The Severed Realm

by Michael G. Manning

  “I’ll be bringing two women with me tomorrow to assist,” said Rose, pausing to let her words sink in.

  “Can’t do that,” snapped Regan immediately.

  “I can, and I will,” said Rose firmly. “Lord Cameron’s trial will be held the day after tomorrow.”

  “And what does that have to do with you breaking so many rules that I get tossed in a cell?” demanded the loathsome man.

  “He needs a proper bath,” Rose explained.

  “Do ya think this is an inn?” Regan rebuked her. “Maybe you’d like to have a tailor stop by as well? I bet I can recommend one fer ya!”

  Rose lifted one brow. “That would surprise me.”

  “No shit!” swore the puffy jailor. “Because it ain’t fuckin’ happening! It’s about as likely as me decidin’ to throw a fancy ball for the rest of my guests.”

  She smiled sweetly up at him, then replied, “That might be a little excessive, but if you think it a good idea, I’m not opposed. I’m sure they could use some exercise.”

  Regan wasn’t particularly good at recognizing sarcasm. His pale, pink-and-white splotched skin darkened to an unhealthy beet-like color. “Are you fuckin’ daft? That wasn’t a serious suggestion!”

  Seeming disappointed, Rose nodded. “Oh. That’s too bad. I’ll forget that, then. In any case, my two maids will be bringing a large tub with them tomorrow. They’ll need to make several trips in and out as well, to carry the hot water. I’m sure you understand.”

  Regan’s face swelled, and the man looked apoplectic. Rose worried he might die suddenly, which would inconvenience her plans. “Lady, what part of no don’t you understand?”

  Her eyes turned to ice. “The part where you use your position to convince desperate young women to let you shove that shriveled-up turnip you substitute for your manhood into them.”

  The warden swayed on his feet, his eyes bugging out. “Lies! I said those was lies!”

  “Really?” said Rose softly, a dangerous edge to her voice. “Because I have several young women just dying to describe your turnip to Lord Watson. If they’re lying, as you say, you have only to drop your grease-stained trousers and prove them wrong. I’m sure the court will be very amused.”

  “I’m callin’ yer bluff, Lady. I don’t believe you got all them girls to admit to that,” warned Regan.

  Rose showed her teeth, stepping forward so that the jailor was forced to step back. “It’s no inconvenience for me. I’ve already got the Queen’s approval for this. Notifying you was merely a formality. You can check with her while I go to make my report to Lord Watson.”

  Regan stared at her in silence for a moment, his eyes narrowing with suspicion.

  She continued her attack, “Surely you haven’t forgotten that the prisoner is the Queen’s cousin? Do you think she’d want her own family to appear in court looking like a filthy vagabond?” She paused, eyeing the warden up and down in disgust. “Then again, considering your own hygiene, you probably couldn’t tell the difference.” Without waiting for an answer, she lifted her basket and made as though to leave. “I’ll see Lord Watson in the morning.”

  Barely a second passed before Regan shouted after her, “Wait! Let’s not be hasty. I didn’t mean to ruffle yer feathers.”

  He became docile after that, and Rose knew she would have no further trouble from him in the future. She hadn’t been entirely sure he would go along with her wishes, but now she had no doubt she could probably bring live steel into the dungeon without him raising an eye. She knew Regan’s type all too well. He was a coward at heart, and once properly broken he would roll over like the gutless dog he truly was.

  She spent another minute or two soothing his fears and then made her exit. Once she was outside and away from his office, she spoke to the empty air. “Any problems?”

  “That was amazing!” gushed Elaine. “I thought he might piss his pants he was so scared. How on earth did you do that?”

  “We all have our talents, dear. I was born with that one. Unfortunately, I’ve had to practice it far too often. Did you get it?”

  “Of course,” said the young wizard. “It wasn’t too hard. I just had to cover the lockers with an illusion that made it appear they were all still closed. Add in a spell for silence and a moment to turn the lock tumblers and I was done. You gave me a lot more time than I needed.”

