“Why did you want her dead?”
“I did nothing. You are the one that killed her. And killing a member of the village, especially a seer, is an unpardonable crime. The punishment is death.” Zulron gave a smile before stepping outside.
The rest of them followed to find a gathering crowd.
“There he is!” Thranic shouted the moment Royce stepped out of the tree. He pointed and said, “There’s your elf! I warned you about him.”
“He has slain our seer, Fan Irlanu!” Zulron announced, and repeated it in Tenkin.
Burandu, Wesley, and Wyatt pushed their way through the mob.
“Is this true?” Wesley asked quickly, his voice nervous.
“Which?” Royce asked.
“Are you an elf, and did you just kill Fan Irlanu?”
“Yes, and I’m not sure.”
The crowd grew and Hadrian could pick out words such as justice, revenge, and kill among the many Tenkin shouts.
“By Mar, man!” Wesley said fiercely but quietly to Royce. “What is it with you? I should let you hang just for the amount of trouble you’ve caused.” He took a breath. The crowd pressed in. Lightning flashed overhead while thunder boomed. “What do you mean when you say you’re not sure?” Wesley asked. He was speaking quickly, wiping the rain from his face.
“The murderer must pay for his crime, Burandu,” Zulron declared in Tenkin. “His soullessness has killed our beloved Fan Irlanu. The law demands justice!”
“Where is Joqdan?” Burandu asked.
“Paying his last respects to his dead would-be wife. If he was here, he would agree.”
“He lies! Zulron is to blame.” Hadrian spoke in Tenkin, which drew surprised looks from everyone.
“What are they saying?” Wesley asked Hadrian.
“The oberdaza is pushing for our deaths and Burandu is buying it.”
“Bring them all!” Burandu shouted.
The warriors of the village descended. Hadrian considered for a moment whether he should draw his swords, but decided against it. He shot a look at Royce to indicate he should not resist.
They were driven to the village center, where Dilladrum was shouting, “Let go of me! What are you doing?” When he saw Wesley, he asked, “What did you do? I told you not to offend them!”
“We didn’t offend them,” Hadrian explained. “We killed their beloved seer.”
“What!” Dilladrum looked as if he was about to faint.
“Actually, it is a misunderstanding, but I am not sure we will get the chance to explain,” Wesley put in.
“At least Thranic will die with us,” Royce said loud enough for the sentinel to hear.
“A martyr’s death is a fair price to rid the world of you and your kind.”
Lightning flashed again, revealing the pallid faces of the crew in its stark light.
Grady was shoved to the ground, and he moved his hand toward his sword.
“Grady, don’t!” Hadrian said.
“That is right,” Wesley shouted. “No one draw weapons. They will slaughter us.”
“They will anyway,” Derning replied.
Poe and Hadrian pulled Grady back to his feet. All around them the ring of warriors formed a wall, behind which churned a crowd of shouting faces and raised fists. The rain-drenched mob pushed and cried, its words lost in a roar of hatred. Lightning flashed once more, and a single voice rang out, “You knew!”
Instantly the crowd fell silent and parted. Only the sound of rain disturbed the stillness as Fan Irlanu entered the circle. Joqdan, at her side, carried a deadly-looking spear, his eyes grim and focused on Zulron.
“Burandu, it is not the stranger’s fault. It was Zulron who asked that I do the reading. He knew this one had elven blood. But I am still alive!”
“But—no … How could you …” Zulron stammered.
“He is not an Old One,” Fan Irlanu said. “He is a kaz! There is humanity in him—footholds, Zulron, footholds!”
“What’s going on?” Wesley asked Hadrian. “Isn’t she the one Royce killed? What’s she saying?”
“She seems a mite upset,” Grady said.
“But not at Royce,” Poe remarked.
“Who, then?” Grady asked.
“Zulron has tried to kill me. I have known for some time his ambitions were great. I saw the treachery in his heart, but I never expected he would go so far.”
“Joqdan, what say you? Is what Fan Irlanu says true?” Burandu addressed his warlord.
Joqdan thrust his spear into the chest of Zulron.
The long blade passed fully through the oberdaza’s body. Those nearby jostled backward, everyone moving away. Joqdan advanced the length of his spear’s shaft and gripped Zulron by the throat. Holding him with strong arms, he spat in the witch doctor’s face. The light faded from the oberdaza’s eyes, and Joqdan withdrew his spear as Zulron fell dead.