49 – Strange Laws

Later that evening, after they’d gotten their fill of a hearty fieldworker’s stew, Ward and Haley returned to their room and tried to fall asleep. Their good intentions met with the harsh reality of scratchy beds, poor ventilation, and minds awake and alert thanks to their four-hour nap in the afternoon. At first, Ward thought it was only he who couldn’t sleep, but after tossing for nearly an hour, Haley spoke up in the darkness, “Can’t sleep either?”

“Not yet. I’m sure it’ll come.”

“My mind’s so busy!” she almost hissed in her frustration.

Ward wanted to ask her if she was thinking about her parents but didn’t want to pry open a wound if it was already closed, so he just asked, “What’s got your mind so busy?”

“Everything! My cousin, my parents, the killer, Nevkin, you.”

“Me? What about me?” Ward couldn’t help focusing on that selfish issue.

“Yes. Mostly about how lucky I am to have met you. How I probably wouldn’t have come out of the catacombs otherwise. I’m just…I’m just grateful, I guess, grateful that you’re trying so hard to help me. Now you’re talking about using a dangerous spell to find justice for my parents. Why, Ward? Why are you always going so far out of your way for me?”

Ward turned onto his side, groaning as he shifted left and right, trying to flatten the straw. “Why? ‘Cause I like you. I think everything that’s happened to you is shitty, and I don’t like seeing shitty things happen to good people.”

“So, if you didn’t like me, you wouldn’t do all this?”

“Hell no.” Ward laughed softly. “I’m not a saint, all right? You should know that by now. Look, for whatever reason, we fell in together, and now you’re my partner. We’re a team. I’ve got no one else in this world other than Grace, and you’ve got a bunch of distant relatives who seem to be more assholes than not.”

“That’s not really true. If I hadn’t come racing into town saying we had to run, you wouldn’t have had to leave the other people you’ve been getting close to. That old woman by the cemetery. Fay—she really cared about you, you know?”

“Yeah, I know.” Ward sighed and yawned, trying to think of the right words. “I’m probably not good for her, in any case. We have different life goals.” He flopped onto his back, stretching his arms up and folding them under his head. The air was muggy, and the night was full of sounds from the inn. “You ever loved anyone?”

Haley didn’t hesitate to answer, “Not really, I don’t think. Not romantically, I mean. I’ve had boyfriends. I’ve, you know, had sex. I just…No, they were boys. I want something more. I don’t want to settle in a small town and flicker like a candle.”

“Flicker like a candle?”

“It’s a common saying on Cinder. The challenges make people look at things differently. When we’re kids, we all dream of taking them on—‘blazing like a star’ rather than ‘flickering like a candle.’ It’s a romantic notion, I suppose. As we get older, become burdened with responsibilities, and see more and more of our friends disappear into the catacombs, I think we lose some of that dreamer inside us.” Ward heard her shift on her mattress, and then her voice came to him again, this time muffled and a little drowsy, “That would’ve been me—one of the cautionary tales. Like my brother.”

Ward tried to think of the right words to say, a proper response to the emotions she was feeling, but he kept opening his mouth and failing to vocalize anything. He looked around for Grace, hoping, for the first time ever, that she might tell him what to say. Naturally, she wasn’t anywhere to be found. By the time he thought he had to say something—anything—Haley’s breathing had evened out, and he was sure she’d fallen asleep. He stared into the darkness for a long time, listening to her breathe, and eventually, sleep claimed him too.

The next day, just as he’d promised, Marshal Aldiss met Ward and Haley as they finished breakfast, and then, only twenty or thirty minutes after sunrise, they rode away from the Crossing on the narrow dirt track that paralleled the big, slow-moving river. The marshal’s horse was a sturdy, shaggy thing that looked more like a pony to Ward, but he, admittedly, didn’t know much about horses and didn’t want to make assumptions. As for his horse, Nutmeg seemed well-rested and full of energy, and Ward felt immensely grateful for the healing salve and hours of sleep—his thighs and glutes were remarkably pain-free.

