Horz had been immoveable but he could sense the anger and suspicion emanating from the young Zar nonetheless. It was not directed at Horz either. It was levelled quite obviously at himself. This meant he was not free from the Spur’s blood smears just yet. ‘I am an impetuous fool,’ he murmured to himself, regretting for the umpteenth time his rage that had led to the poor decision to bring drezden into the equation of the Spur’s punishment. As it was, Shaz had done a far uglier job than even Salmeo could have imagined and it was highly likely that the Spur would have died from his injuries alone. The risk taken with the drezden, having to use others, incriminating himself, had been for naught. It was not at all like him to act so recklessly. Now, in the calm after the storm of proceedings, he could see how careless he had been and how close he had come to ruining his life. He had thought drezden undetectable—damn the interfering priestess! How she could have identified it was beyond him.
