by Drae Box
Marcia nodded when Shai looked her way.
“And under The Three Ks Protection and Corrections Act, I can still legally kill you for your part in the King’s illegal deposition.”
“I had nothing to do with that!” snapped Shai. He banged a fist against the table. “Nothing!”
“You’re a member of Broken Crown, correct?” asked Marcia softly.
Shai hesitated as he looked at her. He nodded.
“Then Raneth’s right. He’s allowed to do whatever is necessary to beat Broken Crown. Even if it means acting a little… out of control himself. After all, Broken Crown’s planned this very carefully. What you couldn’t have planned for is Raneth’s emotional reaction, his royal official training and…” Marcia leaned forwards slightly and lowered her voice, “…his family’s intensive Bayre–Frey Feud training.” She leaned back. “He’s going to take down Broken Crown, with or without your help. If he doesn’t think he’s going to get any help from you, he can execute you under the Three Ks Protection and Corrections Act, and under Apocolletio Law.”
Shai glanced at Raneth before sweeping his worried gaze back to Marcia. “You’re serious.”
“There’s never any point being otherwise in one of these rooms,” explained the royal constable. “And Raneth’s the royal official captain. You don’t think he’s angry and seeking revenge for the dead royal officials and the legionaries that the Brethren murdered when Cray lost the Kingdom’s Shield?”
“I wasn’t there for that! I was grabbing Harry out of a pub! He’d drunk himself to sleep!”
“So tell me what I need to know,” said Raneth. “Honestly. Any dishonesty will get you taken down. Even if I’ve released you, I’ll hunt you down and hang you in a village square for everyone to see.”
“Royal officials aren’t allowed to kill by hanging!” yelped Shai.
“So tell me what you know or I’ll break that rule and make sure you suffocate slowly,” growled Raneth. He stilled, watching Shai carefully. Hope this works.
“Fine, fine,” muttered Shai, raising his hands in the air before placing them palm down on the table. “What do you want to know and what do I get out of it other than you not killing me?”
“You said you and your elder brother joined Broken Crown because of Harry.”
Shai nodded.
“What if I can get Harry out?” offered Raneth, making his voice gentle. “If you give me good intel that actually helps, I can bring Harry back to you and Simon, and give you all a free pass to get as far away from here as possible, wherever Broken Crown doesn’t have a heavy influence.”
“That sounds alright,” muttered Shai slowly as he mulled it over. He gave a confident nod. “Alright, yeah. Deal.”
Raneth smiled. Thank you, rank seven complimentary training. “Good. Now, this all hinges on your information being accurate and actually helping me to do what I need to do, do you understand?”
“Yeah.” Shai paused and lifted a finger with a questioning furrow of his brows. “Are you two allowed to organise this deal, or does King Cray need to sign off on it? I don’t want to help if I’ll get hung for treason later anyway.”
“As the royal official captain, and under the conditions required to use Apocolletio Law, I have the authority Cray would normally have,” confirmed Raneth.
“Good job you did protecting the royals,” said Shai.
“I was out of the kingdom,” stated Raneth. “Not that I need to explain myself to you. I know you Rivermuds hate me, but–”
“I don’t hate you,” said Shai. “Not anymore, anyway.”
Raneth frowned. “You don’t?”
“No. I used to. Wanted to throttle you with my bare hands or shove a hand over your mouth and nose and choke you to death with my blood-gift, but it’s been a few years since my father died, and I’ve accepted that, though you were responsible for herding my father to Brown Buzzard Village–”
“Your father picked the village to flee to and make his stand. I just followed.”
“Same thing,” stated Shai. “But you didn’t have anything to do with his death. That was all on him and that boy who provoked his gift, sneezed and blew up. I read about it in the papers. You and your girlfriend would have died too if not for Leoma making the Dagger of Protection build a shield around you.”
“Tell me more about how you came to join Broken Crown,” said Raneth
Shai shrugged. “When Koyla approached Harry, he claimed to know our father. Maybe he did, maybe he didn’t. He got Harry to join in return for getting an OK from Denzel to do whatever he wanted to you, with any and all assistance he could possibly want. Pay ain’t half bad either now that Denzel has the power to claim taxes.”
