The Temporal Void (26 page)

Vologral signed the first warrant. ‘So suppose you do succeed? Exclude them from everywhere but Sampalok, for I know damn well that Bise will never sign one of these. What then?’

‘I imagine that will be up to the Grand Council, sir.’

‘Ha!’ Vologral gave Edeard a sly smile of approval as he reached for another warrant. ‘Not such a country boy after all, eh?’

It began the very next morning. Ronark changed the squad shifts, which in itself was fairly historic; dispatching five constables to each of the bridges leading into Jeavons from Drupe, Tycho and Majate. Silvarum’s station captain did the same with bridges to Haxpen and Padua.

As dawn broke, the constables took up position. News of the exclusion had spread in that lightning-fast way any novelty did in Makkathran, especially one concerning the Waterwalker. A lot of people turned up to see if it was actually going to happen. At some bridges they applauded when the constables appeared. Sandwiches and hot tea and coffee were produced and offered to the new guard squads. Then everyone settled down to see what the gangs would do.

At midday, eight men walked across Golden Park. They were young and tough, knew how to handle themselves in a fight, and had a strong third hand. By the time they reached the district’s southern point adjoining Birmingham Pool there were five ge-eagles orbiting high above them. Only two of which belonged to the constables.

‘Getting a real burst of nostalgia here,’ Macsen sang out as Edeard’s squad jogged along Macoun Street.

‘Nostalgia is a happy sensation,’ Kanseen grunted. ‘This isn’t.’

Edeard tended to agree with her. He glanced at Isoix’s bakery as they sped past. ‘You all right?’ he asked Dinlay with a direct longtalk whisper.

‘Oh Lady, yeah.’ Dinlay’s thoughts were aflame with expectation. They’d spent the morning walking round the two districts on a random route, making themselves visible, knowing there would be a showdown at some time. It should have been a time of high excitement for Edeard, but he’d got another letter from Salrana; she’d been delayed again.

He ran out of Macoun Street on to the broad sweep of the alameda. The weeping hasfol trees were just budding, a multitude of blue and yellow striped leaves expanding out of their whorls to greet the warmer skies. Right ahead of them was the blue and silver bridge which looped high over the waters of the Great Major Canal to Golden Park. Sergeant Chae was standing at the foot of it, giving Edeard’s slightly out-of-breath squad a nonchalant look. ‘I’m insulted,’ he said loftily. ‘You don’t trust me?’

‘Procedure, sir,’ Macsen puffed. ‘We’re the reinforcements.’

‘But I haven’t called for you, yet.’

Edeard gestured at the bridge. ‘All yours, sir.’

‘Thank you.’ Chae glanced round at the eager crowd that was building. ‘This is nostalgic, eh?’ He turned and led the four constables of his squad up on to the bridge.

‘Have any of them got guns?’ Boyd asked.

‘I can’t sense any,’ Kanseen said. ‘Edeard?’

‘No. Nothing. Ivarl will want it to appear like they’re just ordinary citizens. He needs to make us the bad guys.’

‘Hey, Waterwalker,’ a young boy yelled out cheekily. ‘Are you going to do it again?’

‘Not today.’

‘Oww, go on, please. Run over the pool. I didn’t see it before.’

The eight men had reached the other end of the bridge. Chae and his squad were standing on the apex, arms folded. Waiting patiently.

‘This is a different day,’ Edeard said out loud. The crowd were dividing their attention between him and the gang members over on Golden Park. ‘This day we banish the gangs from your streets and lives.’

The gang men stepped onto the bridge.

‘You!’ Chae bellowed. ‘Pocklan, we know you and your friends. Come no further.’

The eight men kept walking forward.

‘I have a warrant signed by the District Master of Jeavons excluding you from this district.’

‘I have done nothing wrong,’ Pocklan shouted back. ‘I am a free man. I may go where I please in this city. That is the law.’

‘Halt and turn around. Go back where you scum came from.’

Boyd nudged Edeard. ‘Look who’s here,’ he growled.

Edeard glanced over where Boyd indicated. Master Cherix was standing at the front of the crowd, watching intently.

‘We knew they’d try to quash the warrants in the courts,’ Dinlay said.

‘Please don’t let this come down to lawyers,’ Kanseen moaned.

‘I’m visiting my mother who lives in Jeavons,’ Pocklan said, appealing reasonably to the silent spellbound crowd. ‘She has only a few days to live. Would you deny me that right?’

