Guardian of the Night

13

Bilain stalked around the Watch House in a bustle of movement, checking the new, thick doors and the strong bolts, Trenna following in her wake. There were more people in the Watch House than normal, but she hoped that wouldn't bring too much attention. It would look as though they were making the place secure after the raid. She paused, looking at the cells with the usual occupants.

"The new Watch members?" She rubbed under her nose with her finger, absent-minded. "On patrol?"

"Yes, Chief." The Eass man still had trouble calling her 'Captain' and she let it pass for now. She had too much on her mind. "All former soldiers. All from The Sprawl originally. Good folk. Ready to do their duty."

"Good. Good." Now moving nearer the door, she gazed out to the passing crowds and, beyond them, to the Timid Fox across the street. "They'll know how to take orders. And the orders are?"

"No excessive violence. No letting friends and family off the hook. Keep the peace." A good deal shorter than her, but with the bulk of his Eass kin, Trenna began to give her a gentle push to the doorway. "Chief, we've got this under control. You can't put it off any longer. If it helps, I don't envy you. Not at all."

He wouldn't. This was a task that only she could take on, but it was a task she did not want herself. Getting dressed in finery and walking among the high and mighty was not something she relished the thought of, but it was her best chance to talk with the Senators. More letters had arrived while she and Ilivno had searched for the girl, all putting off any chance of speaking to the men and women that would know best what Senator Yiladry was doing in The Sprawl the night he died.

"Yes. Yes." Fingers scraped through her short grey hair. She realised that her nerves gave a bad impression, a sign of weakness, but she couldn't help it. She was a Watch Captain, not a courtier. "Ilivno and her investigators patrol the Tandari, pushing for word of the girl. That should make any interested parties think she still is not found. She'll need ..."

"We know, Chief." Now using both hands, Trenna gave a stronger push. "Trust in the Watch. Trust in Ilivno and myself. Now, go, try to make yourself pretty for the rich folks."

Before Bilain could turn to berate him for the remark, she found herself in the street, the Watch House door now closed behind her. She didn't doubt Trenna would bolt the door should she try to reenter, even though she had this moment remembered a dozen other things to remind him of. Her palms felt slick with sweat and she hadn't even got to the En Lutar estate!

With people pushing by in both directions, she shouldered and elbowed her way the short distance across the street and entered the smoke-filled, rowdy interior of the Timid Fox. Behind the bar stood one of her Watch members, Gillraty, a strong, but nondescript woman who had experience working in taverns. By the dartboard, two others sat, cradling pints of beer, watching the crowd while trying to appear not to.

In the corner, by the entrance to the upstairs, another pair of Watch members sat, pretending to canoodle, but their eyes were not for each other. She doubted it would go unnoticed had she placed more of the Watch in here, but she trusted them to protect the valuable prize upstairs, and her family.

Upon reaching the top of the stairs, she could already hear Ranaie as he made exasperated noises. She could see why as soon as she entered. The bath tub had water pooled around it, several pieces of furniture had become overturned and she could see spots of blood upon the floorboards. Amaini cried within her crib and her husband's backside faced her as he tried to reach below the bed.

"Everything going well, I see." She almost laughed as Ranaie sat up to face her, blood dribbling from his nose. Strangely, he actually looked happy, if tired. "Trouble?"