"So, how long have you two been together?" Allaysia smiled at Mayr. "Who chased who?"
"Ally," Tash warned, squeezing one arm around her neck, playfully choking her. "Not in front of our parents. Have I taught you nothing?"
Allaysia laughed and tugged on his hair. "It's the other way around, little brother." She craned her neck to look at up him and stuck out her tongue. "Besides, I've got a lot of time to catch up on. Perhaps you'd like to discuss the size of your—"
"Ally!" Placing a hard kiss to her head, Tash interrupted her. "You start along that path and we might just end up discussing your secret trysts with a certain boy when you were fifteen. Perhaps how he used to—"
Allaysia threw up her hands. "All right! I give! Mother, make him stop."
"Children," Parase said between laughs, winking at Mayr. "You don't seem terribly concerned. I take it your family is this raucous?"
Mayr stifled his laughter. "Worse, actually."
"I can attest to that." Tash offered him a tender smile. "There are more of them, with three of them still yet to come into their own. Your family makes Ally look normal."
"Hey, I resent that." Allaysia flicked Tash's chin. "When we get home, I'm going to start telling all of your embarrassing stories and—"
Bells cut off the rest of Allaysia's threats. Loud and piercing, the noise resonated around the square, spreading the solemn song of judgment.
Kilienn was first on his feet. "Up, up." He helped Parase to her feet. "We can't be lazing about when they get here." Allaysia took his hands and allowed him to help her up. "And whatever they say…" After steadying Tash as he stood, Kilienn wrapped his hands around the back of Tash's neck and held him close. "Whatever they say, we're with you always. Always, Halataldris." Lips pressed to Tash's forehead, he continued. "I can't ever condone what you did, but I love you all the same. I believe in forgiveness. I believe the Goddesses will find you worthy. Blessed be the Four in giving you to us. Never forget it."
Tash nodded, silent as he grasped his father's wrists and kept him close.
"Now prepare yourself." Kilienn eased him back. "The Goddesses are well-versed and gracious in the art of forgiveness, but sometimes we mortals forget what that is. There are a hundred ways this could go, but you already know that," he said, glancing at Mayr. "Let's hope the law does right by Navara today."
Footsteps and voices grew loud in one of the alleys. Galosa turned a corner and entered the square, followed by a procession of stern-faced villagers.
"I love you." Parase hugged Tash. "They won't change that." She watched Galosa warily. "Allaysia, say your goodbyes."
Allaysia threw herself into Tash's arms. "You'll always be my favourite brother," she said, kissing his cheek. At her mother's insistence, she backed away to give plenty of space for Galosa's approach.
Galosa stopped in front of Tash before stepping onto the dais and pulling Tash up with him. Eight armed soldiers stood behind him, dressed in bright green cloaks and dark leather armour etched with the green shield and gold bearcats of the High Council. The villagers assembled in a dense crowd.
Mayr squeezed Tash's hand and backed away several steps, his focus on the soldiers. Where had they been hiding? While it was customary for every village to be home to soldiers—sometimes dozens—they made him uncomfortable. If Tash were being pardoned, there would be no need for them except to keep peace in the crowd. But they stood behind Tash, not around the people.
They were there for a different duty.
"We have come to an agreement," Galosa announced, his hands raised. "A majority vote has been cast and so shall it be. Justice will be done for our people." He turned and nodded.
The soldiers moved quickly, a blur of green lost to noise and grunts as they rushed around Tash and dragged him back. Tash struggled in the grasp of two soldiers, staggering and scraping his heels through the dirt as they hauled him to the flag post. A long rope appeared from one set of hands. The ends were tossed to another set of hands.
Gripping the hilt of his sword, Mayr started toward Tash, growling low. When one soldier whirled around and swiped at him with a drawn blade, Mayr stopped cold, returning the soldier's glare. They were soldiers of Kattal; law enforcers of the republic. Mayr enforced only the region's laws. Given the nature of Tash's crimes, the judgment passed by the village fell under the laws of Kattal, not Gailarin. By decree, he was only permitted to watch the soldiers tie Tash to the pole.
