Here's the next chapter in the seventh 888-555-HERO saga!
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The next morning, Aisha Franklin sat beside Carol Inunza at the defendant’s table in one of Canyon Pointe’s federal district criminal courtrooms, wondering how the hell she let her law partners talk her into temporarily representing Carol. Harri had refused to press charges against Carol for kidnapping her and was still searching for a criminal defense attorney for Carol. However, their fellow attorney couldn’t escape the charges for aiding and abetting the prison break of four inmates from Mauvaises, the federal maximum security prison specifically for those inmates classified as supervillains.
“I still don’t understand why you’re doing this,” Carol murmured. She wore an orange jumpsuit and had what Harri referred to as “jail stink”. Aisha had never noticed the odor before she had superpowers. Harri claimed Aisha’s smoking back then had deadened her nose to the funk. But with the super senses her mother-in-law gifted her, the scent was a million times worse than a skunk.
“Because your husband did me a solid when Mike Michaels had Harri arrested on trumped up charges,” Aisha said. The former Canyon Pointe D.A. was now doing his own residency in the state pen for corruption and fraud.
“Pablo wouldn’t do a ‘favor’ for anyone with a case in his court,” Carol whispered. “He follows the law. Always.” And she was right. Pablo Inunza had a perfect reputation as a criminal court judge.
Until his wife was arrested. Now Aisha’s ex-husband Calvin Johnson, one of the few assistant D.A.s to survive the Michaels purge, headed the city’s district attorney’s office. Cal didn’t have a choice but to investigate Judge Inunza because the judge had made a lot of enemies, and the mayor and city council were embarrassed as hell after their pledge to clean up the city after what their predecessors had done.
“Right now, I’m thinking you should have followed in his footsteps,” Aisha hissed back.
“Hi, Aisha!”
She looked up at Jim Duncan’s cheery greeting. The federal prosecutor was still as good-looking as he had been in law school. He was a sweetheart in life, but in the courtroom, he was a freaking bull shark. She was kind of glad she was only handling the arraignment.
“Hey, Jim.”
“Can we talk for a moment?” He inclined his head toward the empty jury box.
“Of course.” She turned to Carol. “I’ll be right back.” She stood and strode over to Jim.
He lowered his voice. “My boss is refusing to offer a plea deal.”
“My client cooperated and spilled everything she knows about Miss Purrception and Trubble,” Aisha whispered back.
“She’s also a member of the bar in a city that just last year had a huge scandal in the D.A. and mayor’s offices.” Jim crossed his arms.
“These are federal charges,” Aisha protested.
“I’m aware of who I work for,” he said dryly. “If it helps, I believe Carol thought she was protecting her husband and son. But let’s face it, she kidnapped Harri and planned to murder Trubble. I can’t get a plea deal to fly. Not right now.”
“Did you argue the money coming out of the taxpayers’ pockets by taking this to trial? Not to mention burying an upstanding judge as collateral damage?”
“Girlfriend, give me a little credit.” Jim made a face at her.
“What about bail?”
He shook his head.
Aisha nodded. “Okay. Thanks for trying.” She returned to her seat.
“What did he say?” Carol whispered.
“No leeway,” Aisha murmured. “His boss thinks your case is a slam dunk.”
“Damn.” Carol stared at her shackled wrists. “I’m so screwed if I go to prison.”
“Don’t give up just yet,” Aisha said. “Let’s give the judge a chance.” Carol was totally right though, but Aisha couldn’t give in to despair. She hadn’t lied about Carol’s chances, but neither could she look at the glass as half-full like Harri did.
However, part of her wished Susan was handling the arraignment. The newest partner had a lot more trial experience. But they needed to look out for Mother Defiant’s interests, and the superhero preferred Susan. Harri was right about it being a nuisance suit from Dewey & Cheatham, but maybe they should have sent one of their super clients with Susan to watch her back. Aisha still had a sneaking suspicion Dewey & Cheatham were in bed with the dismantled black ops group Corvus.
Carol snorted softly. “I’ve been in front of Judge Castillo before as an attorney. He likes throwing books at people. Especially attorneys who do dumb shit.”
Aisha kept her mouth shut. Insulting her client wasn’t going to help the situation. She also didn’t want to give Carol false hope, but maybe, just maybe, she could get the judge to recuse himself.
“All rise,” the U.S. marshal acting as bailiff called out. “The United States District Court, District of Southern Mojave, is now in session. The Honorable Judge Francis Castillo presiding.”
The judge strode into the courtroom. He was medium height with salt and pepper hair and beard. His black robes rustled when he dropped heavily into his chair. “Be seated.”
For once, Aisha didn’t have to nudge her client to stand or sit in court. She wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not.
While everyone resumed their seats, his clerk handed him the first case file and he flipped it open as he put on his black plastic reading glasses. “The United States versus Inunza.”
Aisha, Carol, and Jim stood.
Judge Castillo looked up from the paperwork. He ignored Aisha and Jim, and his attention focused Carol. His expression was a cross between anger and a disappointed dad. Aisha crossed her fingers, praying he would say something, anything, truly stupid, in order for her to move for him to recuse himself from Carol’s case.
Alarmed murmurs and the slaps and clicks soles and heels on the tile came from the hallway. Something was going on outside the courtroom. Aisha turned to look.
“Am I boring you, Counselor?” the judge snapped.
“Sir, I think we need to evacuate the court—” Aisha started.
The bang of the public doors of the courtroom crashing open made everyone look toward the back. A security guard panted. “Judge, we need to clear everyone through your—”
A shot rang out, and the guard collapsed, blood drenching the front of his uniform. Shrieks and shouts from the other attorneys, accused, and spectators filled the air.
Masked people in black rushed inside, armed to the teeth. The lead invader aimed and fired. The bailiff didn’t even have a chance to draw his weapon before he went down in a spray of red.
Instinct kicked in. Aisha pulled Carol off her chair and down to the carpeted floor before she covered her client’s body with her own.
“Get on the floor!” one of the assailants yelled. Everybody who hadn’t done so already, including Judge Castillo, hit the carpet.
Someone poked something metal in Aisha’s back. She tensed, waiting for the bullet that would tell the whole world she was a super.
“Are you Aisha Franklin?” a gruff masculine voice said.
She gritted her teeth and raised her hands. Something in her gut said he already knew who she was. “Yes. I’ll cooperate. Please don’t hurt anyone else.”
“Get up,” he ordered.
She slowly and carefully got to her feet. The leader was around six foot tall. From the snug and proper way his tactical gear fit, not only did he know exactly what he was doing, there wasn’t an ounce of fat under his clothing.
He slammed an item on the defendant’s table. “Call the Ghost Owl. We want him in return for the hostages.”
Aisha stared at the cheap burner cell phone.
Well, crap. Maybe hiding her superhero identity’s gender wasn’t such a smart move after all.
Wednesday, March 31, 2021
Wednesday, March 24, 2021
Hero Amicus Curiae - Chapter 1
While I work on getting some paperbacks out, here's a preview of the next 888-555-HERO episode, Hero Amicus Curiae!
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Susan Kennedy slammed down her phone receiver and roared, “Harri!” Fury ignited every cell in her body, a fury not even the sweet floral scent of the chamomile tea on her desk could soothe She shoved back her chair, stomped across her office floor, and grabbed the papers she had printed off during her phone call. For once, she was glad she’d accepted the partnership at Winters and Franklin. There was someone to share the rage with. She yanked open her office door to find the law firm’s intern Steve Connors reaching for the knob.
“You okay?”
“No! I’m pissed!”
He stepped back, not out of fear. The kid was a super after all, and smart enough to go to law school instead of joining the underwear crowd. She charged down the short hallway to the reception area with Steve following. “Harri!”
Harri’s office door was wide open, and their legal assistant Patty Ames wasn’t sitting at the reception desk. Instead, their IT guru Arthur Drallhickey perched on the chair with wide eyes and the receiver at his ear. “She’s in a meeting at the moment,” he said to whoever was on the other end of the line while he pointed towards the breakroom.
Harriet “Harri” Winters stepped out into the reception area from the breakroom with a steaming mug at the same moment Aisha Franklin poked her head around the edge of her own office door.
“What the hell is going on out here?” Harri said.
“One moment, please.” Arthur jabbed a button on the phone console. “Would you mind taken this to another room? There’s a client on the phone, and she can hear everything you say.”
Susan blew out a deep breath. “Sorry, Arthur.”
Harri inclined her head toward Aisha’s office.
Susan trooped into the room after her. The anger burned itself out with Arthur’s reminder of propriety. It was bad when a former supervillain showed most decorum out of everyone in the building.
Once Steve closed the door behind him, Harri slurped her coffee before she said, “Start from the beginning.”
“I just got off the phone with Mother Defiant.” Susan crossed her arms to keep from shaking thanks to the adrenaline rush draining away. “She was served this morning. Right in the middle of her stopping Professor Geode from stealing the new meteorite at the Museum of Natural History.”