  Rose nodded slightly. “Thank you, Elaine. Leave it on my bed, and then go find your accomplices. I won’t need anything else until after the trial—if things go badly.” She resumed her walk. When she reached the first set of stairs, she started to descend, then spoke again, “Elaine?”

  “How did you know I was there?” asked the young lady’s disembodied voice.

  “Just a guess,” admitted Rose. “Don’t follow me down there. You need to leave.”

  “They’ll never notice me.”

  “I have no idea what the magics on that cell he’s in are capable of,” explained Rose. “I also can’t be certain of Tyrion and Gareth’s capabilities. Archmages are seemingly capable of almost anything.”

  “But they can’t—”

  Rose cut her off. “I won’t repeat myself, Elaine. This is too important. Leave now.” She made the words a threat, leaving it to the other woman’s imagination to come up with what she might do if she endangered her plan.

  Her only answer was silence, so, after a moment, Rose resumed her steady descent of the stairs.

  Chapter 30

  I stared at the stone wall expectantly, waiting for her arrival. I’d had plenty of time to think about our strange encounter the day before. Time to think was all I had, to be truthful.

  The first thing I had figured out was that we had made a terrible mistake. Being locked up in the darkness for days on end had befuddled my wits and weakened my resolve. I knew very well that I found Rose attractive. Who wouldn’t? I was also willing to admit that it was more than that. We had been friends for decades, and our moment the day before wasn’t the first time I had felt perhaps a little too much attraction to Rose.

  That was a lie, I told myself. You’re in love with her.

  Shut up, I swore at myself silently, though I knew it was true. It was my deepest darkest shame, and had been for ages, possibly for as long as I had known her.

  But I had always had Penny, and I had loved her just as dearly. Too much to do something stupid. Other women had tempted me over the years, but it had been fairly easy to resist those temptations. Rose, on the other hand, had never shown the slightest hint that she might cross the line. It was something I respected her for.

  What had happened yesterday had been an act of pity, or comfort, and I was ashamed to have displayed my animalistic desire. Sure, we hadn’t done anything, but I had pawed at her like randy beast, and she had been too dignified to embarrass me.

  I doubted she would ever have the same respect for me that she had once had, but if I apologized and did my best to set things right, we could hopefully continue our friendship. At least until they hang me.

  And after I’m dead, maybe Penny will forgive me for that one moment of weakness, I added miserably.

  Her voice returned to me. “I’m a woman. Hold me like one.” I ground my teeth in frustration, thinking, I’m pretty sure that doesn’t translate to ‘hump my leg.’ For perhaps the hundredth time, my face reddened thinking about it.

  When the wall faded and light flooded in nearly jumped to my feet, my expression hopeful and my head empty of thought. I was severely disappointed when it was Gareth Gaelyn who stepped into my cell.

  The red-bearded archmage studied me silently for a long moment, his face a mask. I stared back at him, defiant.

  “Your trial will be held the day after tomorrow,” he said at last.

  “Have you sent out invitations yet?” I asked. “I haven’t even finished the guest list.”

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nbsp; Gareth stared back without smiling. “You may think I have no pity for you, but that is not entirely the case.”

  “I’m sure this hurts you as much as me, Gareth,” I replied with obvious sarcasm. “I hope you’ll remember our time together fondly in the years to come.”

  “I’ve come to offer some advice,” he answered, ignoring my comment.

  That brought me up short. “Huh?”

  “Refuse to let Lady Rose defend you. When they bring you before the court, admit your guilt,” said Gareth.

  “I didn’t do it,” I told him. “Why would I deliberately put my neck in the noose?”

  “For your family’s sake, and for hers.” I had nothing to say to that, so I waited, and after a few seconds he continued, “While you have been locked away, she has stooped at nothing to find a way to protect you. Her reputation has sunk to a level that rivals your own, and while that might not matter to you, for a woman of her station, it is vastly important. Lady Rose’s allies are vanishing quickly, while her enemies are slavering for her blood.”