He ached and burned, yearning to save Tash from what was to come. Maybe the judgment would prove fair. Maybe the villagers would prove merciful.
His doubts screamed for him to intervene; to not stand idly by. The villagers could not be trusted. They were mortals, slaves to hunger and fear. They would take everything and leave nothing.
Galosa accepted a rolled parchment from a woman in black robes, her ink-stained fingers indicative of a village scribe. As he read from the parchment, Galosa's loud voice filled the square. "On this day, we the people officially declare Halataldris, son of citizens Parase and Kilienn, to be guilty of the following: theft, possession of stolen goods, selling of stolen goods, trafficking, battery, assault, assault resulting in death, and active accessory to murder in the plural, total number unknown. These crimes are as confessed and acknowledged by the accused, offered freely, without persuasion or force. The admission received publicly bears enough weight to justify the judgment, derived by a majority vote. The crimes in question have also been verified by witnesses, including one Ress, a former acquaintance of the accused. The people have heard sufficient debate and stand at the ready for the judgment."
Mayr held his breath and stole a glimpse of Tash bound with his arms behind his back. Please let it be merciful. Please give in to love, not your hate. Mercy, please—
Galosa's face tightened with the hint of a smirk. "It is decided that, in the name of Navara, the punishment to be served by the accused is stoning."
No. No! Mayr's heart hammered to a stop. His chest ached, demanding blood that seemed to have stilled.
Parase's wails filled the silence as she fell to her knees. Kilienn scrambled to console her.
Only Allaysia rushed forward. "Stay of judgment!" she shouted, threatening to punch Galosa. A soldier grabbed her around the waist and pulled her back. "This was unfair; one-sided! Give him a trial! Take it to the Council!" Fists beating the soldier's hands, she kicked his ankles and twisted to get free.
The crowd heckled and shouted for the punishment.
Galosa cleared his throat and continued. "The punishment shall be served as such: each individual who feels aggrieved will have the opportunity to throw up to four stones. So it will be until each aggrieved individual has had their turn," he glanced at Tash, "or the accused dies. Once the punishment is served, the accused will be released to their next of kin."
Parase screamed. Her agony reverberated through Mayr's thoughts, piercing emotions as it raced through his insides, setting a fire under his skin. His lungs felt heavy, sinking into themselves without air to fill them. The soldiers moved sluggishly toward the crowd as if time itself crawled. The roar of the crowd dulled as his mind blocked out the cries for death.
I'll lose him. Goddesses, I'll lose him. I can't. I just—I—
Memories of his mother's accident berated him, piling emotional debris onto his shattered hope. He was a boy then, unable to do anything. He had turned around too late. He had frozen, unable to understand what had happened.
But he was no longer a child. He was a soldier, trained and at the ready. This time, he could do something before the damage was done.
This time, he would.
"Don't. You. Dare!" Mayr roared, stalking forward to stomp onto the dais and purposely knock Galosa off balance. "No one—not a single one of you—is going to throw anything at this man."
Soldiers approached him, swords brandished. He drew his sword and clutched it in his right hand, ready to take on anyone foolish enough to confront him. Cautious, he surveyed the villagers.
Several carried grey and red stones in their hands. All it would take was one shot to the right location to kill Tash. From what he could see, there were more than two dozen men capable enough—and angry enough—to throw that one shot. The stones did not appear small, either. A few were as large as his fist.
"Mayr!" Tash shouted. "This is supposed to happen. Stop interfering! You promised you wouldn't."
Mayr glanced behind him, meeting Tash's glower. "I lied."
Feet shuffled as the soldiers formed a line between Mayr and the villagers. One of the soldiers jerked Galosa from the dais and pushed him to the side, one hand on his chest to keep him back.
"I am Head Guard for your Tract Steward," Mayr announced, his grip tightening. "I serve Aeley Dahe, and I will not stand for this."
The villagers yelled back, their protests a cacophony of words he could not decipher.