“Well, that’s either the bravest or the dumbest process server in history,” Harri muttered.
“Who sued her and why?” Aisha asked.
Susan eyed her. “Our former employer.”
Harri choked on her coffee. Brown liquid sprayed everywhere. Between one blink and the next, the shades in Aisha’s office closed, and Steve held a wad of paper towels full of coffee splatters. And probably spit. Susan didn’t want to think too much about the second.
She grabbed Aisha’s waste can and held it out for Steve. He dropped the nasty towels into the receptacle. She eyed the kid. “I guess it’s a good thing you’re not a germophobe.”
He grinned. “You learn to ignore certain things.”
Aisha dropped into her office chair. “I’ve been waiting for them to try something since I quit. I’m just surprised it took them over a year.”
“They stole Mother Defiant from me to begin with.” Susan unfolded her arms and held out the sheaf to Aisha. “Why are they pulling this crap now?”
Harri was too busy trying to clear coffee droplets from her trachea with some extreme coughing to comment. Steve dashed out of the office and returned with a bottle of water from the break room. They traded her cup for his bottle.
Aisha flipped through the copy of the lawsuit and frowned. “We aren’t named as defendants. I thought for sure they’d go for a tortious interference in a contract complaint against the firm.”
“I made sure Mother Defiant crossed her ‘t’s and dotted her ‘i’s before we signed her,” Harri croaked.
“And they can’t touch Winters and Franklin without us filing a cross-complaint over how they used Mother Defiant to plant that virus on my phone and thereby infecting your computers,” Susan said.
“So the alternative is going after our clients instead.” Aisha grimaced. “Let me guess she wants you to handle this personally.” She handed the complaint and initial discovery request to Harri who scanned them.
“Yeah.” Susan grinned. “I think Harri scares her even more than you do.”
“I scare her?” Aisha’s right eyebrow rose.
“Now that she knows your alter ego.” Susan grinned.
Harri looked up from the copies of the complaint. “Go to Hermanville, talk Mother Defiant down, and file the answer. This is a nuisance suit.”
“That’s exactly the point.” Susan gestured in the direction of the federal courthouse here in Canyon Pointe. “Carol Inunza’s arraignment is tomorrow. You really think they’re not going to use that against us? Divide and conquer”
“Look, we already know we can’t handle her defense—”
“And we can’t find any of our friends crazy enough to take her on as a client either,” Aisha muttered as she glared at Harri.
“No.” Susan slashed her hand. “We are not rehashing whether or not Harri should have pressed charges against Carol.”
Aisha jabbed a finger in Harri’s direction. “Don’t tell me you actually agree with her—”
“Stop,” Harri growled. “Just stop. Have you ever handled an arraignment before?”
“Not since Captain Mojave’s DUI when I first joined Dewey and Cheatham.” Aisha sighed. “That was only because Howard Dewey was in the U.S. Virgin Islands with his current girlfriend, and I got thrown in the deep end to see if I could swim.”
“You’re nominated to replace Susan,” Harri said. “Because I’ve never done one, and Carol needs competent representation.”
“You’re the one who thinks Carol didn’t kidnap her, Little Miss Stockholm Syndrome,” Aisha snapped.
“Which is exactly why you need to do it,” Harri.
Something smelled a little fishy. Susan frowned. “What’s the real reason you don’t want to handle the arraignment?”
Harri’s cheeks flushed. “It’s got nothing to do with Carol.”
“Or maybe it has something to do with the prosecutor.” Aisha leaned her elbows on her desktop. “Please don’t tell me you and Jim Duncan hooked up—” “Excuse me?” Harri grimaced. “That was Jeremy.”
“You and Judge Castillo?” Steve blurted.
Harri’s flush went from pink to red. “It was one date,” she muttered. “It didn’t end well, so I need you to handle it, Aisha.”
“Unless you want to go to Hermanville in my place?” Susan raised both hands in a balancing gesture. “But I can guarantee Mother Defiant will throw a fit.” “I thought she was scared of me?” Aisha said sourly.
“Doesn’t mean she won’t bitch.” Susan shrugged.
Aisha sighed again. “Fine. Can you run through the points of Carol’s arraignment with me before you take off?”
“Of course.” “Good.” Harri nodded sharply. “That’s taken care of.” She strode out of the office.
Steve shook his head before he turned back to the other two women. “Harri never struck me as the one-night stand type.”
“I wouldn’t say anything about it outside of this office.” Susan smirked. “She’d make Arthur design a weapon that would take you out.”
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Susan Kennedy slammed down her phone receiver and roared, “Harri!” Fury ignited every cell in her body, a fury not even the sweet floral scent of the chamomile tea on her desk could soothe She shoved back her chair, stomped across her office floor, and grabbed the papers she had printed off during her phone call. For once, she was glad she’d accepted the partnership at Winters and Franklin. There was someone to share the rage with. She yanked open her office door to find the law firm’s intern Steve Connors reaching for the knob.
“You okay?”
“No! I’m pissed!”
He stepped back, not out of fear. The kid was a super after all, and smart enough to go to law school instead of joining the underwear crowd. She charged down the short hallway to the reception area with Steve following. “Harri!”
Harri’s office door was wide open, and their legal assistant Patty Ames wasn’t sitting at the reception desk. Instead, their IT guru Arthur Drallhickey perched on the chair with wide eyes and the receiver at his ear. “She’s in a meeting at the moment,” he said to whoever was on the other end of the line while he pointed towards the breakroom.
Harriet “Harri” Winters stepped out into the reception area from the breakroom with a steaming mug at the same moment Aisha Franklin poked her head around the edge of her own office door.
“What the hell is going on out here?” Harri said.
“One moment, please.” Arthur jabbed a button on the phone console. “Would you mind taken this to another room? There’s a client on the phone, and she can hear everything you say.”
Susan blew out a deep breath. “Sorry, Arthur.”
Harri inclined her head toward Aisha’s office.
Susan trooped into the room after her. The anger burned itself out with Arthur’s reminder of propriety. It was bad when a former supervillain showed most decorum out of everyone in the building.
Once Steve closed the door behind him, Harri slurped her coffee before she said, “Start from the beginning.”
“I just got off the phone with Mother Defiant.” Susan crossed her arms to keep from shaking thanks to the adrenaline rush draining away. “She was served this morning. Right in the middle of her stopping Professor Geode from stealing the new meteorite at the Museum of Natural History.”
“Well, that’s either the bravest or the dumbest process server in history,” Harri muttered.
“Who sued her and why?” Aisha asked.
Susan eyed her. “Our former employer.”
Harri choked on her coffee. Brown liquid sprayed everywhere. Between one blink and the next, the shades in Aisha’s office closed, and Steve held a wad of paper towels full of coffee splatters. And probably spit. Susan didn’t want to think too much about the second.
She grabbed Aisha’s waste can and held it out for Steve. He dropped the nasty towels into the receptacle. She eyed the kid. “I guess it’s a good thing you’re not a germophobe.”
He grinned. “You learn to ignore certain things.”
Aisha dropped into her office chair. “I’ve been waiting for them to try something since I quit. I’m just surprised it took them over a year.”
“They stole Mother Defiant from me to begin with.” Susan unfolded her arms and held out the sheaf to Aisha. “Why are they pulling this crap now?”
Harri was too busy trying to clear coffee droplets from her trachea with some extreme coughing to comment. Steve dashed out of the office and returned with a bottle of water from the break room. They traded her cup for his bottle.
Aisha flipped through the copy of the lawsuit and frowned. “We aren’t named as defendants. I thought for sure they’d go for a tortious interference in a contract complaint against the firm.”
“I made sure Mother Defiant crossed her ‘t’s and dotted her ‘i’s before we signed her,” Harri croaked.
“And they can’t touch Winters and Franklin without us filing a cross-complaint over how they used Mother Defiant to plant that virus on my phone and thereby infecting your computers,” Susan said.
“So the alternative is going after our clients instead.” Aisha grimaced. “Let me guess she wants you to handle this personally.” She handed the complaint and initial discovery request to Harri who scanned them.
“Yeah.” Susan grinned. “I think Harri scares her even more than you do.”
“I scare her?” Aisha’s right eyebrow rose.
“Now that she knows your alter ego.” Susan grinned.
Harri looked up from the copies of the complaint. “Go to Hermanville, talk Mother Defiant down, and file the answer. This is a nuisance suit.”
“That’s exactly the point.” Susan gestured in the direction of the federal courthouse here in Canyon Pointe. “Carol Inunza’s arraignment is tomorrow. You really think they’re not going to use that against us? Divide and conquer”
“Look, we already know we can’t handle her defense—”
“And we can’t find any of our friends crazy enough to take her on as a client either,” Aisha muttered as she glared at Harri.
“No.” Susan slashed her hand. “We are not rehashing whether or not Harri should have pressed charges against Carol.”
Aisha jabbed a finger in Harri’s direction. “Don’t tell me you actually agree with her—”
“Stop,” Harri growled. “Just stop. Have you ever handled an arraignment before?”