  I didn’t like the sound of that, but I wasn’t ready to capitulate based on a few rumors. “What do you mean, ‘stooped at nothing’?”

  Gareth turned away, idly fingering his beard, as though he was searching for words. “If one of your children were in danger, or your recently departed wife, what would you do to protect them?”

  “Anything,” I said immediately.

  “But you’re an archmage, and a man,” observed Gareth. “You have countless options. What if you were a woman of high station, with little besides your reputation, wealth, and beauty? What would you do?”

  “Wealth and high station can do an awful lot,” I noted.

  My visitor nodded. “They can, but some things cannot be bought, and rank’s privileges are dependent on the crown. Without that support, summer friends begin to find better ways to spend their time. In such a situation, a woman might be forced to trade on her reputation—and her beauty.”

  Something in my chest tightened painfully. “What are you saying? Spit it out.”

  Gareth faced me, his eyes burning into mine. “I have always held Lady Hightower in the highest regard. I still do, despite recent events, but her actions have lowered her in the eyes of her peers. She has angered the Queen with her reckless efforts to see you freed. Others in the court have taken note and begun to act accordingly. There are no friends left for her to call upon, yet she has continued to barter on your behalf, with whomever might aid you.

  “Your plight has driven her into the arms of your ancestor, and while she may think her efforts there will pay some dividend, I think it unlikely, for he spends most of his free hours in the Queen’s bed, not to mention how much he stands to gain by your removal,” explained Gareth.

  “That’s bullshit!” I swore. “You can’t believe court gossip…”

  “I don’t,” said Gareth evenly. “This information comes from my own agents. There have been three attempts on her life of late, though she is only aware of one.”

  “Attempts on her life?” I exclaimed, shocked.

  He held up a hand. “Let me finish. One of my men has been following her. He foiled two attempts merely by showing himself at moments when it appeared her assassin might make an attempt, but on the third occasion he was too far away to do anything but observe by the time he arrived. Lady Rose was stabbed and beaten yesterday, just a few hours before her visit.”

  I frowned. She had been sore, but I had seen no sign of blood or a stab wound.

  “She was saved by Tyrion’s arrival. He emerged from her apartments to dispatch the attacker. I presume it was he who healed her injuries. Also of note, he had been within her rooms since the previous night, after she sent her family away to stay elsewhere.”

  Shaking my head, I tried to make sense of it. She wouldn’t do that. She’s too proud. She wouldn’t do that, not for me. No, I knew better. They must have been conspiring together to free me. It was as simple as that.

  “Tyrion visited her rooms twice before,” continued Gareth relentlessly. “And if that were not enough, she has been seen frequenting the slums and shadier districts of the city. I assume this was for some purpose related to your case, but I doubt others drew the same conclusion.”

  Outraged, I glared at Gareth. “I’ve known Rose for nearly thirty years. This is all circumstance and hearsay.”

  “You don’t need to convince me, Mordecai,” said Gareth. Then he waved his hand in a wide circle. “It’s them, the rest of the city, the courtiers and rumormongers. They have already convicted her of the worst crimes in their imaginations.” His hand stopped over my bench, where a small, stale crust of the bread she had left behind sat wrapped in a napkin. He picked it up and showed it to me. “How do you think she got this to you?”

  “What does that have to do with this?”

  “My agent looked into a few of the people she met with in the city,” said Gareth. “Several of them were young women who had husbands that spent time in the dungeon. Apparently, they were able to bribe the warden to convince him to let them bring food and other comforts to their loved ones.

  “These were poor women, Mordecai, and the warden here is one of the slimiest, pox-ridden whoresons I have ever seen. How do you think they paid the man for his assistance?”

  Mortified, I sat down. Assassination attempts? Tyrion? It was too much. My brain shut down trying to comprehend it all.

  “Cut her loose, Mordecai, for her sake. She won’t thank you for it, but it would be a mercy to her.” Then he left.

