Guardian of the Night

3

The Sprawl had more than its fair share of bad folk, more than its fair share of good folk, all lumped together in an area that any other city would have cleared out and demolished years ago. She accepted the offered coffee, grimacing at the bitter taste, but it was hot and wet and it would serve to wash away the cobwebs of sleep from her mind. With a rub of her hands near the fire, she passed a few words with the other Watch members before heading to her office and dropping into her chair. Another long day awaited.

"Captain, more reports of this killer, Sir." Ilivno hesitated at the door, holding more sheets of paper in her clawed hands and only entered when Bilain rolled her own hand at the girl. "Not as many as last night, though enough, and some survived, Sir. They're not talking, but a survivor is a survivor."

"Have the survivors brought here, put them in the cells and leave them there 'til their tongues loosen." It was too early to deal with reticent folks more willing to suffer than speak to the Watch. Ilivno continued to stand after handing Bilain the reports. "Anything else?"

"Yes, Sir." A last piece of paper, a scroll, hovered in the air, held by Ilivno's hand. It bore the Senate seal upon the wax. "It came only moments ago, Sir."

She dismissed Ilivno and dropped the scroll on top of all the other sheets of paper. How she regretted ever learning to read! Yet, if she hadn't, she would still have languished in the lower ranks of the army, forever waiting for orders instead of giving them. She didn't regret learning, not really, but, sometimes, she wished people would talk instead of writing things down. She downed the coffee and shouted for a Watchman to refill it before she dared to open that scroll.

With a fresh mug of steaming coffee by her elbow, Bilain pushed the scroll aside and began to look through the reports. Only seven deaths by this mysterious shadow in the night. A landlord, well-known among the watch for charging too much coin, among other less salubrious charges, for rooms not fit to house rats. A couple of bruisers that swore blind they weren't accosting people for money, though their bloodied bully sticks spoke otherwise. Those two were among the lucky survivors. The other deaths fitted the pattern.

Beaten to death, some tossed around by someone of great strength. Shadows that crept out from their normal spaces, covering a face, clothing, hands, giving nothing that the scant few witnesses could offer to identify the culprit. This man, or this gang, had interrupted the murder of a Senator. If nothing else, other than stopping this murderous spree of their own, they may know the reasoning behind the Senator's death.

Little Mim had said something about the Senator needing 'ammaminuss' votes for some legislation. Unanimous, obviously, votes for what, exactly, she had not heard and, in fact, had heard little that could prove telling enough to shed light on the case. A 'Chief' was mentioned, which reminded Bilain of Trenna, the day before. Trenna was a man of Eass and they called everyone above them in the social order 'Chief'. Could the 'Chief' that the ruffian and the Senator mentioned come from Eass? And, if so, what did that mean?

Her mind had wandered and her finger had rubbed beneath her nose, as she thought, that she had rubbed it a little sore. A habit, for certain, but no worse than any other. Better than most. She pressed both hands against the surface of her desk, flattening out the papers. None of it told her anything. She needed something more substantial, something solid to work with. Words were all good and well if they said anything of consequence. These reports, excellent though they were, were not telling her what she needed to know.

After delaying it long enough, she broke the seal upon the scroll and read the contents. Of course Asnarrus had summoned her to give her report, as though she had all the time in the world to make the trip to the Municipal Ward to tell a pampered fool that she had found nothing and probably never would. An admission that could very well spell the end of her time as Watch Captain and she and Ranaie needed this money more than ever.