Erosan's Tears

by Jason Scott Gleason

  Astal nodded grimly. “Corlwyn has been told to round up all the Slovani in the city, check them over for wounds. It’s been kind of tough to do, though, with the riots. The Council blames you for the killings, from what I hear. They say if you hadn’t helped Gray, they would have been able to catch him and stop them. And the riots, for that matter.”

  Raelyn’s heart sank. It had gotten worse.

  “The riots have spilled into the Foreign District. The entire Slovani Quarter has been sacked by the Coscan mob, and a few Slovani were killed in the chaos. I’ve moved out to my shop until it settles down. The First Division arrived in the city yesterday. Lord Elotarn deployed them to contain the mob, but there are just too many people out in the streets, and the more murders there are, the angrier they get.”

  Astal looked at Raelyn, and he saw pity in his eyes. Here it comes, Raelyn thought.

  “I have more bad news,” he said. “Trevan died yesterday. You hit his liver. The healers did everything they could, but they couldn’t save him. It’s a miracle that he lasted as long as he did.”

  Raelyn closed his eyes. He felt hollow inside. I tell myself I didn’t have a choice. But didn’t I? Couldn’t I have held off? Wounded the other two? Tried to disarm him? Gone for his wrist? He had gone over the fight a dozen times. There were a thousand things I could have done differently. And Trevan would still be alive.

  “I’m sorry, Raelyn,” Astal said. “I know it’s hard to hear. But from what everyone is saying, he didn’t leave you with much choice.”

  “I doubt Perinor sees it that way,” Raelyn said bitterly. Astal said nothing. “Everything he’s done for me, and I kill his son. After I let his first son die, on my watch.”

  Astal shook his head. “Let it go, Rae. You can’t blame yourself for Mardal’s death.”

  “Sure I can,” Raelyn said viciously. “You think he doesn’t? You think he’s forgiven me for letting his son get killed?”

  “You were ambushed, Raelyn.”

  “I was wasted! If I hadn’t been blind-stumbling drunk, we would have seen that ambush! It was stupid, real stupid. And Mardal’s dead because of it. Now I’ve killed both of Perinor’s sons.”

  “To be fair, Trevan was trying to make short work of you at the time.”

  “I stabbed him, Astal! Through the liver! People don’t survive that. I gave him a slow, painful death. Perinor gave me a job in his household, gave me a chance in the First Division, gave me a home in the Knaves, and gave me a chance to redeem myself after I fucked up as an investigator. And I gave him two dead sons.”

  Astal pursed his lips, as if he was about to say something. He was obviously holding back. Finally he said, “I know Perinor’s done a lot for you over the years, but you’ve done a lot for him. You were a part of his company, and you’ve saved him more times than he’s saved you. You didn’t kill Mardal, and if Trevan wasn’t trying to kill you at the time, you wouldn’t have killed him.”

  “Damn it, Astal,” Raelyn snapped, “I just killed one of my friends’ sons. I don’t think I’m being too hard on myself.”

  Astal’s voice seemed far away. “Perinor’s a political animal. People like that don’t have friends, only people who serve their purposes.”

  Raelyn laughed a bitter laugh. “You want to know what’s funny? Perinor and I had this same conversation, right when all of this started happening. And you sound just like him. I think I might be the only person who is an actual friend to him, and now….” He trailed off, at a loss of how to finish.

  They sat in silence for a few minutes while Raelyn regained his composure. He felt numb, empty. There was nothing anyone could say or do to make it any better. After a while, he spoke.

  “That’s not all, is it Astal? You have something else to tell me. I can tell.”

  “Yes,” Astal said, obviously not in any hurry. “It’s Genevar.”

  Raelyn looked up. “Oh, no. Not her too.”

  Astal nodded. “She was picked up by Corlwyn’s men. Everyone knows that she, you, and Gray had a meeting, even if it’s just conjecture at this point. The word on the street is that she’s part of Gray’s organization. Corlwyn’s going to interrogate her until she gives me up, and then she’ll probably be put to death for treason. It looks like we’re all going to hang for this.”

  Raelyn looked at Astal, dumbstruck. “Well, we have to go get her,” he said. It seemed so simple.