“You’re looking a lot more comfortable in that saddle than you were yesterday,” Haley remarked as they rode a short way behind Aldiss, letting the horses walk as the day woke up.

Ward snorted, shifting his hat to relieve an itch. “That’s because every bump isn’t sending shockwaves of pain through my body.”

She nodded, leaning forward to stroke her horse’s neck as they rode. “I’m glad the salve worked.”

“Yeah. The hot bath and sleep helped, too, I’m sure.”

Haley winced and looked at him a little sheepishly. “I don’t smell, do I? I couldn’t bring myself to get into the bath this morning. I went out there, but too many unsavory men were lingering around.”

“Nah, you’re fine, and I don’t blame you. I’m not a fan of the public bath concept. Hopefully, the next place will have something private.”

The marshal looked over his shoulder. “There’s a lovely inn at Applegrass Square—big and well-staffed and appointed. We’re out in the country, but there’s a good-sized community there. While the east-to-west traffic is minimal, a major trade route goes north-south through that valley. The Gravelwash,” he gestured to the placid water to the left, “narrows there and can be crossed on an ancient stone bridge.”

“Ancient?”

He nodded, scratching his beard as he squinted at the sky. “Well, it has to be—been there for at least two burns.”

“Oh. Yeah, that makes sense.” Ward kept forgetting about the strange, constant cycle of fire that moved around the planet. He clicked his tongue and tapped his heels, urging Nutmeg to move closer to the marshal. “Can you talk to me a little about legal procedures in this society, particularly rules of evidence?”

Aldiss looked at him with a raised eyebrow. “Are you playing a joke? I love to talk about the law and my job, but usually, people aren’t too interested.”

“No, I’m curious because Haley is the victim of a crime, and I’m trying to figure out how I can help her.”

“Truly?” Aldiss looked at Haley. “Why didn’t you say something sooner?”

“Well, I wasn’t sure how much to say because I’m pretty sure her situation is related to the reason you were called down to Tarnish. I believe the murder victims you’re meant to investigate were her parents.”

Aldiss narrowed his eyes and looked from Haley to Ward, then back again. “Is that right? You’re the daughter of Vinera and Efrud Dodson?”

“Yes, sir.” Haley gave Ward a look, which he interpreted as her wondering what he was up to.

“I believe her cousin had her parents killed in an attempt to steal their lands and belongings.”

“That’s quite a claim. Maybe you should start at the beginning. Why would her cousin receive their property upon their deaths? Why not young Haley here?”

“Well, that’s the interesting part—Haley and her brother had recently disappeared in the Tarnish Catacombs. I was there with them. Her parents were killed on the night of her return, and it was only due to her unexpected presence that the killer didn’t get away clean.” Ward went through the whole story as the marshal nodded, stroking his chin in concentration. He explained how he believed Sonder had decided to try to capitalize on Haley and her brother’s disappearance, how he’d hired killers to finish off that branch of the family, and how he’d fabricated a contract to try to show a claim on their property.

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“Quite a story, and I can see why you’re interested in rules of evidence. It doesn’t sound to me like you have any.”

“So, suppose I could get some? Suppose I can cast a spell that might make Sonder or his men confess what they’ve been up to. Would that be admissible?”

That got a reaction out of the marshal. He jerked his gaze away from the road and stared hard at Ward, looking into his eyes. “Aye, it’s no secret you’ve got more than a shine, eh? More than a moonstone glow, even. Know some words, then, do you?”

“A few.” Ward supposed he wasn’t lying—he only knew two spells, but they were each made up of multiple words. “I’ve got one that reveals hidden truths.”

“That so?” Aldiss hawked a wad of phlegm, spitting to the other side of his mount, then turned and looked at Haley, who was still riding a bit behind. “Pardon that, miss. I spend a bit too much time alone and forget my manners.” He turned back to Ward. “Far as evidentiary rules go, I suppose if I witness the spell and deem it compelling, I could use it. Only problem with mana and the words is that I’m not an expert, and it’s possible you could be tricking me somehow. Well, that would be the case, ‘cept for this.” He pulled a brass case out of his breast pocket; it was round, etched with runes, and about the size of a can of chewing tobacco.

