The Executioner's Right (The Executioner's Song Book 1)

by D. K. Holmberg

  “Then what?”

  Finn shook his head. “Memories.”

  “You weren’t here long enough for memories.”

  “It felt like an eternity.” And he’d only been in Declan for a week. Maybe a little longer. What must it feel like for his father, who had been imprisoned for much longer?

  Finn had no idea where his father was imprisoned, but he couldn’t imagine any prison being any better for a longer time. Given that Oscar hadn’t been able to track his father through the prisons—even with his connections—he suspected he had been taken out of the city to a different prison.

  He took a deep breath, steadying himself.

  Meyer was right. He was going to have to get over it sooner or later.

  Eventually, new memories would form, and Finn would be able to look past the others, but for now, all he remembered was how the Lion had come for him, bringing him to the chapel, tormenting him for information that Finn was unwilling to provide.

  They headed down the stairs.

  When they reached the second lower level, the iron master nodded to Meyer. It wasn’t one Finn recognized. “Didn’t expect to see you tonight.”

  “I have a new apprentice, and he needs experience.”

  The iron master grunted. “Hopefully, he’s not such a pain in the ass as the Lion.”

  “Time will tell.”

  The iron master glanced over at Finn. “What do we call him?”

  “Nothing for now.”

  “No? He’s not going to be the new Lion? Maybe the Cub?”

  Meyer glared at the iron master. “Where is he?”

  “Down here. I’ll take you to him.”

  Finn followed the two of them down the hall.

  This had been his cell.

  When he reached the cell where he’d been held, he paused. He looked over at it for a moment before turning and looking across the hall.

  Hector lay curled up in the back of his cell. He was quiet, and he breathed slowly enough that Finn thought he slept. Hector was thin, dressed in dirty and tattered clothing of the prisons, his lanky hair spread out around him.

  At least, he hoped he slept.

  At the end of the hall, the iron master and Meyer stopped in front of another cell.

  The iron master opened the door and dragged a large man out.

  Rock?

  The shock of seeing Rock struck Finn.

  This wasn’t just someone he knew. This was a friend.

  His heart hammered, and it seemed the moisture left his mouth.

  Rock looked at Finn, locking eyes. There was a moment where something passed between them—hope?—but then it was gone.

  They guided Rock along the hall.

  When they reached the end of the hall, Finn stepped off to the side. Rock stared straight ahead, seemingly ignoring Finn and Meyer. He marched along, his gaze fixed straight ahead of him.

  Something grabbed Finn, and he spun.

  Hector pressed his face up against the bars, grinning. “The gods have answered all your prayers. No more tears and no more sorrow. Time to march toward their demands. Preparing for the war ’morrow!”

  Hector cackled, reaching out toward Finn.

  “Shut up!” The voice came from the end of the hall.

  It was Charon.

  Finn had planned on asking him if the hegen had demanded something of him, but coming with Meyer to question Rock stole those thoughts from him.

  As Finn jerked away, Hector leaned toward him, trying to squeeze his face through the bars of the cell. “It’s your right, it’s his right, it’s all right!”

  Finn shook his head, leaving Hector.

  When he caught up to Meyer, he glanced over to Finn, who shook his head.

  “Hector,” he whispered.

  Meyer nodded. “He’s been here a while. When he gets close to his sentencing, the guards get aggressive with him. He’s not as crazed as it seems.”

  Finn glanced over to Hector. Why prolong everything? “He did that with me, too.”

  Meyer nodded and turned back toward the hallway. When they reached the chapel, the iron master brought Rock inside and strapped him into the chair, binding the leathers around his wrists and ankles. He stepped off to the side when Meyer cleared his throat.

  “We will question him ourselves,” Meyer said.

  The iron master shrugged. “Be my guest. I’ll be outside.”

  Finn looked over to Rock. His head was down, and he stared at the floor.

  What would Rock say about me? Better yet, what would Rock say to me?

