by Jean Winter
“An order for release?” the guard said. “I thought she was just brought in.”
The escort merely shrugged. Evidently, he didn't know what was going on either.
They were let through and to Lyra's surprise, she was escorted right out the front door where a waiting, higher ranking officer led the way to a parked carriage at the bottom of the building's steps.
“So sorry for the confusion, my lord,” the officer said through the coach window. “Here is her tracker and release form. Good day to you.”
The coach door was opened and Lyra took an anxious step closer to peer inside.
# # #
“… Aye, thank you, Lord Felvyt. It is a pleasure doing business with you, too.”
Kade finished his obligatory goodbyes and hung up. Heaving a long, deep sigh, leaned heavily back in his office chair. That wire had taken over an hour—the biggest transaction of his life. And he felt drained.
He stood and stretched. It was time to go find Lyra. They had more to discuss.
Upon entering his great room, however, Kade was surprised to see a couple county agents waiting for him. His wire receiver back in his office began to ring.
“May I help you?” he said. Lyra must have let them in.
“Lord J'Kor?” one said, in a brisk tone.
“Aye. That is me.” The ringing continued and the agent stepped forward.
“I have papers here authorizing—”
Lyra's terrified scream rang through the yard. Out the window, Kade spotted a police carriage where, from the back, more badgies appeared, heading toward the house. Lyra! He lunged for the door, but ready arms were on him, holding him back.
“My lord!”
Lyra's second desperate scream chilled Kade to the bone and he threw himself against his human restraints. “What are you doing to her?”
He broke free, but when he swung open the door, the two oncoming badgies were ready to force him back in. Someone jumped on his back and before Kade knew it, he was wrestled to the floor. “What is the meaning o' this?” Kade was furious.
“Sorry for the uncivil tactics, my lord, but he said to be prepared for resistance and to use force, if necessary, to keep you under control.”
“Who said that?” Kade tried to kick out, but someone was sitting on his legs.
A heavyset agent waved a short stack of papers over his head. “The man who ordered this khar retrieval.”
Lyra's third cry to him was absolute torture.
“May I see it?” Kade spat through clenched teeth. He could not believe he was being treated this way in his own home. There had been no warning, no notice. This could not be legal!
“O' course, my lord.” But a handgun was pointed at Kade before he was let up.
A fierce, low growling swelled from the bedroom doorway where Ahskr had been awakened from a late morning nap to find large, threatening intruders in his home. The already stiff hairs along his back's ridgeline stood even straighter and stiffer.
“Call him off,” the agent ordered, nervously keeping his gun pointed at Kade's head.
“Steady, boy,” Kade soothed, lifting himself from the ground and going to him. He didn't want Ahskr shot. As Kade shut Ahskr back in the bedroom, the ringing from the office finally stopped, and he turned, bristling, “May I see those papers now?”
“We need your khar's tracker and bio file, first, please.”
“Not a chance,” Kade growled. Ahskr whined at the door, worried about what was happening out there without him, but Kade had to ignore him.
The agent tipped his gun meaningfully. “You will do as I ask, my lord. My men are anxious to be on their way.”
This whole situation was highly irregular, but the armed man was clearly not interested in discussing the finer points of law enforcement and procedure at the moment. “They are in the safe in my office,” Kade finally muttered with a nod toward the hall. “Go to my desk, open the second drawer on the right, and feel for the key slot on the underside o' the drawer above.”
Two of the group followed his direction and soon returned with Lyra's things, heading directly out the door with them, no further explanation forthcoming. The ringing in his office started again.
“Wait! I own that khar!” Kade cried. “What right do you have to take her? And what right do you have to treat me like a criminal in my own home?”
The lead agent finally lowered his gun and handed Kade the documents. “It was supposed that if you had known in advance, you might try to keep her from us,” he stated mildly. “From your reaction, I see that the concern was valid. Everything is in perfect order, I assure you.”
