Chapter 19: The Cost of Defiance

“Look what I found skulking around in the Commander’s back courtyard!” Julian said smugly as he shoved Fallon into the sitting room of the Larkin residence. The Warlock winced as her broken ribs protested beneath the sudden movement, then flinched as she met the tribunal of disapproving gazes aimed at her from the Warden, Paragon, and, of course, Xander Gaumond.

“Fallon? How did you get past the guards at the gate?” Beatrix said quizzically as she set down the glass of wine she had been nursing.

Fallon shrugged her right shoulder stiffly as she stepped away from Julian and avoided the Paragon’s piercing stare. “I may have—gone over the wall.”

Lie Detected!

Delancy coughed and cleared his throat before taking a sip from his glass.

“Fallon what—” Xander Gaumond set down his untouched drink as his gaze ran over the Warlock’s disheveled robes, “—what happened to you? Why didn’t you return home after finishing your work? And what are you doing here?”

“I could ask you the same thing,” Fallon retorted as she reached for her aching ribs, then quickly crossed her arms to mask her injury.

Beatrix sighed as she leaned down to pick up a sword resting on the floor beside her chair. “Preafectus Xander came by to return this, Fallon.” The Warden held up the familiar Jabal Short Sword with an accusing glare. “Your father seems to believe that you got this weapon from Corbin.” Beatrix raised an inquiring brow which Fallon ignored. “But I’m more curious as to what reason an underaged Praeditus would have for being out after curfew and trespassing into other people’s homes.”

“Last I checked, you didn’t live here either, Warden,” Fallon returned pointedly. “Has anyone asked you what you’re doing in the home of the man you divorced after curfew?”

“Fallon!” Xander snapped as he rose from his seat. “That is enough!”

“Well, if I’m going to be interrogated on my reasons for visiting late at night, then believe the Commander or Corbin should do it. People who actually live here!”

“That is hardly the point!” Xander growled with evident frustration. “And as your father, surely I have the right to ask what you are doing out after curfew?”

Lie Detected!

Fallon clenched her jaw as she held back a laugh. “I could ask you the same question,” the Warlock deflected as she met the furious Ice Magus’s cold gaze.

Beatrix shook her head as she gave Xander an almost sympathetic look. “I already answered that, Fallon.”

“Why he came here? Certainly. Why my father felt compelled to return a weapon after curfew when he could have easily had a servant deliver the hours of Solis? Not at all.”

‘Calm yourself, Warlock.’ Asmodeus's voice whispered soothingly against the panicked heartbeat and blood rushing to Fallon’s ears. ‘There is no need to be so defensive. You got caught. Control yourself and the situation.’

The Warden stared at Fallon with raised eyebrows and shook her head wordlessly. To her left, the Paragon set aside his finished glass and motioned to Julian, who moved promptly to Delancy’s side to listen to the City Ruler’s whispered instructions.

‘Was it possible—does the Paragon know about the message Orion asked me to deliver to the Warden?’

Fallon shifted her suspicious gaze from the pair over to Xander, who gazed back at her with a familiar expression of cold disinterest and disappointment. The Warlock looked away and dropped her gaze to the floor as she took in a slow breath. “I came to visit Corbin.”

Surprisingly enough, the half-truth, or ‘omitted truth’ as Fallon preferred to call it, did not trigger the Warlock’s [Dementher’s Preception] ability.

“What?” Xander snapped.

“I knew it!” Beatrix responded as she slapped a hand against her knee.

“I told you to stay away from the Larkins! Especially that boy!” Xander growled as he stepped towards her. “You are a Praeditus, Fallon! Sneaking about after curfew and climbing walls—just to meet some boy! I am very, very disappointed in you!”

Fallon exhaled slowly beneath his cold fury. ‘Walking out of here with only a lecture is the best I can hope for at this point. I’ll need to figure out some other way to pass on Orion’s message.’

The Warden in question picked up her drink with a mocking laugh. “Did you honestly expect them to stay away from each other after you worked so hard to have Corbin sent away from Highguard, Praefectus Xander?”

Fallon blinked in confusion and turned from Beatrix to Xander, who now avoided the Warlock’s gaze.

“I have no idea what you are referring to, Warden,” the Ice Magus replied acidly.

Lie Detected!

“Of course not,” Beatrix returned with a cynical laugh. “You just happened to be here to return a sword you claim Corbin gave to Fallon on the same day the Paragon assigned Corbin and his barely assembled unit to leave Highguard for a month.”

“A month?!” Fallon interjected incredulously. “Why? Where is Corbin going?”

Beatrix and Xander both looked at her, then at each other, and then away. The Paragon watched the Ice Mage return to his seat and rose to address Fallon’s question.

“Corbin’s unit is helping refugees from Fraydale travel safely to Dawnskeep,” Delancy explained patiently. “As you know, the current overpopulation in Highguard has placed our city and its citizens at risk.”

