David Baldacci - The Finisher

“You are not taking me anywhere, you git. I’ve had quite enough —”

Krone held up the book of the Quag that Quentin Herms had authored.

His smile was as triumphant as it was cruel.

I made the mistake of glancing at the floorboard where I had hidden it.

“This was taken from your digs earlier this night during the meeting at the village square,” said Krone. I winced at the utter glee in his voice. That explained why he was not at the meeting. He had been here, searching.

Krone continued. “It appears to be a book on the Quag. An illegal thing if ever there was one. Was it the Outliers that gave it to you, Vega? Does it show the routes they will use to attack us? How much are they paying you for your treachery? Or have they simply taken over your puny mind?”

I looked at each of them, my heart pumping so fast I had to steady myself by holding on to the wall. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m not a traitor. And I’m not working with any Outliers.”

Krone drew closer and pointed his short-barreled morta at my head. With his free hand he held the book close to my face. “Then explain this book. Where did you come by it?”

“I found it.”

“You found it!” exclaimed Krone. “Then why did you not report it to Council?”

“I … I was going to,” I said lamely.

“You lie,” he snapped, his features twisted into an ugly ball of fury.

He looked at Digby and Non. “Take her.”

They came forward and seized me by the arms. Harry Two started to attack them, but I ordered him back. Dodgson had taken aim at my canine’s chest and I was terrified he would shoot him.

“Don’t,” I screamed. “He won’t try and harm you. I’ll come with you. I won’t fight. Harry Two, you stay here. You stay!”

I was hustled out of my home and down the Low Road. All the noise must have woken up the village, because many Wugs in their nightclothes were out on the cobblestones as we reached the High Street, the buildings behind them ablaze with candle and lantern light.

We reached Valhall. Nida had evidently been forewarned and placed back on duty, because he had the cage door open. The shuck stood next to him, its ferocious eyes on me, its nostrils quivering as though it was taking in my scent in case it had to run me down and kill me later.

I was thrown inside the cage, and the huge door slammed shut behind me. Nida securely locked it.

Krone stared at me through the bars. “Formal charges will be brought against you this light. And those charges will be proved. And the penalty for treason of course is beheading.”

I looked at him in disbelief. Beheading?

As he turned away to speak to Nida, my mind raced. It was stupid for me to have kept the book, but it did not detail attack plans against Wormwood. It was information about creatures that existed in the Quag. My spirits sank as I thought about this. How could I explain having such a book without revealing that I had taken it from Quentin’s cottage? And how could I explain him even having such a book? I glanced down at my arm. I thanked Steeples that I had fallen into an exhausted sleep this night and not bothered to take off my clothes. If they had seen the marks of the Quag map on my body, they would probably tear me limb from limb here and now. I pulled my sleeve down farther and made sure my trousers were securely fastened and my shirt tucked in them.

Krone turned back to me. “You can spend the rest of this night thinking of your sins. And the punishment to come.” He drew closer so that his mouth nearly touched the bars.

“And not even Madame Morrigone can get you out of this, Vega.”

He cackled, turned and left.

I yelled at him and reached through the bars in a futile attempt to hit him. Then I jerked my hand back as the shuck snapped at me with his teeth. I came within an inch of losing my fingers.

Nida’s club hit the bars with a powerful whack. He roared, “Never reach through the bars, female. I will not tell you this again.”

I crawled to the center of the cage and sat there, dazed by what had happened. I was hoping this was simply a nightmare from which I would soon wake. But as the darkness deepened and I lay there shivering in the chill, I had to accept that this was real.

For a time, I watched Nida and the shuck patrol up and down the cobblestones. Then Nida went into his little shack, and the shuck became the sole sentry. If I moved even a muscle, it would stop its pacing, turn and make such a menacing growl that my arm and neck hairs rose heavenward.

I cried a bit because I could not help myself. Then I grew angry, thinking of how many ways I would tear Krone apart. Then I thought of what my defense to the charges might be. Then real depression set in, because I could think of no plausible explanation, not even a lie that I could carry off.

I didn’t have my tuck with me so trying to pick the lock was not possible. Even if I had, the shuck would just bite me in half. I lay down on the dirt floor and ran my fingers along the ground. Prisoners before me had left their marks here in the form of holes and burrows in the dirt. I could understand that. One would want to dig into the dirt just to hide from the shame of being here.

I fell asleep three times but awoke with a start each time, either because Nida, who returned periodically to his patrol, slammed his club against the bars, or else the shuck howled at something. I wondered if this was how things usually were — the guards instructed to never allow a prisoner a sound night’s sleep.

I watched the black of night turn to gray and then deepening red and then brilliant gold as the sun began its climb into the sky. I was dreading the light, for obvious reasons. Thankfully, I fell asleep again, which allowed my exhausted mind and body a bit of a reprieve. When I awoke, the sun had brightened Wormwood. I stared at the blue sky and calculated it was nearing the second section of light. My belly grumbled and I wondered if food was served here. I would not be going to Stacks this light. I hoped someone had told Domitar. I supposed this meant I was going to be sacked from my job.

And then I recalled Krone’s words.

My punishment could be death. And here I was worried about not having gainful employment or food in my belly.

I blinked heavily as I saw him near the cage.

It was Delph, and he had Harry Two with him. The shuck instantly started to growl. Nida came forward and stared up at Delph.

“You will move along, male,” said Nida. “And the canine too.”

“I want to talk to Vega Jane,” said Delph forcefully.

“You cannae talk to a prisoner. Now move along.” Nida slapped the club against the palm of his hand.

“I saved your life once, Nida. And you will not grant me this?” said Delph sternly.

Nida stared up at Delph. I could see the conflicting thoughts racing across his small, brutish features.

“You have five slivers, no more. And our debt will be settled.”

Nida stepped aside and whistled at the shuck, which stopped growling and drew next to his master as Delph and Harry Two passed by to the cage door.

I flung myself against the bars. “Delph, you have to help me.”

“What be the charges against you, Vega Jane, rubbish though they must be?”

I couldn’t look at him as I said in a low voice, “They found the book on the Quag.”

He sucked in a breath and looked nervously over at Nida.

I said, “Krone is saying I’m a traitor. That the book is a way to help the Outliers attack us.”

“Bollocks.”

“I know, Delph. But Krone said I could be put to death for this.”

He paled, though I’m sure he wasn’t any paler than I was. If it was possible, I was more scared than I had been with the jabbits. I knew Krone would take great pleasure in wielding the ax on me himself.