  Astal shook his head. “I can’t. I know where Karduk is going to be tonight. I’ve spent so long looking for him, trying to force him to reveal himself, and it’s finally happened. I might have only one chance to hit him, and I have to take it.”

  Raelyn was appalled. He looked at Astal like he’d grown a second head. “Litha take Karduk! I half expected you to say you had to get out of town before you got hung as well—but Karduk? We have one chance to get Genevar away from Corlwyn, before everyone in the Watch knows that Astal is Gray’s man, and you’re still trying to move in on his operations? Tuva’s grace, Astal, let it go! If we don’t get Genevar out in time, you won’t be able to sell mince pies on Water Street, much less run Karduk’s affairs!”

  Astal looked at him, his calm gravity undisturbed. “I’ve thought about it, Raelyn. I know exactly what’s going on here. But Karduk has to be taken down, and I don’t know if I’ll have another chance to do it. If I don’t do it now, while I can, it’s just a matter of time before he kills me.”

  “So leave,” Raelyn snapped. “Go back to Mitigol. You have money, ships, a decent slice of a trade empire. You tell me all the time that if it gets too hot, you’re out. Run away now, tonight, before it’s too late.”

  “Yes, Astal told you that, any number of times,” he replied. “But not Gray. Gray can’t leave. Gray won’t leave. He’s spent far too much time setting things up here, invested too much of himself in this city.”

  Raelyn looked at him, unable to believe what he was hearing. Who is Astal? How long have you been this person? Out loud he asked, “Do I even know you?”

  He nodded. “You know me, Raelyn. You know part of me. But I’ve been training for this my entire life, studying for this role. Astal is only a part of who I am.” Raelyn recoiled, a look of shock and horror on his face. “The entire time I was here as a child, I was learning your culture, laying the foundation. When I came back, it was for good. You might not see it, but I’ve done as much to try to help this city as Perinor has, just in a different way. Don’t get me wrong—I’m not an altruist. I’m still the rogue everyone thinks I am, but chaos is bad for business. I’m not about to let this city fall apart around me. And no matter what you think, I can’t just leave and lose everything here that I’ve worked for.”

  Raelyn shook his head. “I have no idea who you even are,” he replied.

  “I’m the same person you’ve known for years,” he said. “I’m Astal, the same person who’s been there for you over and over. But the Astal that you know is only a part of Gray.”

  “Can I trust you?” Raelyn asked. He wanted to trust him, but it was too much, too fast. If I haven’t known all of this, what else haven’t I known about you?

  Gray looked at him for a long moment. “You can trust me now more than you ever could. I’ve told you my biggest secret. Only a handful of people in the city know, and you’re the first to know that isn’t Slovani.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me before?” Raelyn asked. “You ask me to trust you, but you don’t trust me?”

  Gray laughed, and there was genuine amusement in it. “Of course I trust you, Raelyn, but I couldn’t tell you. First of all, there was no need to tell you before all of this started. Second, knowing this would have influenced your judgment early in the investigation, when you needed most to be unbiased. And third,” Gray said with obvious mirth, “you would have given it away to everybody under the sun.”

  Raelyn was offended. “I wouldn’t have told a soul!”

  “Of course you wouldn’t,” Gray replied, “but the first time someone menti
oned something about ‘Gray’ they would have known you knew more than you were letting on. You are quite possibly the worst liar I have ever known!”

  Raelyn started to argue, but he couldn’t. “You’re right,” he said, thinking about it for a moment. Then he chuckled. “I’m a horrible liar. But I guess now that everyone knows that I know who Gray is, it doesn’t matter if you come clean about it.” He considered his friend for a moment. “But what’s going to happen if Genevar talks?”

  “I’m hoping she won’t, honestly,” Gray said.

  Raelyn shook his head. “There’s no way she’ll hold out. You didn’t see her back at the cathouse. As soon as the killing started, she lost it. She’s a tough bird, but when it comes to a fight, she’s like a child. As soon as Corlwyn starts torturing her, she’ll crack. Maybe even before he starts.”

  “That’s why she can’t be left there,” Gray said. “If they get her to confess to a Lord, that confession will be testimony. Then we’ll both hang.”

