Treacherous Witch

33. A Man Dies for Dramatic Effect

"The disease of corruption, once it has taken hold, is almost impossible to root out. Even the most upright of men can fall prey to it. This rot hid itself well, behind petticoats and a courtesan's plump red smile."
Bishop Eugene Thorne's Notes on a Mission in Maskamere

Beside her, Lady Flavia gave a little gasp.

Lord Avon rose, and as one the lords in the throne room stood too. "Captain Quintus Viper, once captain of the king's Royal Guard. You swore an oath. You promised to deliver Prince Bakra in chains and deliver me the Masked Crown, on pain of death. I see neither."

Quintus said nothing. His eyes blazed with hatred.

"Sit," said Avon, indicating the courtiers. The crowd settled with a sigh and rustling of fabric. With the three rows of benches facing the throne, the scene looked almost like a temple gathering. "Lord Gideon, please speak. Tell us how you came to find this man."

Gideon stepped forward. "Captain Viper met with General Leamsbrand at the northern pass to discuss his proposal to capture Prince Bakra. The prince was to be led into a trap. Captain Viper claimed to Prince Bakra that he had arranged a meeting at a secure location with mercenaries from the Sapphire Sea. Instead, he would be ambushed by the general and his men.

"Believing this, the general set up the trap. Prince Bakra never appeared. They discovered Captain Viper half a mile from the meeting point, half-dead hanging to a post. The barbarian Maskamery had flayed him and left him there to die. General Leamsbrand saved his life and had him delivered to me, believing it appropriate to try the man in court."

Quietly, Valerie took Flavia's hand. Flavia buried her head in Valerie's shoulder, shaking.

"Please send my thanks to General Leamsbrand for his efforts," said Avon, "and my continued support for his control in the north."

Gideon bowed and retreated. Quintus was now a lone figure in the centre of the hall, head bowed, shoulders hunched. He looked like a man defeated. Valerie found her heart racing, but she wasn't sure how else to feel. He was a traitor. What was going to happen?

"Captain Viper," said Avon. "You've heard Lord Gideon's account. What have you to say?"

Again, sullen silence.

"Captain," said Avon. "If you fail to speak up in your own defence now, we will move on to delivering our verdict."

"I..." Quintus's voice came out cracked and broken. He cleared his throat. "I have no wish to speak in my defence. Do as you will. But I've not been cursed yet."

The curse, she thought. Quintus had sworn under the light of the silvertree to deliver on his promise, or else his bones would wither and his body turn to dust. Neither had happened. Then again, he hadn't promised a specific deadline. Perhaps as long as he was alive and there was still the remotest possibility that he might yet deliver the prince and the jewel to Avon, the curse would remain dormant.

A murmur rippled through the crowd at the mention of the word 'curse'. Curses were things that the Drakonians had heard of, some distant fairytale to scare children, but most had never encountered one themselves. The few times she'd heard the court discuss such things, it was with an air of either superstition or arrogant disbelief.

"That's true," said Avon. "Which suggests you may still be useful. But given your failure so far, I find myself lacking confidence in your ability to deliver."

The room darkened. A sense of foreboding crept over her. Something below... She gasped. A dark cloud of magic was forming around Quintus. Valerie looked from side to side, but no one else had reacted. Could no one else see it?