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Thirty-Five

The guard headquarters of the city of Archon’s Glory was in one of the older districts inside the walls which had become unfashionable over the years. It had certainly not started life as a guard building, judging by the grand architecture and the ornate carvings, but it was in decent repair. Compared to the post in Mallory’s district, it was positively luxurious. When they stepped inside, they were greeted by a spiral staircase and marble floors. Granted the floors were badly scuffed and the front desk looked as if teething puppies had gnawed on the wood, but even the shadow of its former grandeur was impressive.

Piper, resolutely unimpressed, strode to the desk and said, “I have come to see Commander Tamsin on a matter of some urgency.”

This particular guard was not as easily cowed as Mallory’s. He glanced at the trio and said, “The Commander is busy. You can request an audience and it will be scheduled when and if appropriate.”

“It is, as I said, a matter of urgency.”

The guard wore glasses. He pushed them down now and looked at Piper over the rims, a fighting move that Galen had seen reduce strong men to jelly, particularly when deployed by nuns or lawyers. He wasn’t sure if he should jump in front of Piper to take the full force of the glare or not.

Piper met the glare with one of his own. He handled Mallory. This is his world. Just be ready to call for a healer in case one of them combusts.

“Commander Tamsin does not see civilians except by appointment,” said the man in the glasses.

Piper produced the letter with Mallory’s seal and held it up. The guard reached for it, but Piper did not relinquish it. “Captain Mallory has requested that we be given an audience,” he said, hoarfrost creeping into his voice again. “This is a judicial matter and I have neither time nor inclination to wait.”

The guard looked from the seal to the formal robes that Piper wore. Galen discovered that he was holding his breath.

A sour expression crossed the guard’s face and he sat back, pushing his glasses up on his nose and acting as if he had not lost. “If Mallory sent you, I suppose we can make an exception. The Commander can decide if he will see you or not.” He jerked his chin toward the staircase. “Up. The door at the end of the hall.”

“Thank you,” said Piper coolly, and swept toward the stairs.

To give Tamsin what little credit that Galen was able to muster, his office was no more luxurious than the rest of the building. There was a rug on the floor and the walls had been whitewashed, but the furniture had the same battered look. A secretary looked up at them, frowning.

“The Commander—”

“Will see us,” said Piper, holding up Mallory’s seal.

“Will I?” asked a dryly amused voice from the next room. Tamsin appeared in the doorway beside the desk. He was a short, deceptively affable looking man, with a heavy mustache and thinning hair.

Piper turned to him. “Indeed. I am Doctor Piper. I believe we have met in passing, Commander, though it has been some years.” He bowed from the neck, a very different gesture from a nod.

“You’re the lich-doctor who figured out how the smooth men worked,” said Tamsin.

“I am.”

“That was fine work.”

Piper bowed again.

“And you two…” Tamsin’s eyes flicked over Galen and Stephen. Galen suspected that the man had registered every weapon they carried, down to the knife Galen used to trim his fingernails. “Paladins of the dead saint, aren’t you?”

“We are,” said Stephen, giving no sign at the tactlessness of the description.

“You work for the White Rat now.”

“It is our honor to serve as we can.”

Galen had a vague urge to smash something or scream loudly, just to break up the formality of the occasion.

Tamsin held out his hand and Piper relinquished Mallory’s letter. The commander cracked the seal, read the words there, and snorted. “You may have five minutes, then,” he said, gesturing them into his office.

There were only two chairs. Piper took one. Galen took the other, while Stephen stood. As the tallest of the three, he could loom rather effectively, and at this point, Galen thought they probably needed any psychological advantage they could get.

Tamsin tossed Mallory’s letter carelessly on his desk. Galen read the words upside down.

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