Warlords Rising (30 page)

“They were sent north,” she explained.

Ah, so not dead. Well, possibly not dead. Trev’nor really
hoped for not dead. “I promise to look for them as I go. But for now, kiddo, I
think our best option is to send you to your cousin Garth.”

Now she finally looked uncertain, peeking up at him through
her lashes. “I can’t stay with you?”

“I’m going to have to do a lot of fighting to look for your
parents, and free all of the other magicians,” he explained. “Besides, don’t
you want to go learn how your magic works? Meet all of your other family? Play
with your cousins?”

Being a child, one limited to understanding how the outside
world worked, she could only imagine what he meant by this. “Maybe.”

“There’s flying cats there, you know,” he informed her,
trying to connect this idea with a little girl’s sense of wonder. “And talking
horses. You’ll live in a huge castle, bigger than this one is, and be
surrounded by magic.”

While this intrigued her, she wasn’t sold on the idea. “Will
you go with me?”

“That’s the part we have to figure out.” Trev’nor really
didn’t want to go to Strae just now, partially because he would have to face
the music, but also because it would take a lot of time. More time than he
really had to spare. What he’d likely have to do was send her via dragon to
Q’atal and have them notify Garth. Or drop her off in Q’atal himself and have
them notify Garth. Either way, Q’atal seemed the best option for a drop-off
point.

Even though the logistics of this whole thing made his head
hurt, Trev’nor was still very, very glad to have found her. He sent a prayer up
to the heavens that he’d be able to find her parents too. But all of this would
have to wait.

They had a warlord to deal with first.

Becca put the mirror broach back in her pocket. While she
would dearly love to go meet the people that Trev’nor had found, she couldn’t
afford to move from this spot. They had divided up tasks before the trials
started. Azin and Nolan were in charge of defending the castle, Ehsan preparing
to deal with the influx of magicians that would come in, the militia were
dragging out officials from their offices and riding herd on the trials.
Commander Danyal, the Rikkan and Rikkana, and of course Rikkshaya Jasmina conducted
the trials.

While they were the ones making the accusations, citing
laws, and judging, it didn’t mean that they could proceed without any
oversight. Nolan had been firm on that when they were planning yesterday.
Someone, either Becca or Trev’nor, needed to at least stay and observe. As the
future rulers of Khobunter, as the new rulers of Trexler, one of them had to
sit in judgment over the last warlord.

Becca had a young sergeant by the name of Amir at her elbow,
translating for her, as the Khobuntish flew fast and thick. The citizens of
Trexler filled the courtyard, watching as the accused were brought up one by
one in front of the judgement table, their names and crimes rattled off, and
then they had one chance to defend themselves. Just one. After that, anyone in
the courtyard could speak against them, and if there was evidence at hand, that
was presented.

One could argue about the fairness of the trials, but
usually the evidence was so overwhelming of their guilt that even the men
accused had a difficult time coming up with a defense. Becca stood three feet
behind the table, lending silent support and power to the proceedings but not
interfering. She didn’t understand enough about Khobuntian law to intervene,
and honestly understood only one word in three anyway. If not for Sergeant
Amir, she’d be lost completely.

Tilting her head, she whispered to him, “I count ten
officers, three ministers, and four retainers sentenced.”

“That’s correct, Raya.”

“Is that the full inner circle for a warlord?”

“Nearly, Raya. But there’s three more to be sentenced.”

Commander Danyal was clearing out the entire inner circle,
eh? “Sergeant, how does Commander Danyal know exactly who to judge? And what
they’re guilty of?”

“Commander was stationed here from the beginning of his
service, Raya, up until seven years ago. He was here for nearly fifteen years
before they transferred him to Tiergan.”

Something about the way he said that made a bell go off in
her head. “He was transferred to Tiergan as a punishment. Wasn’t he.”

Amir gave her a confirming look. “Yes, he was. He won’t tell
anyone what for, but when he came, Captain Hadi came with him, and the captain
said the commander authorized a release of prisoners when he wasn’t supposed
to.”

She didn’t need to ask any further questions. Becca had an
idea of what had happened. Trexler had ordered his army to overtake either a
town or watchtower, they had succeeded, the local people taken as prisoners as
usual. Only Danyal hadn’t turned them into slaves but instead let them go. “I
knew I liked the man for a reason.”