“Not since Captain Mojave’s DUI when I first joined Dewey and Cheatham.” Aisha sighed. “That was only because Howard Dewey was in the U.S. Virgin Islands with his current girlfriend, and I got thrown in the deep end to see if I could swim.”
“You’re nominated to replace Susan,” Harri said. “Because I’ve never done one, and Carol needs competent representation.”
“You’re the one who thinks Carol didn’t kidnap her, Little Miss Stockholm Syndrome,” Aisha snapped.
“Which is exactly why you need to do it,” Harri.
Something smelled a little fishy. Susan frowned. “What’s the real reason you don’t want to handle the arraignment?”
Harri’s cheeks flushed. “It’s got nothing to do with Carol.”
“Or maybe it has something to do with the prosecutor.” Aisha leaned her elbows on her desktop. “Please don’t tell me you and Jim Duncan hooked up—” “Excuse me?” Harri grimaced. “That was Jeremy.”
“You and Judge Castillo?” Steve blurted.
Harri’s flush went from pink to red. “It was one date,” she muttered. “It didn’t end well, so I need you to handle it, Aisha.”
“Unless you want to go to Hermanville in my place?” Susan raised both hands in a balancing gesture. “But I can guarantee Mother Defiant will throw a fit.” “I thought she was scared of me?” Aisha said sourly.
“Doesn’t mean she won’t bitch.” Susan shrugged.
Aisha sighed again. “Fine. Can you run through the points of Carol’s arraignment with me before you take off?”
“Of course.” “Good.” Harri nodded sharply. “That’s taken care of.” She strode out of the office.
Steve shook his head before he turned back to the other two women. “Harri never struck me as the one-night stand type.”
“I wouldn’t say anything about it outside of this office.” Susan smirked. “She’d make Arthur design a weapon that would take you out.”
Wednesday, March 10, 2021
Status Update - March 2021
Why?
DH and I going to be first-time grandparents, and Genius Kid and Significant Other want us there for the birth. It's exciting, thrilling, and scary all at the same time. Plus, the kids want to bring the baby here for Christmas. Plans are tentative and subject to change, which is why I'm keeping my schedule open for the rest of 2021.
I promised two Justice and two HERO novels this year. "A Place at the Table" is completed and under contract for October. I have a Christmas story under consideration by an editor for an anthology. If the editor passes on it, I'll publish it in December anyway. Those are the only certainties in my publishing schedule.
I hear you ask, "What about the Millersburg Magick Mysteries and Soccer Moms of the Apocalypse series?"
Those are being worked on, but I can't guarantee when they will be released at the moment. That's the reason preorders aren't live on any of the retailer sites. Those will be something I work on during the roadtrips to see the new addition.
Also, I need to get caught up on getting paperbacks out for last year's release, something I'm really behind on. I have three or four PDFs I need to review and return to my formatter. In fact, she checked on me, worried that I had caught the coronavirus since I hadn't contacted her in so long.
On the brighter side, DH and I are eligible to get the vaccine starting tomorrow. We definitely want ours before we're anywhere near the baby.
So that's what's happening. I'll update the release schedule as I finish books.
Sunday, February 28, 2021
Release Day - A Virtue of Child!
So far it's only live on Amazon, but I'm working on getting it uploaded on other e-book sights. However, I'm behind on paperbacks so it may be April before the paperback version is live.
Wednesday, February 24, 2021
A Virtue of Child - Chapter 6
This will be the last sample chapter before A Virtue of Child goes live on Sunday. It's been a rough slog because this story is being told by an unreliable narrator. Yes, the novels are usually told in Anthea's first person point of view. Normally, she's a totally reliable narrator. It's been a challenge writing this. I hope I did it justice (pun intended), and you all enjoy the story.
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Despite the, well, I couldn’t call it a fight with Luc, I had a pleasant meal with Shi Hua. In my own wallowing, I’d forgotten how much I enjoyed the young priestess’s company.
“May I ask a favor?”
“If I can,” she said with a smile.
“Do you think Ambassador Quan or his concubine would object if Nathan attends the language and martial arts lessons with Ming Wei?”
From her expression, she understood why I was couching my words in such delicate terms. We didn’t have the warding to protect us. Only a few people knew her aunt was really the Jing ambassador’s bodyguard. Even fewer knew Ambassador Quan was the Jing emperor’s half-brother. And only three people outside of Shi Hua’s bedchamber knew Mistress Yin Li was actually a Love priestess.
Better yet, if Shi Hua needed to get a message to me without using silent speech, she could employ my squire.
The priestess smiled and nodded. “I will ask, but I don’t believe they will object. And please visit me since Yanaba can no longer come over. I need women to talk to.”
I could understand her feelings. Jing’s Temple of Light had all genders as part of their membership. Issura insisted on men only, not just clergy, but wardens and attendants as well. It had been a major adjustment for the personnel here when Shi Hua was transferred to Orrin’s Temple of Light. The Issuran standard seemed even more ridiculous when we were facing more demon invasions, and we needed every person with Light talent we could find.
“I will,” I promised.< br/>
I left her quarters with my two wardens in tow. No one bothered to escort us through the Temple, though Mateqai had a pleased expression on his face as we passed him, which I was sure stemmed from me standing up for his charge.
When we entered the sanctuary again, Garbhan and Yar waited along with Sisquoc from the Wildling Temple, two priests from Conflict, and more surprisingly, two priests from Father. Only Sisquoc didn’t have a warden accompanying him.
“Where is your warden, Brother?” I narrowed my eyes, but the huge Wildling didn’t flinch from my red gaze.
“I don’t need one.” Sisquoc jutted out his chin as if daring me to argue with him.
I really couldn’t argue his point. His second form was a mountain panther. I’d seen him in action against renegades, skinwalkers, and demons. No, he didn’t really need a warden.
Instead, I said, “Don’t expect me to watch your back.”
“It’s not my back my high brother is concerned about, but yours.” He managed not to flash a cheeky grin, but his humor rolled over my mental shields. It was a warm and soft as his fur.
“We all need to be careful,” Garbhan interjected.
“You showed everyone Leilani’s drawings?” I asked. All the men murmured their acknowledgement of having seen the description.
“Did any of you recognize it?” I looked at each of their faces, but they all shook their heads.
“We did confer with the Temple of Knowledge,” Garbhan said. “Not even High Sister Mariana had heard of anything like this creature. She assured me she would assign someone to research the matter.
I bit my tongue to keep from giving my opinion of who Mariana would assign to the task, much less whether they would find any worthwhile information. There was so much the Temple of Knowledge hadn’t recorded because they assumed such common lore wouldn’t be forgotten. Then there was the fact that Mariana considered requests from the other Temples to be of less of a priority than her own tasks. She didn’t do so out of spite, but simply because she didn’t understand their importance.
On the other hand, I didn’t know why I was worried about Mariana’s feelings. She had voted to condemn me to Orrin’s Balance seat last year after I killed Samael DiRoy, the queen’s cousin, in order to banish the demons he had summoned.
In fact, no one in Orrin cared about the sacrifices I’d made to protect them. No, they blamed the Red Justice for all their troubles instead of— “Chief Justice?” Garbhan said loudly.
All of the priests and wardens stared at me.
“I beg your pardon, Brother?”
“I asked if you were ready to perform the tracking spell.” His brows formed a blue “V”. He must have been trying to get my attention for longer than I realized.
“It would be best of one of the others assists you,” I said. “The rewind this morning took more out of me than I realized.”
“Of course, Chief Justice.” He inclined his head.
“I’ll assist you, Brother,” one of the Conflict priests murmured.
Together, they knelt before the eternal flame. A bowl with a few shavings of the creature’s cleaned talon sat between them. As Garbhan said, we often had far less to work with in a tracking spell, and not using all of it at one time would give us a second opportunity. Just in case.
It was odd not to see one of the other three Light clergy with him though. Things were simply changing too fast. And we were losing Light talents faster than we could breed them. Thanks to my mother I couldn’t do my share. If Luc couldn’t pull himself out of his well of grief, or Twelve forbid, we lost Shi Hua due to her delivery…
The two men chanted, but the Conflict priest’s voice was discordant compared to the rhythms of Light. Their magic prickled along my skin, the harsh buzz of the warrior a counterpoint to the insistent tickle of truth. Garbhan lit a reed from the eternal flame and set the contents of the bowl on fire. The energies mixed and formed an invisible ribbon that arrowed for the open door of the Temple of Light.
Diamond-sharp blackness surrounded the ribbon and exploded with the force of a bag of Jing flash powder. The cold rush of power knocked me backward. I slammed into a worshippers’ bench and flipped over it. The hilts of my knives dug into my hip bones, my scabbard into my spine and ribs, as I tumbled across the floor.
When I came to a rest, I wondered what it would cost to overlay Balance’s marble floor with wooden planks. I didn’t hurt half as bad as I did after being thrown into stone, though my head pounded.
