Total pages in book: 222
Estimated words: 210715 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1054(@200wpm)___ 843(@250wpm)___ 702(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 210715 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1054(@200wpm)___ 843(@250wpm)___ 702(@300wpm)
“Knight Captain Jehan, I presume?” I asked.
“Correct. Whom do I have the privilege of addressing?”
“You sent your people to my house. Surely you know who I am?”
“That is what we are here to determine.”
I had brought the full set of my papers and the metal crest of the Demarr family complete with my name on it. Solentine had helpfully left all of it for me. If I showed it, Jehan would have a hard time keeping me here. There was always a chance that he might detain me under some pretext of verifying my identity, but it would be a huge gamble for him.
Somebody was using him to figure out who I was. My money was on either Hreban or Silveren, and I wanted to know who was pulling Jehan’s strings.
Knight Captain Jehan was treating me to the medieval version of the “you’re in big trouble” cop stare.
“So you do not know who I am.” I crossed my arms. “Is this how you find out? When you’re not sure who lives in a house, you just have them dragged down here? It seems like an odd use of the Guard’s time and resources.”
He didn’t say anything.
“Or perhaps I am a special case? I can’t help but note that the Guard station closest to my residence is in the north. Instead, I had to travel for the better part of an hour and cross two bridges to be brought here. Why?”
He glowered at me. “Here, I ask the questions.”
“Please start then. Whatever we can do to speed this thing along.”
He opened his mouth.
Something thudded outside the office, followed by the sound of raised voices.
“Just one question before we begin,” I said. “Am I charged with a crime?”
He unhinged his jaws. “Not yet.”
The commotion got louder and closer.
“Am I being detained?”
“Not exactly.”
“If not, am I free to leave?”
Welcome to twenty-first-century police-encounter protocol.
“Just a moment.” He turned toward the door.
“If I am being detained, I request the services of a law scribe.”
“Hold that thought.” Jehan rose, stepped outside, and shut the door behind him.
Behind me Clover snickered.
A deep male voice roared something in the distance. I couldn’t quite make it out, but it might have been “Where?” Whoever he was, he sounded pissed. Rhythmic thuds drew closer. Somebody was coming down the hallway in heavy boots.
The door flew open, and Lord Bellen marched into the room, enormous in full Defender armor, with a huge sword on his hip and a white Defender cloak billowing behind him. His helmet was off, and his blond hair looked slightly tousled.
Bellen saw me. His blue eyes lit up.
“Lady Maggie! There you are.”
“Lord Bellen! Did they drag you in here, too?”
“Not at all.”
Behind Bellen, two more Defender Knights in full armor shouldered their way into Jehan’s office, one dark haired with olive skin, and the other with ash-blond hair and the kind of complexion that guaranteed a sunburn in thirty seconds. The Knight Captain was the last one through the door.
“What is the meaning of this?” Bellen roared at him.
Jehan raised his chin, clearly not willing to be intimidated in his own office. “We received a report that this woman—”
Bellen glared at him.
“—this noblewoman is conducting business without a permit.”
Bellen glanced at me.
“Is this about the soap?” I did my best to sound shocked.
“What soap, my lady?” Bellen asked.
“I make perfumed soap for my family, and an acquaintance asked me to sell her some.”
Bellen flicked his fingers. The dark-haired knight took a step forward. “I am Sir Owyn, Baron Ragvart, Senior Law Scribe of the Defender Order. Am I to understand, Knight Captain, that you sent guards to a noblewoman’s home, removed her from her abode, brought her, under guard, here, to your office, detained her, and questioned her without cause because she didn’t file for a trader permit? Is that correct?”
Oh wow. Bellen had brought lawyer support.
“Knight Captain, is this correct?” Owyn demanded.
“In part.” Jehan looked directly at Bellen, judging him to be the biggest threat.
“Since when does the City Guard oversee compliance with trade permit laws? Is that matter not under the purview of the Treasury?”
Jehan said nothing.
“Answer the question!” Bellen thundered.
“I invited the lady—”
“Do you have a warrant?” Owyn demanded. “Who signed it?”
“We were simply conversing.” Jehan glanced at me.
I actually felt sorry for him. “The Knight Captain extended his invitation to me, and I voluntarily accepted. I was not arrested, although he did neglect to provide a carriage.”
Bellen somehow got even larger. “Did she walk, or did she have to pay for her own carriage to be interrogated?”
Jehan took a step back, almost out of his own office. “Lord . . .”
“Be silent!” Bellen stepped over to me and offered his arm. “My lady, would you do me the honor of allowing me to accompany you out of this place?”
The entire point of coming here had been to figure out who had arranged this mess. That ship had sailed. All I could do was let Bellen complete his rescue in a blaze of glory.