Kade's first impulse was to take advantage of the ill-handled weapon within such easy reach, but a quick glance showed that the remaining badgie also had a weapon ready. The police rig started to drive away and it took all of Kade's will to turn his attention to the papers in his hand.
“The first is our order to transport her to headquarters at the capital,” the county agent explained, “and the others make up the official ruling o' the Committee for Internal Affairs, calling for disciplinary action against your khar by turning her over into the hands o' the plaintiff. You will find all the proper signatures with the list o' grievances and other evidence that has been brought against her.”
Kade was so enraged he had a hard time even reading the words on the page. Then, only two stood out: Serpahn Malig'ahnt. He swore softly. Bloody whor', he knew it!
Tring-ing! Tring-ing! The insistent receiver continued and Kade finally had the presence of mind to suppose that the call might have something to do with this whole blasted situation. Gripping the documents fiercely, he started toward his office.
“Where do you think you are going?” the portly agent challenged.
Kade sighed. “May I please go answer my receiver?” Their somewhat dim, hesitant faces made him roll his eyes. “Your orders are merely to keep me under house arrest, correct?” The men nodded. “So, I am still in the house. May I please answer that blasted ringing?”
Gruffly, the deputy badgie was ordered to accompany Kade and watch him carefully.
“Hello?” Kade finally said into the receiver. Please be good news.
“Kadent! I have been trying to reach you for the last hour!” It was Mother, sounding very worried. “The committee's ruling came out this morning. Serpahn got to them somehow and they have decided against your Lyra. I am so sorry, Kadent, but someone might be there any minute to pick her up!”
With a growl, Kade took his chair at the desk. “Too late, Mother. They have already come.”
“Have they taken her?”
“Aye.” With a glare at his guard standing just inside the room, Kade added, “And I am under house arrest.”
“Oh, Kadent! I am so sorry. The last I knew the committee was leaning toward my recommendation, and when Lyra apologized so well and becomingly to Serpahn at my gala, I thought for certain that would be the end o' it.” Then Mother's voice dropped to something of a confidential nature. “But I have been on the wire all morning talking to some o' the members, and I think there may have been some coercion involved. Maybe even some threats. They are afraid o' him, Kadent. Afraid o' his power.”
“Mother, how sure are you about this?” Kade sat up in attention. This was a possible break. If he could shed some doubt over the legitimacy of the decision …
“Oh, most o' them tried to talk me down like I was some silly hen too motivated by the interests o' her son to look at the facts with objectivity, but others—a few others—when I finally got them to talk to me, sounded downright frightened.”
“So, what are the 'facts'?” Kade said, shuffling through the papers. It was time to take a closer look at this ruling and see exactly what they were up against.
With his mother listening, Kade skimmed through the summary of grievances on the first page. Most of it was as expected: her altercation with Malig'ahnt at the auction, the incident at the restaurant, and even the stir of “insurg
ency” she created with her entertainment at Sal's party. But then there were a couple things he did not expect to see. There was mention of discourtesy and impertinence toward His Eminence, Lord Devor D'Pendul, in the home of one Lord Salkin Mejhisk. (Of course that stuck-up, prickle-backed snoutrooter would be a part of this.) He was also greatly disturbed to see a reference to rumors of liberties Lyra was experiencing at home—separate sleeping arrangements, deference within the family circle—
Oh, Jos', baby. Kade mournfully recalled Jos'lie's mention of telling classmates and her teachers at school about her wonderful, new Mama Lyra. At the bottom of the page was a long list of committee members' signatures and others who contributed evidence: Nezym, Satl'kae, Horkenwroth, Giv'kyrist, Peed'ugrahs …
The rest of the pages outlined witness testimonies in greater detail and Kade's fury grew with each new passage. Embellishment and exaggeration ran rampant. Some descriptions were just outright lies.