It wasn’t just my head. The Temple bells rang the alert for demons
Ahiga, one of my own wardens, knelt next to me. “Lady Justice?”
“I’m still alive.” I grabbed the hand he offered to assist me in sitting upright. “What about Garbhan?”
I looked around us. The wardens were all upright. It was only the clergy on the floor.
This wasn’t a normal trap spell. A metallic taste filled my mouth. Demon magic.
Except it didn’t feel as alien as it had before.
The priest who had been assisting Garbhan sat up with some aid from his warden. “What in Conflict’s Hammer happened?”
“Chief Justice!” Yar’s alarm prickled painfully against my psyche. He knelt next to Garbhan who wasn’t moving.
“Is he alive?” I asked.
At the same moment, Brother Jeremy rushed into the room along with a handful of Light wardens. “What happened?”
“A tracking spell gone wrong,” Sisquoc spat. A fine layer of blue fur covered him. My other warden Daniel assisted the Wildling as he tamed his second form.
“He’s not breathing!”
Ahiga helped me to my feet, and I stumbled nearer to the prone Garbhan. Yar pinched the priest’s nose shut and breathed into his mouth. Another Light warden knelt on Garbhan’s left side and performed chest compressions.
I could only stare at the scene, though Jeremy shouted orders and one of their squires raced back to the stables to fetch a healer. Another Light talent was dying, and it was my fault.
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Despite the, well, I couldn’t call it a fight with Luc, I had a pleasant meal with Shi Hua. In my own wallowing, I’d forgotten how much I enjoyed the young priestess’s company.
“May I ask a favor?”
“If I can,” she said with a smile.
“Do you think Ambassador Quan or his concubine would object if Nathan attends the language and martial arts lessons with Ming Wei?”
From her expression, she understood why I was couching my words in such delicate terms. We didn’t have the warding to protect us. Only a few people knew her aunt was really the Jing ambassador’s bodyguard. Even fewer knew Ambassador Quan was the Jing emperor’s half-brother. And only three people outside of Shi Hua’s bedchamber knew Mistress Yin Li was actually a Love priestess.
Better yet, if Shi Hua needed to get a message to me without using silent speech, she could employ my squire.
The priestess smiled and nodded. “I will ask, but I don’t believe they will object. And please visit me since Yanaba can no longer come over. I need women to talk to.”
I could understand her feelings. Jing’s Temple of Light had all genders as part of their membership. Issura insisted on men only, not just clergy, but wardens and attendants as well. It had been a major adjustment for the personnel here when Shi Hua was transferred to Orrin’s Temple of Light. The Issuran standard seemed even more ridiculous when we were facing more demon invasions, and we needed every person with Light talent we could find.
“I will,” I promised.< br/>
I left her quarters with my two wardens in tow. No one bothered to escort us through the Temple, though Mateqai had a pleased expression on his face as we passed him, which I was sure stemmed from me standing up for his charge.
When we entered the sanctuary again, Garbhan and Yar waited along with Sisquoc from the Wildling Temple, two priests from Conflict, and more surprisingly, two priests from Father. Only Sisquoc didn’t have a warden accompanying him.
“Where is your warden, Brother?” I narrowed my eyes, but the huge Wildling didn’t flinch from my red gaze.
“I don’t need one.” Sisquoc jutted out his chin as if daring me to argue with him.
I really couldn’t argue his point. His second form was a mountain panther. I’d seen him in action against renegades, skinwalkers, and demons. No, he didn’t really need a warden.
Instead, I said, “Don’t expect me to watch your back.”
“It’s not my back my high brother is concerned about, but yours.” He managed not to flash a cheeky grin, but his humor rolled over my mental shields. It was a warm and soft as his fur.
“We all need to be careful,” Garbhan interjected.
“You showed everyone Leilani’s drawings?” I asked. All the men murmured their acknowledgement of having seen the description.
“Did any of you recognize it?” I looked at each of their faces, but they all shook their heads.
“We did confer with the Temple of Knowledge,” Garbhan said. “Not even High Sister Mariana had heard of anything like this creature. She assured me she would assign someone to research the matter.
I bit my tongue to keep from giving my opinion of who Mariana would assign to the task, much less whether they would find any worthwhile information. There was so much the Temple of Knowledge hadn’t recorded because they assumed such common lore wouldn’t be forgotten. Then there was the fact that Mariana considered requests from the other Temples to be of less of a priority than her own tasks. She didn’t do so out of spite, but simply because she didn’t understand their importance.
On the other hand, I didn’t know why I was worried about Mariana’s feelings. She had voted to condemn me to Orrin’s Balance seat last year after I killed Samael DiRoy, the queen’s cousin, in order to banish the demons he had summoned.
In fact, no one in Orrin cared about the sacrifices I’d made to protect them. No, they blamed the Red Justice for all their troubles instead of— “Chief Justice?” Garbhan said loudly.
All of the priests and wardens stared at me.
“I beg your pardon, Brother?”
“I asked if you were ready to perform the tracking spell.” His brows formed a blue “V”. He must have been trying to get my attention for longer than I realized.
“It would be best of one of the others assists you,” I said. “The rewind this morning took more out of me than I realized.”
“Of course, Chief Justice.” He inclined his head.
“I’ll assist you, Brother,” one of the Conflict priests murmured.
Together, they knelt before the eternal flame. A bowl with a few shavings of the creature’s cleaned talon sat between them. As Garbhan said, we often had far less to work with in a tracking spell, and not using all of it at one time would give us a second opportunity. Just in case.
It was odd not to see one of the other three Light clergy with him though. Things were simply changing too fast. And we were losing Light talents faster than we could breed them. Thanks to my mother I couldn’t do my share. If Luc couldn’t pull himself out of his well of grief, or Twelve forbid, we lost Shi Hua due to her delivery…
The two men chanted, but the Conflict priest’s voice was discordant compared to the rhythms of Light. Their magic prickled along my skin, the harsh buzz of the warrior a counterpoint to the insistent tickle of truth. Garbhan lit a reed from the eternal flame and set the contents of the bowl on fire. The energies mixed and formed an invisible ribbon that arrowed for the open door of the Temple of Light.
Diamond-sharp blackness surrounded the ribbon and exploded with the force of a bag of Jing flash powder. The cold rush of power knocked me backward. I slammed into a worshippers’ bench and flipped over it. The hilts of my knives dug into my hip bones, my scabbard into my spine and ribs, as I tumbled across the floor.
When I came to a rest, I wondered what it would cost to overlay Balance’s marble floor with wooden planks. I didn’t hurt half as bad as I did after being thrown into stone, though my head pounded.
It wasn’t just my head. The Temple bells rang the alert for demons
Ahiga, one of my own wardens, knelt next to me. “Lady Justice?”
“I’m still alive.” I grabbed the hand he offered to assist me in sitting upright. “What about Garbhan?”
I looked around us. The wardens were all upright. It was only the clergy on the floor.
This wasn’t a normal trap spell. A metallic taste filled my mouth. Demon magic.
Except it didn’t feel as alien as it had before.
The priest who had been assisting Garbhan sat up with some aid from his warden. “What in Conflict’s Hammer happened?”
“Chief Justice!” Yar’s alarm prickled painfully against my psyche. He knelt next to Garbhan who wasn’t moving.
“Is he alive?” I asked.
At the same moment, Brother Jeremy rushed into the room along with a handful of Light wardens. “What happened?”
“A tracking spell gone wrong,” Sisquoc spat. A fine layer of blue fur covered him. My other warden Daniel assisted the Wildling as he tamed his second form.
“He’s not breathing!”
Ahiga helped me to my feet, and I stumbled nearer to the prone Garbhan. Yar pinched the priest’s nose shut and breathed into his mouth. Another Light warden knelt on Garbhan’s left side and performed chest compressions.
I could only stare at the scene, though Jeremy shouted orders and one of their squires raced back to the stables to fetch a healer. Another Light talent was dying, and it was my fault.
Wednesday, February 17, 2021
A Virtue of Child - Chapter 5
I had Garbhan take the lead on putting together a hunting party made up of clergy and wardens. If he wanted the experience and responsibility, I was more than happy to give it to him.
Once I finally settled in my office at Balance and drank my first pot of Jing black tea of the day, I summoned both Gina and Little Bear. From both of their expressions, Gina had warned my chief warden of my conversation with Brother Garbhan and Magistrate DiCook.
“May we simply address the reason we are here without the social niceties?” Little Bear grumbled.
“I find that odd considering you are usually the one lecturing me for not adhering to them.” I stared at them both for a moment before I added in a more gentle tone, “Is it as bad as people are telling me?”
Gina snorted. “Actually, it’s worse. He’s not even leading dawn services anymore.”
Little Bear shot her a warning look, but Gina raised her chin and said, “She needs to know as the seat of Balance. This isn’t about their relationship.”
Little Bear dropped into one of my visitor chairs. For him to breach decorum in that manner meant he was truly disturbed. “You need to go visit him, m’lady.”