  ***

  When Rose appeared an hour or two later, I struggled to meet her eyes.

  “Feeling guilty?” she asked in a light tone. She placed the basket on the floor in front of the bench and smoothed out the blanket there before taking a seat.

  “Yeah,” I admitted. “I think I’ve made a mistake.”

  “More than one,” she opined. “Come try some of this. It will make you feel better. I brought some fruit.” Reaching down, she plucked an apple from the basket and gave me what was meant to be a comforting smile.

  “How much did that cost you?” I asked bitterly.

  She took a small, delicate bite from it. “Not much. Apples are cheap in this season.”

  “You aren’t supposed to be able to bring these things to me, are you?”

  Rose stood, and taking a step toward me, she lifted the apple to my mouth. She waited, staring at me until I opened it, and then she pushed it in, forcing me to take a bite. “That’s better,” she said softly. “The warden and I have come to an arrangement,” she said nonchalantly. “He won’t be any trouble.”

  Reluctantly I chewed, though the flesh of the apple tasted like ashes in my mouth. When I tried to swallow, I choked and the coughing that resulted made my eyes water.

  “Try not to waste your food, Mordecai,” cautioned Rose. “We need you healthy for the trial.”

  Taking the apple from her hand, I put it back in the basket, and then I held her out at arm’s length, studying her face. She stared proudly back at me, but I caught a hint of something in the depths of her eyes. Reaching up with one finger, I wiped at the skin beneath one eye. It came away with a light coating of powder. The skin was dark beneath her lashes.

  She hasn’t slept, I realized.

  Pushing my hand away, she daubed at her undereye, trying to redistribute the powder evenly, though she didn’t have a mirror to guide her. “That wasn’t very kind of you, Mort,” she said, rebuking me.

  “Let’s stop this,” I told her suddenly. “I don’t like what this is doing to you.”

  “Nothing a little sleep won’t cure,” she replied reassuringly. “You should have a care for yourself.” Moving sideways, she stepped around to approach me from behind. She slid her arms under mine and clasped her hands in front of me, squeezing lightly.

 
My resolve began to melt. I didn’t want to push her away, but I clenched my jaw and grasped her hands firmly. Pulling her hands apart, I stepped away from her. “I’ve been lying to you, Rose. I can’t do it anymore. You deserve better.”

  She looked at me carefully, tilting her head to one side. “You may have your doubts. Yesterday was sudden, and perhaps foolish, but I am not so flighty. If anyone understands the pain of losing someone, it’s me. I’ll wait as long as it takes, but I won’t change my mind.”

  “It isn’t that,” I argued. “Or rather, it isn’t just that. I lied about Leomund. I killed him, Rose. When I saw what he had done to that girl, I lost my mind. He was unconscious, but I hardly cared. I took my dagger out and put it through his heart. I plan to tell them that at the trial.”

  I expected her to look shocked, or at least disappointed, but she displayed neither expression. “Then I suppose it’s pointless for me to defend you in court,” she said simply. “Very well. I’ll move my other plans forward.”

  That sent a chill through me. Worried, I asked, “Other plans?”

  She nodded. “To free you, of course. You didn’t think I put all my eggs in one basket, did you?”

  “But I did it,” I insisted.

  “Of course, dear,” she said condescendingly. “That just means we’ll have to do it the hard way.”

  I shook my head. “You don’t understand. I’m guilty. I want to pay for my crime. You shouldn’t do anything foolish on my account.”

  “Foolish?” she said, looking askance at me. “Foolish, like trying to lie to me? Leomund died, but not by your dagger. It was his own blade that was put through his heart.”

  My face colored slightly. Ordinarily I wasn’t a bad liar, but something about Rose always made me falter. “Yes, his dagger,” I said, agreeing with her. “That’s what I meant. I was so worked up at the time I must have misremembered.”

  “People don’t lie to me, Mordecai, not successfully. They may sometimes lie about me, but lying to me doesn’t work. Why don’t we get down to the heart of this? Are you trying to protect me?”