FROM THE JOURNAL OF RUBY

I forced myself to watch as a woman was hanged for petty thievery. Her body jerked and spasmed. She seemed to look right at me just before they released the trapdoor beneath her feet. I brushed away tears as those around me cheered – not all, but enough to make me question all of humanity. Bile rose up into my mouth. I had to swallow it back down and force my head clear. The one useful thing Sanctuary taught was the clearing of the mind, mastering one’s thoughts.

Someone brushed past me and a hand touched mine. The folded parchment in my hand was taken and replaced by another. I never looked at the person.

I no longer met my contacts at the Temple. They believed it was compromised. A few weeks ago they had told me they thought I might have someone watching me, but could not be sure. How comforting. We did not alter routine after that, but remained as cautious as ever. Then my favorite contact disappeared. I was told by another, the leper, that she had simply vanished, presumed captured, likely tortured and killed. The next week, another contact, the old woman, told me that the body was found in the street, mutilated, unspeakable things done to her.

After that, we met at the gallows on Hanging Day. No more verbal conversation, only notes, written in code.

I still went to the Temple for three hours each Temple Day. No variation from before. I had to assume I was being watched.

It was a beautiful day. Blue sky with fluffy white clouds floating above, the sun warm on the skin, the occasional breeze lovely and cool.

Birds sang and cavorted and swans swam in the lake, oblivious to the brutality of men.

A man hanged in front of my eyes. He had attacked an Imperial Guard, if one believed that. He was a scrawny, weak looking fellow with dirty white hair. He begged and cried pitifully, the death throes almost a mercy.

At last it was over. No one was spared by the Empress today. The lord gave a short, stern speech about following the law, his tone warning.

Before turning away to move along with the departing crowd, I saw myself on the gallows. I banished the thought and made my feet move. I had no illusions. My fate of hanging like these poor souls today was an eventual certainty. And the Empress would not spare me. Or perhaps I would share the fate of my contact whose mangled body was found in the wet cobblestone street.

I had plead in previous notes to be removed from this assignment, sent to where I could be of better use. I did believe my spying was accomplishing nothing, but a cold fear motivated the request more than anything.

But then the following week I received a reply that steeled my nerve. The note told me that Moroso bore responsibility for the fate of my father.

I walked as slowly as I could back to Sanctuary, trying to enjoy every precious moment of sunshine, despite being eager to read the note tucked between my breasts.

Too soon, Sanctuary loomed in sight and I joined the line of students re-entering. I wore Apprentice robes now. There had been changes in the Order. Bishop Stromly passed away – from old age, they said – and Cleric Renauld had risen to Bishop. Renauld was summoned by the Empress and shortly after that the changes began. Applicants became Initiates and a number of Initiates were risen to Apprentice. I was an Initiate for merely three weeks before being risen to Apprentice. Now I spent long hours toiling over scrolls and enchanting objects. A welcome change after the drudgery of mixing potions and the absolute boredom of prayer and meditation, but even this new activity had grown monotonous.

Inside, Sanctuary was cold, dark and dank.

I made a trip to the privy, my only means of privacy in Sanctuary.

I removed the parchment from my robe and peered in candlelight at the coded message.

The code was simple enough that I could unravel the message in my head in the minutes of privacy that the privy afforded.

This message contained just four words.

Stay course.

H alive.

Handice was alive! My heart raced as I burned the parchment in the candle flame, then dropped the blackened remains into the privy hole.

Not that I would ever see him again, but good to know he was alive, for now.

I was the last of the Apprentices to reach our work chamber, which earned a frown from Servant Emil. I got to work, feeling better than I had in some time. The chamber was brighter than usual from the sunlight coming through the windows.

“Sister Ruby,” Emil said to me.

“Yes brother?” I was busy with a small dagger, placing an enchantment on it that would make it far more lethal than an ordinary blade.

“When you finish that, you are to make the delivery to Leonis.”

“But I went yesterday, Brother.”

“Are you questioning my order, Sister?”

“No. Of course not.”

“Good. You will make the deliveries each day from now going forward. It is Leonis’s request.”

Emil moved on.

The skin on my arms crawled. As much as I enjoyed any opportunity to leave Sanctuary, Leonis was a repulsive man. Yesterday he had leered at me openly, not even trying to hide it. One could almost hear the perverse thoughts running through his vile mind.

I considered taking more time than usual, but the lunch hour neared. I would scarcely have time to make the delivery and return for my meal. My stomach rumbled. I had picked at my breakfast, my appetite never good on Hanging Day. Somehow it had returned.

Down the streets I directed Stump, the mule, pulling the cart of items. Two guards walked with me, probably unnecessary in Meridea for someone wearing Sanctuary white and conducting Sanctuary business. But I was transporting items worth a great deal of gold.

The guards were friendly enough with me and I to them, glad to talk about ordinary things with ordinary people, even if it was meaningless chatter about the nice weather.

Of course there were rumors and gossip as well, always useful to catch up on.

Destra and Konn were squabbling again, the sister queens squawking at each other. It happened nearly every year. The sisters despised each other so much that they would sometimes bring their armies to blows. The armies, it was rumored, would not fight wholeheartedly, but would stall for time until forces from the Empress arrived to intervene, bringing mild sanctions on both countries. These two guards voiced that opinion, expressing pity for the soldiers stuck in those armies.

The conversation turned to the Outlanders. The Swords of the Empress were faring well in all countries with the possible exception of Ariea, which as usual word traveled slowly from. There were few outlanders there anyway. No waypoint existed there for them to enter our world. I knew this from Trang, but of course I did not voice it.