“And do you propose I do that?” I waved in the direction of my bedchambers. “The tunnels are shut down, and we’ve disabled the Temple entrances to prevent anyone, human or demon, to get inside the city again.”
Except I made a new passage in my quarters to hide the demon grimoire I’d confiscated from my mother after I beheaded her. The voices in the back of my mind encouraged me to make the passage bigger. Then I could create a new passage into Light so I could visit Luc whenever I wanted. He owed me after all the time he spent with Claudia in his bed—
With a deep breath, I ignored the voices. I really needed to focus on getting Light functional again. Garbhan couldn’t do everything, no matter how much he believed he could.
“You might want to try the front door,” Gina said dryly.
“I did,” I snapped. “He refused to see me.”
Though honestly, Luc’s head of household Istaqa was rather embarrassed when he asked me to leave the four times I traipsed across the boulevard to Light last month.
“Chief Warden Nicholas will hold Istaqa out of the way if you wish to try again,” Little Bear said.
“Nicholas disobeying a direct order from the high brother?” I shook my head. “Another demon attack is far more likely than that.”
“Not this time.” Little Bear grimaced. “He showed me the empty wine skins and bottles. He’s worried. Shi Hua is bedridden. Jeremy’s frightened for her and still having nightmares from the loss of Tandor. Garbhan is the only functional Light priest we have at the moment.”
“And it’s probably not a coincidence this creature is killing humans when we are low on light capable clergy,” Gina added.
“So you are expecting me to fix the high brother? He needs someone from Child, not me.” If Luc blamed me for my mother killing his child, so be it. Our relationship was illegal prior to the new edict anyway. Besides, the bitch tried to abort me. She was the reason I couldn’t give Luc a child anyway.
I blinked to clear the extra moisture from my eyes.
Gina placed her hands on the back of the other visitor chair. “I understand why the two of you are uncomfortable around each other. But you’re also taking your uncomfortableness out on Sister Shi Hua. You haven’t even tried to visit her in the last two months. She can’t come here, and she needs all the support she can get.”
“The ambassador and his concubine have been—”
“But Yin Li can’t be there all the time, and—” Gina shot a glance at Little Bear who gave her a slight nod.
She sucked a deep breath and continued, “Justice Yanaba is restricted to Balance until she delivers.”
I jerked to my feet. “Is she all right? Her baby’s not in danger, is she?”
“Calm down, m’lady.” Little Bear gestured for me to resume my seat. “She’s quite well, and so is the babe. This is a precautionary measure.”
“This is because I asked for her help this morning, isn’t it?” I slammed my fist onto the top of my desk. “Devin was furious she helped me with the rewind spell, and this is his revenge.”
“No, m’lady. This has nothing to do with the Healers Guild, though Master Healer Bly was not happy that Yanaba exerted herself this morning.” Little Bear sighed. “After the incident with Sister Claudia, the chief wardens met concerning protection of the remaining three Light pregnancies.”
“Three?” I feigned innocence.
“Nice try.” Sarcasm laced Gina’s words. “It’s a matter of time before Cedar Grove starts showing. And after your rather bold announcement of Lady Katarina’s condition, we all know you can see a pregnancy before the mother’s even aware.”
I grimaced. My congratulations had put a crimp in the duke and his wife’s relationship since she hadn’t told him. It hadn’t been one of my finer moments in manners and etiquette.
After clearing my throat, I asked. “So what precautions have you wardens put in place?”
“We’ve put together plans for getting all three priestesses out of the Temples if there’s another attempt on their lives. And it’s on a need to know basis,” he added sternly.
“But Yanaba is my responsibility,” I protested.
Gina chuckled. “High Brother Xander said the same thing. Neither of you are asking the young justice’s opinion.”
I swore under my breath. “This is about the price on my head.”
“We can’t give the Assassins Guild two easy targets in Balance,” Little Bear said, confirming my fears.
“Like having Yanaba preside in court,” I murmured. “She’s going to think I’m punishing her.” Maybe she deserved to be punished. She made no secret the Reverend Mother sent her here to spy on me, and if necessary, replace me.
I rubbed at the ache in my temples. I was obviously too tired if I were allowing petty thoughts like that to cloud my mind. Except the voices confirmed that I was right to feel the way I did.
My stomach rumbled. I had broken my fast far earlier than normal this morning. And maybe the ache in my head would go away with a decent meal. It was only logical to take advantage of Light’s hospitality and their cook’s excellent cuisine during the midday meal.
“I’ll visit with Sister Shi Hua now, and attempt—” At my wardens’ pleased expressions, I held up my right palm. “—attempt to speak with the high brother. I make no guarantees.”
“Even an attempt would sooth Nicholas’s concern,” Gina murmured.
“I don’t think I will miss your nagging when you leave with Chief Justice Elizabeth,” I snapped.
Gina merely grinned. “I’ll miss everyone here as well, m’lady.”
* * *
Wardens Daniel and Ahiga accompanied me to the Temple of Light, even through it was quite literally across the street from the Temple of Balance. Ever since the Assassins Guild’s attempt to slit my throat on the steps of Light, my wardens wouldn’t let me travel outside our Temple walls without them. Since the renewed demon attacks, I could barely go to the privy without one of them either.
The Light warden guarding the main doors inclined his head to me and my escort. He didn’t bar me from entering the Temple itself.
My escort and I strode into the main sanctuary. Except for the crisp scent of incense from the dawn services and the orderly benches, it was empty. Not even one of the private consultation rooms were in use. The eternal flame at the base of the statue of Light glowed with its blinding white light.
One of the attendants entered the sanctuary and bowed to me. No doubt Istaqa sent his staff member out to meet me because the Light head of household was tired of dealing with my demands.
“I beg forgiveness, Lady Justice, but the high brother—” he began.
“I’m here for a social visit with Sister Shi Hua,” I said. “I regret I have been remiss in allowing my duties to interfere with our friendship.” My stomach rumbled again.
“She would be most pleased if you would join her for the noon meal.” The attendant bowed to me again before leading the way to Shi Hua’s quarters. It wasn’t like I didn’t know where they were, but caution reinforced the Temple protocols.
Warden Mateqai stood at attention beside the priestess’s door. He inclined his head and knocked on the lacquered wood.
“Yes?” Shi Hua called out.
Mateqai opened the door a crack and peered inside. “The chief justice is here to see you, m’lady.”
“Anthea! Come in!”
Mateqai turned to face me with a barely suppressed grin. “Sister Shi Hua will see you now, Lady Justice.”
I entered the priestess’s bed chambers. The tingle of light balls caressed my skin. Shi Hua herself was propped on a multitude of pillows on her bed to the extent she looked like a child’s doll. Her hair was loose and cascaded over her shoulders. Instead of a uniform tunic and leggings, she wore a cotton shift that accommodated her growing belly. Her bright smile lifted my own spirits.
“How are you doing?” I crossed to the bed and hugged her.
“I’ll be better,” she said. I released her and sat down in the chair next to her bed. She glared at Mateqai. “Once all the nosey wardens close my door.”
He promptly obeyed her, and her wards sprung up in the room the instant the door shut and latched.
I pushed back my hood and cocked my head. “Is that really necessary?”
She groaned, leaned her head back against the pillows, and closed her eyes. “You have no idea, Anthea. I never dreamed kindness could be used as a torture device. They treat me like a total invalid.”
“They’re concerned about your welfare and the babe’s,” I murmured.
She opened her eyes and glared at me. “If you’re going to nag me, too—”
“This is a social visit.” I waved in the direction of the door. “But aren’t you worrying your wardens unnecessarily?”
Shi Hua sniffed with contempt. “You think I haven’t had to do this before? The bedrest is bad enough, but the constant harping of every man here!” She shook her head. “They act like this is the first baby ever conceived!”
“Well, it is the first pregnancy for any clergy of the Orrin Temple of Light,” I retorted.
We both laughed long and loud.
Shi Hua wiped her eyes. “Thank you. I needed that. I’m assuming Garbhan shared our worries with you.”
I sighed. “The magistrate volunteered his two coppers before Garbhan did. However, I am remiss in not visiting you over the last several weeks.”
“Pfft.” She waved her hand dismissively. “You’ve had your own issues to deal with.”
“That’s no excuse.”
“Anthea, your mother consorted in demon magic, and you beheaded her.” Shi Hua reached over and took my left hand in her right. “Even for children raised in the Temples like us, that affects your spirit. If I was forced to do the same to my aunt or cousin in order to protect my child—” She shuddered and rubbed her swollen belly.
“The difference is you care about your birth family,” I muttered.
She shook her head. “I don’t need a truthspell to see you’re lying, Anthea.”
The voices murmured that they could take my pain away. For an instant, I wanted to believe them. I needed to change the subject before my emotions overtook me.
“If it’s any consolation, Yanaba is restricted to Balance as well.”
Shi Hua squeezed my hand. “Is that why you look exhausted?”