Fallon flinched back a step as the Paragon moved closer. His blood-orange eyes held a threatening gleam even as he smiled and placed a hand on the Warlock’s shoulder.

“Which is why I assigned you such an important task, Praeditus,” Delancy continued as his hand slid along Fallon’s shoulder until his thumb rested in the center of her left collarbone. “But still, I should apologize. It was an oversight on my part not to consider how dangerous meeting that prisoner might have been for you.”

“Dangerous?” Xander echoed sharply.

“Yes, Praefectus Xander. I’m afraid one of the prisoners Fallon helped interview today got out of hand and tried to escape,” Delancy explained calmly without shifting his gaze from Fallon. “He attacked the guards and temporarily took your daughter hostage.”

“Fallon!” The Ice Magus actually looked genuinely shocked by this piece of news, as did the Warden.

“I’m alright,” Fallon replied grimly. “And I wasn’t in any real danger, and the prisoner was understandably upset due to being unjustly imprisoned under false accu—Ahh!”

The Paragon’s grip tightened as his thumb pressed down painfully against the Warlock’s collar bone.

‘Be careful!’ Asmodeus hissed, his words coated in rage.

Behind Delancy, Beatrix set down her glass with a dissatisfied sigh. “That is to be expected,” the Warden observed in a rational tone. “No legal system is perfect. The more trials and sentencing we rush due to this crisis, the more innocent people will likely be wrongly executed.” Beatrix crossed her arms as a perplexed expression clouded her face. “But how did you realize that a mistake had been made, Fallon? You only started working on these evaluations today.”

Even without meeting the Paragon’s gaze, Fallon could feel his unspoken threat with every fiber of her being. “I can’t—go into the specific details,” she murmured.

“Oh?” Beatrix glanced between Fallon and the Paragon before she shrugged and turned to refill her glass. “Well, at least you gave this prisoner a second chance at freedom.”

‘I won’t have saved Orion from anything if the Paragon has him killed before I can do anything to help.’

Fallon swallowed and glanced towards Xander, who was nodding in agreement with the Warden.

“Fallon has a rare gift for discerning the truth,” the Ice Magus murmured with a pointed look in the Warlock’s direction. “I keep telling her such insight would be wasted if she became a Sentinel.”

Beatrix frowned at the Ice Magus but shrugged dismissively. “It still seems a shame not to test her with a Gate Nucleus—” the Warden quickly raised a hand as Xander scowled and opened his mouth to protest, “—but I agree, there are other ways to serve Highguard and Orinthian. Perhaps Fallon should transfer to the justice department, which—by the way, who was the prisoner?”

Fallon sucked in a breath as the Warden’s simple question drew Orion’s desperate message to her lips. “Ori—”

ALERT! Hell Knight Champion has inflicted 813 damage to Warlock Fallon.

The disturbing, quiet pop robbed Fallon of her voice as she grasped her left shoulder. Pain curled around the Warlock’s broken collar bone, then spread up her neck and down her sternum as the Paragon released his grip only long enough to catch Fallon’s left arm.

‘He didn’t even use a skill—just his physical strength—fucking monster!’

“Oh dear—it would appear the Praeditus’s injuries were more severe than we thought!” Delancy said as he subtly wrenched Fallon’s arm, twisting her shoulder joint and the broken collarbone in one fluid motion that sent the Warlock to her knees.

‘Fuck—I can’t breathe!’

“Fallon!” Xander stepped forward quickly as the Paragon released Fallon’s wrist and stepped back. “What’s wrong—where does it hurt?”

‘Where doesn’t it hurt? Fuck!’

“Her left arm or shoulder,” Beatrix suggested as she gestured to the left arm that Fallon held cradled against her ribs. “I can’t believe Major Kellen didn’t have your injuries examined and treated before you left the Garrison, Fallon.”

“The Garrison Prison doesn’t have anything to mend broken bones,” Delancy reminded the Warden pointedly.

“Broken bones! I hope Major Kellen had that prisoner executed immediately!” Xander interjected as he placed his hands gently against the Warlock’s left shoulder. A cooling flood of magic helped subdue the burning pain in Fallon’s chest as she blinked back tears to glare at the Paragon. “Attacking a Praeditus? Attempting to escape!” the Ice Magus ranted furiously. “Even if they were innocent of the previous charges, these are equally serious crimes!”

“No!” Fallon snapped angrily. “I will not be made responsible for his death!”

“Fallon!” Xander protested in confusion. “That Erros attacked you!”

“Perhaps it's time the two of you headed home so Fallon can rest,” Delancy suggested as the Hell Knight Champion rubbed his thumb and fingers together absently. “She has had a harrowing experience. Her good intentions aside, she should be more careful in the future not to place herself in harm’s way. I will send over one of the Mender’s Blessings as soon as possible.”

Fallon hissed out a short furious breath at the Paragon’s thoughtful threat.