  He debated how much to share with Meyer, but given what he knew of the executioner, it was likely that Meyer already knew that Finn had a connection to him.

  “I know him,” he whispered. “We were on the same crew. We’re friends.” He felt he had to add the last, otherwise Meyer would learn it eventually.

  Meyer frowned. “Unusual.”

  “What is?”

  “A single crew to get into enough trouble to draw the attention of the Archers so frequently.”

  “It’s probably—”

  Finn didn’t have a chance to say that it was probably tied to the Client. With Rock here now, he felt as if he had to say something.

  Rock began to jerk, shaking the chair, but it was anchored to the stone. He was strapped in tightly, and thankfully the straps held. He looked up, leveling his gaze on Meyer. “I get the hangman.” He turned his head, looking toward Finn. “And Shuffles.”

  Finn couldn’t tell if Rock was angry or disappointed.

  Probably both.

  They hadn’t even had the chance to share a drink of ale like Finn had promised him.

  Meyer stood across from Rock, seemingly unperturbed by the aggression within him. “You are Luca Grobbe.”

  Finn had never known Rock’s real name. He’d always been Rock. Solid. Strong.

  His friend.

  “Since you’re asking, it seems as if you already know,” he said.

  “Tell me about where you were captured.”

  “I was captured minding my own business. There’s no crime in being out at night.”

  “No crime other than violating the curfew.”

  “The curfew,” Rock scoffed. “A damn joke, if you ask me. A man can’t go to a tavern and wander the streets on his way home?”

  “The curfew is set late enough that a man can visit the tavern as long as he wants without violating it. It’s only when he’s out beyond the curfew that trouble ensues.” Finn doubted Meyer wasn’t about to remind Rock the reason for the curfew was the king’s visit. Or visits. He didn’t know how often he was in the city, only that he’d come to negotiate peace with the Alainsith. “Why don’t you tell me where you were?”

  “Why don’t you have Shuffles tell you where I was?”

  “The question wasn’t for him. The question was for you.”

  Meyer stood across from Rock, watching him.

  Rock glared at him. “I wasn’t doing anything.”

  Meyer smiled slightly. “The Archers who found you in the shop in the Theden section would claim otherwise.”

  Theden was one of the sections near the palace. No wonder Rock had gotten pinched.

  “They only say that to get a bonus.”

  “The Archers are not paid any commission for bringing in additional criminals.”

  “I’m a criminal now?”

  “That remains to be seen. It also remains to be seen how much you will choose to share with me.”

  “I already told you—”

  “Yes. You were minding your own business.”

  “That’s right. Minding my own business until your Archers decided to harass me. They can’t even let a man make his way home.”

  “Where do you live?”

  “What does that have to do with the price of piss?”

  Finn wanted to warn Rock not to push Meyer. It wasn’t like he was in a position to argue with him. Depending upon what Meyer reported, Rock could find his sentenc
ing going poorly for him.

  “Where do you live? Which section. You can begin with that.”

  “Olin. Why?”

  Finn shook his head. Rock, you fool.

  He wanted to intervene and help Rock, but what could he even say?

  “You live in Olin, yet you were found in Theden late at night. I find that strange.”

  “I got lost.”

  “I am sure of that.” Meyer studied Rock. Finn had seen that look on his face before and recognized the way Meyer regarded him. “I’m going to ask you a few questions. Depending upon how you answer them, you will either escalate the kind of questioning or deescalate it. Do you understand me?”

  “I told you all you need to know. You don’t need to hold me.”

  Meyer turned and headed toward the table with interrogation tools.

  Finn used the opportunity to slip forward. He risked upsetting Meyer, but he needed to say something to Rock. This was his friend. “Tell him what he needs to know, Rock. He’s going to find out anyway.”

  “Don’t worry about me, Shuffles.”

  “I… I don’t want you to go through what I went through here.”

  He looked at Rock, trying to plead at him with his eyes.

  Rock turned away. “I’m not telling your master shit.”