Koyla… Whoever this Koyla was, his name kept appearing. I’ll ask when I’ve got the full story here. He watched Shai for a moment. And Harry’s a hothead, thought Raneth. Of course he’d agree to that. “In return for becoming a full Broken Crown member, I take it?”
“Yeah. You should have seen him. Harry went all in immediately, offering to do whatever they needed. Me and Simon ended up joining just so we could try and get Harry out again, but he wouldn’t listen to us. Probably didn’t help that we ended up helping him most times so he wouldn’t get himself killed. Simon doesn’t hate you anymore either. That’s why us two were trying to clue you in that we didn’t want any part of everything being done to you, and in the street where you grabbed me.”
“I did notice,” admitted Raneth. “Who is Koyla? I keep hearing his name when Broken Crown comes up.”
“Denzel’s right-hand man. All the Brethren I know were recruited by him, and I heard he used to be a tribune in the First Legion before Broken Crown took over.”
That Koyla? Raneth frowned. He knew that Koyla. Not personally, but he’d seen the tribune enough when serving his Legion Time to see the man’s face in his mind. That guy used to be really loyal to the Three Ks, more than most tribunes who are just looking to become rich and use loopholes in the law to their advantage. He used to love Giften too. What happened?
“How did he get caught up in all this?” he asked.
Shai shrugged. “Rumour is he’s known Denzel for years.”
Which means Isadore Leoma might.
“So you don’t agree with Broken Crown’s message that the royals and royal officials are bad news?” asked Marcia.
“No. That’s stupid. Giften’s always had royal officials, ever since we went from tribes to a kingdom and chose the Apocolletio family to be our rulers.” Shai gestured at Raneth and sipped his tea. “So what else do you want to know?”
“I need any information you have that will help me get to Royal Official Brice, the Dagger of Protection and the Kingdom’s Shield.”
“What about your girl? Don’t you want to grab her too? She’s basically a hostage, from the little I’ve seen.”
Raneth scratched at the underside of his jaw. “If you know something, yes please,” he said. He cleared his throat. “If we can get Alika Brice out, then she can escort you and your brothers to whichever settlement you choose. She knows about you three pretty well and she can help keep Harry in check. She’s provoked her gift now, so you three won’t be able to overpower her.” Raneth smiled. Especially considering what her gift does. “If we get Alika and the Kingdom’s Shield back, at the very least, I’ll honour our deal and pull Harry out from Broken Crown so you and your brother will have a chance to get him away from their influence and back to whatever it is you would be doing otherwise.”
“Alright. The only help I can give you for your girl is that she’s being guarded by a criminal that would love to kill you. Do you remember a target called Dashiell?”
Raneth’s heart almost burst from his throat. If Aldora’s being guarded by him... He pushed Aldora up on his list of priorities. No woman deserves to be alone with Dashiell. No man, either.
“Alika is in the basement of the headquarters,” continued Shai. “That room where you were attacked and your gi
rl left your side – did you notice the cellar door?”
Raneth thought back. “Not really. I mostly remember all that gift-fire.” He rubbed his heel against his bandages.
Shai watched him and nodded. “Opposite where Denzel was standing is a cellar door. No stairs, just door with a ramp behind it. But there’s a section of the cellar that’s closed off from the rest with a metal chain fence. I’m guessing it was supposed to be used for storing more valuable stuff when the factory was a factory. If you can get down there, you’ll be able to get her out if you can pick a padlock.”
Useful. “Go on.”
“There’s usually two Brethren stationed down there now, since you escaped so easily.”
“What about the Kingdom’s Shield?” asked Marcia.
“Denzel’s put it up on a wall in the common room for the Brethren. There’s always enough Brethren in there to protect it.”
Enos would have had to avoid that area. “Big room?”
“Yeah, Bayre,” said Shai. “You’ll probably not get out of that alive if you walk in like you own it.”
Then I won’t walk in. “Is it on the ground floor, with windows?”
