After getting dressed, he made his way to the kitchen, preparing a mug of tea. His stomach was unsettled, and he didn’t have much of an appetite, so he didn’t make anything. He sat there, staring at the steaming liquid, his tired mind churning.
He felt as if he had failed.
At the same time, maybe he hadn’t.
His mother had been ready. Finn knew that she had been ready, but that didn’t make it any easier on him. He had wanted to help her. He had wanted to do whatever it would take to save her.
As had Lena.
“I can make breakfast,” Lena said, standing in the doorway.
Finn shook his head. “I’m not hungry.”
She trudged into the kitchen and sank down into one of the chairs, resting her elbows on the table and looking across at Finn. “Me neither.”
“I’m sorry I wasn’t here when you needed me.”
“You’ve been here far more than you ever used to be. I’m not upset with you. I’m just…” Lena shook her head, pushing her messy hair back and out of her eyes. “I guess I’m just mad at myself.”
“Why?”
“I thought that I might be able to help her.”
“It’s not a reason to be mad at yourself. You did help her.”
“That’s not it. Master Meyer has all of these books, and he hasn’t minded me reading and studying, but despite having access to this knowledge, I haven’t found anything.”
“You came closer than I did,” Finn said.
“Only because you have other assignments. I imagine that if you could have devoted your time to it, you would have come up with answers.”
Finn sniffed, and he took a drink of his tea. It wasn’t nearly as refreshing as the hegen tea, and his mind didn’t clear how it did when he drank the tea Esmerelda offered him. “You helped Moira. I couldn’t do that.”
“Only because I wanted to help Mother.”
“Still.”
Lena leaned back and straightened. “I’ll go to the church this morning and make arrangements for her service. Do you have a priest that you prefer?”
There was a time when such a question would’ve been surprising, but that was only because Finn had never been religious. He had come to know many of the priests of Heleth, but he wasn’t particularly close to any of them.
“It doesn’t really matter,” he said. “I could help.”
“You said that last night.”
“It doesn’t change my offer.”
“Do what Master Meyer needs of you.”
He nodded, finishing his tea and getting to his feet. He lingered for a moment before heading out. It was still early, but hopefully not so early that the general store wouldn’t be open. That was where he would start first.
He hadn’t gone far when he heard somebody calling his name.
At first, he thought Lena was shouting at him, waving to him, but then he realized that wasn’t who it was.
He moved carefully toward the figure.
“Jasmine?” Finn asked.
She had cleaned up, her hair shiny, glowing in the early morning light, and she had on a bright blue dress that reminded him of the hegen. A pale silver chain hung around her neck, and she ran her fingers along it while stopping in front of him.
“Finn. I was hoping I would find you. I didn’t expect you to be up and out so early. I was told how to find Master Meyer’s home and… well, the streets of the city are a little bit more difficult to navigate than those in Logard.”
Finn forced a smile. “You were coming to see me?”
Jasmine nodded. She seemed to realize that something was amiss, and she took a step back regarding him. “What is it?”
“It’s…” He wasn’t entirely sure how much to share with her. He didn’t really know Jasmine, though they had spent a pleasant evening chatting after Meyer had left them. He knew what she had gone through, though, and didn’t want to burden her any more than necessary. “I have some errands I need to complete. We were out of the city for a few days, and Meyer expects me to get back at my assignment now that we have returned.”
Jasmine’s brow furrowed briefly. “If that’s all it is…” He forced a smile. “Maybe I could come with you? I haven’t seen much of the city. I’ve been trying to get settled and wanted to give Master Meyer my thanks, but I also needed help.”
“With what?”
“I wanted to get word to my grandfather. I was told that Master Meyer would know a place to send a message.”
She needed a scribe.
Finn wondered if Esmerelda or one of the other hegen had known that Finn had a contact, or if it was something they had seen with their cards.
Regardless, Finn doubted that he would ever learn.
“I know a place that can help.”
“You do? Will you bring me there?”
There were other things that he needed to do and other things that were on his mind, but maybe taking some time with her would keep him from thinking about his mother, and about what his sister would do now that she was gone.
Besides, he figured that she would require somebody with some influence for Jasmine to get the level of service she needed. In this case, it was something Finn thought he might be able to assist with.
“I know someone who would likely take the job.”
“Is it expensive?” she shrugged. “I don’t have much money. I want to pay what the service is worth, but I can’t afford too much.”
“I should be able to help with that.”
They started through the city.
When one of the bells rang, she paused, and she looked up.
“That’s just the Giver’s Tower,” Finn said. When she frowned, he smiled. “It serves as a reminder for people in the city to contribute to the church.”
“That rings every day?”
“Twice a day, actually. The church tends to be greedy.” Jasmine started to smile. “I shouldn’t say that,” Finn added hastily.
She shook her head. “You don’t have to worry about offending me, Finn.”
“You’re not concerned about upsetting the gods?”
