Alysand asked, his voice harder than diamond, “How was she found?”
Nora sighed and hung her head. She did not want to recall the memory. The gunsinger reached out and squeezed her hand. “Please, child. I need to know.”
“It was a Saturday, so my uncle Ven found her. Someone had come in the night. He said it looked like she’d been… questioned, at length.” Nora broke off and was unable to continue.
“I see. And the woman would have been as steadfast as ever. I’m sure they learned nothing of value from her. Do you know who might have done it, girl? Any clue?”
Nora met his eyes and a thread of steel glinted there. Her fair face pulled into a grimace and she said in a hoarse whisper, “Nothing can be certain, sir, but the new sheriff is not a good man. He’s filled with shadows, that man. And everything has begun to sour since he and a few of his deputies showed up. Don’t know where he is from, but those he brought with him are all Southies. Southerners, that is. From Port Vaya and beyond if the gossip is true.”
“Southerners. Aye, makes sense. Well, that is a starting point at least. Thank you for your kindness, Nora. And please, keep this for yourself, and give this to your uncle for me.” Alysand handed her two pouches, one small and the other bulging with gold coins.
Nora’s eyes went wide and she shook her head impotently. “But I can’t…”
“Silence. I came into a great deal of wealth recently. My friends and I killed something fair that had been turned foul. It is my intention to spread that wealth as far as it can go. Tell your uncle they won’t be the only one in town to receive such a gift, and that if he despises wealth, to give it away.” Alysand stood up. His legs shook a bit as he did so, but as his back straightened, a rod of steel formed there again. And as I looked into his eyes, a shiver of cold ran through me. His heart had been gouged and deflated. What took its place was resolve and violent intent.
I exchanged a look with Madi as we thundered back toward town. Alysand rode first, his face a mask of perfectly checked rage.
What has changed, Hana? Pachi asked as we ran behind. The man’s smell has changed. He no longer has fear, and… he smells cold.
I tried my best to explain. His mate was killed. I think we will kill those responsible now. They will not stand long against him.
Pachi sent me a note of the sorrow she felt for Alysand, but nothing else. We rode in silence, devouring the road swiftly.
We retired back to Alysand’s home early, and Madi and I busied ourselves with small matters, cleaning our new saddles and sharpening blades, while the gunsinger fussed about in the kitchen. The same boy dropped off food again, and I was thankful to not have to worry about cooking for a time. This time, though, I flagged the boy down and paid him myself. No need for the old man to go broke.
As night came, Alysand said he was going to head out and ask around, and when we made to follow, he just shook his head. A couple hours later, he showed up and told us the scant news he had scrounged up. Apparently, several other notable members of Gilsby had gone missing or left to seek safer prospects, and all since the new sheriff had come into town.
Alysand grumbled, almost to himself, “Calls himself Embers, I hear. What sort of man goes by such an odd name? Anyway, tomorrow, we will seek this person out. It may come to violence, but I’ll gladly do so if it means finding some real answers.” As Alysand spoke, it seemed his attention was divided, as if he was speaking but if asked, couldn’t tell you to whom.
We agreed and let him know we would be there to back his move. He just nodded and then told us he would be sitting for first watch.
I woke for third guard and spoke with Pachi for a time. It was amazing how perceptive she was of human behavior. Who knew so much of what we were thinking and feeling could be smelled with the right nose?
I am afraid for him, Pachi said. A creature without fear is a dangerous thing, Hana. Fear keeps us all sensible. The gunsinger has never felt dangerous to me before, she complained as she chewed on a leftover bone. A butchered deer was brought that afternoon, and though our animals had finished it happily enough, they were nonetheless still hungry.
I responded, grateful to be able to speak without making a sound, That makes sense to me. I’m just so sad for him. He is the sweetest man, for a mysterious killer at least. And this woman, Delilah, meant a lot to him. The look on his face when he heard the news was enough to break anyone’s heart.
There is a saying the Bardeen have. Every beast is born with two hearts. When your first heart breaks, you change entirely. Suddenly nothing makes sense, or everything makes a new kind of sense. But one can recover from this. But when your second heart is broken, too, the very soul is in danger. I am afraid that Alysand might have had his second heart broken. A man his age has no doubt already felt the sting of loss too many times. Only great strength and love can pull him from his misery.
I thought about her words as the time slipped past us. The house moaned its own lamentations, and I took solace that at least
