Keeper Of Peace

Prologue

A woman was hiding away at the far end of the graveyard, out of sight from the small group of mourners, and she was thankful for the shadow provided by the massive oak she was standing next to.

The air flickered over the asphalt, creating little glimmering illusions in the summer heat.

There was no wind, not a single breeze, but she didn't care. She didn't need a current to carry the sound. It wasn't that she had a particularly good hearing, more that she didn't care what was said. The reason she had come wasn't the service. She couldn't quite understand those pitiful creatures worshiping an almighty god, one single deity. One she didn't know existed. No, she was there for the widow.

Poor girl that she was, only twenty-two years of age, dressed in black, with tears staining her sorrowful face. Technically, her and the deceased hadn't been married yet, but the woman didn't bother with such details. In secret, the two lovers had exchanged rings, whispered vows and consummated their relationship; that was enough for her.

And then, tragedy had struck. An accident that wasn't an accident, followed by an abduction no one was perfectly sure was an abduction at all, because there had been so much blood. The woman's lips twitched at the memory. After seven weeks of search after search they had declared him dead. Too much blood, said the coroner. Too many man hours, said the police commissioner. Case closed.

And there they were, burying a coffin that had nothing but memories in it. The widow wept, as she should, clutching a black rose tightly in her hand. The woman averted her eyes. She needn't concern herself with those cowering creatures.

All she had to care about was fate.