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

by D. K. Holmberg

  From there, he waited.

  Four Archers marched along the street. They came from the palace.

  Staying in the shadows of the alley, Finn managed to avoid detection. He could see them disappearing into the darkness. He breathed out a sigh of relief.

  He’d escaped. What of the others in the crew?

  He waited in the alley for a little while longer before making his way along the street. From there, Finn needed to find where the rest of the crew had gone. He didn’t know if they would meet up anywhere, though he suspected the King had something in mind.

  Finn moved as cautiously as he could along the street. He caught sight of a couple more Archers, though they were in the distance, moving away from him.

  There was no one else out in the night.

  He followed the alleys and the streets until he reached the section of the city where they had entered. Once there, Finn waited.

  He was willing to wait as long as it would take to see whether the others had made it out safely. His distraction hopefully had been enough for the King, but what about Wolf? What of Oscar? Even Rock?

  While he was waiting, a shadowed figure moved along the street. At first, Finn thought it was an Archer, but something about it was off.

  As he watched the figure making his way toward him, Finn didn’t think it was one of the Archers.

  He didn’t know who came toward him.

  Another figure appeared, carrying a long cane.

  Not a cane. A staff.

  The staff.

  The King.

  He headed straight toward the shadowed figure.

  The Client. It had to be.

  From the other end of the street, Finn noticed another person coming toward them. They were moving quickly, staying near the shadows, and only when they got close could he tell it was Wolf.

  Where was Oscar?

  Finn thought about moving forward, but he didn’t want to reveal himself yet.

  “Did you do it?” The soft voice of the Client barely carried in the darkness.

  “Got it. Wolf took care of placing the rest. And I did what you told me. It took a bit of work. Can’t say anything happened.”

  “It takes time,” the Client said.

  “We didn’t have time.”

  “You didn’t need it. You knew it would require sacrifice on your part. The reward is worth the risk. With these items you’ve placed, and now with this,” he said, taking the staff, “the plan will come to fruition. And they will be blamed.”

  “I didn’t care about any of that.”

  “Of course you did,” the Client said. “Had you not, you know what would happen.”

  “I know what you plan,” the King said. “And I don’t care. Let the fucking Alainsith attack for all I care. I just want to make sure my debt is erased.” The King held out his hand. “Oh, and the payment.”

  “As we agreed.” The Client reached into his pocket and pulled a pouch out, holding it out for the King.

  They swapped quickly.

  The Client studied the staff, tracing his fingers along the surface. It practically seemed to glow in the moonlight.

  The King nodded to Wolf, and they turned, heading down the street.

  Finn waited where he was for a moment. Had he not, he would have missed what happened next. The Client stopped near the shadows, practically disappearing, and whistled softly.

  Three Archers appeared out of the darkness.

  They went straight toward the King and Wolf.

  The Client intended to betray them.

  Finn wanted to see what happened next. Not that there was any question about it.

  He turned and raced through the alley. He might be able to get ahead of them.

  When he reached the end of the alley, opening up onto the opposite street, he paused and looked out. The King and Wolf slipped along the street—but so did the Archers, creeping behind them.

  Finn could wait. They would reach him, and he could lead them through the alley and to safety. Another figure stepped forward.

  It took Finn a moment before he recognized it.

  Oscar.

  He started toward the King and Wolf. Toward the Archers.

  He would get caught.

  The card.

  What if the hegen card had not wanted him to betray Oscar but was a warning?

  Finn darted forward across the street. The King looked toward him, but Finn ignored him. Instead, he reached Oscar.

  “You’ve got to get away,” Finn said.

  Oscar looked at him. “Did he get it?”

  Finn frowned. “He got it. I’m not sure what he wanted with the staff.”

  “Not just the staff,” Oscar said. “Wolf was placing the bowls we’d stolen. There were seven of them. I managed to grab five, but two were missing.”

  “You got them after Wolf placed them?”

  Oscar shrugged.

  “Damn,” he whispered. “You really are the Hand.” Finn pulled the other bowl from his pocket. It was slick and warm and had small symbols engraved on its surface. “I took this on my way out. I don’t know what happened to the last one.”

  Oscar swiped it and stuffed the bowl into his cloak. “You did good, Shuffles.”

  There was more going on here than Finn knew.

  But there would be time to figure that out. Later.

  First they had to escape.

  Footsteps thundered toward them. The sound of the Archers coming.

  “Go!” Finn said.

  “Finn—”

  They didn’t have time to argue.

  Finn pulled the hegen card from his pocket and shoved it toward Oscar. “This is going to be you if you don’t go!”

  Oscar took the card, his gaze flicking from it to Finn’s face.

  “You shouldn’t do this.”

  “Dammit, Oscar! I’m not doing anything. Just go!”

  Oscar spun and darted off, quickly disappearing into the darkness.

  The Archers reached the King and Wolf. Both of them fought, but the Archers were stronger and armed with swords. The fight did not last long.

  One of the Archers noticed Finn and started toward him.

  He took a deep breath. Though he might be dressed in darks, he could be the executioner’s apprentice. That would get him out of this.

