Aiden nodded silently, too afraid to speak. It sounded like all of their efforts had been for naught, but also like the duke didn’t want to kill him. Hope slowly grew in his chest. Maybe he wasn’t going to die?”
“You’ll have to tell me about it. Or better yet, show me! I’m awfully anxious to hear how my beloved sky ship blew the brains out of that giant serpent.” He grinned like a boy with a new toy. “So very awfully anxious. I’ve got some abandoned rocks along the coast that look particularly threatening which need shooting at. That will have to wait because for now, we have to figure out what to do about your skimmer. Any half-curious engineer will be able to tell that it’s brand new, and who made it. I don’t think I need to tell you how long you’d live once people figure out some commoner made something like that.”
Aiden nodded glumly, releasing a huge sigh. “So, does that mean you’re not going to have me killed for breaking the law?”
The duke shook his head, leaning back and watching him for a moment before continuing. “No. No, I think you’re going to be far too valuable to be killed off by some obviously stupid law, Aiden Finn. I think…”
The duke stopped as the door to the room opened, and Captain Stelios poked his head in. “Your Grace, Count Viridian is here with the engineers and their report. He said you would want to know their results right away about the small skimmer.”
Aiden saw the duke narrow his eyes and grit his teeth as he listened to Stelios. “Engineers?” He asked dangerously, “And did Count Viridian say when I had ordered engineers to examine it?”
Stelios blinked and shrugged slowly, sensing the danger, “Uh, he didn’t exactly tell us that information, Your Grace. Do you want me to tell him to come back later?”
Aiden watched as Duke Terek paused, obviously trying to think of something but finally surrendering to the inevitable, and with it Aiden knew he was doomed. When the duke gestured for Stelios to let them in, he watched with growing dismay as three people entered.
Two he knew, one being Professor Onyxine and the other her assistant, Jeffers. Both of them were looking at Aiden sadly. The third man was not someone that Aiden recognized, but he was immediately intimidated by the tall, lanky figure that stood in the doorway. Frighteningly gaunt with a hawkish nose, graying black hair and dressed in exquisite red robes, the man’s icy gaze swept over all of them and dismissed most of them with a quick, cursory glance. Even the duke was not spared and Aiden watched as his eyebrows became thunderous over his crystal-sharp gaze.
“Your Grace,” said Count Viridian in a deep, sonorous voice that filled the small chamber. Aiden froze. He’d heard that voice somewhere before, but he couldn’t pull it out of his memory. Was it an accent or had he heard the man speak before somewhere? Aiden stared at the man intently, trying to remember.
“I suspected you may wish to know the origins of the strange craft that is docked just outside of your castle since it’s not a known artifact. Upon hearing the news of your son, I came up here immediately to offer my assistance, and we,” he gestured gracefully back at the two engineers in his wake, “felt you needed to know the terrible answer as soon as we could make it available. Before the lords and ladies of the court could come and demand answers, of course.”
Duke Terek scowled at the man, clearly angry but holding his temper. It was a bit surprising to Aiden, as the man was so passionate, but here he held himself like the statesmen that he was. “And what is this terrible answer, Count Viridian?”
The man’s smile seemed to almost crawl out of his mouth like a spider as he tilted his head slightly, nodding in a parody of a gracious bow. “Why, that the creator of the wondrous craft outside is right here in this room, and unfortunately, they are a commoner who has broken a very serious law that was laid down by the Ducal Council generations ago.”
“And you would know this how?” Valeran asked, his face as grim as Aiden felt.
“It was verified by these two engineers in high standings, not moments ago.” He turned, gesturing over his shoulder at Professor Onyxine and Jeffers. “If you would be so kind to name the criminal? A personage you know personally, as you’ve stated?”
Aiden watched as Professor Onyxine took a few steps forward. She looked like she might not speak at first, but finally she opened her mouth, her face a mask of profound regret and sorrow. “As…as is our duty to the law and the land, I must speak what I know. The craft was without a doubt created by…Aiden Finn; an orphan and commoner at the School of Breen.”
Duke Terek remained grimly quiet but his eyes were fiery granite. “Captain Stelios. Please take Aiden Finn into Custody, make sure he gets a room, not a cell and that it is comfortable.”
Aiden was frozen in shock. As Stelios and two guards came in, he rose and did not fight when they took him gently by the arm. Chari jumped up with a butter knife clenched in her white-knuckled hand but before she could do anything Ashrak grabbed her, holding her as she screamed at him to let her go. Aiden felt detached as if he were in a dream but it was all terribly real. He was going to die.
As the guards led him from the room, he looked up one last time into the face of Count Viridian. The man’s cold, skeletal face barely moved as he mumbled softly. “Go quietly, boy. I do dislike taking direct action.”
Aiden’s mind reeled. Direct action? He remembered now where that voice had come from. It was the same thing the Mourning Lord had said in Duke Feldar’s chambers, and it was the same, frighteningly cultured voice! Aiden could only turn and stare at the dark figure, standing in the doorway and watching Aiden be taken away. He couldn’t say anything, not here. There was no telling what it would do.