A sharp whistle silenced them. Galosa pushed past his guard, his face deep red as he trembled with rage. "Guard, you are out of your jurisdiction!" He jabbed a finger toward Mayr. "It is in our right to punish him, and in this manner. It is not prohibited by the High Council. No pardon has been issued in his name. His name has never been listed in the Council's letters of exoneration or the Justice Assembly's announcements. There is no ground upon which you may interfere, so back off!" Hissing, he sliced his hand through the air. "If you keep it up, we are going to contact Steward Dahe and Councilman Severn and Councilman Cota. We will petition them to arrest you and request you be replaced, stripped of rank, and forbidden from any similar position. Think carefully. In no way will it save Taldris from his punishment."
Mayr snorted. "Threatening me won't work. You can forget that." If his life were different, maybe the loss of his rank would have been more important. He loved Aeley, but he could not—would not—lose Tash like this. "Look at yourselves! Look at what you're about to do." He turned to the crowd. "How is this any better than anything he's ever done? Throw those stones and you'll be committing assault. You'll be committing murder. Is that how you want to be remembered by the Goddesses? Is that how you wish Them to see you? As killers?"
With his free hand, Mayr gestured at Tash. "He's paid a price for his crimes. Ten years worth, with decades to come. His guilt pelts him worse than your stones ever could. Each day is a death, knowing that he lives while others don't. But he's making amends—I've witnessed them. So have the priests in more than one temple and the people he serves every day." He motioned to the villagers' hands. "Killing him won't bring the dead back. It won't make you feel better. You'll always feel this way. I know. I've been there, foolish enough to believe revenge would help, but it never did. You know why? Because retribution and revenge aren't justice. They wear the same pretty things and might speak nicely, but they're rotten to their core. They bring death, not order. Just cold—"
"Mayr. Mayr!" Tash barked. "Dammit, look at me!" As Mayr complied, Tash wriggled under the ropes. Not to get free, Mayr realized, but because he was angry enough to hit something. "Do. Not. Interfere! You are throwing this trial into utter chaos, and you need to stop. This is the test. This is the trial. If the Goddesses want me, I'll pull through. You need to step down and shut up. If you respect me at all, you will let it happen."
Tash's expression wounded Mayr more than his harsh words. Each shout, each command, was accompanied by agony.
Mayr slouched. He remembered holding Tash after the first two trials, sensing his pain and the unyielding desperation to fulfill his commitment to the Four. The Trials meant everything to Tash. Enough for him to give up everything and commit to a lonely life spent serving everyone else but himself. Tash honestly believed he needed to pass the Trials to prove his worth. He needed what waited for him on the other side. He would die to obtain it, whatever it really was.
Swallowing, Mayr studied the crowd and Galosa's pinched expression. He had two choices, neither of them acceptable. He could either abide by Tash's decision or save him from harm.
He looked to Tash. I'm sworn to protect others. Mayr looked back to the crowd. But I'm sworn to uphold justice. Tears blurred his vision. I'm caught between worlds. I hate this. I hate all of it. I hate myself. I can't slay them, and I can't take Tash against his will. It's a loss no matter what I choose. Either way, I lose him. I can't. I don't want to. A tear slipped down his cheek before he could stop it. The more he struggled to decide, his chest burned. Sharp pains squeezed his heart, piercing it deeper and deeper like a vine of thorns.
Focused on Tash, Mayr ignored the shouts of the villagers and Galosa's attempts to get his attention. As much as he wanted to save Tash, Tash would refuse his every attempt. Even if he managed to get Tash out of it, how long would it save his life? Not only would Tash be enraged at Mayr and avoid him, Tash would also find another way to succeed in his punishment.
And he would never tell Mayr.
He's smart. I can't guard him every moment of every day. He'd find a way to go through with it and get himself killed. Goddesses, if You're real, if You care, grant me another option. Something. Anything. Even something that's right up the middle of dead and gone.
Mayr snapped his glance toward the soldiers' armour and stared at the shield positioned between the bearcats. Middle ground. Suggest a compromise. Save him in a way that fits the purpose of the trial. Speak justice to serve justice. Call to the Four to serve the Four.
All those times of listening to his parents, the priests, and the old stories would finally be useful.