“She did no' bite Serpahn to make him swing at her in defense! Nor did she actually get to kick him in the groin! The guard pulled him away too fast,” he vehemently argued to his mother. “Also, I promise you, she was no' gathering a support party o' other khari'na to secretly meet at Sal's house! This is … bogus!” he finished, having chosen a more gentlemanly word for her delicate ear.
That was it. Kade needed to get away from his house right now. It didn't matter what the committee supposedly decided, he was not about to let Serpahn have his way with Lyra for one minute.
“Well,” Mother said, “at least they only granted him twenty-two hours. She should be released back to you tomorrow.”
Kade snorted. “And that is twenty-two hours too many, Mother. She will be dead by morning if I do no' do something.” He scratched at his shadow of two-day fuzz and scanned his office for inspiration. These stupid yes-men had to be taken out of commission for a while. He couldn't have them following him and he couldn't leave them able to wire ahead.
Tie them up? No. It was too risky that they might be able to work their way free enough to reach his receiver.
Lock them in a room? No. He didn't have a secure enough place on his property that two able-bodied men couldn't eventually force open.
“What do you expect to be able to do?” Mother threw back. “She is already on her way.”
Kade closed his eyes in concentration. “Mother, please get back on the wire and do your best to get the truth out o' some o' these witnesses and committee members. Perhaps we can make a case for a mistrial.”
“Aye, son. Anything I can do to help.”
After saying goodbye, Kade punched in a code number for another call.
Let Ahskr—? No. Kade wouldn't really hurt these men. They were just doing their job and that would create greater problems later.
The first few clicks for the wire connection took forever. “Come on. Come on. Pick up!” he muttered. Please! Kade didn't know who was supposed to hear that plea, but the hoped-for voice finally answered anyway. “Sal!” he exclaimed. “I need your help.”
The situation was quickly explained at the end of which Sal offered, “What do you need from me, mate?”
“I need you to try to reach that old lawyer friend o' your father's. Tell him what is going on and get him to tell you everything he knows about a lord's right o' ownership, khari'na law, and such. There has to be something I can stand on that will no' allow Serpahn to take everything I have after I kill him.”
Kade's eyes suddenly fell on a recent supply package he had received. Ah, perfect.
“On it, brother. Anything else?”
“Aye.” Kade reached for the package and, turning to the side at his desk, began to open it on his lap. “Call me a taxi, will you? And make it fast.”
“Hey,” Kade's guard muttered. He sat forward in the little chair in which he had lazily settled himself some minutes ago. “What do you need a taxi for?”
“I am going to leave soon,” Kade told him. Underneath the packaging material he found what he was looking for as the man got to his feet and warily craned his neck toward Kade, trying to see what he had just opened.
“You are no' going anywh—”
With a swift strike, Kade knocked the gun loose then took the stunned man's head in a neck choke and plunged into his backside a loaded syringe of sedative he used on his animals for oral issues. About half a syringe should be sufficient. Kade normally used four full ones on his half ton Whinnee, and that put her out for a couple hours. He needed these guys out longer. Kade held tightly to the badgie to minimize struggling while the powerful chemical did its work.
A few seconds later, he was lowering the body gently onto the floor. “Hey!” Kade called out. “I think there is something wrong with your friend, here.” He went to the doorway, half-empty needle in hand, and stepped to the side against the wall.
Fifteen minutes more and Kade was squatting on his front porch, covering the two county agents in a blanket in case it got cold come evening. He scratched the comfortably sprawled Ahskr on the head. “Keep them in their place, all right, boy?” Ahskr's tail snapped, just enthused to no longer be shut up in the bedroom, and Kade stood, stringing his satchel over his head and across one shoulder.
The taxi Sal had ordered turned onto his driveway—right on time.
Hang on, Sugarpip. I am coming.
It was a long, long ride to the capital.
Kade had nothing to do but sit and worry. His driver was trying to hurry and Kade was hopeful that they might be gaining ground, but forty-five minutes was a lot to make up. His best bet was to catch her still sitting at headquarters.
