Guardian of the Night

19

"Captain?" One of Trenna's charges popped her head into the office, glancing at the map. "The two that escorted your family? They still haven't returned. Probably only stopped for a drink, it was a fair way to go, but I thought you should know."

"I'll send someone out to check." Trenna patted Bilain on the shoulder. "We can afford one Watch member for that. Don't worry, Chief, I'm sure your family is safe."

Bilain's fingers curled into fists as Trenna left the office. She hadn't wanted to think that something had gone wrong. The two Watchmen that had escorted Ranaie, Amaini and Nishrean should have returned hours ago and she had spent her time with the man who had killed Ghusz, instead of worrying about her family. If something had happened to them, she could never forgive herself, but there was little she could do. Not yet.

The countryside, outside the city, had its share of dangers, but two Watchmen should have been enough to keep her family safe from the worst of them. She couldn't help but feel a sense of dread pass through her, though. A thought that she had brought this upon Ranaie and her granddaughter. If she left now, took to the roads to search for them, only to find them safe and sound, she could lose what little advantage she had here.

Yet, if she did nothing, and something had happened to them, her life would never be the same again. Trenna could pat her on her shoulder all he wanted, telling her that everything was fine, but it didn't help the gaping wound that had appeared in the pit of her stomach. Her mind raced, trying to decide which way to turn but she knew nothing. Nothing that could inform her decision, and she had other responsibilities to consider.

Her responsibility to the city, to The Sprawl, to her fellow Watch Members. All of them could fall to disaster if she turned aside from her plans in order to search for her family who, as far as she knew, were safe at Ogng's farm, their escorts drunk in some tavern, thinking they deserved a little time to themselves. To her left, she could see Ilivno had remained by her side, her Kannai features unreadable.

"You are conflicted, Captain. Understandable." She tapped a claw at the sixth stone that Bilain had placed upon the map. "We could postpone the plan until you know your family is safe. Or I could perform the final task in your place?"

"No. We can't waste any time. Every moment those whale oil caches are in the hands of the enemy is a moment they can set them alight." With effort, she dragged her eyes away from the map, moving around her desk until she could sit down, a hand rubbing her forehead. "It must be tonight and, as much as I respect you, Ilivno, the people I will be dealing with won't. Due to your rank and due to you being Kannai."

"I see." The girl knew exactly what Bilain meant, straightening her back and clasping her hands behind her. "Then I'll add a couple of investigators in the search for the missing Watch members, and your family."

The Ganshorn family were an old family, who had clung to their traditions and cultures from years past. They still held slaves upon their lands, even though Adrasusk had outlawed slavery many years before. In fact, Adrasusk had turned away from slavery before any other city-state or nation. Yet the Ganshorn's refused to give up their slaves. Rather than force another skirmish between the family and the city, Adrasusk, the Senate, ignored what the Ganshorn's did on their own land.

Ilivno would never find welcome there and, for certain, would never receive an ounce of respect from them. There were a few others, within the city, that still held similar views about Kannai, even if they weren't allowed to keep slaves anymore. They still looked down upon the dog-like Other-Kin. Bilain couldn't imagine what Ilivno had to deal with on a daily basis.

With both Trenna and Ilivno sending people out, Bilain felt a little less worried. She prayed to the Patrons that her family would return safe and sound but, until she knew more, she couldn't allow anything to get in the way of her plans. Right now, she had to ready herself for the night to come and that would involve returning home for a few things.