“I am not exhausted,” I snapped.
“Mm-hmmm.” She gave me a wry grin. “Why does the skin under your eyes look like you applied a thick layer of kohl?”
“All right.” I stuck out my tongue at her, and she laughed. “I didn’t sleep well last night, and I finish a rewind not long ago. I’d really love to take a nap, but—”
“You’ll just have more nightmares,” she said softly.
“Yes, but—”
Shi Hua’s warding spell muffled the knocking on her bedchamber door, but I definitely recognized the masculine roar of anger.
“Now, what’s got his small clothes in a wad?” I couldn’t help the thick layer of sarcasm in my words.
“Garbhan and the wardens won’t tattle on me, but Jeremy or Istaqa would,” she said sourly. “They all get angry if I ward my room for a little privacy.”
“I bet a silver on Istaqa tattling.” I grinned at her.
“I want a cocoa cinnamon pastry from the Meca place on Bakers street if it’s Jeremy.” Shi Hua’s expression lit up.
More pounding was followed by another roar of fury. There was a time when it would take far more than someone warding their bedchamber to anger Luc.
“Let me guess,” I said as I rose from the chair. “Istaqa has you on what he considers an appropriate diet for the child.”
Shi Hua groaned. “And the high brother threatened to lash Mateqai if he snuck anymore pastries into the Temple for me.”
That statement blew off the lid of my own rage. Mateqai would never do anything to harm Shi Hua or her baby. As long as he didn’t tell anyone the treat was for Shi Hua, it would be perfectly safe. And I couldn’t see him be anything but protective. Twelve blast it, he had been acting as her taster since the Assassins Guild tried to poison me.
At my nod, Shi Hua dropped her wards, and I yanked the door open. Sure enough, a guilty looking Jeremy stood behind his high brother. And Luc’s skin glowed a brilliant pink.
“What in Balance are you barking about?” I shouted. “Not every priestess wants to share every intimate detail of her body with a bunch of fishwives like you lot!”
Luc jerked back from the door and lowered his fist. The foul mix of unwashed body and alcohol fumes emanating from him made my eyes water. But even with my odd vision blurred by burning tears, I could see his blue hair stood at wild angles and blue stubble covered the lower half of his face. The only time he’d gone unshaven, a demon army laid siege to Tandor, and the city’s water supply had been cut off.
Behind him, both his wardens and mine tensed. However, Nicholas had a slightly smug look on his bearded visage.
“I gave her a direct order not to ward her room from the wardens,” Luc growled. “If a demon gets in disguised as—”
“Me?” I poked him in the chest. “The entire city knows you’re furious with me over the death of your child, but you’re taking it out on everyone else in this damn Temple. Enough is enough! Get a bath and sober up, or I will call a convocation on charges of dereliction of duty, High Brother.” I slurred his title into an insult.
“How dare you,” he breathed. His color flared to a deeper pink. “How dare you!”
“What are you going to do about it?” I stepped closer despite his awful smell until we were nose to nose. “Challenge me to a duel right at this moment?”
The muscle along his right jaw trembled. I didn’t need to touch his mind to know he was embarrassed I’d backed him into a trap. He was in no condition to fight me, even if he still had his left foot. He didn’t have any weapons on him. And he was barely upright on his crutches as it was.
“Are you going to draw steel on the chief justice, High Brother?” Nicholas asked. Given the circumstances, doing so would be a good way for Luc to lose his head.
Instead of answering either me or Nicholas, Luc turned and staggered back down the hallway. Mateqai and the new Light warden, whose name I couldn’t remember for the life of me at the moment, let him pass.
I glared at Luc’s second. “Jeremy, might I suggest that if you ever hope to share the sister’s bed again that you stop tattling on her? The high brother’s order against warding her own damn room is ridiculous, and you know it. Do we really want to cause a diplomatic incident with Jing?”
“No, m’lady.” The younger priest’s face glowed a brilliant crimson. Whether at my tongue-lashing or the fear he’d irreparably damaged his relationship with Shi Hua was up for debate.
I turned to Nicholas. “Chief Warden, please do everyone a favor.”
“Of course, Lady Justice,” he replied.
“When the high brother passes out, please get him into his bathing pool.” I shook my head. “Before his stench chokes all of you to death.”
Once I finally settled in my office at Balance and drank my first pot of Jing black tea of the day, I summoned both Gina and Little Bear. From both of their expressions, Gina had warned my chief warden of my conversation with Brother Garbhan and Magistrate DiCook.
“May we simply address the reason we are here without the social niceties?” Little Bear grumbled.
“I find that odd considering you are usually the one lecturing me for not adhering to them.” I stared at them both for a moment before I added in a more gentle tone, “Is it as bad as people are telling me?”
Gina snorted. “Actually, it’s worse. He’s not even leading dawn services anymore.”
Little Bear shot her a warning look, but Gina raised her chin and said, “She needs to know as the seat of Balance. This isn’t about their relationship.”
Little Bear dropped into one of my visitor chairs. For him to breach decorum in that manner meant he was truly disturbed. “You need to go visit him, m’lady.”
“And do you propose I do that?” I waved in the direction of my bedchambers. “The tunnels are shut down, and we’ve disabled the Temple entrances to prevent anyone, human or demon, to get inside the city again.”
Except I made a new passage in my quarters to hide the demon grimoire I’d confiscated from my mother after I beheaded her. The voices in the back of my mind encouraged me to make the passage bigger. Then I could create a new passage into Light so I could visit Luc whenever I wanted. He owed me after all the time he spent with Claudia in his bed—
With a deep breath, I ignored the voices. I really needed to focus on getting Light functional again. Garbhan couldn’t do everything, no matter how much he believed he could.
“You might want to try the front door,” Gina said dryly.
“I did,” I snapped. “He refused to see me.”
Though honestly, Luc’s head of household Istaqa was rather embarrassed when he asked me to leave the four times I traipsed across the boulevard to Light last month.
“Chief Warden Nicholas will hold Istaqa out of the way if you wish to try again,” Little Bear said.
“Nicholas disobeying a direct order from the high brother?” I shook my head. “Another demon attack is far more likely than that.”
“Not this time.” Little Bear grimaced. “He showed me the empty wine skins and bottles. He’s worried. Shi Hua is bedridden. Jeremy’s frightened for her and still having nightmares from the loss of Tandor. Garbhan is the only functional Light priest we have at the moment.”
“And it’s probably not a coincidence this creature is killing humans when we are low on light capable clergy,” Gina added.
“So you are expecting me to fix the high brother? He needs someone from Child, not me.” If Luc blamed me for my mother killing his child, so be it. Our relationship was illegal prior to the new edict anyway. Besides, the bitch tried to abort me. She was the reason I couldn’t give Luc a child anyway.
I blinked to clear the extra moisture from my eyes.
Gina placed her hands on the back of the other visitor chair. “I understand why the two of you are uncomfortable around each other. But you’re also taking your uncomfortableness out on Sister Shi Hua. You haven’t even tried to visit her in the last two months. She can’t come here, and she needs all the support she can get.”
“The ambassador and his concubine have been—”
“But Yin Li can’t be there all the time, and—” Gina shot a glance at Little Bear who gave her a slight nod.
She sucked a deep breath and continued, “Justice Yanaba is restricted to Balance until she delivers.”
I jerked to my feet. “Is she all right? Her baby’s not in danger, is she?”
“Calm down, m’lady.” Little Bear gestured for me to resume my seat. “She’s quite well, and so is the babe. This is a precautionary measure.”
“This is because I asked for her help this morning, isn’t it?” I slammed my fist onto the top of my desk. “Devin was furious she helped me with the rewind spell, and this is his revenge.”
“No, m’lady. This has nothing to do with the Healers Guild, though Master Healer Bly was not happy that Yanaba exerted herself this morning.” Little Bear sighed. “After the incident with Sister Claudia, the chief wardens met concerning protection of the remaining three Light pregnancies.”
“Three?” I feigned innocence.
“Nice try.” Sarcasm laced Gina’s words. “It’s a matter of time before Cedar Grove starts showing. And after your rather bold announcement of Lady Katarina’s condition, we all know you can see a pregnancy before the mother’s even aware.”
I grimaced. My congratulations had put a crimp in the duke and his wife’s relationship since she hadn’t told him. It hadn’t been one of my finer moments in manners and etiquette.
After clearing my throat, I asked. “So what precautions have you wardens put in place?”
“We’ve put together plans for getting all three priestesses out of the Temples if there’s another attempt on their lives. And it’s on a need to know basis,” he added sternly.
“But Yanaba is my responsibility,” I protested.
Gina chuckled. “High Brother Xander said the same thing. Neither of you are asking the young justice’s opinion.”
I swore under my breath. “This is about the price on my head.”
“We can’t give the Assassins Guild two easy targets in Balance,” Little Bear said, confirming my fears.
