.”
“Do you think that Augustin knows about the locket he was carrying then?” Thereze asked.
“I would doubt it,” Renée-Cerise told her. “I would doubt that the zombie would have done so, even if directly asked, unless his Master had allowed him to, which surely would have defeated his purpose. And even if by chance Augustin, through is somewhat interesting skills, was able to find out about it, he woud not know who it implicates.”
“And of course, the question is who sent him?” Robert said. The zombie had been watching them the whole time.
“My name’s Bill,” he said. Sebastian realized he’d obviously spoken before when Robert and Renée-Cerise had first answered the door, but he had said nothing since they had all sat down in the librar. His speech was clear however, although he said nothing else after that and merely continued looking straight ahead.
“You remember that? Do you remember your full name?” Renée-Cerise asked him, leaning forward.
“William More. Not anything else. Just the name. Not where I came from.”
“And how did you get to the river, where you were found?”
“They dropped me off. Three men. Not Master,” Bill said, stil not moving from his position in the seat. His back didn’t touch the leather as he sat pefectly straight.
“And you didn’t see their faces?” Renée-Cerise asked him. She did not seem surprised when he shook his head.
“And who is your Master, have you seen his face?”
“He is my Master,” Bill began, and then stopped. Thereze clapped her hands together loudly.
“This is getting us nowhere.”
“That’s enough! Bill, have you seen his face?”
“Yes,” Bill said slowly. At this point, he half turned so he was not quite facing Renée-Cerise as directly has he had been.
“Good, good. Can you tell me what his face looks like?”
“His face looks like my Master’s face,” Bill said simply. Thereze groaned.
“He’s been coached,” Robert said simply.
“We shouls have expected as much from-” Renée-Cerise held up a hand and Thereze stopped talking.
“Do not say his name outloud right now. I do not know if Bill is aware entirely of who his Master is. Even if he is, we can prove nothing.”
“The locket alone-”
“That has been lost for a very long time.” Thereze groaned again and stood up.
“Oh my God, you’re so dumb! This is why I like paper better than people! You’re always so irrational when it comes to these sorts of things! If you’ve got the answer, then why not confront the actual problem?”
“Because I-”
“Because you’re so blinded by your own self-righteous behavior, your ability to save everyone with a few stupid-”
“They are not stupid-”
“They are stupid prayers to someone who doesn’t listen. And you can’t see beyond that to the fact that people are people, with real hearts that pump evil blood through corrupt viens.” Thereze’s eyes were glowing coals as she stood in the doorway.
“Thereze, I have known Evil,” Renée-Cerise assured her. Thereze shook her head, gave Renée-Cerise the finger, and walked out of the room. Sebastian and Robert sat there like they were zombies too.