Beyond Redemption by Michael R. Fletcher Page A

Unbrauchbar. The carriage had no lanterns lit and was traveling far too fast. The smell of burned flesh followed in its wake. “I don’t think that bodes well.”
    The other two watched the carriage disappear into the dark, their faces unreadable and gray. Bedeckt heard Stehlen shuffle closer, though he didn’t turn to face her. He felt her long-fingeredhand on his shoulder as she massaged the stiff muscles. It felt good, but made him more tense.
    â€œWoman. No.”
    She smacked him hard on the back of the head.
    Wichtig guffawed. “When the lights are out she becomes quite the beauty, eh, Bedeckt? Get it over with. She won’t leave you alone until you do. Hells, she still pesters me each night.”
    â€œLiar,” said Stehlen.
    â€œEach night I feel you fumbling about my britches and each morning more coin is missing. Am I dreaming that too?”
    â€œYes. You disgust me with your pretty clothes and silver tongue.”
    â€œHmm. I thought the tongue might be the one part you were interested in. Your preferences being what they are . . .”
    There was a moment of silence and Bedeckt knew Stehlen had gone red even though the dark rendered everything a monochromatic gray. Shite, she’ll kill Wichtig if I don’t intervene.
    Bedeckt tried to distract the two. “We should have bought alcohol while we were in town.”
    â€œWe left in the middle of the night,” Wichtig pointed out reasonably.
    Stehlen was less kind. “Idiot.”
    Bedeckt figured it better they were pissed at him than trying to kill each other.

    Stehlen wanted him. Wichtig knew it and she knew it and she knew he knew it and he knew she knew he knew . . . where was he? Yeah. She wanted him. She only pretended otherwise because she knew if she acted interested he wouldn’t be. It all made sense.
    Wichtig studied Stehlen, her dirty blond hair clumped and matted as always. Gods, generations of rats could live in there . Even in the dark he saw the overlong hooked nose and too-strongjawline. He tried to find a hint of curve under the faded leathers she always wore. He preferred his women soft and compliant, but sometimes something more like a fight could be interesting. Of course, if I did bed her she’d immediately fall madly in love with me. It would make ignoring her afterward all the more fun.
    Gods, he was bored. “Stehlen. I’m sorry about what I said.”
    â€œGo stick pigs.”
    â€œHey, Bedeckt, the jagged ice harpy is melting. I think she likes me.”
    He smiled as he fell asleep.

CHAPTER 9
    Power corrupts and a corrupted mind becomes more powerful. You ask if there is a ruler—a King, an Emperor, a Governor, a Lord—who is sane? I think the answer clear.
    â€”H OFFNUNGSLOS
    A wagon thundered over the bridge at the Gottlos border as the sun peeked over the horizon. A contrail of dust and smoke hung in the air long after its passing. The two guards awake in the local border garrison saw that the carriage clearly displayed the colors of Selbsthass. While the Geborene Damonen were hardly favorites of King Dieb Schmutzig—sporadically despotic ruler of Gottlos—they weren’t on his shite list either.
    The guards watched with dozy hooded eyes as the carriage disappeared from view and wrinkled their noses at the smell of burned meat.
    The older guard slapped the younger on the back. “If we don’t report it, it didn’t happen.”
    The younger guard frowned at the old man. “Wouldn’t that be a dereliction of duty?”
    â€œHow can it be dereliction if it never happened?”

    Gehirn, lips cracked and bleeding, her vision a smeary fog, reached the city of Unbrauchbar at high noon. The sun screamed high overhead. The whole world shimmered and wobbled as if viewed through bloodstained aspic. The thick gloves protecting her hands were sodden with blood and pus from suppurating wounds. Her entire body a bubbling sore, she