by Megan Derr
If he'd had more room, he could transform completely and just inhale the smoke, but if he tried that he'd break the coach and make the situation a hundred times worse.
The coach rocked back and forth, people shouted back and forth.
All this because of him. He'd just wanted his hoard back.
Finally the rocking stopped, though not before Cadmus was left with a pounding headache. As the smoke cleared, and everything seemed to quiet slightly, the coach resumed moving. Cadmus helped the officer up, who slumped in his seat, rumpled and gray, and smiled sheepishly. "Pretty sure I'm the one who's supposed to be keeping you safe."
Cadmus smiled faintly back. "Inferno dragons require no assistance when it comes to fire and smoke. I'm sorry, I don't know your name. I appreciate you doing this, putting yourself at risk for a stranger."
"I mean, it's my job, but I'm always happy to help the chief. He's been good to my family. Gave my uncle a full retirement even though he had to quit two years early because of his bad leg. Helped us out when we went through a rough patch, took me on even though I was a scrawny little thing that didn't look like he could lift a book, let alone handle footpads and angry drunks." He smiled. "Name's Billy. Pass your shop all the time, always wanted to buy a music box for my mom."
"I'll make her one, if I'm fortunate enough to go home after all this."
Billy started to reply, but the coach came to a rough halt and someone appeared at the door—Harren. "Heard you had some trouble, Billy."
"Only a bit, though the smoke nearly got me. It's thanks to Master Tulari that it didn't."
"I see." Harren unlocked the door, and Billy helped Cadmus out.
Harren scowled at the manacles, but said nothing, only gently took Cadmus's arm and escorted him into the courthouse, several officers coming up to form a wall all round them.
Inside, everything was blessedly quiet. Usually the courthouse was as bustling and hectic as the rest of the city, but today it was so empty he might have thought it closed. "Just a little longer, and it will all be over," Harren murmured in his ear.
Cadmus tried to take comfort in the words and the fact this was a hearing, not a trial, even if it was being done by tribunal.
He was led into one of the smaller courtrooms, surprisingly, where the three judges—solemn, grim-faced women in the heavy, dark purple robes of their office—sat behind a black marble table. Minus them, clerks to attend the judges and record the tribunal, and officers to guard the doors and Cadmus, there were few in attendance: Sula, Temnis, Serena, and a handful of people he didn't recognize. One, though, was a fellow inferno dragon. The other three were reporters, to judge by their flashy clothes and the notepads they were already scribbling on. Way in the back, ignoring everyone else, was Commissioner Calla.
Cadmus had never been so grateful his parents lived so far away they'd probably never hear of this, and if they did, his name likely wouldn't come into the tale.
"Chief Imperia," said the judge in the middle, "is this dragon a danger to anyone present?"
"No, Your Honor. In fact, on the way here, the carriage was assaulted with smoke bombs, and Cadmus saved one of my officers from smoke poisoning. Had a clear opportunity to escape or assault people, and chose to remain and care for Officer Setter. He is not a danger."
"Remove his manacles, then. This is going to be a lengthy tribunal, and I do not want his wrists damaged."
Harren nodded, removed the cuffs, and with a bow withdrew to join a row of officers on the left side of the courtroom.
The right-most judge said, "Master Cadmus Tulari, this is a hearing to discuss your behavior in the aftermath of having your hoard stolen, and whether it was well-within hoard-defense or if you exceeded those bounds. The potential charges being discussed are one count of secondary murder and two counts of manslaughter; there is also reckless endangerment of roughly a hundred citizens, and two counts of property destruction. Do you understand these charges?"
"Yes, Your Honors."
The left-most judge said, "This is a Royal Tribunal, meaning you will be tried and judged by the three of us, with no lawyer to speak for you, no jury of your peers, and most of the work pertaining to this hearing done long before your arrival. What happens here is final, and you will not be entitled to a second hearing. Do you understand this?"
"Yes, Your Honors."
"Very well," said the middle judge. "Let us proceed. Justices Lane, Morgan, and Walter presiding." She pointed in turn to the left-most judge, herself, and the remaining. "The first charge is for murder of the second level of Captain Rudyard Belchis of the Silent Nightingale. Do you remember it?"