  Meyer approached carrying two pieces of iron over to Rock. “This is a terrible device, and I’m truly sorry it is necessary to use it, but I can tell you’re not forthcoming with me. Perhaps with a little pressure, you might find it within you to answer my questions.” He knelt in front of Rock, who tried to kick, but his legs were bound by the leather straps. “Now, these will fit on either side of your leg. As I twist, pressure will be applied. At first, it is tolerable. The more I squeeze, the less tolerable it becomes.”

  In the time that he’d been working with Meyer, Finn had seen the questioning side, he’d seen the soothing side when he’d applied the healing salve to Gabe, he’d seen the defiant side with the way that he’d stood up to the jurors and the magister. Even though his first experience with Meyer had been when he’d slipped the noose around his neck, he still hadn’t seen this part of him.

  Until now.

  When Meyer had the boot fashioned around Rock’s leg, he began to twist. Finn could scarcely look at Rock. He cried out softly.

  Meyer went to the table and grabbed the other boot, and applied it much like the last.

  Finn had experienced the boots himself, so he knew how painful they could be. When the Lion had applied them to his legs, Finn didn’t have the same sense of remorse from the Lion as he did from Meyer.

  Still, he did it.

  Because it was his job.

  Meyer stood in front of Rock. “Where were you heading in the Theden section?”

  “I told you,” Rock started, his teeth gritted. “I was heading home. I got lost.”

  “You got lost. And found your way into a shop. Would you care to tell me why that shop?”

  Finn shared in the curiosity. The Client must have wanted something from it. But why would Rock have been the one to head there?

  Rock wasn’t the skilled thief. That was Oscar. Even Wolf.

  The jobs had been going south lately. Something had gone wrong with each one.

  Finn. Almost Oscar—twice. Red. Now Rock.

  “I got lost. I’m telling you the truth!”

  Meyer leaned down and twisted the boots tighter. Rock cried out. It was a horrible sound that carried through the inside of the chapel. Finn wanted to cover his ears, but he didn’t think Meyer would appreciate it if he were to do that.

  “I am ready for the truth. All I ask is for honesty. What were you after in that shop?”

  Rock started to thrash, trying to jerk his way free. The leather around his arms started to creak. Finn had a moment of panic, but Meyer didn’t.

  He’d been through this before. Likely, he’d been through it with men who were more terrifying than Rock. There wouldn’t be many who were stronger, but that didn’t matter.

  “We can keep at this as long as you would like. Perhaps if I leave a little pressure for a while…”

  Meyer headed back to the small table of torture tools.

  Finn stood in front of Rock. It was almost as horrible being on this side of the chair. “Just tell him what he needs to know,” he whispered. “All he wants to know is what you were after. That’s it. He doesn’t care about the crew.”

  At least, Finn didn’t think Meyer was after the crew. The Lion had been curious about it, but Meyer seemed different from that. He wanted to know what, then why, and Finn didn’t know if he viewed it as his responsibility to find out who.

  “I don’t want you to go through this.”

  Rock looked at him, and the expression in his eyes shifted. “Fuck. Him. Shuffles.”

  This was his friend.

  It had been hard on them after Meyer had claimed Finn, but there had been a part of Finn that thought he’d be able to keep his friendships, especially with Rock.

  After this, Finn doubted it would be possible.

  Finn swallowed before backing away from the chair. Rock cried out again.

  Finn looked over to Meyer. If he left Rock alone, Meyer was going to continue applying pressure. Rock was going to continue to suffer.

  Ignoring the soft cries Rock made, Finn moved closer to him. He crouched down, getting in front of Rock’s face. “All we need is to know what you were doing there. You don’t gain anything holding out. All you do is make this worse.”

  Rock looked up at him.

  “You have to have a reason. Just let me know what it is. I can help you.” Finn glanced over to Meyer. “He’s only going to make this worse. Trust me when I tell you that it can get worse.”