  The Archer reached him. “You are out past—”

  Finn nodded curtly, cutting him off before he had a chance to get settled. “Good evening. I’m Finn Jagger, apprenticed to Henry Meyer, executioner in service to King Porman.”

  The Archer regarded him.

  “I’m on the official business of Master Meyer.”

  “Is that so.”

  He glanced behind Finn. Had he seen Oscar? It didn’t matter. All that mattered was that Finn keep his attention.

  “It’s regarding the escaped prisoner Luca Grobbe. Master Meyer wanted me to check known locations for him, as he hasn’t been seen since his escape from Declan Prison.”

  Finn hoped it was enough to convince him. And that they didn’t fully serve the Client since he still didn’t know who it was, only that he had connections. This was how he needed to use his connection to Meyer.

  One of the other Archers approached. Two others remained standing guard with a sword stretched toward the King and Wolf, who watched Finn.

  “Says he serves the hangman.”

  The other Archer studied him. “Hangman does have a new apprentice.”

  “That’s what I heard. Look how he’s dressed, though. Like them.” He motioned toward Wolf and the King.

  “I’m working on a job for Master Meyer and undercover,” Finn said hurriedly. It might work to explain his clothing.

  “Claims he’s looking for Luca Grobbe.”

  “Also known as Rock,” Finn added.

  The new Archer grunted. “Seems as if he’s telling the truth.”

  “You don’t think we should bring him in?”

  “And do what? Let them know we’ve caught the hangma
n’s help?” He shook his head. “These two will be enough.” He nodded to Finn. “Tell the hangman he’s been recaptured. And his associates.”

  Finn nodded and turned. He glanced toward the King and Wolf. He might be able to say something to free them, but the King had been willing to sacrifice him. And he had sacrificed Rock.

  “Looks like we’ll be busy tomorrow,” Finn said to the Archers.

  As he headed along the street, the King called after him. “Don’t you leave us, Shuffles! You know what happens if you do!”

  Finn ignored him, disappearing into the night.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Finn spent the night wandering the city.

  The King and Wolf were captured by Archers. Rock, too. Finn had no idea what had happened to Scruff, though considering he hadn’t come with Wolf—and neither had Oscar—Finn suspected what had happened. The only ones who’d gotten away from the Archers had been Oscar and Finn.

  And the Client.

  The Client had never intended the crew to succeed. Maybe he never had. Pull a job, do whatever he intended with those bowls, claim what was stolen, and have someone to accuse. It would make for a tidy crime.

  Whoever it was had some pull with the Archers, enough to send them after the crew. Finn doubted the Client was the reason he’d been caught in the first place—that had been his own mistake—but the Client had to have been the reason Pegg’s crew had failed.

  It was also tied to the Alainsith, though all of that was beyond Finn’s ability to understand. Meyer would likely tell him that it wasn’t his responsibility to understand.

  His responsibility was justice.

  And how could I serve justice if the Client were still out there?

  By the time dawn had started to work through the city, Finn still didn’t know what to make of what had happened. He headed back toward Meyer’s home. It was time to return.

  The garden greeted him with the scent of the flowers and the sight of a stack of fresh pumpkins. Finn passed through the garden, exhaustion working through him, and headed inside. The home was quiet, and he moved as silently as he could into his small room, where he rested his head, lying down for what seemed a moment.

  A hand on his shoulder awoke him.

  When he came awake, he looked over to see Meyer standing over him. Dressed in his gray leathers, a dark, almost angry expression crossed his eyes. “Explain.”

  Finn took a moment to get his mind working. How long had he been sleeping? Not long enough for him to feel rested. Not nearly enough.

  “Explain what?”

  As he sat up, he realized he’d lain down in the darks.

  Which meant one set of his clothing was still at the Wenderwolf.

  He should have gone back for it, but with the entire crew getting pinched, he hadn’t wanted to return there, regardless of how much he might like Annie.

  “Explain. It had better be believable.”

  Finn looked up at Meyer. He wouldn’t be able to deceive him. Meyer would be able to tell if he tried. “My crew was in danger.”

  “Which meant you had to take a job?”

  Finn got to his feet, rubbing his eyes. He didn’t like sitting, having Meyer staring down at him. It felt too much like he was being questioned. At least on his feet, he could feel as if he were on equal footing as Meyer.

  “That wasn’t why I had to take a job.”

  “Then why?”

  Finn looked up. “Because I failed you. I was going to die anyway. I thought I could help them.”

  Meyer cocked his head to the side. “You failed me how?”

  Finn waved his hand. “With the testing. With what you expect of me. With all of it.”

  “Why would you think you failed me?”

  “Because I was at the Executioner Court. I couldn’t answer most of those questions. I got some of them right, but the longer they questioned me, the less I knew. I failed you. Then Rock got away, and there was nothing I could do about it.”

  “Failure isn’t a reason to run.”

  “I didn’t run.”

  “You took a job.”