"Divinity Claim!" Mayr held up his hand. "I call Divinity Claim, just like Taleyra the Righteous did for the Thirteen Wayward Defenders. All but one of the Defenders survived because Navara found them worthy souls despite their terrible actions against the old cities. Only one was rotten to his core and paid the price. Twelve were forgiven and taken to form Navara's guard. They've never proven Her wrong." He sheathed his sword slowly. Please tell me I got that story right because this could go really, really badly. Maybe I should've paid a bit more attention.
There was no time to debate the legends. He had to act before Galosa lost all patience.
Mayr held up both hands. "So I officially invite the Four," he announced, "Emeraliss, Laytia, Hastal, and Her Most Divine Judge, Navara, to challenge the mortal measures here. The Divinity Claim must be considered once called or it's a miscarriage of the most supreme justice. We are caretakers of justice only. Navara is Justice embodied. Only She can grant a punishment that is true, pure, and devoid of mortal strife. If punishment is to be done in Her name, make it worthy."
When Galosa grunted and crossed his arms, Mayr shook his head. "No, hear me out, Galosa. I promise I won't stop the judgment, but I propose a different punishment. One that truly tests how much he deserves to live or die." Mayr took a breath. "Keep him tied there for a couple days." The crowd murmured and snickered. "No, wait, just listen. The nights are getting colder. The days are still hot. Leave him to the elements and allow them to decide his fate. The Goddesses can control the elements. If he's to die, the Four will snatch him in death. If Navara finds him worthy of divine mercy, he'll live."
I hope. Mayr peered over his shoulder to Tash. He could withstand it, Mayr was certain. After the Shar-denn, the attack on the road, and the second trial, Tash could handle almost anything.
Clearing his throat, Mayr returned his attention to Galosa. "It's a just punishment, more so than stoning. It doesn't take a Goddess to land a stone where it can kill him. Any of you could aim well enough to land the killing blow with only one stone, let alone four. In fact, all of you could, even your children. I was taught to throw as a boy. Accuracy was drummed into me until I could hit perfectly every time. By the time I was twelve, I could kill a man with one throw. Repeatedly." He pulled his knife and held it up. "No different than throwing this."
Mayr sheathed the knife. "But withstanding exposure isn't easy. Even the most skilled man or the best-trained warrior can be killed by the elements. It's a matter of luck and fate, not just skill. If you want justice, allow
the Four to pass judgment. Take up the Divinity Claim and give him to Navara. Your people can keep the blood off their hands and meet the Four with their spirits unsoiled. Give them peaceful final days before their spirits are reborn, fresh and clean without the stench of murder." In hopes submissiveness played in his favour, he hung his head. "The Four are central to everything. They gifted us with breath, choice, and the ability to safeguard justice. If we are to keep these gifts, we must strive to keep them pure, as close to divine as possible. We must do as They would. Don't forget who you serve, Magistrate, and who the Council must serve above all others."
Something appeared to have piqued Galosa's interest. He tapped his lips with his fingers, his pensive gaze on Mayr. "I assume that if we agree, you will no longer plague us with your insolence?"
"If you agree, I swear upon my oath to Gailarin, Aeley Dahe, and her departed father, Korre, who I regarded as a second father, that I'll stand aside and allow punishment to be served." Mayr glimpsed Tash and swallowed back the tears threatening to well in his eyes. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Please don't hate me.
Galosa lifted his chin. "I will call another meeting to discuss the Divinity Claim. We will also fetch four priestesses from the nearby Temple and consult with them, as the Claim dictates. If the people agree, we will keep him here for three days—"
"Two." Mayr ignored Tash's glare.
"Three. That's the final suggestion." Galosa's eyes narrowed. "Or we'll go back to stoning."
Mayr nodded. "Three. Thank you, Magistrate. I have no doubt Navara will find your gracious understanding worthy of many blessings."
With a snort, Galosa turned and gestured for the crowd to follow. As the square emptied, Mayr dared to approach Tash. A soldier stepped between Mayr and Tash.
"Keep your distance," the soldier warned, "and keep your weapons to yourself."
"Get yourself under control while you're at it," Tash added angrily, eyeing Mayr. "Quit ruining this or we're never talking again."
Four Page 18
