|
|
The tableau painted itself before my eyes in wide strokes tainted in red.
Behind Bianca, a carriage lay broken on its side, one horse fighting to get up, the other utterly motionless. At her feet laid a mangled body, blood soaking its white clothing.
She stood over the broken shape, glancing down at it, an unreadable expression on her face.
I peeled away from the crowd, my feet moving of their own accord. The man who was trying to hold the crowd back made as if to stop me, but noticing my uniform, he pulled back and let me pass—though not without a confused expression twisting his features. This was a white square. I had no business getting involved.
A couple of men were climbing the capsized carriage, trying to get to the passengers, one of which was screaming hysterically.
“Bianca,” I said in a whisper, not wanting people to hear me.
Her dark gaze rose slowly and met mine. She stared at me—or more accurately, through me—without recognition.
I moved closer, my attention darting toward the broken shape at her feet. At the sight of the person’s disfigured face, my stomach turned, acid rising up my throat. Blood, exposed teeth, and butchered flesh made the features unrecognizable. Brain matter leaked from one side of a broken skull.
The victim was a man. That much I could tell. He wore a uniform just like Bianca’s. I tried to peer at the insignia on his arm, but it was hidden from my vantage point.
“What happened?” I asked dumbly, returning my attention to her.
She seemed at the verge of crying, her eyes clouded by unshed tears. She shook her head, lower lip trembling.
Steps marched in our direction.
“Out of the way,” a deep, rumbling voice commanded.
A group of six Sentries appeared, parting the crowd. As they took in the scene, they came to an abrupt halt. Silence fell over the crowd until only the hysterical cries from the carriage passenger could be heard. This was not a common sight in Acedrex. Blood in these amounts was normally spilled only by the King and Queen.
One of the Sentries stepped ahead of the others, taking command of the situation. He wore the traditional uniform of White Sentries. White pants and jacket. A black belt and black trimmings sewn onto the cuffs and collar. He seemed to be in his early fifties and possessed a commanding air.
“You and you,” he ordered, pointing to two young Sentries, then at the collapsed carriage. “Help get those people out.” He turned to the others. “All of you, keep the crowd under control.”
Obediently, they set to work, following the orders of their senior officer. At last, he turned back to us, assessing the situation with intelligent blue eyes.
He glanced at me with a frown. I took a step back and nodded, conceding. That seemed enough to stop him from saying anything and focusing on the more important problem.
“First Pawn,” he said respectfully, noting the insignia on Bianca’s shoulder. “May I?” He gestured toward the fallen man.
Bianca retreated a few steps, allowing the Sentry to kneel on the right side of the body. He blinked once at the gruesome sight but managed to keep his expression steady. Taking two fingers to the man’s neck, he checked for a pulse. It was a useless thing to do. There was brain matter smeared on the cobblestone. There could be no life left in that body.
When he was done, he angled his face to take a look at the man’s right shoulder. His eyes widened.
“A Rook!” he said in surprise. He shot to his feet as if he were planning to flee the scene. Shock etching his mature features, he turned to Bianca, then to me. “What happened here?” he asked, his voice full of accusation.
Shit!
Of course, he would suspect the Blackie.
“I just got here. I don’t know,” I said, putting my hands up.
He narrowed his eyes and started to move in my direction.
“It’s true,” Bianca said from behind the Sentry.
Reluctantly, he turned away and slowly faced Bianca, keeping a watch on me out of the corner of his eye.
“Yeah,” I said. “You can ask the crowd. They can confirm that.”
“Did you see what happened then?” the Sentry asked Bianca.
She nodded, taking a deep breath. “He was trying to kill me,” she said. “So I killed him first.”