"I remember demanding my treasure. He claimed not to know what I was talking about at first. Then he claimed that he'd bought it fair and square and told me to 'fuck off' or something to that effect. I threw him aside. He hit the main mast, I think, but right as I did it, I felt my hoard go into the water. After that, I don't remember much of anything until Chief Imperia arrived and took me into custody. I vaguely recall burning the ship, but even that isn't clear. Mostly I just recall the presence of dragon fire."
"I see," Morgan said, and jotted something on the papers before her.
"So you had no intention of killing Captain Belchis?" Lane asked.
Cadmus shook his head. "I didn't want to kill anyone. I just wanted everyone to move and to give me back my hoard. The only person I killed with intent to do so was the man who shot me. I threw Captain Belchis aside to get him out of my way so I could explore the ship, not to kill him."
"Hmmm," said Judge Lane. "After you confronted Belchis, and they threw your treasure overboard, you say you don't remember much?"
"No. I felt my hoard go into the water and turned frantic trying to save what I could before all of it was lost, since I can't go into the water. Doing so would kill me. I managed to save a single chest and fled with that back to land." One small chest. Not enough, not nearly enough. He wished he'd brought his tiny little hoard with him, but he wasn't allowed to bring anything into the courtroom, and it was safest in the locked cell. He hoped. Best not to think about it. "I just—I just wanted my hoard back. That's all I wanted. To get back what was ripped away from me." He pinched his eyes shut to fight off the tears. Six days after the fact, six long terrible, dreary, interminable days, it was still a raw, bleeding wound.
If the judges were affected by his words or tears, they gave no sign of it, simply shuffled papers and tapped pens.
The third judge, Walter, pushed at her red-rimmed glasses and said, "The next two charges against you are for two counts of involuntary manslaughter. Two of the five sailors still on that ship when you destroyed it did not survive. One died of smoke inhalation, the other was killed by falling timber amidst the destruction of the ship."
"I see," Cadmus said, anger over his hoard warring with remorse for the killing. "That is unfortunate, and certainly was not my intention. By that point, I was lost in my grief and anger. I don't even remember seeing anyone. I cannot say for certain, but I think my assumption was that they'd dumped my treasure and abandoned ship. I'm not excusing my behavior, mind, I'm just saying that I did not kill Captain Belchis or those sailors intentionally. Murder was not on my mind, save for the man who first shot me, and Vidner, whom I was planning on killing but could never find. The only thing on my mind was retrieval and destroying the ship because I blamed it for my lost hoard. I don't like water on a good day, and liked it even less right then. It causes me pain and can prove fatal, and thus is a source of great distress and fear. I hate the ocean, and I hate ships. I had to travel by ship to get here, and it was the worst two weeks of my life."
"Master Agen, can you substantiate that claim?"
The dragon in the viewers' seats rose, cleared his throat, and said, "I can, Your Honors. I am also an inferno dragon and have the same aversion to water. My journey here by ship was agonizing; I spent the whole of it anxious and often terrified. I've compiled further accounts of inferno dragons dying while t
raveling across the ocean." He offered a leather portfolio, which an officer took and delivered to the judges.
They perused it in silence, then set it aside, and Morgan said, "Very well, let's move on to the remaining charges. Two counts of destruction of property. What have you to say regarding those?"
"Nothing. I was angry at the man who tried to kill me and that Vidner and the rest of my hoard was not at the house, so I burned it down. Then I destroyed the ship when they threw my hoard overboard. I meant to do both."
The judges nodded. Walter said, "The final charge is reckless endangerment of at least a hundred persons, compiled from police reports filed about you roaming around. What say you to that, Master Tulari?"
"I never went out with any intention of hurting anyone. I wanted to get my hoard back. When people approached me, I told them to go away. I had no interest in anyone not related to the theft of my treasures. One woman directed me to where Vidner lived, and I promised to make her something in gratitude."
