first timbers were being set in place. He was less gratified to learn from Major Dhaeryn that the cost of the timbers and planks would exceed 450 golds, and that more stonework would be necessary on the west end of the bridge before the last supporting timbers could be laid and braced.
On his return ride to the post, he swung by the patrol station, although he did not stop. From the outside, it looked complete, but he couldn’t tell if the cells had been finished.
Two quints past the first glass of the afternoon, the duty squad leader hurried into Quaeryt’s study to deliver a dispatch from Bhayar. As soon as the man left, Quaeryt opened the missive and began to read. After all the felicitations and appreciation of what Quaeryt had done so far there was just one other paragraph, stark in its simplicity.
More Bovarian troops continue to move toward Ferravyl. Regardless of any difficulties you may have, Third Regiment is to depart Extela no later than Lundi, the sixteenth of Mayas, and to move with deliberate speed to Ferravyl. Because this may change at any time, Third Regiment should be prepared to depart any day after the fifteenth of Avryl.
The seal and signature were those of Bhayar.
When Quaeryt went to find Skarpa, who had effectively taken over the post commander’s study, he waited until Skarpa had finished with Major Chaestyn before stepping into the study and closing the door.
“That dispatch that just came in? Bad news?”
Quaeryt handed the single sheet to the commander.
Skarpa read through the dispatch and handed it back before speaking. “It looks like we’ll be fighting by midsummer, if not sooner.”
“I’d wager on sooner. I just hope that the engineers will finish the bridge repairs in the next week or so. I am glad that the aqueduct is done.”
“Is there anything else urgent you need from the regiment?”
“Besides replacements for fifty patrollers, trustworthy justicers, more clerks, tariff collectors…” Quaeryt shook his head. “So much was buried in lava and ash and burned that I don’t really even know what else I need. I can’t trust most of those who might know, and the ones I can trust are so busy that they can’t do much more.”
“You seem to be managing it so far, sir.”
“Only with the help of the regiment. We need more patrollers, and soon.”
“Pharyl and Hrehn can take care of that.”
“If they have time.”
“There are bound to be young men who need work. With Pharyl and Hrehn, all you need is some coin, and I imagine you have enough of that. Beginning patrollers can’t cost you much more than trooper recruits.”
After talking more with Skarpa, Quaeryt felt slightly less overwhelmed and returned to his study to try to think through what else he needed quickly from the regiment. Slightly before second glass, Pharyl appeared at his door, slipping into one of the chairs before the desk.
“How are things coming?” asked Quaeryt.
“The cells are finished, and three of them already are in use. We’re feeding them bread and cheese and watered ale.”
Quaeryt hadn’t even thought about feeding arrangements, or dealing with prisoners, but there was no help for that, even if he still weren’t certain what he would do about justicers. He feared that he’d have to act as one, and after having read little more than a third of Ekyrd Huelsyn’s treatise
“Two thefts and one assault. That’s one reason why I wanted to talk to you. And there’s another. An advocate for that young fellow you’ve got locked up here appeared. He wanted to know when Vhalsyr’s hearing is scheduled. I said I’d have to check with you. He’ll be back to see me tomorrow morning.”
“We’ll have to do that as soon as possible. His uncle is a well-connected High Holder. He’s a cousin of Lord Bhayar. And since we have to deal with Vhalsyr … we might as well do them all. How long will it take you and the engineers to set up the large meeting room as a justicing hall?”
“We only need something that will serve as a justicer’s desk. By Lundi, certainly.”
“Set up the hearings starting at eighth glass on Lundi morning. I’ll just have to act as justicer. I just met a while ago with the former low justicer.”
“I gather he was as bad as the former chief?”
“How do you compare rotten apples?” asked Quaeryt dryly. “How is Hrehn handling the patrollers?”
“Very well. They need a big, strong, tough, and smart captain. No one’s about to question him unless it’s serious, and that’s the way it should be.”
“And you?”
“We need more patrollers.”
“We need them soon. Lord Bhayar just sent a dispatch saying that Third Regiment will have to leave no later than mid-Mayas, and possibly in as little as ten days … if he sends orders. From the way he describes what the Bovarians are doing, it’s going to be sooner than Mayas. Can you start looking for recruits?”
“I already have. Regular patrollers, patrollers second, that is, they start at a silver a week. I’d like to start recruits at five coppers until they complete a month’s training, then pay them eight coppers a week for two months probation. That way, the existing patrollers don’t see the new men as immediately being paid the same.”
“You have my approval. Anything else?”
“No other problems. I did find out a few things you might find interesting. One reason why there were more offenses in the southeast quarter of the city was that the entire quarter was handled by one patrol. The northwest quarter-most of that’s now under ash and lava-had two patrols assigned, and the northeast and southwest had three patrols between them.”
That didn’t surprise Quaeryt either. “So you’ll just put two patrols in each of the remaining quarters?”
“That’s my plan.”
“It’s a good one.”
“There are a few other things … The pleasure houses…”
“The old high justicer told me that Hyleor owned part of them. What did you find out?”
“Faastyl did, like you thought. So did Scythn and Graefsyr, but they all sold out to Hyleor, even before the eruption, according to a couple of the older patrollers. They didn’t put it quite that way, but it was clear enough.” Pharyl paused. “Wasn’t Graefsyr the one who was the head justicer?”
“He was. I didn’t know that, but Vhalsyr-he’s the nephew of High Holder Cransyr, the one the troop patrol picked up-he claims that Hyleor was feeding young girls Otelyrnan drugs and then sending them to the pleasure houses.”
“Getting them to smoke elveweed, most likely.”
“Are the pleasure houses still open?”
“They never closed. They never do. Except for the fancy one in the northwest quarter. It was just two blocks from the governor’s square.”
“Then there’s likely to be a new one somewhere in the west part of the city before long … if it’s not there already.”
“We’ll keep an eye out for it.”
“What else?”
“Isn’t that enough?” asked Pharyl sardonically.
Quaeryt laughed, briefly, then said, “There is one more thing.” He handed a list to the chief, a copy of the one he’d jotted down after meeting with Aextyl. “These are factors here in Extela about whom the former high justicer, possibly the last honest one, had some concerns. As you can find out from the patrollers and others, anything you can learn might be helpful.”
“Might take a while.”
“That’s why you’re getting it now.”
Pharyl nodded.
As soon as the chief left, Quaeryt hurried out to round up an escort to ride out to Hyleor’s dwelling once