As he was led around the corner, he slumped in the guard’s hands and wept silently, listening to Chari’s screams of anger fade into the distance. What was to become of him now? Would the tar pits or the Mourning Lord finish him off first? He almost hoped for the tar pits.
Chapter 24
Aiden spent the several days until the trial in despair and worry. He had no idea what to really expect, having never been to the trial hall himself, but he knew the basics. The duke and lords, or their appointed representatives, presided over major cases in the tall court. To assist them there was a table filled with senior lawyers who advised all parties on the nuances of the law, but it was up to the lords to defend and persecute the accused, with the duke having the final decision.
He’d never actually witnessed one, despite there being an area for commoners. Most were boring, and the few that were of particular interest to the people could turn into rowdy pushing matches. None of that sounded like fun to him so he’d never gone.
Now, he was regretting not having been to at least one. The vision in his head of what it would be like was intimidating, even scary, and it grew each day he was left to sit alone in the cell. No one had been allowed to come visit him, so his only companionship was Glowby. Comforting though it was, there was no way he could get information of what was going on outside of his cell.
The reality, no matter what he’d imagined, was far worse. The day of the trial he was escorted through back hallways to the Hall of Trials. There he sat for a few hours until led into the great hall itself. It was a cacophony of noise, rising and falling with echoes of discussions bouncing off of the walls. He stared at his feet, terrified to look up and see all those eyes staring at him even as he was led up onto the podium surrounded by old wooden rails. It felt like the entire city was in attendance.
“What am I going to do now, Glowby?” Aiden whispered softly to his friend. He’d considered making another dagger and trying to break out, but after a while, he’d decided against it. This was his home. He didn’t want to leave Terek and staying meant being tracked down and killed. He’d finally decided that he wasn’t going to resist. To let whatever was going to come, to come. He was just tired of running, at this point.
Now, sitting in front of this huge crowd of people, he was wondering if he’d made the wrong decision.
Aiden’s
eyes stared, crawling over the sea of humanity that had come to witness his fall. The lords were all seated in old wooden balcony boxes, tiered up in three levels from the middle of the room to the sides. Up at the head of the hall was where Valeran sat, surrounded by guards, advisors, and the duchess. At the bottom of the hall was the commons, filled with a milling populous who only got louder once they caught sight of Aiden.
It was intimidation on a scale not even his imagination had prepared him for. While the duke was heavily involved in several discussions, he could see Duchess Ahnarad sitting regally and calmly, watching him be led to the witness stand in the center of the room. She nodded at him for a moment, a small bit of support that he desperately needed.
He could also see Chari and Ashrak sitting next to Professor Reivus and Oya Dihya in a small box to the right near the duke’s rise. It was almost startling to see the tall Naiaden sitting there, dwarfing everyone around her. Despite being cramped, she sat with a relaxed air that said she didn’t care how she might appear. Aiden imagined she could be sitting up here with him and look equally unruffled.
Chari’s eyes were red and puffy as she dabbed delicately around her injured nose, proof that she’d been crying recently if not the entire time he’d been missing. Ashrak was grim, an unusual look on his aquiline face. In a distant way, Aiden decided that it made him appear older and more mature, a look that suited him. He wished he’d had a chance to talk to them before the trial, but could only return their distant acknowledgment as he entered the ring of the wood railing where he was to stand.
To the left of the duke, in another box which was much grander and imposing, sat Count Viridian. The man sat calmly, his cold eyes watching Aiden without blinking. Behind Viridian sat another man who stared at Aiden with barely-concealed animosity. There was a strong resemblance to Skeeve and with a start, Aiden realized this was the man who most recently had been behind so much of his personal grief; Lord Dolgren himself. Aiden tried not to look at him, but his eyes kept drifting back over to study the man with sick fascination.
As the trial began, Aiden waited fatalistically. There really was nothing he could do, as the engineers had identified correctly that Aiden was the one that had created the skimmer. To add insult to injury, the records showing that his parents had been simple Chandlers with a shop down near the docks were shown to the court, confirming his humble origin. He’d known that peripherally but having it shoved in his face right before he was going to die seemed harsh. Not that he could do anything about it, but it made his thoughts turn bitter as the trial wore on.
The day finally came to a conclusion, without surprise, with Aiden being pronounced guilty of the charges that had been read against him. In the end, he did look up, staring into the duke’s stern eyes as the man pronounced him guilty. He could tell that the duke didn’t want to do it, his face a mask if grim determination before finally lowering the scroll but Aiden simply nodded to him, acknowledging that he knew he had no choice. Then he was led away until tomorrow when he would be brought back for sentencing.
“For what it’s worth, I’m sorry.” Captain Stelios said as he led Aiden back to his cell. “If you hadn’t done what you did, Gavin would be dead.”
Aiden nodded, not knowing if he could answer after the day. He was going to die, but finally, he decided that he did want to know something from the good-hearted captain of the guard. There was no sense in punishing him for something that wasn’t in his control.
“I’m glad, too. You know, Gavin did everything he could to protect me.” Aiden sighed softly, staring ahead as they walked. “I watched him the entire time on our way back, getting weaker and weaker. I kept waiting for his breathing to stop, but it didn’t. It is better that he lives, being the duke’s son. He’ll be able to be more than I ever could, right?”
