Mike Shevdon: The Road to Bedlam

"Fionh, don't let her stuff herself stupid, will you?"

Fionh shrugged, but kept a wary eye on Alex.

"Dad! Leave it, OK?"

"OK. I'll be back in a while. I expect to find you in bed, young lady."

She mumbled something through a mouthful that might have been, "Don't tell me what to do."

"I'm simply stating what I expect to find," I told her.

"Whatever." She waved her hand airily, then collected a second piece of chicken.

I was saved from the debate by the return of Garvin. He looked me up and down.

"You'll do. Come."

With Garvin before me and Slimgrin behind, I was escorted down to the main chamber of the High Court of the Feyre. Tate and Fellstamp were waiting and the Lords and Ladies were already gathered. I was brought before them with minimal formality.

"Tell us," said Krane, leaning forward from his huge dark-wood chair, "about this." He held up the plastic bottle containing the serum.

I made a better job of describing what had happened this time, from the half-breed fey imprisoned in glasswalled cells, to the shotguns loaded with iron shot. The only thing I left out was what my daughter had done to Doctor Watkins's severed head. That was probably better left unreported.

"And you say that Altair was funding this facility?" Teoth asked.

"Yes, my Lord. Raffmir told me the Seventh Court had approved plans and funded it through a series of trusts and foundations."

"Was there any sign of direct involvement from the Seventh Court, or any other Court, for that matter?" asked Barthia.

"What are you implying, Barthia? asked Yonna. "You know none of us had anything to do with this."

"I'm simply asking if there was any sign of direct fey involvement," stated the Ogre.

"None that I saw, my Lady. Everything appears to have been done from a distance."

"I see." She sat back, crossing her massive arms in front of her.

"Are there any more questions for the Warders?" asked Krane.

A slow ripple of shaking heads travelled around the room.

"Very well. Will you leave Fellstamp with us, please, Garvin?" said Krane.

"Yes, my Lord."

I followed Garvin back through the double doors. He closed them gently behind us. Tate was waiting outside. He handed me my sword, sheathed in a new polished scabbard.

I looked at Garvin. "I'm not being kicked out of the Warders, then?"

"Kicked out?" asked Garvin. "Why would you be kicked out?"

"You did tell me not to go after Alex," I admitted.

"I told you not to go until you were ready, but I also gave you Warder's discretion." He guided me down the corridor away from the chamber, flanked by Tate.

"There is no test for becoming a Warder. You train until you're ready and then you're in, straight into the crucible, no rehearsal, no safety net. You act with the full authority of the High Court and, for that reason alone, judgement is paramount."

"But I made such a mess of the situation in Ravensby. I'm still not sure I did the right thing."

"Where there is a clear course of action, where right and wrong are easily established, where the will of the courts is clear, the Warders are almost never needed. All we do is deliver the will of the Courts and they sort it out amongst themselves."

He stopped and turned to face me.

"The Warders are called in when it's messy, when there is no clear solution, or when there are too many solutions, all competing for attention. We are needed when there is no right, only a choice between multiple wrongs; where there is no justice, merely closure. We are called to act when no one else will, when it's already too late. That's what being a Warder means."

"You make it sound so attractive."

"Most Warders are chosen. They do not choose themselves."

"So how did you become a Warder?"

Garvin looked me in the eye and for a moment, I thought I saw a shadow there. Then it was gone.

"That," he said, "is a story for another day." He squeezed my shoulder. "You have done well, and the job is not over yet. The High Court has heard your testimony and must decide what action is merited. Get some rest while you can. I will have someone wake you as soon as I have news."

He gently propelled me towards the stairs and I used the momentum to keep going. There was no resistance left in me. As I mounted the staircase, I found that Tate had detached from Garvin and shadowed me.

When I raised an eyebrow at him he simply said, "The Warders look after each other."

I let him follow me back to the suite where Slimgrin paced the hallway. I found my daughter in bed and already asleep, despite her protests. She was curled under the covers so only her hair restlessly stirred as she slept. I stroked her head and the curls coiled around my fingers and relaxed. winding and unwinding as she breathed.

"She didn't eat much in the end," said Fionh. "I think it was only a show for you."

"How long has she been asleep?" I asked.

Fionh looked at her. "Don't worry, I can handle it. She'll sleep for hours yet, probably well into tomorrow. She is a teenager, after all. Go and check on Blackbird. I can see you want to."

I thanked her and left, Tate falling into step beside me.

"Are you going to follow me everywhere?" I asked him.

"Just until you get where you need to be."

"I'm not sure I know where I need to be any more."

"You'll figure it out."

When we arrived at Blackbird's door, Amber let me in and then left with Tate. Blackbird was in bed, propped up on pillows.

"Is she sleeping?" she asked.

"Yes. It'll be quiet for a while now." I went over and sat on the bed beside her, taking her hand.

"I overreacted," said Blackbird. "She didn't mean to hurt anyone."

"Garvin says she's not in control of her power. I'm inclined to agree. She's going to have to learn to control her temper or she'll end up hurting someone, herself even."

She pulled the quilt back and shuffled to the side of the bed.

"Wouldn't you be better staying where you are?" I asked.

"My back aches wherever I am. It does me good to move around a little." She rolled upright and stood, helping me ease out of my Warder greys, draping them over a chair so I could dress if I needed to, inspecting the gashes and scrapes I had acquired, issuing a gentle rebuke.

"Next time, duck faster."

I smiled as she stroked the knotted muscles in my shoulders and guided me into bed. She prodded me gently across the bed until she could slide in beside me and nestle into my shoulder, resting her belly against my flank. The bump gave a desultory kick, a token protest, but then moved and settled against me.

Blackbird stroked my chest and hushed me when I tried to speak, pressing her fingertips against my lips to silence me. In the quiet grace of her comfort, I rested, and slept.

The hand that shook me awake was calloused and not nearly as soft as Blackbird's. Tate's grizzled face looked down at me.

"You awake?"

"Sure, I'm awake. What's up?"

"I've been shaking you for two minutes." The lie was obvious.

"I thought you were rocking me in my sleep."

He grinned. "You're awake. Get dressed. Garvin wants you downstairs. Five minutes."

"Five?"

"He said two, but I'm stretching the point since you already slept through those."

"OK. Five minutes." I yawned.

Tate left and I extracted myself gently from Blackbird's sleeping form. She mumbled in her sleep, but did not wake. I slipped into my greys, the familiarity of the uniform bringing its own comfort. Taking the pad on the dresser, I scrawled a simple note.

Garvin called. Back Later.

I collected my sword. Slimgrin was standing by the door when I left. He closed the door gently behind me and fell in beside me as we descended the stairs. I glanced sideways at him and he nodded.