Warlord Trexler—soon to be known as ex-Warlord Trexler—stood
from his chair, wrestling with the guards on either side of him, and bellowed
like an enraged bull. What, Becca couldn’t decipher, as his voice was too thick
with rage and slurred his words enough she couldn’t make it out. Didn’t care
to, either. This was the twelfth time he had done this, and she was getting
tired of the repetition.

Amir started forward, ready to lend a hand, but she stayed
him with one hand. “Sergeant, step back four feet.”

Confused, but too trained to not obey a direct order, Amir
promptly moved back four feet. Becca snapped out her weapon’s shield to the
max, knowing that it was visible to the non-magical eye. Hers was a little
different than most mage’s, as lightning arced along the edges, sparking and
vibrating. It was like a light show at high noon, power pulsating in visible
waves.

The courtyard went still, shocked and unnerved by the show
of power. Becca ignored them all, her eyes locked on the warlord’s who stared
at her in muted horror. He looked pale under his tan, body shrinking into the
guard’s hands. With open menace, she commanded, “Be. Still.”

Trexler dropped into his chair, eyes nervously on hers, like
a rabbit keeping track of a wolf nearby.

The man couldn’t stay cowed for long, but Becca hoped this
would hold him at least until his own trial. She let her shield drop and said
to her judges, “Apologies. Continue.”

It took a few minutes, some nervous clearing of throats, and
more than one look in her direction before the trial picked back up. Amir
hesitantly came back to stand at her side again and she rewarded him with a
quick smile. “My weapons shield can hurt someone if they come into contact with
it,” she explained calmly. “That’s why I had you step back.”

“I understand, Raya.” The expression on his face said he not
only noted that for future reference but would pass the word along to everyone
else as soon as he could.

Nothing interrupted the rest of the trial for the Minister
of Trade, who was more than guilty of human trafficking, and he was sentenced
to execution. Becca had not asked Danyal what execution meant in this country.
Part of her didn’t want to know. She didn’t think it would be something cruel,
though, not with Danyal in charge of it. For now, that was enough.

From her pocket, there was a buzz of noise and she lifted it
to her mouth to say quietly, “What is it?”

“
Becca,
” Azin said clearly, “
a situation has
developed out here. Nolan and the dragons are dealing with the guards as
carefully as they can, and we’ve announced to about half the city that we’re
holding trials against the warlord and his officers, but we’re not getting the
reaction we expected.”

Anger? Fear? Panic? That was what Becca was expecting. “What
reaction?”

“Some people are demanding to be let into the trials.
They want to add to the charges. They’re also wanting to know who exactly is
being tried.”

Just how badly had Trexler managed his people that they
would so readily rise up against him? “I’ll have a full list of people and their
convicted crimes made up and posted outside the gates. Tell the citizens they
can come check for themselves.”

Amir acted as if she had just given him an order, as he
saluted her and then took off to the far side, where three soldiers were
frantically making a transcript of the trials.

“
That will help, thanks.”

“Are they really that ready to throw their leaders under the
cart?”

“
As bad as it was in Rurick and Tiergan, I think it was
even worse here. They abused their authority pretty badly. All we had to say
was that we were releasing the slaves and the army to go home and we
automatically had people swearing allegiance.”

Becca rubbed at both eyes and suppressed the urge to find a
hard surface and bang her head against it a few times. She might not really
know how to govern a land, and it would certainly take her time to get the hang
of it, but she could never be as bad as the men she was replacing. It took
effort to be that hated. “So, no problems?”

“A few,
” Azin admitted, “
mostly from corrupt
officials or men with a strong enough sense of patriotism to think that they
have to fight back. But we’re subduing them quickly. Most people are so scared
of the dragons that they don’t even want to move or breathe loudly.”

“Trev’nor is almost back. Do I need to send him out again to
help you?”

“We have a lot of slave pens to empty. We could use the
extra hands.”

“Then I’ll send him out. Which part of the city are you in
now?”

“
Ah, almost near East Gate. Nolan is at North Gate.”

“I’ll send him either west or south.” She dropped that
connection and called up Ehsan. “Ehsan.”