“My grandfather wasn’t particularly religious. He was a practical man and felt that if he couldn’t see something, well, that probably meant it didn’t exist.” She shook her head slightly, a soft smile curling her lips. “I’m going to miss him.”
“He could visit. Verendal isn’t far from Logard.”
“He could, but I know him. He probably won’t ever take the time. And I doubt that I could go back.” They walked for a little while longer, and she still looked up to the Giver’s Tower. “When I was sitting in the cell, waiting for you and Master Meyer to come, I tried praying, but there was no answer.”
“Or maybe there was,” Finn said.
“I prayed the gods would take me,” she said softly.
He realized something that he hadn’t before.
He and Jasmine had both been condemned.
Finn might have come closer to his own death than Jasmine had, but both had believed they were going to die for their crimes. She was innocent of hers, whereas Finn was most definitely not innocent of breaking into the viscount’s manor, but even now, after serving for the period that he had, Finn still didn’t feel remorse for what he had done.
“Maybe they saved you instead,” he said.
“Maybe.” Her eyes remained dark, and for a moment before she shook her head. “Now I’m here. With you.” She smiled.
“Most people aren’t excited to be walking in the city with an executioner.”
“Is it hard?”
“Sometimes,” Finn admitted.
They reached the river, and they paused on the bridge, looking down. Vinlen River flowed through the city, creating a half-circle that separated the poorer sections from the richer sections and set off the palace on the city's far side. It burbled loudly here, rushing past unseen rocks, sweeping along the shoreline.
“When I was younger, I wanted to find a raft, throw it in the s
tream running near the village, and float all the way to the capital.”
“Why to the capital?”
“I wanted to see the world. I figured that floating might give me a better perspective than I could otherwise.”
Finn started to smile. “I never wanted to leave the city.”
“Never?”
Finn shrugged. “I didn’t really think there was much for me outside of the walls of the city. Growing up the way that I did, I thought that I would never travel very far.”
“Have you?”
He shook his head. “Not yet.” But now that he served as an executioner, he wondered if perhaps his responsibility would carry him further and further away from Verendal.
Meyer had mentioned that eventually he would be a journeyman. That meant that he would be the one to make the trips out of the city. It meant that he would travel the countryside, serving the king’s justice.
And eventually, Finn would be assigned elsewhere.
What would happen to his sister then?
It was a distant concern, but maybe it was something Finn should start planning for.
Another bell rang, and Finn pointed. “That’s the Tower of Fell.”
She nodded. “We don’t have any way of celebrating Fell in Logard.”
“You probably didn’t have enough money, either,” he said.
“The gods don’t care about money.”
“Apparently Fell does.”
They stood there for a few more moments, and then Finn sighed. “We should keep moving.”
Jasmine smiled. “I’m sorry. I don’t need to keep you from what you need to get done.”
“I don’t mind. I enjoy your company.”
She looked up at him for a moment before turning away.
Finn felt a brief flash of foolishness. He had to be careful here. Jasmine was new to the city, had suffered, and had nearly been sentenced to die. He needed to be a friend to her, and nothing more.
A friend wouldn’t be all bad for him, either.
These days, Finn had precious few of them.
“I could show you a few places while we walk.”
“That would be nice,” she said.
They passed a few familiar shops that he pointed to, an old temple, then neared City Hall.
“I’ve seen a building like that outside of Logard,” she said.
“Rumor is that building is an old Alainsith structure,” Finn said. “The writing on the outside of it makes that likely, but the size feels off.”
She looked over, a hint of a smile on her face. “The size?”
Finn shrugged. “There’s something about the building that feels larger than it should. I don’t know how to explain it otherwise. The size of the rooms, maybe. The doorways always make me think they were made for a larger person.”
City Hall sat in the middle of a small square with space all around it, as if the buildings didn’t want to press too close into the ancient structure. There were a few shops, a stable, and an old stone building Finn also thought had to be Alainsith and was currently used as a home for one of the city administrators.
She shivered to herself and looked off into the distance. “I don’t like the building. I… I don’t know how to explain it.”
“We can go. I’ll show you some other places.”
They started off, and she cast a glance back toward City Hall as they passed. “Is this all part of your errands?”
“Not usually, though I end up at City Hall often enough. Performing my job is how I met the scribe. There are probably others closer to the gate, but this one is more likely to do it quickly.”
“I don’t need it done quickly. I just want the message to get to my grandfather.”
“I—”
Finn didn’t have a chance to finish.
They turned a corner, and he nearly collided with somebody.
He backed up, offering a quick apology, before realizing who it was.
Bellut stared at him, anger flashing on his narrow face for a moment, before it faded, twisting into something else. Arrogance.
It took all of Finn’s concentration for him to keep from saying something that he knew he would regret.
Meyer would be angry if Finn snapped at Bellut.
