Peter Brett - The Daylight War

‘Sister,’ he commanded instead. ‘Tell me everything that happened.’

Hanya was still sobbing, but with soothing from Kajivah, she managed to draw strength enough to look up and meet her brother’s eyes. ‘I do not understand it myself, brother. Hasik has been vexed with me before, but he has never drunk couzi, or struck me. But these last few days, he changed. He began sneaking bottles into our chambers, drinking too much and weeping to himself when he thought he was alone. I tried to offer comfort as a wife should, but all my efforts were rebuffed. Then, last night as he slept, I decided to … surprise him.’ Her aura grew hot with shame.

Jardir regretted forcing her to recount the story in open court, but what was done was done. ‘What happened then?’

Hanya’s aura was bright with pain and confusion to match her shame. ‘His manhood … it was gone.’

‘Gone?’ Jardir asked.

‘Cut away,’ Hanya said. ‘There was only a scar in its place, and a tiny metal tube.’ Ashan and Shanjat’s auras told him they had already heard this news, but he could see the discomfort the topic gave them still. Everyone in the room shifted uncomfortably, Jardir included. Only Inevera and the Damaji’ting , used to eunuch servants, were unperturbed.

Hanya’s aura told him the rest, though he could easily have guessed it. ‘Hasik woke, saw that you had seen his shame, and struck you.’

Hanya nodded, and Jardir turned back to Hasik. ‘Show me.’

The humiliation in Hasik’s aura was a scream in the air, but he stood slumped, not resisting as one of the guards pulled down his pantaloons, revealing that he had indeed lost his manhood. Jardir nodded to the guard, and he undid the strap, pulling the bit from Hasik’s teeth.

‘What happened to you, Hasik?’ Jardir demanded.

Hasik did not respond right away, his eyes still on the floor. ‘I thought it might grow back.’

‘Eh?’ Jardir asked.

‘If I killed enough alagai ,’ Hasik said. ‘If I bathed in their magic, I thought it might grow back.’

Inevera nodded. ‘It does not work that way, Sharum . What is severed cannot be regrown. You only closed the wound.’ Hasik slumped again.

‘Who did this to you?’ Jardir asked. ‘You will still answer for striking my sister, but you are my brother-in-law and one of the Spears of the Deliverer. Any assault upon you is one upon me, as well.’

Hasik looked at him, but his shame and fear were overwhelming, and he did not speak.

‘The Deliverer asked you a question, dog!’ Ashan barked. Shanjat punched Hasik hard in the face, knocking him to the floor. Still, the giant Sharum was silent.

He would rather die than tell me , Jardir realized. Fortunately, for a Sharum there were worse fates than death.

‘Strip his blacks, and burn them,’ Jardir said. ‘Cut off the hand he struck my sister with and throw him out in tan. I will dissolve his marriage and he can live out his days a crippled khaffit , denied Heaven for all eternity.’

‘No, please!’ Hasik cried in anguish. ‘I have served you loyally! It was Abban! Abban the cursed khaffit !’ His aura said he was telling the truth, and upon hearing it, Jardir was not surprised that Hasik would have been ashamed to admit it.

Still, it presented him with a difficult problem. He looked to Shanjat. ‘Take a dozen men and find the khaffit . Bring him to me untouched. If there is so much as a hair out of place before I question him, it will be paid for ten thousandfold.’

Shanjat bowed, leaving quickly. Before long, he returned with Abban in tow. Hasik remained chained and noosed, but he had been allowed the dignity of his clothes once more. When Abban appeared, he recovered something of himself, seeming to slump as he prepared himself to spring. Jardir could see ghostly visions of him leaping at Abban as he planned the strike. If he could break free and kill the khaffit , the guards might slay him while he still wore his blacks.

Jardir looked to the men holding the alagai -catchers. These were Spears of the Deliverer, and no fools. They were prepared, pulling tight as Hasik sprang and choking him to the ground.

He turned back to regard Abban, probing deeply with his crownsight. The khaffit had already guessed the purpose of the summons, but his aura was calm. He was indeed guilty, but expected to talk his way out of this unscathed. Normally, Abban was skilled at masking his emotions, but here his arrogance was without end. He looked at Hasik flatly, but his aura was one of utter disdain and more than a little satisfaction.

‘Did you castrate Hasik?’ Jardir asked, wasting no time on pleasantries. His anger was only growing. He might be left with no choice but to kill his bodyguard and most favoured advisor both.

‘No, Deliverer,’ Abban said. It was truth, but not the whole truth.

‘Did you order your kha’Sharum to do it?’ he asked, losing patience.

Abban nodded. ‘Yes, Deliverer.’

The men in the room all began angry muttering, but Jardir thumped his spear, and they fell silent. Abban still stood there, calm.

‘I gave you those warriors to protect your business and facilitate trade, not to assault my warriors,’ Jardir said.

‘And so I have,’ Abban said. He turned to Hasik, lifting his crutch to point at the chained man. ‘That one, frustrated with your decree that I not be harmed, has been taking out his ire in my pavilion. You send him to me frequently as your errand boy, and without fail, he takes the opportunity to steal, or break precious merchandise for the pleasure of it.’

‘And for this, you sever his cock?!’ Jardir demanded.

Abban shook his head. ‘Trinkets and baubles are easily replaced, Deliverer. My daughter’s virginity is not. Nor the honour of my wives.’

‘The khaffit lies, Deliverer!’ Hasik shouted. ‘I never …!’

Jardir gave a curt gesture, and one of the guards tightened his noose, cutting off his words. ‘I am Shar’Dama Ka, Hasik, and can see your heart. The next lie that escapes your lips will cost you your life, your honour, and your place in Heaven.’

Hasik’s eyes widened, and his aura went cold.

‘Did you rape Abban’s daughter, Hasik?’ Jardir asked softly.

Hasik was weeping openly now. He did not have the strength to answer, but he nodded. Hanya began sobbing again. Kajivah pulled her daughter in close, catching the tears on her breast while she glared daggers at Hasik.

‘And his wives?’ Jardir asked. Again, a defeated nod.

‘Nevertheless, this cannot be allowed to stand, Deliverer,’ Ashan said. ‘If khaffit — even kha’Sharum — can kill dal , then all civilization crumbles.’

‘Your pardon, Damaji,’ Abban said, ‘but neither I nor my men have killed anyone.’ He gestured to Hasik. ‘As you can see, the Deliverer’s bodyguard is very much alive and able to continue his part in Sharak Ka.’

Jardir glared at him. ‘Why did you not come to me with this?’

Abban bowed as deeply as his crutch would allow. ‘The Shar’Dama Ka has more pressing matters than giving constant reprimands to overzealous Sharum and dama seeking to find loopholes to bully me without breaking your decree.’

Jardir did not miss the change in Shanjat’s and Ashan’s auras at those words. They, too, were guilty of the crime, if not so unsubtly as Hasik. He would have to deal with them in turn.

But then he looked back at Abban, and wondered. Abban was asking, nay, demanding , the right to defend himself. The khaffit stared at him calmly, daring him to take the Sharum ’s side over his. If you are fool enough to turn on me over this, then my loyalty has been misplaced , his aura said.