Moon's Artifice by Tom Lloyd

only staves, many died, but the Great Houses viewed them as no threat and so the seed of the Lawbringers was sown.
    From
A History
by Ayel Sorote
    Narin looked back down the street, counting doorways to double-check they were at the right one. Lawbringer Rhe stood silent behind him, ignoring the curious stares of passersby as he waited. Finally, Narin was satisfied he was correct and rapped his knuckles smartly on the door.
    ‘Who’s there ?’ called a woman’s voice from inside, followed swiftly by the howl of a baby.
    ‘Servants of the Emperor’s Law,’ Narin called back in a loud voice, adding, ‘If we could speak to you a moment ?’
    ‘Law ?’ echoed the woman, her voice tremulous even as it grew nearer. ‘What’s happened ?’
    The baby continued to cry, its wails accompanying the woman to the door. She pulled it open with fear on her face, soon looking past Narin to the imposing sight of Rhe behind him.
    ‘Master Lawbringer, Investigator,’ she said, curtseying as best she could with a large, red-faced infant pressed against her chest – its fists clamped around the long trails of hair that had escaped her scarf. ‘I … Ah, do you want to come in ?’
    Narin bowed in response. Though her white scarf declared she was servant caste, Investigators were expected to show respect to all.
    ‘Thank you – there’s no need to worry, you’re not in any trouble.’ He had to almost shout to make himself heard as the baby found new strength in its lungs and began to howl, but the mother heard enough and stepped back to admit the pair.
    ‘How can I help you, Master Lawbringer ?’ she said once Rhe was inside, nervously looking from Narin to Rhe as though unsure which she should be addressing.
    ‘My Investigator has questions for you,’ Rhe replied, ‘for the matter is his puzzle, not mine.’ He paused then reached out his hands. ‘Perhaps I might take the child while you speak ?’
    Both the woman and Narin started at the unexpected suggestion. The baby was crying still and showing no sign of stopping, but it was hardly seemly for a Lawbringer to be acting as nurse. That Rhe was unmarried, uninterested in anything bar the service of the law, meant Narin was even more startled than the child’s mother.
    ‘I will calm the child,’ Rhe stated baldly and the mother wilted under his hard grey stare.
    She meekly held it out and the Lawbringer scooped the baby up without a further word, holding the child up to his face to look it in the eye. With one arm supporting it, Rhe ran a callused hand over the baby’s head and down its cheeks. The baby hesitated and stared up at Rhe, its cries faltering as though cowed by the uncompromising Lawbringer’s face.
    ‘Quiet now,’ Rhe said in his usual stern tone. To Narin’s surprise the baby did exactly that, eyes wide as it took in Rhe’s cold-tinted skin. The Lawbringer looked briefly up. ‘Ask your questions, Investigator. I’m sure the novelty of me will wear off soon enough.’
    Narin blinked, momentarily dumbstruck by the sight. It seemed so ridiculous but there was no humour in his thoughts, only the clash of cold fear and hot elation at the thought of a child of his own.
    Will I ever be able to hold my own child that way ? Stars above, will I even see it ? What I would give to look so strange, as out of place as Rhe does now.
    ‘Narin ?’ Rhe said, nodding towards the mother.
    The Investigator shook himself, fleeing from the burgeoning sense of panic in his chest as visions of Kine, child in hand, appeared in his mind.
    ‘Ah, right – yes, questions. Ah, Mistress … might I ask your name ?’
    ‘Intail – Hetesh Intail.’
    ‘I am Investigator Narin, this is Lawbringer Rhe.’ He saw her eyes widen at the name, and her cheeks paled at the thought of such a famous man looking after her baby. ‘How many of you live here ?’
    Narin looked around the small room. It was in one of the poorest areas of House Wolf’s district, the house part of a long