When they finally pulled up to the steps of the building he had just visited days before, another taxi was pulling away and Kade waited with impatience as his own slowly slid forward into the newly emptied spot. He finally just jumped from the coach.
Taking the steps two at a time, he apologized briefly to another officer he brushed by as he hurried ahead and through the door. Now he could get something done! He had friends here. He could explain how things had been blown out of proportion—how rules had been bent—and he could request a hold on Lyra's verdict.
Kade strode through the reception area with vigor, startling a young, skinny private at the receiving desk. “I am Warrant Officer, J'Kor,” he said with authority. “I need information on a certain khar that was brought in just a little while ago. There was some mishandling o' her case, you see …”
CHAPTER 22
Lyra's innards knit into tight knots with the recognition of the man in the coach.
“Welcome, khar. Are you ready to go home?” Lord Malig'ahnt's suave question was filled with menace as he greeted her from his seat in a dark, expensive suit, his leg comfortably crossed. A dangerous smile played about his thin, curled lips.
Oh God! NO!
Blind panic set in. Lyra jerked away and the first soldier unfortunate enough to lay hands on her got a fierce elbow to the gut and a strike over the back of the neck. The second, attempting a grab for her shoulder, received a side kick to the groin followed by a knee in the face. Then Lyra was running as fast as she could. Astonished pedestrians tried to sidestep out of her way. There were shouts and exclamations.
A paralyzing pain suddenly shot through her spine and Lyra instantly toppled stiffly to the ground. Her head hit the pavement with a loud thunk. Everything turned blurry.
Rough hands were pulling her up and Lyra gasped at the pain in her head as she was forced to stumble back to the carriage.
“Let her go,” Malig'ahnt ordered through the window before they got too close. “She is going to climb in here and leave with me under her own power.” Pale, yellow eyes bore into hers as her tracker was held up tauntingly, a thumb hovering over the clinching button.
Lyra stood unsteadily before the coach. A trickle of warm blood started down the side of her face as passersby witness to the incident only ducked their heads and continued quietly on their way. A khar beating, apparently, was none of their bus
iness.
Hopeless realization sunk in then. There was no choice. There was no one willing to help her. With a dry swallow, Lyra made her feet shuffle forward. Her weariness from a bad night's sleep, the extreme stress of the day, and this most recent, painful incident caught up with her as she stepped up into the coach. She faltered and had to make a second try (to Malig'ahnt's great pleasure).
She made it in and fearfully brushed by him to take a seat opposite. Then with shaking fingers she used her apron as a rag to gingerly dab at the cut on her head before the blood seeped into her eye. Malig'ahnt spoke a quiet word to the presiding officer out the window.
He was soon given some handcuffs.
Turning to her, he placed one ring of the cuffs on her right wrist. “When they told me you were on your way to this facility,” Malig'ahnt said, adjusting the cuff tightly, “I decided to come sooner rather than later to take over your custody.” He slipped her skirt up and over her knee. “I supposed you would appreciate no' having to spend one extra minute in a cold, damp, dismal jail cell when you could be enjoying the fine atmosphere o' my mansion, instead.” Her left foot was lifted onto the seat and Malig'ahnt proceeded to take off her boot. Lyra struggled to maintain control of her faculties as that ankle got cuffed to her hand. “There,” he murmured in satisfaction. “That should make for a nice, uneventful ride home. Comfortable are you?”
At Lyra's silence he chuckled and knocked at the wall, signaling the driver to go.
For the first minute, Lyra stared at the floor between them, furiously trying to make sense of what was happening. Had he had a part in the county police showing up so suddenly? What did he mean by 'taking over her custody'?
“Are you the one that called to have me brought—?” A short burst of seizing pain emanated once again from her implant.
“Lesson number one, whore: do no' speak unless you are spoken to.” Lyra took a few gasping breaths as the pain slowly subsided. Malig'ahnt smiled and “tsk”ed softly. “You were coddled and allowed liberties under that weak J'Kor. I fear there is much about you that will have to be retrained.”