‘Be glad that you are alive,’ snorted the governor, looking at his guest. ‘And be glad that you were wounded when you recovered consciousness. Now you will become a hero. If you had avoided the fight, if you had no mementos on your face when reporting the loss of cargo and horses, you soon would have found yourself on the gallows. Well, march on. To the hospital.’
The soldier left. The governor turned towards the visitor.
‘You see, sir coroner, that service here is not easy, I have no peace, I have my hands full of work. You there, in the capital, you think the provinces are all horsefly, beer, wenches and bribe taking officials. You never think to send more people or dogs, only commands – give, take, find. Putting everyone one alert, running from morning to night… and here our heads are bursting with our own problems. Five or six bands like the Rats prowling about. True the Rats are the worst, but not a day passes…’
‘Enough, enough.’ Stefan Skellen pursed his lips. ‘I know why you serve you laminations, governor. But it is in vain. You are not to abandon your orders. Rats or no Rats, bands or no bands, you have to keep up the search. By every means within reach, until I say enough. This is an order from the Emperor.’
‘We have been looking for three weeks.’ The governor scowled. ‘Not knowing, in the very least, who or what we are looking for, a spook, ghost, or a needle in a haystack. And what are the results? A few of my men have disappeared without a trace, likely killed by rebels or a vagrant. I’ll say it again, coroner, if we have not found your girl, we will not find her. Even if she was here, which I doubt. Unless…’
The governor stopped, pondered, looking askance at the coroner.
‘That girl… The seventh that rides with the Rats.’ the Owl dismissively waved his hand, trying to make his gesture come out convincingly.
‘No, Governor. Do not look for easy solutions. The girl described or any other girl adorned with brocade is surely, not the girl we want. It’s definitely not her. Continue the search. That is an order.’
The governor murmured, looking out the window.
‘And with that band,’ he added with a seemingly indifferent voice, Emperor Emhyr’s coroner, Stefan Skellen called The Owl ‘with these Rats or whatever they are called… Regain order, governor. In the provinces the order must prevail. Get to work. Capture and hang them, without formalities or ceremonies. All of them.’
‘Easy to say.’ Muttered the governor. ‘But I will do what is in my power. Assure the Emperor. But I think this seventh girl from the Rats is worth keeping alive, however, just to be sure…’
‘No’ Interrupted the Owl, taking care that his voice did not betray anything. ‘No, exceptions, hang them all. All seven. I do not want to hear any more about them. I do not want to hear another word.’
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
The Time of Contempt Page 34