‘You shut up!’ growled Colden Grudge, pointing a meaty finger at the doctor.
‘We’re innocent!’ Pinn cried, joining in happily. For a while his faith in a last-second intervention had wavered; but now here it was, and all was right with the world again.
Drave turned his gaze to Trinica. ‘Trinica Dracken. You caught these men?’
‘Yes.’
‘You know what crimes they are wanted for?’
‘I do.’
‘And you were hired to catch them by the Duke?’
‘I was.’
‘Then he must know what crimes they are wanted for.’
Trinica looked at Grephen, her black eyes emotionless. ‘I’d assume so,’ she said.
Drave turned on Grephen. ‘Given that, Duke Grephen, why did you see fit to execute these prisoners yourself instead of delivering them to the Archduke for public trial? After all, it wasn’t your son they killed.’
Grephen had begun to sweat, his limp hair becoming lank. He looked to Gallian Thade, but Thade couldn’t help.
‘I can answer that,’ called Frey. He was still kneeling on the platform, with the executioner standing next to him, Frey’s cutlass held loosely in his hand.
‘You be quiet, criminal!’ Grephen snapped.
Drave’s eyes narrowed as he looked for the first time at the man who had almost killed him a few weeks earlier. Frey wondered if the malice in that glare would be the death of him, or if Drave would give him the chance he needed. For a long instant, Drave said nothing; then he held up a hand.
‘Let him speak. I’d like to hear what he has to say.’
Frey looked around the courtyard. All eyes were on him now. The guards in their light blue uniforms glanced at each other nervously. Grephen looked nauseous with fear. They’d thought this would be a simple execution: now they realised there was much more to it.
‘Can I get to my feet?’ Frey asked. ‘My knees are getting kind of sore like this.’
Drave motioned for him to get up. The executioner backed away a step. ‘Make it quick,’ he said. ‘And make it good. I will get to the bottom of this, but I’ll not lie to you, Darian Frey: I’d like to see you dead as much as anyone.’
Frey got up. He was still possessed of that strange sense of calm that had settled on him with the surety of death. It was as if his body couldn’t quite believe there might be a reprieve for him.
‘I’ll keep it simple, then,’ he said. ‘Duke Grephen plans to overthrow the Archduke. He’s being bankrolled by the Awakeners; they want to see the Archduke deposed because of the political measures he and his wife are introducing to limit their power. They know Grephen is devout, and that he’ll act favourably towards them once he seizes power.’
‘These are lies!’ Grephen shouted, but Frey went on anyway.
‘The Awakeners don’t have an army, and Grephen doesn’t command enough troops to challenge the Coalition Navy, so between them they’ve raised a force of pirates and freebooters, paid for with Awakener gold. This army is at the hidden port of Retribution
