by VM Sapone
Captain Torvik of the Mirinol’s City Guard stepped into the Main Hall of Hilfords. “Quiet around here,” he said, to no one in particular.
The Captain’s broad frame strode into the cavernous Hall. Torvik was a thick man with a strong jaw and blue-grey eyes. He wore the Guards’ Greys—a uniform of grey breeches, waistcoat and a matching flat cap.
The Main Hall of Hilfords sat long and open all the way up to the trusses. Catwalks ran along the walls above where the second and third floor corridors ended, looking down into the Hall. Rugs from Skazia and Velgria dotted the wood floor from font to back, full of whirling patterns of vines and flowers. The stone walls were covered with tapestries and paintings, hanging between tall, narrow windows.
Van stepped out of the corridor from Murdoc Hall, way down on the left. “Captain Torvik, we’re down here.”
The Captain strode through to meet Van. Together, they walked a short distance in the lavishly decorated corridor to Master Birchill’s office. The door was open. Inside sat old Master Martin Birchill, behind his desk, beneath two tall windows. In one chair Ezren sat waiting. In the other, Master Benbury sat tapping his fingers on the arm of his chair.
Birchill looked up as his office became crowded. The old man had whitish-grey hair and a few teeth. He was a handsome old fella, wearing his brown Master’s robe. Benbury, on the other hand, was a bit younger, with a bald head and a stern expression.
Ezren stood up and gave Torvik the chair. He and Van stood in the center of the small, rectangular room, waiting.
“What’s this all about?” Torvik’s voice boomed in the small space. The Captain was always straight to the point.
“We found a girl,” Van started. “Came out of the forest this morning. Said someone nabbed her by Overhill.”
“Nabbed her?”
Ezren explained. “She said a carriage, a black carriage, with at least four men, grabbed her after sunset. They pulled off the road somewhere near Mirinol to hide out for the night. In the dark, she escaped and ran here.” He wanted to get it all out there, quickly. Ezren knew the Captain had little patience.
The Captain rubbed his face with one hand and leaned back in his chair. “We’ve seen these black carriages,” he said. “I know there are a lot of black cabs and carriages in the city, but this one is full of little doors and compartments with a big trunk on the back. There are no markings or arms on the doors. Suspicious thing. And we’ve connected it with an ongoing case on the east side.”
Benbury perked up. “Another case?” He thumbed the tip of his long, sharp nose out of habit.
“It’s an odd one, but nothing new. We’ve seen this before, in the past ten years. Opium den. We think the girls inside have been abducted and forced to work in the house. We can’t get inside because they know the face of every guard. They’ve got flintlocks and muskets in there.”
Aldros Benbury leaned back in his chair, touching the fingers of both hands together. He was thinking. “We need the girl to describe the carriage,” he said. “See if these events are connected.”
Birchill cleared his throat. “Has anyone sent word to the girl’s family?”
“Van did,” said Ezren. “She’s from Overhill.”
Aldros Benbury turned to his grandson. “Did you send a message to your uncle, as well?”
Van nodded. “Done.”
“I think Captain Torvik can rely on your cooperation until this is all sorted out,” Benbury said. He pushed himself out of the chair. “I have preparations to make for summer. You two,” he said, pointing at Ezren and Van. “I’m confident you’ll sort this out with the Captain. Torvik, good luck.” With that, he was gone, stepping out and disappearing through the corridor.
Ezren and Van shared a look. Ezren thought it beyond strange that Aldros would walk out so soon. Van’s face showed that he was surprised, as well. Why leave them to deal with this? They were no experts on anything of the sort.
Birchill’s eyebrows shot up. “Well,” he said. “Where’s this young lady?”
“Over in Greyelm, with Danfy,” Van explained. “She’s napping in the library.”
Torvik rolled his eyes.
“We can take you over to meet her,” Ezren said, moving toward the doorway.
The Captain stood up and nodded to Birchill. “I’ll keep you abreast.”
Birchill nodded back.
Ezren and Van led Torvik through the corridors, across the Main Hall, through Tegret and Telroc Halls, and out onto campus. The day was getting on. Late afternoon sun shined down at an angle through fluffy white clouds. Down the stone path, they walked, passed the hedges and trees, turning left toward Greyelm. The brick house stood tall and lonely next to the gnarled elm trees.
“Danfy better behave himself,” Torvik mumbled.
