Guardian of the Night

18

Bilain knew she stank, that she looked dishevelled and concerned. She could almost feel the surrounding skin of her eyes darkening by the moment. She felt tired, angry and frustrated, but she couldn't face returning to the Timid Fox, finding it empty and devoid of the only two people that gave her hope for each day. Her legs ached and she wanted to sleep, but she couldn't sleep. Not yet.

Those in the Watch House could tell something was off about her, she could feel their eyes following her as she headed to her office, hooking a finger at both Ilivno and Trenna as she passed. In two minds as to whether to enlighten them all about what The Sprawl faced, Bilain needed counsel and, without Ghusz, who she could trust with her life, with the lives of Ranaie and Amaini, she had to place that trust in her new Sergeants. She prayed to Go-Rar Kha for guidance, hoping the Patron of Justice and Law would offer insight.

"Close the door." She slumped into her chair and closed her eyes for a fraction of a moment before opening them and staring at the two before her. "There is a threat. One that could destroy the entirety of The Sprawl. Many will die if it comes to pass. Many."

With a sigh, she leaned forward, rubbing her eyes with one hand while opening a drawer on her desk with the other. She could see the glances pass between Ilivno and Trenna, but she let them stew upon that while she pulled out a bottle of Yürzlend rum, uncorking it and drinking straight from the bottle. After another drink, she wiped her mouth.

"Chief, I mean, Captain, whatever it is, we can stop it, I'm certain." Trenna gave Ilivno a stern nod. "Whatever you need us to do."

"I need you to keep this to yourselves. As much as you can." Bilain tapped her fingernails against the bottle, considering drinking the lot of it before tapping the cork back in and returning the bottle to the drawer. "If the people find out about this, there will be panic and many will die anyway. We have a chance, a small chance, to put an end to this before it gets that far, but to be ready to evacuate The Sprawl should it come to it."

"Evacuate!" Ilivno's whiskers twitched, her ears flattening against her head, her eyes narrowing as she thought. "But we have thousands living here. More than all the other Wards combined. To evacuate at such short notice? It's not possible!"

Bilain had expected this and she had thought the same, herself. There were ways off the strip of land where The Sprawl sat, bridges on three sides, Ganshorn's Field, to the north, but she doubted they could evacuate everyone in time. Yet, if she called for it now, the people would panic, she had no doubts about that. But, also, she expected the conspirators that sought The Sprawl's destruction would set the Ward to flame at the first sign of an evacuation. Bilain did not want to call attention to the fact she knew about the caches of whale oil around the Ward.

"Nevertheless, keep it in mind and be ready to call for it. As to what we face." She rose from her chair, moving to the map of The Sprawl Ilivno had added to the office. She tapped a finger in the centre, where the abandoned Spire sat. "In this building sit six barrels of whale oil, like that which I smelled at the two recent fires, and there are more caches throughout the Ward. Those fires were a test of our resources and capabilities."

In the pause, she took note of the expressions upon their faces. Ilivno studied the map, her eyes flickering around the depiction of streets and buildings. Trenna had set his face to look like stone, but Bilain could almost feel the anger bubbling up inside the man. Both reacted as she had expected, hoped. Neither had panicked, or rushed to inform family and friends. She had chosen her Sergeants well.

"So, they are to use the Spire as a central point, yes? As a ... signal, perhaps?" The Kannai's claw traced along the map, pausing in several places. "For it to inform the others to light their fires, they would have to see the signal. I should say here, here, here and here are the most likely places to see such a signal."