“What’s that?” Ward leaned toward him, trying to get a better look.

“This is a little artifact all Marshals of the Assembly are issued upon swearing their final oaths.” He flipped the copper lid of the case open, and inside was a needle bobbing around with the motion of his horse.

“A compass?” Ward guessed.

“Of a sort, but this one points out the truth of a person’s words instead of true north.” He flipped it closed with a clink and tucked it back into his pocket. “Policy says only to use it with the permission of a witness or, when it comes to suspects, only in the case of imminent danger.”

“Ah. Makes sense. Well, wouldn’t you say a man paying to have people killed for material gain is something of a threat, especially when he’s got men chasing after Haley?”

“There are men after her?”

“Yeah, I hadn’t gotten to that part. Sonder Yates hired some mercenaries to chase Haley down. She has her father’s sword—hers by right—but he’s trying to squeeze everything he can out of her parents’ estate.”

Aldiss started to gather another gob of spit, then sheepishly glanced at Haley and swallowed it. With a grimace, he looked at Ward. “I’m starting to see why you wanted to travel with me. Not so much for the company, eh?”

Ward figured it wouldn’t hurt to butter the man up a little. “Not exactly, but with bloodthirsty thugs on our trail, we’re happy to be in the company of a lawman.”

“Naturally.” Aldiss smirked a little but chuckled good-naturedly and jerked his thumb back the way they’d come. “Well? How far behind us are they?”

Haley nudged her horse forward. “Depends on how long they rested. They were about half a day behind us before we got to the crossing.” When she joined the conversation, it got Ward thinking about Grace, and he wondered where she was. He’d hardly seen her all morning. He supposed she was just laying low, probably afraid the marshal had some means of seeing her. Though, as he considered that thought, he recalled that she hadn’t been shy in the bathhouse.

“Well, we’ll pass an apple farm here in an hour or two. We’ll stop there, have a nice stretch, eat some lunch, and then wait for your pursuit. I’m not one to keep strolling along when I’ve got people chasing me.”

“You’ll help us?” Haley asked, hope in her voice.

“No promises, but I’ll listen to their case and witness your sorcerer friend’s spell. If nothing comes of it, I’ll at least keep ‘em from taking your father’s sword until we can have a trial in Tarnish.”

Haley sounded relieved but also determined, “Thank you, Marshal. I must tell you, though, that I won’t give this sword up. I’ll challenge them to a duel, one by one, if I must.”

“Oh? Are they on the Road? No matter, I suppose, since you are, and they’re making claims against ya.” Aldiss sounded more surprised than bothered. “I’ve certainly officiated a fair number of duels in my day. As I said, I’ll listen to the arguments.” Ward wondered how he knew Haley was on “the Road.” Was it her association with him, a sorcerer?

Haley didn’t reply, and they rode quietly for a while, each of the travelers apparently lost in thought. Ward was thinking about duels and Nevkin, wondering if he’d been a bit too braggadocious with Haley the day before. Was he really up to fighting the kid? He certainly felt like kicking his ass, and if the little shit took things too far, Ward would finish them. That line of thinking led to more questions. “How tough are the local lords or their champions out here in the country?”

“Ah, you’re wondering about my investigation in Applegrass? It’s a rural community, sure, but the landholders are likely respectable in their prowess. If they’re old or more of a merchant lord, they’ll have hired someone with fighting skills. Still, they won’t be much of a match for a sorcerer, not one with the words to do harm.”

“So, this guy could just keep claiming land until he’s ruling over a small country? Then he could expand further?”

“Hah! No. If he keeps up like this, it’ll be more than just the local marshal who comes to look into things. Some sorcerers make a living off fighting duels, hard men and women who look for troublemakers like this and kill ‘em for their words or artifacts. If I catch wind of two sorcerers fighting, I stay out of it.”

“So, sorcerers are considered to be on the ‘Road’ you mentioned?”

