write a summons. Blast you, Stammel, you might have thought of all this a little earlier.”
“Sir.”
“Your recruit had better look the worse for wear in the morning. Come to that, if you go back to check on her—you were planning to, weren’t you?” Stammel nodded. “Well then, I want you to take a guard along—just to keep the chain of evidence quite clear.” The captain went on writing. Stammel stood quietly, seething over the implication of that remark. “Here—” said the captain when he had finished. “Send these over to Duke’s East tonight. We’ll see the evidence—and her testimony, if you want—before breakfast. Have troops paraded by sunrise, and we’ll get everything cleared up early on, I should think.”
“Yes, sir. I have recruit Korryn, sir, in custody; I’d like him to be examined too.”
“Very well; anything else?”
“Yes, sir, there is. I’d like to ask the captain’s permission for the quartermaster’s assistant, Maia, to check on Paksenarrion for the rest of the night. She has some knowledge of healing.”
“Do you really think it’s necessary? No—never mind: you wouldn’t be putting yourself into this position if you didn’t. Do what you think necessary. Just remember that she is a prisoner, not an honored guest. No one is to enter the cell alone, and the only mitigations to the ban must be lifesaving. I may not have the right to try her, but I can ban her.”
“Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.”
“Now take those summonses, and let me get some sleep. Dismissed.”
“Yes, sir.” Stammel took a deep breath as soon as he was out of the door, loosening the knot in his shoulders. He had achieved the concessions he’d come for, more than he’d expected to get. At the foot of the stairs, he almost collided with the Duke’s steward, Venneristimon, whose dark robes blended into the shadowy hall.
“In a hurry so late, Sergeant Stammel?” asked Venneristimon.
“The captain’s request,” answered Stammel shortly. He never knew quite where he stood with Venner.
“Ah, well—then I won’t keep you. I was but going to inquire about the well-being of your recruit, the one in trouble.”
“Pretty well beaten up. But excuse me, Venner; I must go.”
“Certainly. Is it far?”
“Not so far. Sentry—my dagger, please.”
“Yes, Sergeant. Here ‘tis.”
Stammel could feel Venner’s eyes following him as he clattered down the steps into the courtyard and headed for the Duke’s Gate. The guard let him out without comment, and he broke into a jog across the main court. Maia, Devlin, and Bosk were waiting for him in the duty room. He gave them a grim smile.
“We’re a little forwarder,” he began. “First of all, he’s agreed to a trial when Captain Valichi comes back: he wasn’t happy about it, but he did agree. I have summonses for Fontaine and Ministiera, as witnesses tomorrow morning. Dev, I’ll want you to ride over to Duke’s East in a few minutes with them. Maia, he’s given permission for you to check on Paks tonight, and even mitigate the ban if necessary—but don’t push it. You’ll have a guard with you, including in the cell. I’d like to know what you think of her injuries—can you tell if she was raped as well as beaten, for a start. Bosk, he wants the troops assembled before sunrise; I’m about to inform the other sergeants, but you see to it for our unit. Paks and Korryn won’t be in formation. Jens will, but be ready to take him out.”
“Do you have any idea yet what happened to Stephi?” asked Devlin.
“No. Neither does Sejek, if it comes to that. He can’t see how a recruit—any recruit—could knock Stephi about enough that he couldn’t explain himself. I still don’t know how badly Stephi is hurt.”
“Are you going to talk to Korryn?”
“Tonight? No. I couldn’t keep my hands off him.”
“Hmmph. I’ll be back in about a glass, barring accidents.” Devlin picked up the summonses and turned.
“Don’t
“Sir.”
“Your recruit had better look the worse for wear in the morning. Come to that, if you go back to check on her—you were planning to, weren’t you?” Stammel nodded. “Well then, I want you to take a guard along—just to keep the chain of evidence quite clear.” The captain went on writing. Stammel stood quietly, seething over the implication of that remark. “Here—” said the captain when he had finished. “Send these over to Duke’s East tonight. We’ll see the evidence—and her testimony, if you want—before breakfast. Have troops paraded by sunrise, and we’ll get everything cleared up early on, I should think.”
“Yes, sir. I have recruit Korryn, sir, in custody; I’d like him to be examined too.”
“Very well; anything else?”
“Yes, sir, there is. I’d like to ask the captain’s permission for the quartermaster’s assistant, Maia, to check on Paksenarrion for the rest of the night. She has some knowledge of healing.”
“Do you really think it’s necessary? No—never mind: you wouldn’t be putting yourself into this position if you didn’t. Do what you think necessary. Just remember that she is a prisoner, not an honored guest. No one is to enter the cell alone, and the only mitigations to the ban must be lifesaving. I may not have the right to try her, but I can ban her.”
“Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.”
“Now take those summonses, and let me get some sleep. Dismissed.”
“Yes, sir.” Stammel took a deep breath as soon as he was out of the door, loosening the knot in his shoulders. He had achieved the concessions he’d come for, more than he’d expected to get. At the foot of the stairs, he almost collided with the Duke’s steward, Venneristimon, whose dark robes blended into the shadowy hall.
“In a hurry so late, Sergeant Stammel?” asked Venneristimon.
“The captain’s request,” answered Stammel shortly. He never knew quite where he stood with Venner.
“Ah, well—then I won’t keep you. I was but going to inquire about the well-being of your recruit, the one in trouble.”
“Pretty well beaten up. But excuse me, Venner; I must go.”
“Certainly. Is it far?”
“Not so far. Sentry—my dagger, please.”
“Yes, Sergeant. Here ‘tis.”
Stammel could feel Venner’s eyes following him as he clattered down the steps into the courtyard and headed for the Duke’s Gate. The guard let him out without comment, and he broke into a jog across the main court. Maia, Devlin, and Bosk were waiting for him in the duty room. He gave them a grim smile.
“We’re a little forwarder,” he began. “First of all, he’s agreed to a trial when Captain Valichi comes back: he wasn’t happy about it, but he did agree. I have summonses for Fontaine and Ministiera, as witnesses tomorrow morning. Dev, I’ll want you to ride over to Duke’s East in a few minutes with them. Maia, he’s given permission for you to check on Paks tonight, and even mitigate the ban if necessary—but don’t push it. You’ll have a guard with you, including in the cell. I’d like to know what you think of her injuries—can you tell if she was raped as well as beaten, for a start. Bosk, he wants the troops assembled before sunrise; I’m about to inform the other sergeants, but you see to it for our unit. Paks and Korryn won’t be in formation. Jens will, but be ready to take him out.”
“Do you have any idea yet what happened to Stephi?” asked Devlin.
“No. Neither does Sejek, if it comes to that. He can’t see how a recruit—any recruit—could knock Stephi about enough that he couldn’t explain himself. I still don’t know how badly Stephi is hurt.”
“Are you going to talk to Korryn?”
“Tonight? No. I couldn’t keep my hands off him.”
“Hmmph. I’ll be back in about a glass, barring accidents.” Devlin picked up the summonses and turned.
“Don’t
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