‘What a load of bollocks,’ Dinlay said under his breath.

‘Piss off,’ Chae said, jabbing his finger forcefully back down the bridge. ‘Now.’

‘Sergeant,’ Master Cherix said. It wasn’t a particularly loud voice, but the authority behind it carried a long way.

Chae turned round, an expression of utter disgust on his face, backed up by some very strong thoughts escaping past his shield. ‘Yes? Sir?’

‘I am this fine gentleman’s legal counsel. May I see this so-called exclusion warrant, please?’

‘It’s back at the station.’

‘Then until you produce it, and let him see it, as is his right, my client is free to go about his business in whatever district of this city he chooses. As do his equally innocent colleagues.’

‘All right then,’ Chae said, and jabbed his finger at Pocklan again. ‘Wait here. I’ll send a runner.’

‘No, Sergeant,’ Cherix said. ‘You cannot detain my client without just cause. It is your responsibility to bring the warrant to him. Until it is read to him, he is free to go as he pleases.’

‘I can’t run around the district after him and the others,’ Chae said.

‘That is not my client’s problem,’ Master Cherix said affably.

Pocklan’s smirk was indecent. ‘Step aside,’ he told Chae.

Edeard walked forward. ‘Master Cherix.’

‘Corporal Edeard. How nice to see you. I believe you can be of some help in this unfortunate matter. Your colleague here was about to act unlawfully. As a constable of this city, I am asking you to see the law is enforced equally and fairly.’

‘My pleasure.’

Master Cherix beckoned Pocklan. ‘Come on across the bridge now, please, my dear chap. You are quite safe with the Waterwalker himself guaranteeing your legal rights.’

‘Were you referring to a warrant like this?’ Edeard asked innocently. He pulled a roll of parchment out of his tunic.

Master Cherix’s unctuous smile flattened as he started to read. ‘But this warrant names—’

‘You.’ Edeard smiled. ‘Yes. And as such, I am required – by law – to assist you out of Jeavons as quickly as possible.’ He reached out with his third hand.

Master Cherix yelled in consternation as his feet left the ground. The cry turned to pure panic as he kept on rising. The crowd on the alameda gasped as the lawyer soared away over the bridge, continuing to gain height.

‘Put me down!’ Cherix screamed with his voice and longtalk. He was higher than the buildings behind the alameda; higher than the white metal pillars lining Golden Park. Still ascending. The watching ge-eagles had to curve sharply to avoid him.

‘Did you hear something?’ Edeard asked.

‘He told you to put him down,’ Kanseen pronounced solemnly.

‘Oh, fair enough,’ Edeard said. He let go.

Cherix fell out of the sky with an incoherent shriek of fright. He landed in the middle of Birmingham Pool, producing a tremendous splash. The crowd cheered wildly.

Chae turned back to Pocklan. ‘Now where were we?’

Pocklan gave the sergeant a furious look; then glanced over his shoulder to where an impassive Edeard was waiting. He turned and led his companions back into Golden Park.

Macsen put his arm round Edeard’s shoulder, squeezing strongly. ‘Now why is it, do you suppose, people you don’t like always wind up getting dunked in Birmingham Pool?’

‘Nostalgia.’

*

Edeard had been looking forward to the Lady’s Festival of Guidance for what seemed like most of the winter. His friends, and the girls he’d encountered, were always speaking of it in enthusiastic tones. Firstly, it signalled the onset of summer, which, as far as he was concerned, couldn’t arrive fast enough. But the main reason was to celebrate those who had passed away in the previous year. Everybody who had lost someone made a small memorial boat out of flowers – of any and every colour except white. Mainly it was the children of a family who made them, producing elaborate and colourful boats up to a yard long. They represented the soul of the departed one.

At midday, the Pythia conducted a service of memorial in the Lady’s church in Eyrie. When that ended all the flower boats would be placed in the city’s canals. The gondoliers, bedecked in white flowers, guided them down to the port singing hymns of commemoration. Gondolas represented the Skylords, who the Lady promised would come to Querencia once again to guide the souls of humans into the welcome embrace of Odin’s Sea. At the port, the gondolas would stop, and the flower boats would carry on, drifting out across the waves.

It sounded delightful; especially the evening, which was one giant party. Now the day was here, and Edeard dozed fitfully as the dawn came to a clear sky, promising good weather for the festival. Chief Constable Walsfol’s longtalk intruded sharply into his thoughts. ‘Ugh, sir? he responded groggily as the dregs of yet another bizarre dream drained away. He hadn’t known the man had such a powerful longtalk. It made sense, though. After Ranalee, a lot of things about the city hierarchy were clearer to him.

