“Beware, Malevolt,” they heard before they plunged into oblivion. “Don’t kill them.”

“Fear not! Just another tap and that’s that.”

One of the men tied up had hair as fair as straw, eyebrows and eyelashes of the same colour, and a stubbly, broad, prominent chin. The other, older man, had very thinning hair. Neither said a word or uttered a sound. They sat, tied up, backs against the wall, staring vacantly ahead. Their faces were lifeless, frozen, without a trace of emotion. They ought to have been a little astonished, if only by the fact that despite the sounds of merrymaking none of their vanquishers was drunk. By the fact that the voices had come from somewhere no one had been. By the fact that they had been expected, that they’d fallen into a precisely devised and laid trap. They ought to have been surprised. Perhaps they were. But they weren’t showing it. Only now and again did the flickering of candles appear to make their lifeless eyes react. But that was only an illusion.

Reynevan sat on a pallet, watching and saying nothing. The beguiler was hiding in the corner, resting on the goedendag. Tybald Raabe was playing with the navaja, opening and closing it.

“I know you.” The goliard was the first to break the lengthening silence, pointing his knife at the balding man. “Your name is Jakub Olbram. You lease out the mill near Łagiewniki from the Henryków Cistercians. How amusing, people generally had you down as a snitch who reported to the abbot. Was that a cover? Because I see you have other skills. Apparently, you don’t shrink from contract killing, either.”

The balding character didn’t react. He didn’t even glance at Raabe and seemed not to hear his words at all. Tybald Raabe snapped the navaja open and kept it open.

“There’s a small lake in the forest near here.” He turned towards Reynevan. “With a nice, thick layer of sludge at the bottom. No one would ever find them. You can consider your mission non-existent,” he added seriously. “You found the Vogelsang. But it’s not the Vogelsang any longer. It’s a gang of thieves prepared to murder in defence of their loot. Don’t you understand? The group was equipped with huge funds. A lot of money to set up networks and sabotage groups, to prepare for ‘special operations.’ They pocketed the money, embezzled it. They know what awaits them if it comes out and Flutek finds them—that’s why they vanished. Now they’ve taken fright, they’re dangerous. It was them and no one else who tried to kill you in Ciepłowody. So I advise you: show no mercy. Stones around their necks and into the lake.”