“Yes. Thank you, Paragon,” Xander replied as he attempted to lift Fallon up in his arms.

“I can walk!” Fallon snapped as she pushed the Ice Magus arms firmly away and then struggled back up onto her feet. “I made it this far, didn’t I!”

The Warlock regretted her decision as soon as she stood upright, but she was too damn proud—and pissed off—to retract her words.

“Don’t push yourself too much, Praeditus,” Delancy called after the wheezing Warlock as she moved stubbornly towards the doorway. “You’re far too valuable to be damaged so easily.”

‘Ha!’ Fallon sucked in an angry breath as her right hand tightened around the elbow of her left arm. The Warlock did her best to keep her left shoulder and ribs as still as possible as she moved slowly forward.

“To ensure this doesn’t happen again,” the Paragon continued as Xander worriedly followed behind the struggling Warlock. “I will assign Julian to escort Fallon to and from the Garrison until her task is complete. He will also remain by her side during these interviews to ensure her safety.”

“Julian?” Xander protested as he stopped to stare disapprovingly at the smirking Assassin. “But Fallon already has a Consultus bodyguard!”

“Not one with clearance for this assignment.”

“But—”

“I’m afraid I must insist, Praeditus Xander,” Delancy cut in firmly. “Now have a safe trip home, both of you.”

‘Wonderful!’ Fallon sent the Assassin who had dragged her into this mess a withering look and then pushed open the door with a sharp hiss.

A familiar mop of dark brown hair and worried gray eyes met her on the other side as Corbin leapt forward before the Commander could grab his arm.

“Fallon, what are you doing here? Wait—you’re hurt! What happened?” The Guardian rushed out as he stumbled to a halt in front of her.

Ignoring the storm of agony she was already in, Fallon threw her good arm around Corbin’s neck and held on tightly as her friend’s arms closed gently around her. “Corbin, today at the prison—” Fallon’s rushed words cut off abruptly as she took in the panicked expression on John Larkin’s face. Realization sank in as the Warlock closed her mouth dropped her forehead tiredly against the Guardian’s shoulder.

‘I can’t tell him. I don’t want to drag Corbin into this until I know how much trouble I’m in.’

“Fallon?” Corbin murmured worriedly.

“Commander Larkin,” Xander snapped as he stepped forward. “I would appreciate it if you’d teach your son to keep his hands to himself.”

“Shut your mouth, Snake,” John growled. “It was your brat who threw her arms around him—not the other way around.”

“Fallon,” Xander continued with wavering restraint. “Please let go. You’re injured. We need to get you home.”

Fallon nodded. Leaving quietly was the best thing she could do at that moment. ‘I’ll find another way—I just need too—’

ALERT! Status effect [Shock] has been applied.

Status effect—Shock Traumatic injuries have severely limited the flow of blood and oxygen to and from essential organs the body requires to function. Target will now enter a stasis of numb confusion. Medical aid or a Mender’s healing ability is necessary to stave off further injury or danger.

“Fallon!” Corbin’s muffled, angry voice was drowned behind a high-pitched ring that filled the Warlock’s ears painfully as she blinked slowly against the rush of black and white stars that filled her vision.

“Let her go, boy!” Xander’s angry voice snapped nearby. The blurred walls and ceiling turned as Fallon’s head dropped against the Ice Magus’s cold shoulder. “Get out of my way.”

“Please, see yourself out, Praefectus!” John’s muffled voice snarled from behind the cloud of stars that now dominated the Warlock’s view. “And don’t fucking set foot inside my house again—either of you!”

‘Wonderful—just fucking—wonderful.’ Fallon blinked sluggishly beneath the whirlpool of pain that made her stomach churn unpleasantly.

‘Rest, Warlock,’ Asmodeus’s voice whispered as a heavy, numbing weight fell over the Warlock’s body.

‘I can’t—what if Delancy kills him while I’m unconscious.’

‘Kills who? I can’t help you if you won’t tell me what’s going on.’

Fallon clenched her teeth together as Xander moved down a short flight of steps that led them out into the night breeze. ‘Okay. Asmodeus. I need your help. I need you—to pass a message to the Warden without getting caught.’

‘What message?’

‘Tell the Warden—that Orion Grantham is still in Highguard—in the Garrison Prison. Tell her that he’s seriously injured, and the Paragon is trying to have him executed under false charges of attempted murder.’

‘Would this Orion be the same lightning mage that injured you earlier?’

‘Among the other people who used me as a punching bag today? Yes.’ Fallon blinked again, but the stars continued to swirl before her eyes, open or closed. ‘I don’t blame him and—I promised that I would help him, Asmodeus.’

‘Go to sleep, Warlock,’ the Dementher said soothingly. ‘I will handle things from here.’

‘Don’t hurt him—Asmodeus.’

‘I promise not to eat the Mage, Warlock. Now, sleep.’