‘I need you to report to the Culverit family mansion in Haxpen,’ Walsfol told him. ‘Come at once.’

‘Yes, sir,’ Edeard said sleepily. ‘Er, why?’

‘I will meet you there and explain the situation. You’d better bring the rest of your squad, too.’

Edeard rubbed his eyes. He hadn’t got to bed until well after midnight. Late last evening, the Lillylight Street association had spotted a gondola with three known gang members making their way along Victoria Canal. Edeard and a couple of Silvarum constables had intercepted them at a mooring platform on Flight Canal. No resistance had been offered when the men were told to leave, but he’d still kept watch on the gondola as it made its way back down the Great Major Canal.

That was the way of his days now. Constantly alert for attempts to infiltrate racketeers into Jeavons and Silvarum. Called to shops and other businesses when unknown gang members did get through. Two days wasted in court on charges of aggravated psychic assault filed by Master Cherix, who, thankfully, in law was no match for Master Solarin.

He groaned and pushed his feet out from under the nice warm sheets. Jessile shifted round on the springy mattress. ‘What?’ she mumbled.

‘Have to go,’ he said softly, and kissed her forehead.

She moaned again, and curled up tighter. ‘I won’t be here tonight, have to be with family for the party. See you tomorrow.’

‘Right.’ But she was already asleep again. He ordered a ge-chimp to bring a fresh set of clothes. While he was struggling into them in the dim light he started to call the others. It was rather satisfying spreading the misery.

Edeard pulled his boots on beside the door, and gave his own flower boat a wistful glance. It wasn’t much, a simple frame of card a foot long, over which he’d stuck a dozen red and yellow roses. His friends assured him it was just right, exactly what everyone else constructed. For him it was a belated memorial to Akeem, and all the others of Ashwell village.

He met up with Boyd and Kanseen on the tenement walkway outside. They weren’t in the best of moods at being hauled from their beds so early. Edeard couldn’t bring himself to look at Kanseen. She hadn’t been alone.

‘Are we waiting for Dinlay?’ Boyd asked as they made their way down the stairs.

‘He’ll join us there.’

A smile spread across Boyd’s face. ‘You mean he was with someone?’

‘Not our concern,’ Edeard said, a fraction too sharply. Now he really couldn’t look at Kanseen.

‘Any idea what this is about?’ she asked.

‘None. But if we’re being summoned to the Culverit family by Walsfol himself on this day, you can bet it isn’t going to be trivial.’

‘Julan is the Haxpen District Master,’ Boyd said. ‘He’s one of the waverers, isn’t he?’

‘I think so,’ Edeard said, rubbing his hand over his brow. In truth, he’d lost track of which Master was for them. Their allegiances were very fluid. Lately he’d given up trying to follow the Grand Council machinations, and just prayed Finitan would prevail tomorrow.

Boyd opened the big wrought iron gate at the entrance to the tenement. Macsen was waiting outside. He raised an arm in greeting.

‘Dinlay’s still not over Chiaran, you know,’ Boyd said cheerfully.

‘We all got a nasty shock over Ivarl’s methods,’ Edeard told him as they went out into the street. ‘Let’s just forget about that and move on, shall we?’

Boyd was clearly going to make some other snide comment, he’d even started to open his mouth when a voice cut across the empty street: ‘Waterwalker,’ a woman cried.

She had been sitting up in the doorway of a tailor’s shop opposite the tenement. Edeard’s farsight had sensed her as they were on the last flight of stairs, but she hadn’t been carrying any weapons. She did have three children with her, which was mildly unusual at this time of day, but not anything to concern himself over. He’d assumed she was simply bright and early for the festival. Now she came striding across the street, pulling the sleepy miserable children with her. The eldest was no more than five, while the youngest, a girl, was barely old enough to walk.

‘Where do I go, Waterwalker?’ she demanded belligerently. ‘Tell me that, eh? Where?’

‘What?’ Edeard asked, very confused. Macsen was hurrying over to them.

‘How will my children eat? Ask him, Dannil, go on, ask the great Waterwalker where your next meal is coming from.’ The middle child, a boy in a ragged green pullover and worn grey trousers, was thrust forward. He looked up at Edeard and his lip began to quake. He burst into tears. ‘I want me da!’ he wailed.

‘What?’ Edeard asked again.