  “But you have to go kill Karduk, right? By the time you’re done, Genevar will have talked, if she hasn’t already. You can’t be in two places at once.”

  “No, I can’t,” he replied. “But there are two of us. While I’m off after Karduk, I need you to get Genevar. Even if you can only buy some time, hold off the inevitable. Create a diversion until I get back. I’ll be back as soon as I can get there.”

  “But once you get there, how are we going to get her out?”

  Gray smiled his rakish grin. “I’ve been in the Gatehouse plenty of times, and not just walking through. I know the layout of that place quite well.” He paused, looking at the surprised expression on Raelyn’s face. “Remember all those stories you’ve heard about ‘Gray, the Master Thief of Galavan’s Port’? Well, I happen to know him, and he’s a lot better at this than anyone thinks.”

  “Right. I keep forgetting. But do you think you and I can rescue Genevar from there? Or, if worst comes to worst, do you think you could rescue us both?”

  “I’m pretty sure of it,” he replied. His voice was confident, not cocky. “I can get in and out without a problem. I also know where they keep their prisoners, so I’ll find you fast. In spite of what Astal may have told you, I’m actually a good swordsman, so I know I could fight my way through any guards I run into—and it’ll be even easier once I’ve brought you a sword. From there it’s just a matter of getting out with Genevar. It’ll be tough, but not impossible.”

  “I don’t want anyone in the Watch to get hurt,” Raelyn said. “They’re regular men who do a tough job. Most of them are good men, men with families. They don’t deserve to be cut down because they were being used as pawns in someone else’s game.” He thought about Rennard. How casually do you use people that you’d be willing to let the entire city go to ruins for your own political gain?

  Gray shook his head. “I know it’s terrible, but this is life and death for us. They knew the risks of joining the Watch. If we hit resistance on the way in, we’ll have to take someone out. Anyone we leave behind can warn others, and that could get even more dangerous.”

  “No,” Raelyn said. “No killing. Not of the rank and file, at least. I don’t want us to carve our way in and out of the Gatehouse and leave a dozen orphans in the process. These aren’t soldiers in a war, or criminals who would just as soon cut our throats. These are just men who came to work today.”

  Gray looked at him and saw he was adamant about his position. Finally he shrugged. “I’ll try not to kill anyone,” he conceded. “Only if I have to. But you had better be damn good at disarming people.”

  Raelyn thought about the fight with Trevan. If I had been better, maybe Trevan would still be alive. I don’t want anyone else’s blood on my conscience. He looked at Gray. “I am good at it. Let me take point in any fighting, and you won’t need to kill anyone.” Silently he made a prayer to Tuva. I may need your help, good Lady. It may take one of your miracles to get us through this.

  Gray seemed satisfied. “Okay. I’ll get us in and out of there. If we get into a fight, I’ll let you take point. No killing, if it can be avoided.” Then he grinned. “Wait—does the no killing rule apply to Corlwyn as well?”

  Raelyn started to say yes, but then he stopped. “Honestly, I don’t know. On one hand, I hate him personally, and I hate his tactics. On the other hand, he’s done a lot to clean up the streets, especially in some of the rougher neighborhoods. I’m not sure if he’s a blessing or a curse to this city.”

  “Excellent!” Gray said with the same delighted smile. “That means I get to use my judgement?”

  “Don’t get too excited,” Raelyn cautioned. It made him nervous to even talk about killing Corlwyn, as if he would somehow hear from across the city.

  “I’m joking, Rae. I’m not planning on killing anyone, even Corlwyn. But I’m not afraid to kill if I have to.” Gray said it in a teasing manner, but Raelyn wondered how serious he was.

  “I’m hoping that nobody dies tonight,” Raelyn said. There have already been too many deaths in the city. Aletharin will only forgive so much.

  “Speaking of killing, I have to go. There are preparations to be made, and I want to get this over with quickly so I can come back and rescue you.”

  “I appreciate your concern,” Raelyn said, a hint of sarcasm in his voice. He stood and stretched, trying to work out muscles cramped with fatigue. He picked up Tempest, looking at her fine steel blade.