“
Here.”

“Trev’nor is coming with sixty-two people. Get down here, I
need your help with them.”

“Coming.”

Not a man of many words, their Water Mage. The thought made
her smile fleetingly.

So, the people of this city hated their leaders and were
terrified of the dragons. No wonder the city had fallen with such little
resistance. It had struck Becca as strange, both Rurick and Tiergan had fought
back harder than this, but it now made more sense.

Amir came trotting back and snapped a salute. “Raya. A list
of the convicted with their crimes is being made now and will be posted
immediately. Updates will be tacked on as the trials continue.”

It felt strange to do so while not in uniform, but Becca
returned the salute with military precision. “My thanks, Sergeant.”

He didn’t smile but fell back into place at her side,
picking up his whispered translations of the proceedings. Still, Becca felt
like he was smiling on some internal level. These men liked having a leader
that saluted them, showed them respect, and valued them. They had never in the
course of their careers had such a leader. It was probably why they had so
quickly latched onto her.

Trev’nor and Ehsan arrived at practically the same time.
Ehsan was quick to step in and explain things to the ex-slaves, although
because he was on the opposite end of the courtyard, she couldn’t hear what he
was saying. Trev’nor handed a little girl over to him, who must be Parisa, and
then gestured for a second group to follow him toward the tables.

Knowing full well who they must be, Becca caught Amir’s eye
and gestured for him to take care of things. The sergeant immediately went into
motion and to Trev’nor, directing where the ex-slaves should sit.

Becca cocked a finger at Trev’nor, and he obeyed the silent
summons to stand at her side. “How are things going?”

“Speedily,” Becca decided after a moment. “Our Commander
Danyal knows exactly who’s guilty of what, and it’s not taking him long at all
to move the trials along.”

“I’m very, truly glad that man is on our side.”

“Amen to that. Do you have a triangle, by chance?”

“I do now. When the commander told me his plan, I searched
the guardhouse and found a few. I figured you’d need them for demonstration purposes.”

“You thought right.” Becca was glad he’d had that
forethought as she hadn’t until just now. It would have been hard to prove to
the people observing this trial who was magical and who wasn’t without a
triangle. She waggled her fingers at him and he promptly fished two out of a
pocket. “Thanks. Azin called earlier and said that they need help emptying out
slave pens. Go either west or south, they’ve got east and north covered.”

“Roger that.” With a slight skip, he commandeered a section
of courtyard paving stone to carry him up to the wall, and from there, Garth
readily picked him up and carried him off.

Becca smiled at seeing how in-tune the two had become. Her
Cat had refused to leave and help the other dragons, instead lingering in a
corner nearby. Becca hardly thought it was because she found human trials
fascinating. Her dragon’s concern was heart-warming and Becca fully appreciated
having someone watch her back while her attention was on other things.

The last minister’s trial ended with a sentencing of
execution. Danyal stood and half-turned to look at her. She could read his
expression and body language well enough to know what it meant. It was time to
judge a warlord.

Though he had planned this, even Danyal seemed to need a
moment to gather his courage. The audience in the courtyard held its collective
breath as they waited for the official announcement. After listening to these
words dozens of times over, even Becca understood him perfectly as he said, “I
call for the trial of Warlord Sanjar Trexler!”

Nervous tension went out like a tidal wave, the words having
a visible effect on the watchers. Becca held firm and unmovable, silently
lending support. Danyal apparently needed it as he gave her a surreptitious look
three different times as the warlord was manhandled to stand in front of the
table.

Sanjar Trexler was quite the sight. Dirty from marching in
the desert, lines of sweat visible on his dusty skin, clothes rumpled and
obviously slept in, the back of his hair mussed. He hardly looked like a man of
power. The rage in his face aged him another ten years and he leaned ominously
forward as he snarled between clenched teeth, “You do not have the authority to
try me!”

Becca held up a hand before Amir could translate anything.
“That I got.”

It was not Danyal, but instead Rikksha Jasmina that stood to
answer this challenge. “In the history of Khobunter, never has a law said that
a man is above it. All are equal before it.”

Amir whispered, “That too?”

“That too.” Her vocabulary was definite improving.