The dark expressions on the guards’ faces when speaking of outlanders suggested they would like to see every one of them driven from the Empire.

I had to chase away thoughts of these two fairly nice young men being among those who would escort me to the gallows, and how differently they would behave toward me then, not laughing and talking as if I were one of them, not casting me the occasional hopeful gaze I sometimes received from young men.

Talk of outlanders ceased when we entered the shop of Leonis.

An outlander was inside, conducting business with the fat merchant.

“A hundred gold for that thing?” the outlander demanded. “You’re out of your damn mind. I’ll give you fifty.”

“One hundred. That’s my final offer.” Leonis grinned, showing his foul mouthful of blackening teeth. I looked elsewhere.

“Hang on,” said the outlander. He took an amulet from his satchel and put it around his neck.

Leonis rolled his eyes.

“Forty,” said the outlander.

“The fuck are you thinking?” Leonis exploded in laughter, the rotting teeth on full display. “Are you new here? That amulet’s not going to work on me! I probably sold it to someone right here in this shop!”

“Oh.”

“Now the price is one hundred or you can get the fuck out of my shop. I have business to conduct with this lovely lady.” He nodded at me, leering again, his tongue nearly falling out of his fat mouth.

“You drive a very hard bargain, sir.” The outlander handed over the coins and Leonis handed him a small ring that was probably worth ten gold at best.

“Anything else you want to buy?” Leonis asked the man, who seemed to be one of the slow outlanders that took forever to do anything. “Don’t go ‘AFK’ in my store! You’re taking up valuable space!”

“I was told you hire people to do jobs from time to time.”

Leonis eyes flitted toward the guards. “You were told wrong! I am but a simple shopkeeper! If there’s nothing else, please, get out! I’ve got a pretty young lady waiting for me.”

The outlander left, looking a bit sheepish. So strange, these people. A different outlander might have put a sword through the fat man for his insolent attitude. I almost would have welcomed it.

“Now, let’s see what we have here.” Leonis rubbed his hands together and licked his lips, walking over to the cart and inspecting the goods. “These were all tested for defects, yes? I cannot sell defective goods – my reputation is impeccable.”

“I do not know, sir. I am simply delivering them to you.”

“You crafted these, did you not?” He fingered some amulets and the dagger I had worked on earlier.

“Some of them, not all. I am not supposed to discuss the crafting process, beg pardon.”

“Of course, how silly of me. Well it looks like all that I ordered is here. Tell me, how many of your items are being delivered to the other shops in Meridea?”

“I do not know.”

“If you could find that out, darling, I could make it worth your while.” He grinned lewdly, the blackened teeth just a foot or two away from me as he drew near and touched my arm.

It was all I could do not to jerk away.

“If you are satisfied with your inspection sir—“

“I can be a powerful friend to have, my dear.”

“That sounds lovely. Sir, I am sorry, but I really need to complete this delivery and be on my way. Sanctuary expects me to return without delay.”

“Of course, dear. Here, have your men bring the merchandise inside and I will go get the money.”

The guards helped me move the enchanted items and potions from the cart to the shop. Leonis told us where to put everything. He handed me a large sack clinking with coins.

“That’s 25,000,” Leonis said, affecting an air of nonchalance. “Count it if you like.”

“That won’t be necessary. We must be going now, sir.”

“Thank you, Beautiful. See you tomorrow!”

I returned in time for the last few minutes of the Midday meal. A cook handed me my plate of cheese, apple and stale bread, with a disapproving scowl as if it were any of his business why I was late. He needed a reminder of who was an Apprentice and who an Applicant.

I ate quickly and drank my water, longing for wine or ale. Spirits were forbidden in Sanctuary. They interfered with Enlightenment, they said. In my opinion they had it backwards.

When I returned to Chambers, there was good news for once. Brother Bastile had requested my assistance. Excused from my regular work, I walked happily down the long winding corridors to Bastile’s chambers.

“Come in, Ruby,” he said at once. “Please, sit.”

Bastile’s office was warmly decorated and had soft cowhide furniture that was quite comfortable, for Sanctuary. Bastile did not look like a Scholar. He was in his middle years but looked youthful. He was fit and muscular and always had a glint of humor in his eye. So far, he was the only person I could tolerate in Sanctuary.

“How has your day been?” he asked politely.

“Fine, sir.”

“First, do not call me ‘sir.’ I care nothing for decorum, you know that. Second, when I ask a question, it is not to invite mindless chatter. I want a real answer. A truthful one.”

“It actually has been a fine day, Bastile.”

“Much better. And why has it been fine?”

“I got to leave Sanctuary. Twice. And the weather is lovely.”

“Yes, it is. Twice? I know it is Hanging Day – gods, you went to the gallows?”

“Yes.”

“You are that desperate to get outside? You don’t actually enjoy the hangings, do you?”

“Gods, no.”

He had a way of extracting truth from me. I reminded myself to exercise caution. I could never let my guard down, even among friends, which I felt Bastile was becoming.

He said, “I did not think so. Many do. Ghastly practice if you ask me. What was the reason for your second outing?”

“I made a delivery to a merchant.”

“Ah. Well that is not so bad. You even got to see the city a bit then. Always good.”

“It was.” I did not mention Leonis. I saw no need and preferred not to think or talk about the crude man.

“I want your help with a new project. You are perfectly suited for it, it so happens. You can say no, of course, but I must have your word that whether you accept or refuse, you will not speak about it to anyone else. Sound fair?”

“Yes, fair enough,” I said, quite curious now.

“I am writing a book about the Outlander world.”