“Yeah. North wing. Look for the two huge windows on the west side.”
Then I’ll smash through a window, decided Raneth. The surprise will give me a moment’s advantage.
“What about the Dagger of Protection?” said Raneth.
“Denzel only wears it when he’s making a point of it or he thinks he’ll need it for his protection,” said Shai. “I don’t know where he keeps it when he’s not got it on his weapons belt. He’s not scheduled to leave the headquarters again for a while, at least not that I know of. He’s planning to head to Seeth City in a month’s time, but that’s all I know of his schedule.”
Seeth City? Figures. Highest crime rate there. Ripe for Broken Crown to get some more people with grudges to turn against royal officials, like Harry. Raneth stood up.
“And if I’m in Broken Crown’s headquarters, where will I find Denzel?” he asked.
“His office is in the west wing on the first floor but he wanders about.”
“Good to know. Thanks. I’m going to take you back to your cell for now,” replied Raneth. “And when I’ve got Harry out and Simon turns up, you’ll be released, OK?”
Shai looked to Marcia. “Do I get looked after or will I be left to rot until that happens?”
“You will be looked after,” promised Marcia with a sincere smile. “As if you were my brother.”
“Just in a cage,” grumbled Shai.
“Then you shouldn’t have turned criminal,” stated Raneth as he gently seized Shai’s wrist and eased it behind him.
Without a word, Shai rested his other hand behind his back, allowing Raneth to cuff him and lead him back to the cells.
Once Shai was settled in, Raneth strolled to the observation room to get Rider.
“Shotput behave?” he asked, looking at the sphere sitting on the table beside the royal official.
Before Raneth could stop him, Rider picked up the Shotput with his forefinger and thumb and plopped it into Raneth’s hand. “Yep. Gives me the creeps though.”
Raneth tucked it back into his trouser pocket. “Once Cray’s back, I can shove it into his custody and I won’t have to give a damn about it.” He nodded towards the one-way window. “Thoughts?”
“Grab the Kingdom’s Shield, Alika and Harry Rivermud? Sounds like a rescue assignment to me.”
Raneth nodded and watched his friend closely as Rider turned away from him, pretending to find anything else in the empty interrogation room interesting. Oh-oh.
“And how do you feel about doing a rescue assignment?” he asked warily. He should be champing at the bit to get going, but instead he’s not being like the normal Rider I know.
As if to further highlight his discomfort, Rider continued to look away into the interrogation room, instead of meeting Raneth’s eyes. “I’ve never done a rescue assignment of any sort. Cray knew from my first assignment that I was better suited to attacking through the front door than any form of stealth.”
“Bummer. My last rescue assignment was at least four years ago, and my stealth refresher is overdue,” admitted Raneth. “I’ll just have to play it by ear. You wanna come?”
“And probably kill a few Broken Crown members while we’re at it? Of course I’m in. They deserve every drop of blood I’m gonna spill.”
Raneth smiled. Now it’s our turn to screw them over.
He plucked the grebunar from his belt pouch and squeezed it, thinking of Aldora. He opened his fingers and the sphere floated into the air. A smile crept onto his face as Aldora looked back at him.
“Are you OK?” she asked him. “Are you safe?”
“I’m safe and I’ll be fine,” said Raneth, feeling Marcia’s interest fixated on the two of them. He tried to ignore it. They didn’t have time for idle chitchat, and definitely not to dip into the issues they would need to discuss when Cray was king again. “I have a plan, but we’ll need your help.”
Aldora nodded. “Just tell me what you need. I want to help.”
Chapter Eighteen
Aldora
Holding up the Brethren jacket, Aldora was acutely aware of Dashiell’s tapping foot. He had his arms folded as he leaned back against the damaged wall next to the door. Aldora glared at him, grateful that she had already hidden her stolen knife in the jacket’s pocket.
“What?”
“Just hurry up and put it on,” he snapped. “Or you’ll get me in trouble for letting you run late.”
She glanced at the wall clock in her room. She had time. She didn’t have to try and break away from Dashiell yet. Soon, but not yet.
“And why would I care about that?”
