Douglas Hulick - Sworn in Steel

“Drothe,” said Copper, stepping up beside him. “You remember: the one who lied to us about Iron?”

“Ah, yes. I didn’t recognize him. What are you doing here, thief?”

“He’s here at my request,” said Degan, stepping in front of me before I could respond. “If it weren’t for Drothe, we wouldn’t have any of the swords, let alone the laws. He’s the one who got them from Steel.”

Gold looked truly surprised for the first time. “Him? Are you saying that Steel’s dead as well, and that this one killed him?”

“He’s here, isn’t he?”

“And Steel isn’t. Another convenience for you, brother.”

Brass took a step forward as well. “Back off, Gold. The tribunal hasn’t started yet. We’re still waiting on the rest.”

“Hm, yes.” Gold looked over his shoulder at his two companions, then back at us. “Although I have to wonder if it wouldn’t be easier on everyone if we just had the adjudication now? Call it a field court, if you will, and settle things quickly. Save us all some time.” He smiled. “A show of hands, perhaps?”

“Or of steel,” said Brass, putting her hand on her sword hilt.

The degan beside Copper grinned. “Oh, I don’t think you’d want to choose that option, sister,” he said, putting his own hand on his weapon. There were white dots set in the ribbon steel that made up the guard, but I couldn’t tell what it was. Pearl? Bone? White opals?

“No, you wouldn’t,” rumbled a voice behind them. “Because once steel comes out in this company, you never know who’s going to walk away.”

A tower of a man stepped into the hall, tall and wide enough to make the entryway look small. He was dark, with broad features that gave nothing away, and a great sword propped up against his shoulder. He wore a simple brown-and-green-striped tunic and bloused pants, with a head scarf whose pattern looked disturbingly familiar. The sword’s cross guard and ring looked to be of plain metal, with chips of something gray in it I couldn’t quite make out.

I leaned over to Degan. “Who’s the tree?” I whispered.

“Stone,” he said. “Steel’s brother.”

“His. .?” I suddenly found it hard to swallow.

“I know what you mean,” said Degan. “I’ve always found him intimidating as well.”

“Oh, good. That puts me at ease.”

Gold looked from us to Stone, and then smiled. “A fair point, brother. I stand admonished.” He gave a brief bow to Stone, then turned to his two companions. “Let’s take our ease while we wait for the rest, shall we?”

The three went off to a corner, their heads together.

“I take it that’s the opposition,” I said.

“Something like that,” said Brass. “Gold’s been sensitive about degan blood ever since we lost Bone.”

“Bone?” I said.

“They were together,” said Degan. “Gold took his death hard. He promised to see any degan punished who followed in Ivory’s footsteps.”

“Meaning you.”

“Meaning me now, yes.” Degan let out a long sigh. “You should go,” he said.

“Like hell.”

“You have no standing here. No voice. Better you go before the rest arrive.”

“I didn’t come all this way just to turn around and leave. I came here-”

“I know why you came,” said Degan. “And I appreciate it. But if you stay, the least that will happen is that you get thrown out.”

“‘The least’?” said Brass. “Come, now, Bronze, I don’t think-”

“But I do,” snapped Degan. He took my by the arm and pulled me off to the side, away from everyone else. “Go.” It was almost a plea.

“Why?”

Degan’s eyes raced around the room. He leaned in closer. “Because no one outside the Order is supposed to know what you know. They won’t stand for anyone who’s not a degan being privy to our internal disagreements, let alone the emperor and the true nature of our service. If Gold or any of the rest realize how much you’ve found out. .”

“Are you saying they’ll kill me because I know too much?” I said. “That’s not exactly a new development for me, you know.”

“Maybe, but not like this. Not with them. There won’t be any haggling or chatting or debating-they’ll just cut you down. It’s what we do. The time to go is now, when no one knows where you stand. Get out before things start, so the question remains unanswered.”

“And your sword?” I said. “What do I do about that?”

“Take it with you.”

“What? But I thought-”

“If they get my sword,” hissed Degan, “they can find out you’re still beholden to the Order. After everything else, I’d have you free of that-free of them. I took the Oath with you because of who you were, because of who you are, to me. They won’t understand that. To them, you’ll just be another tool to use, and I won’t have that. Take my sword and go.”

I looked up at Degan and smiled. It was good to hear what I’d been hoping to hear. Worth all the miles to hear.

Then I shook my head. “I can’t do that.”

Degan’s jaw clenched. “I can’t let you stay.”

“You can’t make me leave.”

“Oh?” Degan turned, called to Stone. “Sergeant?”

Stone turned his massive head. “Aye?”

“This man isn’t a degan,” said Degan. “Escort him out, please.”

I jerked my arm away from Degan’s grasp. “Like hell,” I said.

“Come, now,” said Stone. His voice, I noticed, while normal for any other man, sounded small in his mouth. “Don’t make me work. The others can tell you I get ornery when I have to work.”

I thought about dodging, about running, about trying to stave off the inevitable-but it was a room full of degans, with more on the way. What the hell was I going to do, fight them off?

I sighed and let my shoulders droop. “You’re a son of a bitch,” I said to Degan.

“And you’re welcome,” he said as I headed toward the doors, Stone at my back.

Stone escorted me from the hall, down the long passage beyond, out to the entry to the keep. I stopped at the top of the stairs that led down to the main courtyard, blinking in the morning light. Stone stopped beside me.

When he spoke, it was without preamble. “Gold tells me you killed Steel.”

I froze.

“Is that true?” he said.

“I. .”

“Don’t lie, boy. I’ll know.”

Had I? Technically, no: Aribah had performed the final deed, but it hadn’t been for lack of trying on my part. If it were up to me, he’d have died on Ivory’s sword and not a neyajin ’s blade. But did it matter? And more important, was I going to quibble now, in the face of Wolf’s brother?

“I had a hand in his dying,” I said.

“Credit to you for telling the truth, then.” Stone grunted and cleared his throat. “I just want you to know, before things begin, that I don’t hold grudges when it comes to Wolf. Not anymore.”

“If it matters, I didn’t-”

“It doesn’t.” He cleared his throat again. “As much as he tried, I don’t think Wolf ever managed to place the Oath before himself. For that reason alone, he stopped being my brother a long time ago.” The degan looked down, showing me an uneven set of teeth. “I just thought you should know that.”

“Thank you?” I said.

“You’re welcome. Now, leave this place before I’m forced to kill you.”

I didn’t leave, of course-not really. Oh, I climbed aboard my mule and rode away from the fortress, but only until I was certain I was being neither followed nor watched. Then, being careful to avoid any degans that were still arriving, I put on Degan’s sword and circled around through the hills until I was able to come at the place from a different direction.