“Do you know what they plan to do with Aurelia?” Tarlak asked.
“I will find out,” Bernard said. “Come morning, they will have to issue an official reason for the arrest, as well as her punishment.”
“Punishment!” Harruq shouted. “She hasn’t done a thing!”
“I will make sure no harm comes to her,” the priest said, patting him on the shoulder. “Have faith in me, and Ashhur.”
The half-orc swore and kicked. Furious, he stormed away, Tarlak at his heels.
“This isn’t a big deal,” Tarlak said as he followed. “We’ve handled far worse, and…”
“No,” Harruq said, spinning about. “You know damn well Haern is the one responsible. I won’t have anything happen to my wife because of something he’s done.”
“Yes, because it’s not like we haven’t suffered because of your mistakes,” Tarlak said, immediately regretting it. Harruq staggered back, looking as if he’d been stabbed in the heart.
“Get away from me, Tar,” the half-orc said.
“Look, I didn’t mean to…”
“I said leave!”
Tarlak threw his hands to the air. “Fine. I’m sorry. I’ll go. But you better be here in the morning. We’ll fix this, I promise.”
He returned to Bernard and his priests.
Harruq simmering in his anger and pain. He felt tears welling in his eyes, and an aching scream building in his chest. He felt betrayed, he felt weak, he felt furious and unbearably sad. He looked up at the stars and wondered what brutal god tormented him. His wife imprisoned, Haern alienated, Tarlak speaking hurt, the city twisted and listening to Karak’s priests…
“Come get us, Qurrah,” Harruq whispered to the stars. “We’re ready for you.”
He returned to his tent and did his best to sleep.
12
H arruq was the first up the next morning. He kicked Tarlak in the side to wake him.
“Get up,” he growled. Tarlak muttered something unintelligible, opened a single blood-shot eye, and then saw the half-orc.
“Oh yeah,” Tarlak said. “Aurelia. Right.” He got out from the blankets and stretched. “Go get Bernard and Antonil. We’ll need their clout.”
Harruq did as he was told, fetching the others. As soon as they were ready they set off for the castle.
“If your highness would allow me, I would ask I do the bulk of the talking,” Bernard said to Antonil.
“You understand what is going on far more than I,” Antonil said. “But remember, nothing is to happen to Aurelia. Even if we have to leave the city.”
The guards at the gates let them through. Inside the throne room the queen waited, her many advisors at either side. Hayden was at her right hand, his arms bandaged and wrapped tight in front of him.
“Greetings, King Copernus,” the queen said, standing at their entrance. “I welcome you, though I wish the circumstances were better.”
“We’ve come to hear the charges pressed against Aurelia Tun,” Antonil said. “And the proof of these charges.”
“Are my broken bones not proof enough?” Hayden asked.
“No,” Antonil said, glaring at him. “They’re not.”
“Aurelia has not denied striking him with her magic,” Queen Annabelle said as she slowly sat back down on her throne.
“The priests of Karak came into our tent prepared to kill us,” Bernard said. “I have ten of my brethren that can attest to this.”
“I came because someone had set fire to your temple,” Hayden said. “And when my priests tried to put it out, they were assaulted, burned, and mutilated. When we hurried to tell of you of this travesty, I was assaulted, and defended myself.”
“Why would we lie?” Bernard asked. “Why would we burn down our temple?”
“I have long told you,” Hayden said, lowering his voice and turning to the queen. “I told you of their vile tactics, their insidiousness. The elf seeks to turn us against one another, to destroy both temples so her heathen goddess can be made stronger.”
“Hold on, Aurry hasn’t done any of this,” Harruq nearly shouted.
“She burned the temple and assaulted my priests,” Hayden cried. “She attacked me on sight. With open arms we have welcomed her, and she sows chaos in return.”
“Enough,” the queen said, raising her hand. “I have heard enough. King Antonil, unless you can provide me with the name of one who might have killed these priests of Karak, I have no choice but to place guilt upon the elf.”
Harruq felt Tarlak grab his arm. He pulled away from him, but when Antonil turned, he shook his head.
“We don’t,” the king said.
“Then she is to be hung by the day’s end,” the queen said. “My heart will ache at the sight, but I will not allow lawlessness and murder into my city.”
“You can’t!” Harruq screamed.
“If you murder her, we will leave,” Antonil said. “My soldiers and my people. You may fight the coming darkness alone.”
“Wait!” Bernard shouted above the others. He looked pointedly at Hayden.
“The blame for the murders,” Bernard said. “The blame for the fire, and the blame for Hayden’s injuries; you may place it all on me.”
“You will accept responsibility?” Hayden asked, his eyes lighting up with joy.
“I will,” he said. All around the others quieted, staring at him in shock.
“What are you doing,” Tarlak whispered, as he pulled on the priest’s robe to bring him closer. “Have you lost your mind?”
“Hayden will not refuse,” Bernard whispered back, then, louder, “What is it you say to this, high priest?”
“For what reason would you burn your own temple?” the queen asked, keeping Hayden silent with a wave of her hand. “And why would you do such ghastly things to priests of Karak?”
“I offer no reason,” Bernard said. “No explanation. But I accept the guilt. Hang me in Aurelia’s stead.”
Queen Annabelle’s face narrowed into a look of displeasure. She looked to Antonil.
“Will this be acceptable to you?” she asked. “For I don’t want the people I seek to aid turning from me in anger and hurt.”
Antonil turned to Bernard, who just nodded his head.
“It is,” Antonil said. “I do not agree, and I do not approve, but I trust Bernard and Ashhur.”
“Take him,” Hayden said to the nearby guards.
“Aurelia is to be released?” Tarlak asked as the guards came and shackled the priest.
“She will remain in your camp,” Annabelle said. “Should she commit a single transgression, my dungeon will be waiting.”
King Antonil knelt as guards escorted the rest toward the door.
“I would like to speak to her majesty,” he said, glaring at the advisors. “Alone.”
“It is not wise,” Hayden whispered to the queen, who would hear none of it. With a wave of her hand they were dismissed. The throne room cleared out, with only guards on the far walls remaining.
“What is it you wish to say to me?” the queen asked, visibly relaxing with all the people gone.
“It is no warning,” Antonil said. “No threat. Take this as a message, and a heartfelt one.”
“You think the priests control me,” she said. Antonil only shook his head.
“Just know this: when the legions of dead storm your walls, and warriors with crimson wings fill the skies, you’ll hear a whisper in your ear telling you to throw open your gates and accept their bloody mercy. It is then you’ll know you executed an innocent man.”
Antonil stood, saluted, and left. The queen watched him go, her arms crossed and her mind troubled.
W ith Aurelia released, the Eschaton gathered in the Neldar camps, called together by Tarlak.
“All right everyone,” he said. “We need to make a decision, and we need to make it soon.”
“I’ve talked to several of the guards,” Lathaar said. “Bernard’s set to hang at dusk.”
“Not much time to plan,” Haern said.
“Better than you running off on your own,” Tarlak said. “We’ve got enough problems as is. We all know Bernard’s dying for something he hasn’t done. What are we to do about it?”
“Is there anything we can do?” Harruq asked. “At least, not without putting Aurry and the rest of us in danger?”