Tales of Downfall and Rebirth by S. M. Stirling Read Free Book Online Page B

him on the side of the head by way of precaution, while another grabbed his wrists and the third put the cuffs on—they were pre-Change and snicked home with reassuring solidity.
    â€œYou have the right to remain silent, you backstabbing asshole, not that it’ll do you any good,” the first constable said as she loosened her catchpole. “You have the right to get your teeth kicked in back at the station if you give us any more trouble. You have the right to be hung by the neck until dead after a fair trial when the jury hears about this.”
    The man revived enough to start heaving and shouting as the constables dragged him out; the constable hammered the end of her catchpole into his back above the kidneys with evident satisfaction.
    â€œ
Told
you,” she said. “C’mon, make more trouble, give me an
excuse
.”
    The whole thing faded into the rainy night as they pulled him out and four picked him up to throw him headfirst into the Black Maria, which was waiting with its horse standing droop-headed and drowsy and indifferent as the vehicle rocked on its springs. The door swung shut again.
    Terwen nodded to his technician, who worked the dagger loose carefully by the ends of the guard and carried it over to a table where his instruments and magnifying glass were ready.
    â€œNice smooth ivory, sir,” the young man said. “I should be able to lift a good set of latents from this.”
    Tom Dayton was sitting down again, looking stunned. He grimaced and wiped the back of his hand across his eyes as two more of the constables lifted Shelly Hiver’s body onto a stretcher and covered her face. Then he turned towards the Associate knight.
    â€œSorry,” he said gruffly. “I, uh, I shouldn’t have said that.”
    Ã“rlaith looked at her friend. Heuradys made a half-leg of acknowledgement, then took the man’s hand for a brief shake.
    â€œNo offense,” she said briskly. “You were honor-bound to take your leman’s part. And when you saw my knife, that was a natural assumption to make.”
    He nodded, started to speak, then blinked and turned away to follow the body. Terwen stood aside, giving unspoken permission for the man to leave, then touched him on the shoulder.
    â€œDayton, we’ll need you to make a statement. I’d think back on how you fell in with that crowd, if I were you. I don’t think they had your best interests at heart, and they weren’t just hanging around for free drinks, either.”
    Dayton shambled out. Two of the Montoya family came in and scattered buckets of sawdust on the floor; that would absorb most of the blood overnight. The rest would make a stain . . . but that would probably just be something to make an interesting story. Heuradys sat with a slight thump, exhaling a long breath and rubbing a hand across her forehead before she gave Órlaith a slight significant inclination of the head:
    Thanks
and
quick thinking!
    Ã“rlaith raised a hand. Then she closed her eyes for a moment and made the sign of the Horns.
    Go in peace to the Summerlands, Shelly Hiver,
she prayed sadly.
    Everyone died, but it was a shame to do it so young, and for such a reason.
    Make your peace with the Guardians, and rest in the land where no evil comes and all hurts are healed. Be you reborn through the Cauldron of Her who is Mother-of-All, by whatever name you call on Her.
    Terwen sat down facing them, straddling one of the chairs and resting his arms on the back.
    â€œThat was quick thinking, Your Highness,” he said. “I won’t say you saved your friend here from the noose, but you certainly saved a lot of unpleasantness all round. You’ll both have to stay in the city until we’ve taken your statements, but assuming the prints match it’ll all be over in a couple of days as far as you’re concerned. Josh Burgen has been in trouble before, so we’ve got his on file. I suspect