We arrived back at House R’jil’yae’k without incident, which was a relief. The actions of our human adversaries were so far from normal, I’d half expected them to try to ambush us while partially in our territory. Miljack and I had used the train’s comms to apprise our superiors of what had transpired. To say they were displeased was like saying a hibernating snarlaf was only a bit grumpy if awoken before the end of its cycle. It had caused some heated debate amongst them before the comm with us was closed. No doubt the High Lord had been quickly informed, and no doubt the Arbiter was going to be breathing down our necks to not only solve these murders, but deal with the smuggling and other problems we’d uncovered.
I therefore wasn’t surprised to be met by the Hand, accompanied by an entourage of Hunters. I was confused, however, by the sense of hostility coming from some of our brethren and the carefully blank expression the Hand gave us.
“Something’s up,” Miljack murmured.
Eight Hunters stepped forward, four of them holding restraints.
“What’s the meaning of this?” Kelly demanded. He swiveled his head about, as if scanning for an escape route. I knew there weren’t any. There was nowhere we could go that these senior Hunters couldn’t track us to.
“It’s just a formality,” the Hand informed us gravely. “The High Lord has to go through the motions for diplomacy’s sake. I’m certain this matter will be cleared up once the true facts are officially recorded.”
Diplomacy? My heart sank. Someone on the human council had to have accused us of something, but what?”
“Are we under arrest?” Kelly asked, his voice shaking with anger.
“Not at all. We are merely detaining you as requested.” The Hand stroked his chin. “They didn’t specify for how long or that we should actually charge you. The specific request was, and I quote, ‘The Council formally request the detainment of Hunter Pilar, Sheriff Kelly Townsend, and Deputy Richard McNichols’.”
“My name is Richard, actually,” Richard informed him, his expression stormy.
“In that case, since Richard is here, you do not need to be detained.”
“My name isn’t listed either, so why are there four sets of cuffs?” Miljack asked.
The Hand raised a brow. “We expected you would likely come to try to fight us off and end up being charged with affray.”
He wasn’t wrong. Miljack would have tried to stop them from locking me up all right.
The Hand wasn’t finished. “It’s in your best interest if you all come with us. The cuffs are merely so the High lord can assure the Council that the persons requested were met and detained.”
“So, you’re going to let us go afterwards?” I asked.
The Hand inclined his head. “Given the evidence we’ve seen thus far and the events that you’ve conveyed, we find the reasons given for your detainment to be most specious. We do, however, have to make a certain show of going through the minions while we look deeper into what is actually going on.”
Kelly looked resigned, but held out his wrists. “Go on then, I’ll come quietly.”
“Kelly!” Richard protested.
“It’ll be all right. You heard the man. Besides, he said you could come too, uncuffed.”
“You better believe I’m coming!”
“Me too,” Miljack said.
“Good.” The Hand looked pleased as the cuffs fastened around Kelly’s wrists and I held out my own for the same treatment. The Hunter fastening them gave me a sympathetic look.
“This is a load of beast shit,” he murmured to me. I understood immediately that the hostility I sensed wasn’t directed at us, but rather the asshole who’d required this to happen. The Hand genuinely wasn’t deceiving us to try to make us go quietly, to my immeasurable relief.
“So, what did they say they wanted us held for?” I asked, addressing the Hand.
“I’d like to know that myself. Usually we tell folks what they’re charged with before bringing them in,” Kelly said, his tone wry.
“My apologies.” The Hand gave a minute bow to Kelly. “As I said, we are not charging you, merely detaining you until we arrive at the High Lord’s. Then you can repeat what happened so it’s read into the official record for the Scions and we’ll let you go.”
“The Scions? Oh, shit,” Miljack swore.
This was huge.
“Oh shit, indeed.” The Hand looked pained. “Lord Roe was found dead and you three stand accused of his murder.”
“What?” Richard cried out. “Why me?”
“Because they know we met you at the tavern,” Kelly surmised.
“Mm. Allegedly your Lord Roe was found floating in the river by his house and the three of you ran from authorities when they tried to apprehend you at this tavern.”
“That’s absurd!” Richard insisted.
“When was he found?” I asked quietly.
“All will be explained by the High Lord.”
There was nothing else to be done until we got to the High Lord’s office, so we allowed ourselves to be herded into the small shuttle that would fly us to our destination, avoiding curious gazes from the rest of the populace.
“This is like something out of one of those sci fi vids, and we don’t even get to enjoy it,” Richard groused, looking about the interior with avid interest. “Ah, well, at least none of us is wearing a red shirt.”
Miljack and I both looked at him in puzzlement.
“I’ll explain later,” Kelly whispered. “It’s a pop culture thing.”
Whatever that was.