"Yes, we have that affidavit here, and your words corroborate what she said, and what another witness who saw the exchange said. There was also a butcher."
"Yes, he tried to tell me to stop, but when I mentioned my reason for being out and driving people away, he backed down and I moved on. I also tried to scare off the sailors, most of whom I think abandoned ship upon my arrival. When the police finally showed up to stop me, my only reaction was to make them leave me alone with what little treasure I'd managed to regain. When Chief Imperia arrived, I went peacefully with him."
Morgan shuffled papers. "Those accounts are also corroborated. In addition, we have sworn statements from seventy-seven members of the nobility, three hundred from the working classes, and a statement from Crown Prince Fayette. We were given seven sworn statements speaking against you, but four of those are from heavily biased sources and have been discounted. And we must of course take into account the wrong that was done to you. The theft of a dragon's hoard is a capital offense. Unfortunately, the persons responsible for that offense are dead and cannot be held accountable. Master Jay Vidner is deceased, along with the eight men who assisted him, not counting the one you killed. The cause of death was demon. Do you find that conclusion satisfactory, Master Tulari?"
"I don't find death satisfactory at all," Cadmus said. "I never really wanted anyone to die, save Vidner, however angry I was at the time. I wanted my hoard back, and I wanted Vidner punished. But I'm not secretly gloating or anything. Above all, I wish none of this had ever happened."
That got him more nodding and shuffling. "You are dismissed for now, Master Tulari, while we question witnesses and officials and deliberate on the matter. Guards, please take him away. I do not see any need to manacle him, just see a guard is set."
"Yes, Your Honors," two guards chorused as Harren motioned them forward.
He walked between them out of the courtroom, staring at the floor, heart pounding in his ears so loudly it mercifully drowned the rest of the world out.
Chapter Seven
He waited four long, miserable hours. Why had it taken barely an hour to talk to him and four hours to talk to everyone else? Well, that was a stupid question. Of course it took longer to talk to a lot of people than to one.
Still. It was a bit frustrating that he had so little part in his own fate.
At least they didn't simply leave him to sit in misery. Someone brought him food and later tea and gave him a couple of books to read. Mostly, though, Cadmus simply sat worrying. What were they going to do to him? Fines? If they were high enough, they'd ruin him. He couldn't make automatons without all the parts and accessories of his hoard, and he couldn't replenish his hoard without significant funds—and time, but time he would have. Unless of course they exiled him, in which case…
Best not to think about it, but try as he might the thoughts would not leave him in peace. He just wanted to be home, safe with his hoard and putting his life back together.
When was someone going to tell him about the state of his hoard? Why wouldn't they tell him anything? He could feel it, or some of it, heavily muffled and hidden. Didn't he deserve to be told something? It wasn't fair.
A rap came at the door, and he could have wept with relief when Harren stepped in and quietly said, "It's time." He was the only one there to escort Cadmus. Was that a good sign? A bad sign? The reassuring squeeze to his arm only succeeded in terrifying him.
He was ready to scream by the time he took his place before the judges again.
They rose, as did everyone else in the room, and Judge Morgan said, "Master Tulari, it is the judgement of this tribunal that though you were egregiously wronged, the victim of a capital offense, your behavior exceeded reasonable force. You are thus charged with one count of accidental mayhem, two counts of destruction of property, and three counts of accidental manslaughter. You are sentenced to the following: a fine of 1000 marks for accidental mayhem; banishment from the city for a period of six months; and must make restitution to the families of the deceased, totaling 1000 marks each. Have you anything to say?"
"N-n-no," Cadmus managed, sinking to his knees in relief. He hadn't lost his shop. He could pay the fines and everything else without completely destroying his fortune. The banishment would be hard, since he had nowhere to go, but it was a manageable problem and a more than fair punishment. "Thank you, Your Honors."
"This tribunal is adjourned," Lane said, and slammed her gavel. "Master Tulari, you are free to go. You are to be out of the city by the end of this week at sundown. And…" He looked up as Harren gently helped him to his feet. "You have probably been dying to know about your hoard."
"Yes, Your Honor."