  “How can I trust you? Look at you. You’re not even a part of the crew anymore. You’ve become one of them.”

  It stung even more when Rock said it than it had coming from Oscar.

  This was his friend.

  How much had he lost when Meyer had saved him from dying?

  “Maybe not, but I’m still your friend.” Doubt crept across Rock’s face. “All we need to know is what you were doing. Why you are doing it. There has to be a reason. Something you can tell me.”

  Rock stared at him for a moment before his gaze turned to a hardened glare.

  “I’m not betraying the crew. I’m not betraying the King.”

  Finn glanced over. He didn’t know how much Meyer knew about the crew. It was possible he didn’t know anything about the crew and, by mentioning the King, Rock revealed more than what he had already been able to uncover.

  As he looked at Meyer, Finn couldn’t tell.

  Meyer carried a long, pointed rod over toward Rock.

  “I can’t do this,” Finn said, shaking his head.

  Meyer studied him for a moment. “Stand back there,” he said.

  Finn backed away.

  Meyer crouched down, and he tightened the boots around Rock’s legs again.

  He didn’t cry out any more than he already had.

  For that, Finn thought he should be thankful. Still, Rock groaned, a pained sound.

  “We will remain here as long as necessary to find why you went into that shop. When you provide me with a satisfactory answer, I will remove the boots.” Meyer smiled sadly. “I’m afraid I won’t be able to remove them until then.”

  Meyer leaned down and tightened them again.

  Finn realized he had gotten off easy. Had Meyer been the one questioning him, he would have told him anything that he wanted to know.

  “What were you after?”

  “I was on my way home,” Rock said.

  Meyer leaned down and tightened the boots again.

  This time, Rock cried out.

  It was a shriek, a piercing sound that ripped through Finn’s ears, into the back of his head. He covered his ears.

  Meyer stood in front of Rock. “What were you after?”

  Rock thrashed. He trembled, tr
ying to work his arms and his legs free. Rock was a big man, strong, but the leather straps bound him in place, and he wasn’t able to get free of the bindings.

  Meyer just watched.

  Finally, Rock stopped thrashing.

  “There was a necklace,” he said. His voice was a whisper.

  “A necklace. In an antiquities shop?”

  Rock looked up. He leaned back, and Meyer dropped down.

  The spittle he had targeted at Meyer missed.

  Meyer twisted another turn.

  Rock screamed.

  Meyer stood, facing Rock. “If it was only a necklace, describe it to me.”

  “I didn’t get it,” he said, his voice rising at the end. “I went for it, but your damn Archers got to me before I could grab it. Is that what you wanted to hear? Dammit, Shuffles, tell him that’s all I was doing. Tell him to stop hurting me.”

  Finn swallowed.

  Meyer tipped his head as he regarded Rock for another moment.

  Then he crouched down and twisted the boots one more time.

  Rock screamed.

  “I told you what you wanted!”

  “What else?”

  “A necklace. That’s all!”

  Meyer shook his head. “Unfortunately, you’re still holding out on me. I think that I will leave these boots on you for a little while longer.”

  “You can’t do that!”

  Meyer nodded to Finn, and they headed through the door. Rock’s screams followed them, and even when they were out in the hall, Finn could still hear the muted cries coming from the large man through the door. The sound tore at his heart, and he wanted nothing more than to go in and release Rock from his torment.

  The iron master looked over to Meyer, chuckling softly. “That one didn’t want to talk, did he? Seems as if he would rather sing.”

  “You may go,” Meyer said.

  “Afraid I can’t do that. Warden wants me to make sure that I’m here while you question.”

  “Is that right?” Meyer asked.

  The iron master shrugged. “Not that I really want to be here. Don’t care for it when the condemned sing like that.”

  Meyer started pacing the hall, and Finn looked back at the door to the chapel.

  “How do you know he’s keeping something from you?”

  “Because he gave up the necklace too quickly.”

  “What if it was just a necklace?”