He didn’t have proof of anything. He knew Bellut was guilty, but the problem was that Finn had no way of proving what he was guilty of doing, short of his own testimony. And his testimony wouldn’t be enough to convince the jurors.
“Mr. Jagger,” Bellut sneered. There was no attempt to hide the arrogance from his face this time. Why would there be, though? Finn wasn’t with Master Meyer, and there were no others around besides Jasmine. “Aren’t you in the wrong part of the city?”
“I’m on official business,” Finn said.
Bellut flicked his gaze to Jasmine, sweeping it from head to toe, lingering in a way that made Finn’s skin crawl. He couldn’t imagine how it made Jasmine feel. They shouldn’t have come so close to City Hall and he wouldn’t have run into Bellut.
“As am I,” Bellut said, turning back to him. “Though, given the way I serve the viscount, I am always on official business of the king.”
“I serve the king as well.”
“I suppose you do in your own little way. How are the prisons these days?”
“I could take you for a tour of them if you would like.”
A warning flared in Finn’s mind. He was getting dangerously close to saying something that he should not.
Bellut chuckled. “I’m sure you would enjoy that.”
“Maybe the jurors should all take the opportunity to see the prisons. It might be enlightening.”
“Perhaps.”
Bellut waved his hand, as if to force Finn to move.
Finn might have to be careful with what he said to Bellut, but there was no way he was stepping off to the side to let Bellut pass. He wasn’t going to show any fear or weakness.
Bellut leaned close, and he lowered his voice. “You had better be careful.”
“Is that how you want to do this?” Finn asked. He resisted the urge to glance in Jasmine’s direction but thankfully had the sense that she had stepped off to the side, giving them space. “I know what you did.”
“Do you?” Bellut said carefully. “And what, exactly, do you think you know?”
“I know enough. You will make a mistake. I will be there when you do.”
“And what do you think will happen when you make a mistake?” Bellut said each word low and soft. There was still a threat laced within them. “And what of people you care about? Do you really want to be the reason they suffer?”
Finn frowned. He hadn’t considered what Bellut might do to people he cared about.
There were some, like Meyer, that Finn doubted Bellut could torment. Meyer had the king’s ear, as well as his respect, so there was no reason for Meyer to fear. But who else could Bellut torment on Finn’s behalf?
“How has your sister been doing? I hear she has been looking for employment.” He flashed a dark grin at Finn.
Finn blinked.
Lena’s comments came back to him.
She’d been looking, and failing, to find employment.
Could Bellut have been responsible?
Finn would have said no, but maybe he was responsible for it.
“It would be a shame if something were to happen to her the same way as it happened to your mother.”
Finn’s insides went cold.
“What do you know?”
Bellut snorted, and then he straightened. “Just make sure the reward is worth the risk.” With that, he pushed past Finn and strode down the street.
Finn turned, watching him go, and wanted to chase him, but knew that if he were to do so, it would only lead to the kind of trouble that Meyer had warned him to avoid.
He felt a hand on his arm, and he spun quickly.
Jasmine looked up at him. “What was that about?”
Finn breathed out, trying to settle hims
elf. “That is someone I don’t care for.”
Jasmine laughed. “I gathered that, but who is it?”
He took a few more breaths. He would have to investigate Bellut for a different reason now. More than that, he was going to have to watch out for Lena.
It was time to get Meyer involved. Somehow, Finn would have to convince him that Bellut was more dangerous than Meyer had believed.
“He is somebody that I will be dealing with sooner than later.” He forced a smile. “Why don’t we get going?”
They headed along the street, and Finn looked back, searching to see if there was any sign of Bellut, but didn’t find anything. He didn’t even know if Bellut had been leaving City Hall or heading toward it. Finn found that he wanted to know.
By the time they reached Master Johan’s shop, he had finally settled down. He’d half-heartedly pointed out other sites, but Jasmine seemed to sense his distraction. Walking through the city with Jasmine had helped him relax more than he had expected, but seeing Bellut had changed it, tormenting him once again.
“I’m going to get you set up with Master Johan, and then I’m going to have to get back to my responsibilities. I’m sorry that I can’t stay here longer with you, but Master Johan will take good care of you. You can ask him how to find your way back through the city.”
She nodded carefully. “I could meet up with you when you are finished.”
Finn wished that he could but didn’t feel as if this were the right time for that. “How about another time?”
“I’d like that.”
They stepped into Master Johan’s shop, and when Johan looked at him with eyes filled with suspicion, Finn found himself smiling. If nothing else, getting Johan to help Jasmine might help him feel a little better about everything.
The problem was that he couldn’t shake the unsettled feeling that filled him after running into Bellut.
Finn doubted that he would shake that feeling until he managed to unearth Bellut’s guilt.
Maybe Finn couldn’t be comfortable in the city until then.
Meyer would have to understand—and this time, he would have to help.
The Executioner's Apprentice (The Executioner's Song Book 2) Page 32