Dragon Rule - E. E. Knight [80]
The Skotl and Wyrr clans gathered on either side of the arena, with the Ankelenes scattered about. Drakwatch and Firemaid drakes and drakka were grouped around him and Wistala.
The Copper hoped he’d live to see the day when Wyrr and Skotl wouldn’t divide in this manner—they were all dragons, after all, and had enemies enough without dividing.
He’d heard rumors about the supposed witnesses, everyone had. Even his bats hadn’t been able to learn anything about their location or who was hiding them. He suspected they were among the thralls somewhere, but as Tyr and Nilrasha’s mate he had to remain above the controversy.
NoSohoth did an impressive job once Ibidio brought in her witnesses. The first was a down-at-beard dwarf who claimed Nilrasha stalked Halaflora as the just-mated couple traveled west to Anaea.
First NoSohoth quizzed the dwarf about how he came to be a ferryman deep beneath the surface. An Ankelene translated for those who didn’t understand the dwarf’s rough Parl.
“We were a labor team brought down to build a bridge for the Hypatians. A digger friend bought a map to a secret gold mine in what you-all call the Lower World. So we bucked off cutting stone for bridges and sought fortune. We tried to find it—got lost. Starving, we were, had to earn a living somehow.”
The actual story required a good deal of prompting from NoSohoth—dwarfs were notoriously recalcitrant about their histories. Many in the audience grew bored and one or two slipped out for air.
Then NoSohoth asked: “How did you know the dragonelle in question was Nilrasha?”
“She said so, your dragonship.”
With that, NoSohoth nodded to a thrall and three Firemaids entered.
“Could you please show us which one labeled herself as Nilrasha.”
Ibidio spat a torf into the sand of the pit and the Copper heard griff rattle.
“Err . . . the one in the middle, I think. The light wasn’t good.”
“The light wasn’t good,” NoSohoth repeated.
The next witness was an aged bat the Copper didn’t recognise, beyond his size and toothiness, thanks to being fed dragon blood.
NoSohoth’s questioning was brief. He spoke to the bat in a loud, stern voice and the bat crumbled.
“What would you be likin’ me to say, sir?” the bat cried.
“I think we’ve heard enough from him. Take the poor old sot away, he’s confused.”
Some of Ibidio’s allies hissed and clattered their griff at that.
“What does the Lavadome believe?” NoSohoth asked the assembled dragons. “Who will call Nilrasha a murderer?”
“Murderer!” Ibidio roared. A few other voices joined in, some loudly, some with half a voice. The number of voices grew.
NoSohoth looked at the Copper, alarmed.
Wistala muttered something about this process being subject to manipulation. The Copper thought it an immense improvement over the Tyr just passing judgement based on whether he liked the look on the accused’s face and the lay of his scale or no, but Nilrasha’s honorable name, and possibly his Tyrship, lay in the balance . . .
“Innocent!” shouted Wistala, which wasn’t according to tradition of trial by questioning.
“Innocent!” she roared again, also not according to tradition—if practice of such recent vintage could be called tradition—but the Firemaids joined in.
“Innocent! Innocent!”
Some of the poorer dragons from Nilrasha’s home hill took up the call. NoSohoth joined in. Soon, the shouts of “Murderer!” dwindled and fell off.
“Thank you, Wistala,” the Copper said.
“She blames herself, you know,” Wistala replied.
“For Halaflora’s death?”
“She told me she tried, but she was too late. I believe her.”
The Copper had long wondered about exactly what had happened that night. Sometimes he’d doubted Nilrasha’s version—privately, that is.
He couldn’t find words. Someday soon he’d have to ask Nilrasha to forgive his doubting her.
“Poor Halaflora,” the Copper finally said. “Well, my Queen-Consort, if you must chase the ghosts of the past, I give you leave. I hope DharSii finds what he’s looking for.”
Chapter 14
Wistala had forgotten how close the cave