“Balls of dung roll down the hill, that’s why,” he growled. “If I get in trouble, I’m bringing it your way.”
He glanced towards the bed and then let his eyes travel over Aldora’s frame. She hugged the Brethren jacket to her front.
“Fine,” she growled, hoping that he couldn’t see that a shiver had just run down her spine. “I was just checking it for fluff anyway.”
She shoved the jacket on and stormed past Dashiell, ignoring the curling of her stomach. Though the jacket was warm, she was grateful that Raneth’s plan meant she wouldn’t have to wear it for long; she didn’t want to be associated with her uncle’s organisation, didn’t want to give innocent people the wrong ideas about joining Broken Crown.
The Brethren loomed up behind her and gripped her left shoulder hard, steering her where he wanted her to go. Aldora winced but didn’t say anything. I’m not letting you think you’re scaring me, even if you do unnerve me.
They walked past other Brethren, who pressed their backs to the walls of the corridors Dashiell led her down, giving way to her.
I’ve got to figure out what I’m doing. Raneth said he’d get the Dagger, but it wasn’t him that lost it. And what do I do once I’ve got it? Raneth would aim it right at Uncle Denzel. Can I do that?
Dashiell pushed her to the side and used his other hand to knock on the door. She stumbled but secured her footing before she could fall and glared at Dashiell. The door opened and revealed Denzel Leoma. He poked his head through the frame enough to be able to view Aldora.
“Come in, you two. I was starting to think you were going to run late, Dashiell.”
“Never, sir,” promised the Brethren as he stepped aside and gestured for Aldora to go first, giving her a smile.
Aldora swept into the room, shoving her hands deep into the large pockets of her Brethren jacket. She ignored the cold kiss of the knife’s metal against her skin. If it wasn’t a Broken Crown jacket, this thing would be a keeper, she thought, noticing just how snug she was inside the thick material.
She inspected the room, which she hadn’t been in before. A small but unlit fireplace stood sentry in the middle of the wall opposite the door, with two black armchairs facing one ano
ther on either side of it. A rectangular yellow rug sat between them, with a small dark table centered atop it. On the table, three large books were stacked in a small pile, alongside a steaming cup of a dark drink. Aldora turned around to face her uncle as he closed the door behind Dashiell.
“I’m glad you decided to wear the jacket, Aldora,” said Denzel with a warm smile. “Seeing you in that makes me so very proud.”
“Proud? Anybody can wear a jacket, Uncle Denzel.”
“Yes, but it’s the decision you’ve made that I’m proud of, Aldora, not the fact that you can dress yourself.”
Denzel smiled and strode deeper into the room. He slid comfortably into the armchair on the left and gestured for Aldora to take the other. Reluctantly she did, watching Dashiell, who stood at the side of the door in the same manner he had in her room, with his hands hidden behind his back.
“I had feared I would need to genuinely threaten the life of your sister to get you to behave today,” explained Denzel. “Even if she’s doing a fine job of putting herself in danger despite your behaviour.”
Aldora leaned forwards in the armchair. “What do you mean? What’s she done?” She clenched her right hand. “Did she escape too?”
“No,” laughed Denzel, though it was strained. “No, she hasn’t escaped. I want her to train my Brethren, but every time I send somebody in to talk to her, she beats them with the sorcerer’s sphere we’ve shackled her with. If she carries on, I’ll be forced to kill her to protect my men in case she does escape.”
Alika’s probably trying to break the sphere and escape at the same time, realised Aldora, trying not to smile. She frowned at her uncle and then Dashiell as a thought occurred to her. If Alika is so expendable that she’s only really being used to make me behave, but she isn’t doing what Uncle Denzel wants, then what makes me so special? He keeps telling me I’ll understand his way of thinking. Is it just for today? Just so I’ll officially give him the Dagger in front of that news reporter? She leaned back in her chair and looked squarely at her uncle. Pedibastet said in Newer that I’m a symbol of hope to Giftens because I saved my village with the Dagger. Maybe that’s why. He wants to use me to make Broken Crown look good to everyone else.