Ezren fought the urge to chuckle.
“Girl’s name is Gerdie,” Van said, changing the subject. “She’s young, maybe sixteen. She’s been through something frightening, so she’s a bit shaken.”
Torvik followed the scholars up the short, stone steps to the front door. “I’ll keep that in mind,” he grumbled.
Van pushed the door in and they entered. The Captain followed Ezren and Van down the long corridor to the library.
Mage Danfy sat alone in a big leather chair, feet pulled up underneath him, black robe draped around him. He placed a small book on the table next to him and grabbed for the teacup. “Boys,” he said. “Captain. Want some tea?” He jingled a tiny bell on the side table. “Have a seat.”
The Captain dropped down into an armchair. His flat, wide face wore a scowl. Torvik’s grey-blue eyes scanned the room. “Where is she?”
“Napping,” Danfy said, quickly. “Upstairs. She’s been out for hours. I can have Gordon wake her.”
Torvik nodded.
“What’s this other case about?” Ezren asked, sitting down next to Torvik. “The one that involves the black carriage.”
Taking off his grey flat cap and dropping it in his lap, Torvik sighed. His broad shoulders slacked as he rolled his head around, stretching his neck. “A house, selling opium and other things. Been investigating for at least two months. It’s bad news. Almost every other case we follow leads back to that house.”
“What’s stopping you from shutting it down?”
Torvik leaned his head back against the top of the chair. “No hard evidence. We can’t get inside. Tried several ways. They’re heavily armed: rapiers, flintlocks, muskets.”
Gordon came into the room with a tray of tea things and placed it on the table between the chairs. The tall, bald-headed man, who was dressed impeccably, nodded once to Danfy. “Anything else?”
“Could you wake the girl, Gordon? Send her down, please.”
Gordon nodded again and turned to exit the room.
Van waited for Gordon to move out of earshot. “What about the militia?”
Torvik shook his head. “That’d mean asking for help from the royals. They’d want to know how I let an opium den pop up in the city and take hold. No thanks,” the Captain said. “Need someone to go in and work from the inside. Someone they won’t recognize as a Guard.” Torvik’s eyes jumped back and forth between Ezren and Van.
“No,” said Van, shaking his head.
Torvik sat back, again. He looked like he was trying to be calm so he wouldn’t scare Van off. “You two found that kid from the meat-packing district back in the winter, didn’t you?”
Ezren nodded. “Yep.” He was proud of that one.
“And the thing with the chickens?”
“Never figured that one out,” said Ezren, sipping his tea.
Torvik was thinking. Ezren could see it on his face.
A creak in the hallway floorboards signaled Gerdie’s arrival. The girl stepped into the library wearing a new dress. It was pale yellow with white trim. She looked much better.
Danfy sprang up and slid another chair into the circle, dusting it off with his hand.
Ge
rdie walked over, chewing a fingernail, and sat down near Van.
“This is Captain Torvik,” Van explained. “He’s with the City Guard.”
Torvik slid to the edge of his seat. “Gerdie, I need to ask you some questions about what happened the other night. Can you remember anything about the carriage?”
Gerdie fidgeted with a bow on the neckline of her dress. “It was dark,” she said. “The carriage was black. Four wheels, two horses,” she added, her eyes stayed fixed on the table.
Danfy moved to pour her a cup of tea.
“Were there any markings on the doors?” Torvik asked, putting on his best friendly face.
Gerdie shook her head. “Didn’t see any. Lots of little cabinets with locks. Big trunk strapped to the back. Saw that when I walked up. Thought they’d lock me in there, later.”
Torvik nodded. “Good,” he said. “I mean, it’s good that you remember. I’m glad you didn’t get locked in a trunk. Do you remember anything about the men?”
Danfy, Van and Ezren sat silently and listened.
Gerdie looked up at the Captain. “The ones I saw looked foreign.”
“Dark complexion?”
“Not as dark as Velgrians,” Gerdie said. “Lighter. Round faces. Like Skazian, but not the same.”
Torvik sat back and looked at Ezren.
“I’m not Skazian. My mother’s from Ernoch,” he said, defensively.
The Captain chuckled, shaking his head. “Fits the other descriptions,” he said. “We have to find that carriage before it gets to the city.”
Gerdie stood up, staring at the Captain. “I can show you,” she said. “Don’t know if it’s still there, but I can take you where I last saw it.”
Things Left Behind