“Like having Yanaba preside in court,” I murmured. “She’s going to think I’m punishing her.” Maybe she deserved to be punished. She made no secret the Reverend Mother sent her here to spy on me, and if necessary, replace me.
I rubbed at the ache in my temples. I was obviously too tired if I were allowing petty thoughts like that to cloud my mind. Except the voices confirmed that I was right to feel the way I did.
My stomach rumbled. I had broken my fast far earlier than normal this morning. And maybe the ache in my head would go away with a decent meal. It was only logical to take advantage of Light’s hospitality and their cook’s excellent cuisine during the midday meal.
“I’ll visit with Sister Shi Hua now, and attempt—” At my wardens’ pleased expressions, I held up my right palm. “—attempt to speak with the high brother. I make no guarantees.”
“Even an attempt would sooth Nicholas’s concern,” Gina murmured.
“I don’t think I will miss your nagging when you leave with Chief Justice Elizabeth,” I snapped.
Gina merely grinned. “I’ll miss everyone here as well, m’lady.”
* * *
Wardens Daniel and Ahiga accompanied me to the Temple of Light, even through it was quite literally across the street from the Temple of Balance. Ever since the Assassins Guild’s attempt to slit my throat on the steps of Light, my wardens wouldn’t let me travel outside our Temple walls without them. Since the renewed demon attacks, I could barely go to the privy without one of them either.
The Light warden guarding the main doors inclined his head to me and my escort. He didn’t bar me from entering the Temple itself.
My escort and I strode into the main sanctuary. Except for the crisp scent of incense from the dawn services and the orderly benches, it was empty. Not even one of the private consultation rooms were in use. The eternal flame at the base of the statue of Light glowed with its blinding white light.
One of the attendants entered the sanctuary and bowed to me. No doubt Istaqa sent his staff member out to meet me because the Light head of household was tired of dealing with my demands.
“I beg forgiveness, Lady Justice, but the high brother—” he began.
“I’m here for a social visit with Sister Shi Hua,” I said. “I regret I have been remiss in allowing my duties to interfere with our friendship.” My stomach rumbled again.
“She would be most pleased if you would join her for the noon meal.” The attendant bowed to me again before leading the way to Shi Hua’s quarters. It wasn’t like I didn’t know where they were, but caution reinforced the Temple protocols.
Warden Mateqai stood at attention beside the priestess’s door. He inclined his head and knocked on the lacquered wood.
“Yes?” Shi Hua called out.
Mateqai opened the door a crack and peered inside. “The chief justice is here to see you, m’lady.”
“Anthea! Come in!”
Mateqai turned to face me with a barely suppressed grin. “Sister Shi Hua will see you now, Lady Justice.”
I entered the priestess’s bed chambers. The tingle of light balls caressed my skin. Shi Hua herself was propped on a multitude of pillows on her bed to the extent she looked like a child’s doll. Her hair was loose and cascaded over her shoulders. Instead of a uniform tunic and leggings, she wore a cotton shift that accommodated her growing belly. Her bright smile lifted my own spirits.
“How are you doing?” I crossed to the bed and hugged her.
“I’ll be better,” she said. I released her and sat down in the chair next to her bed. She glared at Mateqai. “Once all the nosey wardens close my door.”
He promptly obeyed her, and her wards sprung up in the room the instant the door shut and latched.
I pushed back my hood and cocked my head. “Is that really necessary?”
She groaned, leaned her head back against the pillows, and closed her eyes. “You have no idea, Anthea. I never dreamed kindness could be used as a torture device. They treat me like a total invalid.”
“They’re concerned about your welfare and the babe’s,” I murmured.
She opened her eyes and glared at me. “If you’re going to nag me, too—”
“This is a social visit.” I waved in the direction of the door. “But aren’t you worrying your wardens unnecessarily?”
Shi Hua sniffed with contempt. “You think I haven’t had to do this before? The bedrest is bad enough, but the constant harping of every man here!” She shook her head. “They act like this is the first baby ever conceived!”
“Well, it is the first pregnancy for any clergy of the Orrin Temple of Light,” I retorted.
We both laughed long and loud.
Shi Hua wiped her eyes. “Thank you. I needed that. I’m assuming Garbhan shared our worries with you.”
I sighed. “The magistrate volunteered his two coppers before Garbhan did. However, I am remiss in not visiting you over the last several weeks.”
“Pfft.” She waved her hand dismissively. “You’ve had your own issues to deal with.”
“That’s no excuse.”
“Anthea, your mother consorted in demon magic, and you beheaded her.” Shi Hua reached over and took my left hand in her right. “Even for children raised in the Temples like us, that affects your spirit. If I was forced to do the same to my aunt or cousin in order to protect my child—” She shuddered and rubbed her swollen belly.
“The difference is you care about your birth family,” I muttered.
She shook her head. “I don’t need a truthspell to see you’re lying, Anthea.”
The voices murmured that they could take my pain away. For an instant, I wanted to believe them. I needed to change the subject before my emotions overtook me.
“If it’s any consolation, Yanaba is restricted to Balance as well.”
Shi Hua squeezed my hand. “Is that why you look exhausted?”
“I am not exhausted,” I snapped.
“Mm-hmmm.” She gave me a wry grin. “Why does the skin under your eyes look like you applied a thick layer of kohl?”
“All right.” I stuck out my tongue at her, and she laughed. “I didn’t sleep well last night, and I finish a rewind not long ago. I’d really love to take a nap, but—”
“You’ll just have more nightmares,” she said softly.
“Yes, but—”
Shi Hua’s warding spell muffled the knocking on her bedchamber door, but I definitely recognized the masculine roar of anger.
“Now, what’s got his small clothes in a wad?” I couldn’t help the thick layer of sarcasm in my words.
“Garbhan and the wardens won’t tattle on me, but Jeremy or Istaqa would,” she said sourly. “They all get angry if I ward my room for a little privacy.”
“I bet a silver on Istaqa tattling.” I grinned at her.
“I want a cocoa cinnamon pastry from the Meca place on Bakers street if it’s Jeremy.” Shi Hua’s expression lit up.
More pounding was followed by another roar of fury. There was a time when it would take far more than someone warding their bedchamber to anger Luc.
“Let me guess,” I said as I rose from the chair. “Istaqa has you on what he considers an appropriate diet for the child.”
Shi Hua groaned. “And the high brother threatened to lash Mateqai if he snuck anymore pastries into the Temple for me.”
That statement blew off the lid of my own rage. Mateqai would never do anything to harm Shi Hua or her baby. As long as he didn’t tell anyone the treat was for Shi Hua, it would be perfectly safe. And I couldn’t see him be anything but protective. Twelve blast it, he had been acting as her taster since the Assassins Guild tried to poison me.
At my nod, Shi Hua dropped her wards, and I yanked the door open. Sure enough, a guilty looking Jeremy stood behind his high brother. And Luc’s skin glowed a brilliant pink.
“What in Balance are you barking about?” I shouted. “Not every priestess wants to share every intimate detail of her body with a bunch of fishwives like you lot!”
Luc jerked back from the door and lowered his fist. The foul mix of unwashed body and alcohol fumes emanating from him made my eyes water. But even with my odd vision blurred by burning tears, I could see his blue hair stood at wild angles and blue stubble covered the lower half of his face. The only time he’d gone unshaven, a demon army laid siege to Tandor, and the city’s water supply had been cut off.
Behind him, both his wardens and mine tensed. However, Nicholas had a slightly smug look on his bearded visage.
“I gave her a direct order not to ward her room from the wardens,” Luc growled. “If a demon gets in disguised as—”
“Me?” I poked him in the chest. “The entire city knows you’re furious with me over the death of your child, but you’re taking it out on everyone else in this damn Temple. Enough is enough! Get a bath and sober up, or I will call a convocation on charges of dereliction of duty, High Brother.” I slurred his title into an insult.
“How dare you,” he breathed. His color flared to a deeper pink. “How dare you!”
“What are you going to do about it?” I stepped closer despite his awful smell until we were nose to nose. “Challenge me to a duel right at this moment?”
The muscle along his right jaw trembled. I didn’t need to touch his mind to know he was embarrassed I’d backed him into a trap. He was in no condition to fight me, even if he still had his left foot. He didn’t have any weapons on him. And he was barely upright on his crutches as it was.
“Are you going to draw steel on the chief justice, High Brother?” Nicholas asked. Given the circumstances, doing so would be a good way for Luc to lose his head.
Instead of answering either me or Nicholas, Luc turned and staggered back down the hallway. Mateqai and the new Light warden, whose name I couldn’t remember for the life of me at the moment, let him pass.
I glared at Luc’s second. “Jeremy, might I suggest that if you ever hope to share the sister’s bed again that you stop tattling on her? The high brother’s order against warding her own damn room is ridiculous, and you know it. Do we really want to cause a diplomatic incident with Jing?”
“No, m’lady.” The younger priest’s face glowed a brilliant crimson. Whether at my tongue-lashing or the fear he’d irreparably damaged his relationship with Shi Hua was up for debate.
