of influence; bright, distracted, interested in the things that other girls of her age were interested in. Like her. Like her just one short month ago. She was almost overwhelmed by a sense of fellow feeling, but she quickly pushed it back. By any normal measure Ella had gained, and she had lost. The similarity was not even superficial.
The reached the House of Law. It was not impressive. Felice guessed that it had once been four or five ordinary houses. There was no grand entrance, just a door. What had clearly been other doors had been bricked up. Apart from that it had all been given a coat of white paint and someone had painted two words over the entrance. “One Law” it said.
“What does it mean?” she asked.
“Just what it says: that there is always one law: one law for the rich and poor, one for bandits and widows, one for friends and enemies.”
Felice understood. All who faced the law were equal, at least in theory.
The inside of the building was equally unimpressive. What had probably once been someone’s living room had acquired a counter and a few seats. A man stood, or rather slouched behind the counter. He appeared to be eating his breakfast. When he saw Ella he deftly tucked the plate under the counter and stood up in an approximation of upright. He did not look like a guardsman, or even a soldier. He wore a loose tunic, his hair was unkempt, and he was noticeably unfit.
“Karana,” he said. “How may we serve you today?”
“Good day, Ulric,” she greeted him in a friendly manner. “Is Sam about?”
“Just came in,” Ulric said. “Just go through.” He opened a gate in the counter and all of them passed through into a back room. This room, at least, was tidy. It was mostly occupied by a large desk on which various papers were slotted into trays, and the walls were lined with charts and lists, all pinned neatly in rows and columns.
A man sat behind the desk, and he looked up as they entered.
“Ella,” he said. He smiled a tired smile.
“Sam, I hope the day finds you well.”
“As much as I could hope.”
Felice studied him. He was thin, and looked as though he had seen better times. She saw all the signs of hardship in his face, but also a hint of the clear eyed honesty that she had known in Todric. In his turn the man studied his collection of visitors. There was a nod for Kane, a cool appraisal of the guardsmen, and a curious look in her direction.
“We have a warrant for you, Sam; from Yasu.”
“Yasu! Are you bringing me every crime in the world now? Don’t we have enough of our own?” He covered his face with a hand for a moment, and then looked up at Felice. “I apologise, Ima,” he said. “May I see the paper?”
She drew it out and placed it on the desk before him. He read it carefully. His concentration seemed complete, and he appeared to read every word. When he put it down Felice felt that there was some hope for justice after all.
“He is here?”
“I am not certain,” Felice said. “But he came in on a ship about two weeks ago, at a guess. It left Yasu bound for here with no ports of call.”
The man nodded. “It will take time to discover if he is still in the city. You can stay in the area for a couple of days?”
“Yes.”
“If you let Ulric know where you are staying I will arrange for you to be informed when we have news. May I keep the document?”
Felice hesitated. He seemed to sense her reluctance.
“I will have it copied and you can have the original back when you sign the copy,” he said.
“Yes, as you wish.” She was reluctant, but this man represented the law in Samara, and Ella trusted him. Really she had no choice unless she intended to track down and punish Karnack on her own – an impossible thing.
“These two,” the man said, pointing at the guardsmen, “will stay behind and help us solve the mystery.”
Outside again, it seemed as though a small part of the burden had been lifted from her. For a day or two at least
The reached the House of Law. It was not impressive. Felice guessed that it had once been four or five ordinary houses. There was no grand entrance, just a door. What had clearly been other doors had been bricked up. Apart from that it had all been given a coat of white paint and someone had painted two words over the entrance. “One Law” it said.
“What does it mean?” she asked.
“Just what it says: that there is always one law: one law for the rich and poor, one for bandits and widows, one for friends and enemies.”
Felice understood. All who faced the law were equal, at least in theory.
The inside of the building was equally unimpressive. What had probably once been someone’s living room had acquired a counter and a few seats. A man stood, or rather slouched behind the counter. He appeared to be eating his breakfast. When he saw Ella he deftly tucked the plate under the counter and stood up in an approximation of upright. He did not look like a guardsman, or even a soldier. He wore a loose tunic, his hair was unkempt, and he was noticeably unfit.
“Karana,” he said. “How may we serve you today?”
“Good day, Ulric,” she greeted him in a friendly manner. “Is Sam about?”
“Just came in,” Ulric said. “Just go through.” He opened a gate in the counter and all of them passed through into a back room. This room, at least, was tidy. It was mostly occupied by a large desk on which various papers were slotted into trays, and the walls were lined with charts and lists, all pinned neatly in rows and columns.
A man sat behind the desk, and he looked up as they entered.
“Ella,” he said. He smiled a tired smile.
“Sam, I hope the day finds you well.”
“As much as I could hope.”
Felice studied him. He was thin, and looked as though he had seen better times. She saw all the signs of hardship in his face, but also a hint of the clear eyed honesty that she had known in Todric. In his turn the man studied his collection of visitors. There was a nod for Kane, a cool appraisal of the guardsmen, and a curious look in her direction.
“We have a warrant for you, Sam; from Yasu.”
“Yasu! Are you bringing me every crime in the world now? Don’t we have enough of our own?” He covered his face with a hand for a moment, and then looked up at Felice. “I apologise, Ima,” he said. “May I see the paper?”
She drew it out and placed it on the desk before him. He read it carefully. His concentration seemed complete, and he appeared to read every word. When he put it down Felice felt that there was some hope for justice after all.
“He is here?”
“I am not certain,” Felice said. “But he came in on a ship about two weeks ago, at a guess. It left Yasu bound for here with no ports of call.”
The man nodded. “It will take time to discover if he is still in the city. You can stay in the area for a couple of days?”
“Yes.”
“If you let Ulric know where you are staying I will arrange for you to be informed when we have news. May I keep the document?”
Felice hesitated. He seemed to sense her reluctance.
“I will have it copied and you can have the original back when you sign the copy,” he said.
“Yes, as you wish.” She was reluctant, but this man represented the law in Samara, and Ella trusted him. Really she had no choice unless she intended to track down and punish Karnack on her own – an impossible thing.
“These two,” the man said, pointing at the guardsmen, “will stay behind and help us solve the mystery.”
Outside again, it seemed as though a small part of the burden had been lifted from her. For a day or two at least
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