“Most of the time, aye. At least in these parts. On some of the higher worlds, you’ll find plenty of folks who live peaceful lives practicing their brand of magic with no plans to walk the Road. In fact, if you get much past Cinder, you’ll need to register with the Assembly and get yourselves a badge.” He eyed Ward sideways for a minute, then asked, “You’re interested in this warlock fellow, aren’t you? You know him?”

“You’ve got good instincts, Marshal.” Ward nodded. “That warlock is named Nevkin, and he stole from me in the catacombs, leaving me for dead. He also hired killers and left them in Tarnish to wait for me if I made it out.”

“Well, are you wanting me to do something about it? You’ll need evidence in that case—”

“No, sir. I’ll be handling this matter. I’d appreciate a witness, though.” The marshal didn’t reply, and Ward watched the countryside go by for a while, enjoying the morning sun and the clean air. He was glad they weren’t hurrying, and he was glad Aldiss wasn’t angry about him not mentioning his connection to the crimes he was working on. As he thought about that, he realized he didn’t know the marshal well enough to say that.

He cleared his throat and broached the topic, “Hey, Marshal Aldiss, I hope you aren’t upset that I didn’t come clean about all this yesterday. I was still feeling things out and wasn’t sure Haley wanted me talking about her business. I, uh, didn’t feel like I knew you well enough to explain all this in the middle of a bath with other strangers listening in.”

“I understand. Frankly, I’m a little relieved to have you along. Rumors I’m hearing say this warlock fellow is anything but reasonable. I was going to investigate as much as I could without actually confronting him; this sort of madness tends to burn itself out, one way or another.”

Haley clicked her tongue, urging her mount close again. “What do you mean by that?”

“As I was telling Ward here—when a sorcerer jumps up in power and goes the wrong way with it, taking what he or she wants, killing off the local fighters and lords, word travels fast. Someone with more talent and a mean streak will likely come ‘round and put ‘em down. Usually, such a quick rise is due to an artifact or a particularly successful challenge run. In a situation like this, it’s more often than not an unstable mind at work, and, well, those aren’t too fun to deal with, ‘specially when you’re a marshal without a lick of mana.”

“Surely you’ve an artifact or two for dealing with dangerous—” Haley started to ask, but Aldiss laughed and waved his hand.

“Oh, sure, sure. I’ve got my means of handling uppity young sorcerers, but it’s never a sure-fire thing. No, I’ll be happy enough if your friend here wants to put an end to things.”

Ward was still trying to wrap his head around the weird laws of the land. “But you said you were simply going to see if his duels were on the level. You don’t have to stop him, right?”

“I’ve seen and heard about too many situations like this. Even if the duels he’s had up to now were legitimate, I’d bet good money he’ll do something worse soon, and then I’ll be riding back to these parts, wasting another two weeks of my life…” He trailed off, likely deciding he shouldn’t complain so vocally about his job. Everyone seemed content to ride in silence after that, and it wasn’t too much longer before they crested a rise and looked down on a narrow valley bordered by the river and low hills and filled with the neat rows of an apple orchard.

“This isn’t Applegrass?” Ward asked, noting only one farmstead near the center of the valley.

“No, no. Applegrass isn’t an orchard, but it’s a lovely little village where most nearby orchards bring their wares for sale and shipping. As I told ya, there’s a big trade route going through there.” He gestured to the farmstead ahead and added, “We’ll get some tarts and cider and have a rest while we await your friends.”

“Sounds so good.” Haley licked her lips, leaning forward and staring at the roadside stand.

Ward nodded. “Yeah, I’m starved.”

“Good!” Aldiss laughed. “I like to have a full belly if there’s a potential for violence, and it sounds to me like we might have some. I can’t imagine these men will be too happy about being ensorcelled.”

Ward grunted an affirmative sound. “And if they react violently?”

“Well, I can’t stand by and watch a pair of travelers get assaulted, can I? Not if the numbers aren’t even.” He winked at Ward and laughed, then clicked his tongue, urging his horse into a trot, kicking up some dust as he left Ward and Haley behind, apparently eager to get his hands on an apple tart.

Suddenly, Grace was behind Ward, leaning against his back and speaking softly into his ear, “Strange laws in this world, huh?”