Lane smiled faintly, the intimidating sternness she'd projected the whole tribunal vanishing, leaving only a friendly woman in its place. "Most of your hoard was recovered. Not all of it, I'm afraid. Your impeccable records stated there should be 7,876 pieces. We recovered 7,139. And I believe you currently have in your possession another 173. I apologize the remaining 564 pieces could not be recovered."
"That is more than I ever dreamed of getting back. Thank you."
"It awaits you in your shop. Good day to you, Master Tulari."
"Your Honor."
He started crying and held tight when Harren hugged him. Then others were there: Temnis, Serena, and Sula. A few other people came up, including the dragon who'd helped him before. "I'm sorry this happened to you, kit."
"I deeply appreciate your help, sire," Cadmus replied, giving him a slight bow.
The man patted his cheek. He must be several centuries old, all grace and elegance, and a deep wisdom in his jewel-red eyes. "I was glad I could be of service. I wish you the best. If you're ever in Bright City, pay me a visit. I would enjoy seeing you in a proper setting."
"I would be honored." Cadmus took the calling card he held out, and then the man was gone.
The others dragged him away, Harren not even bothering to be polite with the reporters, simply ordering his officers to drag them away. Then Cadmus was being ushered into the familiar comfort of Harren's carriage, everyone crowding in with him, like Sula and Temnis didn't have a carriage of their own.
But Cadmus didn't mind. He liked having them all close. Needed them close. Somewhere in the midst of this mess, they'd become his hoard too. Sandwiched between Harren and Sula, listening as Temnis and Serena chattered about everything that had happened in the four hours he'd waited, he was the happiest he had been since before the fight with Harren and the loss of his hoard.
As they drew closer to the shop, he could feel his hoard—and the spell that had been cast over the shop to mute it, dull it, essentially making people skip over it, not see it. He hadn't been able to feel his hoard because someone had paid for a muting spell. "Who cast the spell?"
"I have a lot of magical friends and clients," Sula said with a shrug. "One of them was willing to cast the spell for some fancy roses."
Cadmus gave wobbly smile, struggling against crying ag
ain. "None of you had any reason to do so much for me. I cannot thank you enough."
"No one should ever need a reason to do the right thing, except that it's the right thing," Sula replied. "Now here we are."
"Everything from your cell has been brought as well," Harren said. "Now that you're home, I'll have the locks redone." The carriage door opened, and they stumbled one by one onto the street. Serena hugged him tightly and kissed his cheeks. Temnis hugged him as well, then gripped his shoulders. "Look forward to seeing you again once you're allowed to come home. Trice won't be the same without you."
Cadmus managed a faint laugh at that. "But it will probably be a good deal quieter. I'm surprised there aren't people here harassing me now."
"After the incident with the coach, a royal order was issued, and the penalties for disobedience are severe," Sula replied.
"Enough, enough," Harren said, and handed over the key to the shop. "Go, enjoy your hoard, make your home home again. When you want to see us, you know where we'll be." He braced his hands on Cadmus's shoulder and leaned up to kiss him soft and sweet. "We've arranged for food to be delivered the rest of the week, and once you're ready, we'll deal with the whole having to leave the city for six months. But for now, dear toymaker, go take care of you."
"Thank you," Cadmus whispered, and kissed him again. Then he impulsively went over and gave Sula a quick kiss before darting off, leaving Serena and Temnis gawking.
The shop was cool and dark and smelled of lemons, like it had been freshly cleaned. The shelves where his display pieces should have been were still empty, but he could feel them in the back now that he was inside the muting spell.
He headed into the backroom, and fresh tears spilled down his cheeks at the sight of his hoard—and the effort someone, probably several someones, had gone to for him. Trunks, chests, and crates sat piled neatly in the middle of the shop, the work tables pushed out of the way to make room for them. Set on one crate was a familiar basket stuffed with foods from all of Serena's favorite shops, and stacked on another were blankets and pillows. Someone had also brought in a large, beautiful green settee, and set near it were his belongings from the jail cell. Everything was arranged so he could stay right there with his hoard, sleeping close to or right with it.