Stelios didn’t answer for a while, putting his hand on Aiden’s shoulder and squeezing gently. When he did, his voice was a bit hoarse and soft. “Still, no matter what rank you hold, you saved him. That in itself is a noble thing, no matter who the friend is or what their station.”
Aiden nodded, going the rest of the way quietly. When he got to his cell, Stelios poked his head in before closing the door. “The duke is letting your friends visit this evening. Also, I don’t know what the duke can do, but I’m sure he’s doing everything he can.”
After Stelios had left, Glowby settled into his lap and flickered gently through various calming colors. For the thousandth time, Aiden wished his friend could speak to him. He wasn’t sure what he would say, but right now any friendly voice would help.
“Aiden?”
Looking up, he watched as Chari and Ashrak stepped into his room. Chari’s eyes were red as they had been in the trial hall, but she smiled bravely and came over, sitting on his bunk and giving him a tight hug. Ashrak leaned against one of the walls since there wasn’t any other place to sit except on Aiden’s cot.
“I don’t want to die.” He said softly, feeling tears make tracks down his cheek and staining Chari’s tunic. He tried desperately not to lose total control of himself but with tomorrow looming, he didn’t know what else to do.
“I know, Aden,” Chari said, leaning back and putting her hand on his cheek. “I know Gavin’s father doesn’t want to sentence you to anything like that. If it were up to him, he wouldn’t. He’d do something else. I just know it.”
Aiden nodded softly, tears still coming down his face. “But he won’t be able to, will he?”
Chari didn’t answer, but Ashrak did. “No. No, he won’t. He can’t. The law isn’t his; it’s the Ducal Council’s. It’s always been death, and as powerful as Terek is he can’t go against the entire council. Even my father, arrogant as he is, has been bending backward to avoid their wrath.”
Chari turned, giving Ashrak a glare to shut him up. Instead of getting angry, Ashrak just walked forward and put his hand on her shoulder, speaking softly. “It’s not right to lie to him, Chari. None of us want what’s going to happen tomorrow to happen, but I’d rather not hide it. He doesn’t deserve that, not from his friends.”
Her body was rigid until Aiden felt her resolve crumble and she cried with him. Ashrak continued to stay by their side, his silence bolstering them both. It had been good to know the truth without raising expectations. He didn’t want to end his life hiding from the truth and if he’d walked into the Hall of Trials tomorrow with false hope, it would have broken him in front of everyone. Instead, he broke down here with his friends.
“That bastard Count Viridian, if he hadn’t done that, you would be okay.” Chari whispered, clenching her fist against Aiden’s back, “The duke was going to hide you. Why did he do that? I know he’s the head of the opposition in the House of Lords, but what business of his was this?”
Ashrak shook his head, not knowing the answer but Aiden suddenly straightened up. Count Viridian! Of course, he had to tell someone. “I know why he did it!” Aiden exclaimed, “I know! Ashrak, don’t you recognize his voice?”
“What do you mean, Aiden?” Ashrak asked. “I’ve heard Count Viridian talk before, so yes, of course, I recognize his voice.”
“No, no, no,” Aiden said, shaking his head, “Not here; remember when we were in Duke Feldar’s study or whatever that room was? Don’t you remember the Mourning Lord’s voice?”
Aiden watched as Ashrak’s eyes widened in terrible recognition. “By the gods, Aiden,” he gasped, horror blossoming on his face. “I… yes, it is that same voice! I didn’t notice it before, but he even has that same accent.”
Chari sat straight as she listened to the two boys, looking back and forth between them. “What are you talking about? What about Count Viridian?”
“He’s a Mourning Lord, Chari,” Ashrak said, “at least, that’s what I think Aiden is saying and I think I am, too. When we were in that weird dream thing where we learned what Feldar was up to? The Mourning Lord was talking quite a lot, and he sounds exactly like Count Viridian.”
Chari gasped,
holding her hand in front of her mouth. “But…he’s been around forever, Aiden. Are you sure?”
Aiden nodded. “Yes. I…you both need to tell the duke. Warn him about Count Viridian. I don’t know what he can do, but he has to know.”
Chari nodded, but Ashrak grimaced. “I can tell him, but I doubt he’d believe me, Aiden. He might believe Chari, but she was not there and coming in with a story like that against Count Viridian. They’ll just say you’re trying to get out of dying.”
“I know,” Aiden said, once again letting despair wash over him and taking a deep breath. “That’s why you need to tell him after I’m dead. It’s the only way he’ll believe it.”
“But Aiden, why not tell them now?” Chari said, grabbing his hand, “Even if they don’t believe you they might delay things, right?”
“And then what, Chari? What would be the point? The engineers already identified me. I’m guilty, and if they delay things too much the Mourning Lord might do something drastic. Didn’t you say they almost destroyed the world? What’s a city to that? The Ancients couldn’t stop them with all of their fantastic things, how could Duke Terek with only scraps from the past?”
The Glimmer Steel Saga, Boxed Set, Books 1 - 4 Page 30