  “To protect my crew. My family.” Finn met his eyes, trying to be as defiant as he could but not certain he did a good job. “You risked yourself for me. I understand that.” Finn closed his eyes. He wasn’t going to tell Meyer about the hegen. He might know already, but this was something he would keep from him. “But you wouldn’t have been able to protect my family if we were both dead.”

  Meyer said nothing for a few moments. Finally, he frowned at Finn. “Your sister and mother have already been provided for. And we would have found an alternative test. The court is not so rigid. You had to do nothing.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “It means I ensured that they would be provided for. Were you to have failed, they would have been taken care of.”

  Meyer said were he to have failed.

  “I didn’t fail?”

  Meyer shook his head. “The testing was not meant to be passed so easily. You were questioned by seven master executioners. You would not know as much as they have learned through decades of experience. And the court understands we have not had as much time to work as we should have. The jurors might think they can influence the court, but the court serves the king.”

  “And Rock’s execution?”

  “You must demonstrate that you can carry out an execution. That would have been the next step in your training.”

  Finn turned away.

  “What did you do?” Meyer’s voice wasn’t as hard as it had been. The disappointment was plain, though.

  “The job was to get into the palace for something.”

  “The jewels?”

  Finn shook his head. “Not the jewels. A staff of some sort.” He turned to Meyer. “The other items that were stolen were brought to the palace. They were bowls. Alainsith, I think. I don’t really understand it, but that was what he’d been after all this time. Now this staff. The gods only know what reason he had for it. I don’t know who the Client is, and I don’t know the purpose of these items, but they were for him to instigate something with the Alainsith.”

  Meyer watched him. Studying him. Trying to determine if Finn lied to him.

  “Did you succeed?”

  “In taking the staff?” Meyer said nothing. “We got to it. I don’t really know why it was worth a hundred crowns to the Client, but we got it. When we got out, the Client sent Archers after the crew.”

  “Is that right?”

  Finn nodded.

  “You escaped.”

  “I… I told them I was with you.”

  Meyer cocked his head to the side. “Get dressed. Then come with me.”

  Finn hurriedly changed his clothes, getting out of the darks and back into the new clothing Meyer had supplied for him, even drawing on the cloak. Out in the hall, his sister looked toward his room from the kitchen, a question in her eyes.

  Finn forced a reassuring smile, but she turned away.

  Meyer waited for him by the door leading to the garden, and Finn followed him out.

  It was later in the morning than he’d expected. He must have slept for longer than he’d realized. Long enough that the morning had started to slip by, and now it was nearly midday.

  Meyer didn’t say anything.

  Finn had been this way enough times now that he recognized where Meyer guided him. They headed toward Declan Prison.

  The iron master at the door waved them in.

  Finn followed Meyer through the prison, down to one of the lower levels. The iron masters on this level followed him, heading with them as they made their way through the narrow halls to stop in front of a cell.

  It was the same cell he’d been in.

  Meyer nodded toward the iron master. “Bring him up.”

  Finn looked into the cell. The King was inside.

  When he saw Finn, he grinned. “Look at Shuffles,” he said. “Come to question me?”

  Meyer nodded to the
iron master, who fumbled with his keys a moment before getting them sorted and unlocking the door. He grabbed for the King and shoved him forward along the hallway. The King glanced behind him, sneering at Finn.

  When they reached the stairs, another voice called out along the hallway.

  “The gods watch over us all, then they smile when we fall! ‘Seek salvation,’ the priests sing, while the people shout, ‘All hail the King!’” Hector sang.

  This time, Finn almost smiled.

  They headed up the stairs, and the King was guided into the chapel, where the iron master strapped him to the chair. Meyer focused on the King, darkness glittering his eyes.

  “You are Leon Konig, also known as the King.”

  The King looked past Meyer, holding Finn’s gaze.

  Finn didn’t look away.

  “You coordinated a break-in of the palace last evening.”

  The King turned his attention to Meyer. “Is that what Shuffles tells you?” There was a snide sort of mocking to his voice.

  “That is what both Felix Wolf and Luca Grobbe have told me.”

  The King’s mouth twitched, but only a little.

  Finn looked over to Meyer.

  He already knew what happened the night before.

  Finn let out an amused grunt. Meyer had been interrogating him, only he had done so in his own way. A very Meyer-like manner. Testing him.

  Finn wondered what would’ve happened were he to have lied to Meyer. Meyer probably would’ve handled things differently. Instead, he had brought him to Declan.

  Since Meyer had already questioned Rock and Wolf, he had to wonder if they would hang. Finn didn’t care if Wolf swung. He probably deserved it. Rock had been sentenced already. Hanging the King would be hard. If he had to do the same to Rock… that would be impossible.

  “I coordinated nothing,” the King said.

  “You would have me believe that your known associates would both mislead me?”

  “Yes,” the King said. “I’m a business owner. Nothing more than that.”

  “And Finn Jagger?”

  The King turned to Finn, his eyes hardening. “What has Shuffles told you?” he sneered.

  Finn glanced over to Meyer. He squeezed his eyes shut, thinking about everything that he had done for the King, everything that he had attempted to protect him and the crew. All to be betrayed.