  Gray stood as well, and went to the door. “I’ll see you later, Rae. Try to be careful. Give them a distraction, but try not to get yourself caught. It’s easier to rescue one person than two.”

  Raelyn laughed at this. “Trust me, Gray. The last thing I want is to be Corlwyn’s prisoner. Something tells me that wouldn’t go well for me.”

  Gray smiled. “No, I don’t suppose it would. Good luck. And I’ll see you later.”

  “You’d better,” Raelyn said as Gray left.

  He sat for a long moment, still exhausted from the past few days. He was too tired to think clearly. He tried to come up with a plan, something to do to distract Corlwyn, but everything he could think of ended with someone dead. How do I draw Corlwyn out? The more time I give him, the better chance he has to take me out. He’s got guards, archers, the resources of the High Lords—not to mention Rennard, who wants me dead before I can expose him. What do I have? He looked at the mirror shine of Tempest. All he saw was Trevan’s face, the shock in his eyes when he had been stabbed. Is this all I have? Death? And how many will I have to kill tonight?

  He thought of the men of the Watch, like Bendro and Vettal. How close had they been to dying? He could have killed them all if he had wanted to. It would have been easier to kill them than it had been to subdue them, and it would have spared him a couple of nasty cuts. But he couldn’t bring himself to kill those men.

  I didn’t have any problem killing the men Trevan sent into The Siren’s Song, he reflected. But those men had been hired to kill him. The men of the Watch were just doing their job, trying to protect the city from criminals. It’s not their fault that they’ve been misled, any more than it was Trevan’s fault that he listened to Rennard’s lies.

  He considered his options, the different ways he could try to handle Corlwyn, but only one thing came to mind. I have to do what I can to make sure no more innocent men die by my sword, he told himself. It weighed on his soul too heavily. But the only plan I can think of is suicide. Unless Astal comes through. No, Astal won’t do anything—but Gray will.

  Raelyn put his sword belt around his waist, looking down at Tempest as he slid her into her sheath. I hope I don’t have to use you tonight. But something tells me I will.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Raelyn’s nerves were on edge as he walked through the Wharf District. The First Division had been successful at keeping the Arena District safe, but there was no wall separating the Coscan District and the Wharf District. The riots had spilled out onto the docks, and fires burned in the distance.
The sounds of violent clashes between the watch and the angry mob echoed through the streets, especially to the North where more Coscans lived. He stuck to side streets, avoiding the sound of hob-nailed boots, and made his way to the Alewine.

  There was a small foot path at the bank of the river, leading to the wall separating the Wharf and Arena Districts. He had travelled it many times as a child, and he walked along the stones that skirted the tower at the wall’s end, his feet remembering the way. It had been years since he had come down here, but he was glad to see that the rocks were still there. He took his boots and hose off so that he wouldn’t slip on the slime, and put the cuffs of his boots between his teeth. His hands found small niches in the stone wall, his fingers struggling to find purchase. I don’t remember this being quite so hard, he thought as he made his way around. Something squished between his toes with every step, and he almost lost his footing once when a stone rolled under his heel, but he managed to make it around. He was panting and sweaty in the summer night by the time he got to the other side, so he took a moment to sit and scrape the worst of the slime off of his feet.

  It was a long walk from the western side of the Arena District to the Market District in the north, but there were no more walls barring his way. He was surprised at how easy it was to avoid detection. The streets were deserted, aside from the occasional pair of soldiers or guardsmen on patrol, and he had no problem avoiding them. He’d had years of practice hunting men in the Ravenspine Mountains, flanking enemy patrols and detecting ambushes. Compared to that, this was a leisurely stroll.

  After about an hour he arrived at the Gatehouse. Lanterns were hung on the Market Bridge and two guards stood at its end, with another two at the door to the keep. He paused, well outside of the light, and steeled his nerves. He had been thinking about how to handle this as he came over, but he still had to work up the courage to do what he had to do. I’m delivering myself to the lion, he thought. But he had considered it over and over, and he couldn’t think of any other way to save Genevar without leaving a trail of bodies in his wake. Even if he had tried a full frontal assault, he wasn’t sure he would be able to do it.