Adjunt awoke
suddenly when the door to his room was smashed open. Three men pushed inside,
yanking Adjunt to his feet. Two men, one on each arm, dragged Adjunt into the
narrow hallway, while the last went about gathering Adjunt’s belongings.
Without a
word the men began shoving Adjunt down the stairs. Upon reaching the ground
floor, he suddenly turned on his captors.
“I am a
formal representative of the Imperial Army. I demand to know what this is all
about.”
The guard
nearest Adjunt was suddenly shoved aside by another man. Adjunt quickly recognized
the officer he’d seen and followed the previous day. Reginald. An almost
murderous rage had no replaced the sarcastic expression from the day before.
“You think
your high and mighty Emperor is gonna save you? Think again, you Ceran
cockroach.”
Deputy
Reginald shoved Adjunt toward the door. In turn, Adjunt whirled around just as
Reginald reached out to push him again. In a flash, Reginald’s arm was twisted
behind him. Adjunt pushed his prisoner to the ground wincing in pain.
“I’ll ask
you gentleman once more, what is the meaning of this?”
The two
remaining officers, who were dressed exactly as Reginald, exchanged confused
glances. Reginald was obviously in charge here, and the men were scrambling for
what to do next.
“Well, you
see…” one of them began.
“Shut up!’
Reginald bellowed.
“I’ll know
the answer before you get up.” Adjunt made sure to keep his voice calm and
collected.
“Don’t just
stand there,” Reginald shouted. “Get him.”
A short
twist on Reginald’s arm sent a shiver of doubt through the two young men
accompanying Reginald. Adjunt realized they wouldn’t say anything without their
leader’s permission.
“There are
laws, good sir, even down here.” Adjunt began. “If accosting citizens without
giving any reason at all has become policy, perhaps it’s high time the Empire
took a much closer look at our neighbors here in Byloth.”
Nothing
moved for a moment. The captive deputy took a long breath at last. Anger filled
his voice.
“The sheriff
was found dead last night, murdered. Since you were about looking for him
yesterday afternoon, you stand to be a prime suspect. We’re taking you in for
questioning on the matter.”
“And that
warranted bursting into my room unannounced?” Adjunt asked, with as much
incredulity as he could muster. “Shoving me around without so much as a word?”
“We don’t
offer killers such amenities here, Ceran.”
“As you will
no doubt learn later on, I am not a killer.”
Adjunt
noticed this was the second time Reginald had called him ‘Ceran’. No doubt a
shortening of Cerasin-Cera. So now people from the capital had their own slang
name. A signpost on a dangerous road
that often led to things much more tragic.
“Well I
think you are. And one way or another, you’re coming with us.”
The truth of
Reginald’s statement weighed heavily. He was right, of course. Sooner or later
Adjunt would have to answer their questions, some of which might land
dangerously close to his mission. Deciding it would be unavoidable, Adjunt let
go of Reginald’s arm, and stepped back.
“Very well.”
Adjunt began. “But you’ll conduct your questions here, now. I cannot be your
murderer, as you will soon see.”