I turned to Nicholas. “Chief Warden, please do everyone a favor.”
“Of course, Lady Justice,” he replied.
“When the high brother passes out, please get him into his bathing pool.” I shook my head. “Before his stench chokes all of you to death.”
Wednesday, February 10, 2021
A Virtue of Child - Chapter 4
“What did you say?” Garbhan stared at me with an appalled expression as did Yar.
Heat rushed to my cheeks. I hadn’t realized I’d spoken out loud, and I realized how my words could be misconstrued.
“I apologize. I’m tired and hungry and nauseated…” I stared at the gruesome pile on the table, then pivoted to check the walls. Certain stains showed to my odd vision. Unfortunately, one of them was blood. However, something was off. Something I didn’t notice until now. “There’s no blood splatter other than on the floor around the table.”
Yar nodded as he looked around the room. “Therefore, the victims were dead when the culprit brought them here.”
“Can I let Master Devin in so he and Simi can collect the limbs?” I asked.
“Yes.” Garbhan nodded sharply. “My warden and I will guard my drawings until your clerk arrives.”
* * *
I and the representative from the Temple of Death were still at the Healer’s Guild, observing the healers attempt to match limbs to each other, when Brother Garbhan and my clerk Leilani arrived along with Noko and Yar.
“I know you can’t see my drawing of the creature the brother and Warden Noko witnessed, Chief Justice,” Leilani said with a breathless rush. “But from the pattern of how it originally placed the limbs—”
“It definitely looks like it was trying to caste some kind of spell,” Garbhan interrupted.
“Well, now the cat’s out of the bag,” Devin said a little louder than necessary. “That’s what I was going to mention, too.”
“You noticed the symbol?” I asked. “But the rats had already disrupted the positioning.”
“It’s not any different than the rats running across parchment that was freshly written on with ink,” Devin said. “It may still be readable. I glad someone else noticed the pattern I noticed.”
Sister Raven Claw eased closer to see Leilani’s sketch. Nearly a century ago, the Healers Guild had split from the Temple of Death. Because of that rivalry, their home Temple in Standora insisted one of their clergy be present whenever I asked the Healers Guild to check an issue with a corpse in a suspected murder. But even as much as Raven Claw witnessed death in its many forms, she had issues keeping her stomach from rebelling with today’s discovery. She still carried the scent of Master Healer Bly’s peppermint concoction to sooth her digestive system.
“Dark magic?” Raven Claw asked.
Garbhan grunted in agreement.
“It used the limbs to form the ancient symbols for ‘priest’, ‘war’ and ‘power’. If I may, Chief Justice?” Leilani held out her palm. I placed my right hand in her left. She folded her fingers around my index digit as if it were a stylus or pen, and she drew the symbols with my own finger so I could “see” them. I frowned. “Is it declaring war on us? Or trying to force us to fight ourselves? And why invoke power?”
“If I may, Chief Justice?” Yar rumbled. He so rarely offered an opinion it took me by surprise for a moment.
I gestured for him to continue.
“Why didn’t any of the neighbors report hearing anything last week?” The Light warden pointed at Leilani’s picture of the creature. “Something of that size should have made a racket. Even if someone saw it and was afraid to venture from their dwelling or shop, they would have summoned the peacekeepers the next morning.”
“Also, I checked the back door,” Gina said. “It was still unlocked. From the tiny scratches on the metal, the lock was picked. Given its halfway appearance, maybe it was in human form before it entered the building. If so, and the fact it didn’t enter the building until after the magistrate’s sale, maybe no one thought twice about it, thinking it was the new owners.”
I sighed and rubbed my temples. The headache from the rewind and the demon voices was growing worse.
“First of all, that’s a lot of guesswork in so few sentences,” I said. “The peacekeepers have learned to canvas neighborhoods properly. We’ll put their findings with ours, and then deal with what we’re missing.”
“Chief Justice?” Bly called out.
“Did you find something?” I strode over to the main examination table, only for my stomach to start gurgling.
“You’re not vomiting all over our work,” Master Devin snapped.
“Unfortunately, those were hunger sounds,” I said dryly.
The healers and their apprentices looked at me as if I were mad. The demon voices in the back of my mind jeered at me.
I ignored the voices and my heated cheeks. “What did you find?”
Bly held up a pair of forceps. The tip held a tiny chunk, but it was so covered in body fluids I couldn’t tell what it was.
“It’s a portion of talon caught in the femur of one of the victims.” Bly grinned.
“We have a way to track the creature,” I breathed. My stomach rumbled, and the voices in the back of my head cheered.
Now, why would the dead demons forming the grimoire I had hidden in my quarters be happy about tracking down an unknown creature?
Unless it was a corrupted human like a skinwalker.
Heat rushed to my cheeks. I hadn’t realized I’d spoken out loud, and I realized how my words could be misconstrued.
“I apologize. I’m tired and hungry and nauseated…” I stared at the gruesome pile on the table, then pivoted to check the walls. Certain stains showed to my odd vision. Unfortunately, one of them was blood. However, something was off. Something I didn’t notice until now. “There’s no blood splatter other than on the floor around the table.”
Yar nodded as he looked around the room. “Therefore, the victims were dead when the culprit brought them here.”
“Can I let Master Devin in so he and Simi can collect the limbs?” I asked.
“Yes.” Garbhan nodded sharply. “My warden and I will guard my drawings until your clerk arrives.”
* * *
I and the representative from the Temple of Death were still at the Healer’s Guild, observing the healers attempt to match limbs to each other, when Brother Garbhan and my clerk Leilani arrived along with Noko and Yar.
“I know you can’t see my drawing of the creature the brother and Warden Noko witnessed, Chief Justice,” Leilani said with a breathless rush. “But from the pattern of how it originally placed the limbs—”
“It definitely looks like it was trying to caste some kind of spell,” Garbhan interrupted.
“Well, now the cat’s out of the bag,” Devin said a little louder than necessary. “That’s what I was going to mention, too.”
“You noticed the symbol?” I asked. “But the rats had already disrupted the positioning.”
“It’s not any different than the rats running across parchment that was freshly written on with ink,” Devin said. “It may still be readable. I glad someone else noticed the pattern I noticed.”
Sister Raven Claw eased closer to see Leilani’s sketch. Nearly a century ago, the Healers Guild had split from the Temple of Death. Because of that rivalry, their home Temple in Standora insisted one of their clergy be present whenever I asked the Healers Guild to check an issue with a corpse in a suspected murder. But even as much as Raven Claw witnessed death in its many forms, she had issues keeping her stomach from rebelling with today’s discovery. She still carried the scent of Master Healer Bly’s peppermint concoction to sooth her digestive system.
“Dark magic?” Raven Claw asked.
Garbhan grunted in agreement.
“It used the limbs to form the ancient symbols for ‘priest’, ‘war’ and ‘power’. If I may, Chief Justice?” Leilani held out her palm. I placed my right hand in her left. She folded her fingers around my index digit as if it were a stylus or pen, and she drew the symbols with my own finger so I could “see” them. I frowned. “Is it declaring war on us? Or trying to force us to fight ourselves? And why invoke power?”
“If I may, Chief Justice?” Yar rumbled. He so rarely offered an opinion it took me by surprise for a moment.
I gestured for him to continue.
“Why didn’t any of the neighbors report hearing anything last week?” The Light warden pointed at Leilani’s picture of the creature. “Something of that size should have made a racket. Even if someone saw it and was afraid to venture from their dwelling or shop, they would have summoned the peacekeepers the next morning.”
“Also, I checked the back door,” Gina said. “It was still unlocked. From the tiny scratches on the metal, the lock was picked. Given its halfway appearance, maybe it was in human form before it entered the building. If so, and the fact it didn’t enter the building until after the magistrate’s sale, maybe no one thought twice about it, thinking it was the new owners.”
I sighed and rubbed my temples. The headache from the rewind and the demon voices was growing worse.
“First of all, that’s a lot of guesswork in so few sentences,” I said. “The peacekeepers have learned to canvas neighborhoods properly. We’ll put their findings with ours, and then deal with what we’re missing.”
“Chief Justice?” Bly called out.
“Did you find something?” I strode over to the main examination table, only for my stomach to start gurgling.
“You’re not vomiting all over our work,” Master Devin snapped.
“Unfortunately, those were hunger sounds,” I said dryly.
The healers and their apprentices looked at me as if I were mad. The demon voices in the back of my mind jeered at me.
I ignored the voices and my heated cheeks. “What did you find?”
Bly held up a pair of forceps. The tip held a tiny chunk, but it was so covered in body fluids I couldn’t tell what it was.
“It’s a portion of talon caught in the femur of one of the victims.” Bly grinned.
“We have a way to track the creature,” I breathed. My stomach rumbled, and the voices in the back of my head cheered.
Now, why would the dead demons forming the grimoire I had hidden in my quarters be happy about tracking down an unknown creature?
Unless it was a corrupted human like a skinwalker.
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