Fallible Justice, page 27
Then I know.
Clarity sends a shaft of energy through me and I jerk upwards, sending my phone flying into the footwell. My sudden movement startles Jamie and the car swerves before he brings it under control. He curses, but I ignore him as I pat around the floor in search of my phone.
‘What was that all about?’ Jamie asks.
At the same time, Karrion speaks out in the back seat. ‘Are you okay?’
‘Turn the car around,’ I say, closing the video and scrolling through my list of contacts.
‘What?’ Despite his confusion, Jamie indicates left and turns into a narrow side street where he executes a three-point turn.
‘We need to get to the Brotherhood as soon as possible.’
‘Why?’ Karrion asks, leaning forward.
‘I know how the judgement was rigged, but I need a Paladin to prove it.’
‘How?’
I smile and shake my head at Karrion while I wait for the call to connect. Sister Alissa answers and asks for news about Brother Valeron. I have little to tell her and instead ask a favour. All the while, I keep an eye on Karrion, waiting for understanding to dawn. When it comes, his grin matches mine.
Alissa promises to meet us at the main entrance as soon as she has tracked down the Paladin I need. We end the call and I tap another name in my contacts.
Ilana answers after just one ring, and from her tone I call tell she has been waiting for my call.
‘What news?’
‘Are you at the Brotherhood?’
‘Yes. It is less than two hours until the execution.’
‘I know. We are heading there now. I know how the judgement was corrupted, but I need the help of a particular Paladin to prove it. Do you want to be there for that?’
‘Of course. Does this mean you caught the real killer?’
‘The Paladins arrested Reaoul Pearson half an hour ago.’
‘Reaoul did it? But he seemed so distraught at the funeral.’ Ilana’s voice is a mix of surprise and disbelief. ‘Did he say why?’
‘It’s a long story, and sensitive. I’ll fill you in later, but for now, can you meet us at the main entrance in about five minutes?’
Ilana agrees to do so and says a hasty goodbye. Before the call disconnects, I can hear the sound of high-heeled shoes hurrying along marble corridors; an echo of a daughter’s concern for her father. Refusing to think about my own father, I turn to Jamie.
‘Doesn’t this car have a siren and flashing lights?’
‘We’re only allowed to use them in an emergency,’ Jamie says, switching lanes.
‘Doesn’t an innocent man facing execution count as an emergency?’
‘Not when the execution isn’t due to take place until noon. Relax, Yannia, we’ll be there in a couple of minutes.’
‘Time is of the essence. We can’t just burst in at the last minute and demand a stay of execution.’
‘Fine. What’s one more bent rule?’
Jamie switches on the sirens, and I wince at the loudness of them. How the police can stand them for any length of time is beyond me. But they have the desired effect and cars give way to us as we speed through a red light. In the rear view mirror, I witness Karrion’s excitement.
Even with the sirens, it feels like the journey takes ten times longer than it should, but the clock on the dashboard indicates that it is only two minutes later when we reach our destination. We turn through the main gates of the Brotherhood and Jamie parks in one of the spaces allocated to the Metropolitan Police. I am out of the car before he has switched off the engine, and both he and Karrion have to jog to catch up with me.
‘What’s the rush?’ Jamie asks. ‘We’ve got plenty of time.’
‘Perhaps, but the Paladins aren’t just going to take my word that their infallible justice is, in fact, fallible.’
‘You said you have proof.’
‘I do, but I expect they’ll still take some convincing.’
‘So let’s go and convince them,’ Karrion says and pushes open the heavy doors into the Brotherhood.
As we step past the guards into the great hall, my eyes scan the sparse crowd for familiar faces. Ilana is hurrying towards us from the wing leading to the prison cells. The collar of her shirt is high enough to conceal any bruising on her throat, but I look out for any other signs of the night we spent together. I find none. Only when she reaches us and lays her hand on my arm do I get an affirmation of what passed between us.
‘You did it,’ she says, and to my pleasure, she includes Karrion in that statement. He grins with pride at this and I notice that his magic no longer diminishes in Ilana’s presence.
‘Almost,’ I reply. ‘Though the hard part will be convincing others.’
‘I’ll help with that. Trust me, I can be quite persuasive when my father’s life is at stake.’
Movement catches my attention and I turn to watch Sister Alissa approach with two other Paladins, all clad in the grey robes of the Order. As I step towards them, I push the pain and the fatigue to the back of my mind.
‘Let’s end this.’
27
The Price of Justice
Sister Alissa introduces the other Paladins as Sister Serah and Brother Themas. While she speaks, Brother Themas’s eyes are fixed on her lips. When it is his turn to greet everyone, he does so by signing while Sister Serah translates.
‘He says it’s a pleasure to meet you and he hopes that he will be of assistance to you.’
‘I hope so too,’ I say and turn to Alissa. ‘Do you have the laptop?’
‘Yes, right here.’ She hands me the bag she was carrying.
‘Great. Is there somewhere we can go to do this in private?’
‘Follow me.’
Sister Alissa leads us to the research wing where we conversed once before. We can hear voices through the Palaeontology door and we choose the Ethnoarchaeology room instead.
Alissa boots up the laptop and together we connect my phone to it. When I have called up the judgement footage and found the relevant section, I address Brother Themas.
‘Would you take a look at the footage and tell me what the charges presented by the Mage are?’
Brother Themas nods and focuses his attention on the screen. When the Mage sets down his scroll, Themas begins signing and Sister Serah provides us with a translation.
‘The charges read as follows: Jonathain Marsh, you hereby stand accused of the murder of Gideor Braeman, the Speaker of the High Council of Mages and the First among the Light Mages. You are further accused of profiting from your crimes by way of auctioning certain artefacts of power taken from the victim’s abode. Stand ready to receive the judgement of the Herald.’
I nod. Although I did not know the exact wording, the gist of the charges is as I expected.
‘Would you now watch the charges Brother Valeron presents to the Herald and tell me what he says?’
Again, Themas watches the footage I play him, and from the shock creeping across his features, I know I am right. When he attempts to sign the answer, his hands are shaking too much and he has to start from the beginning.
Sister Serah frowns. ‘Wait, that can’t be right,’ she says, and Themas signs again, more insistently. All colour drains from Serah’s face.
‘He says that the charges presented to the Herald were as follows: this man, Jonathain Marsh, stands accused of being unfaithful to his wife. Please cast your judgement as to his guilt or innocence.’
Several people begin speaking at once, but I only nod. Ilana throws her arms around me and whispers a thank you. Jamie grins at me over her shoulder and steps back to lean against the door. When Ilana and I step apart, Sister Alissa rests a hand on my shoulder. She looks pale and frightened.
‘How did you know?’
The murmur of voices dies away as everyone waits for my answer. Feeling self-conscious, I pick up my phone and slip it into my pocket.
‘Well,’ I say, shifting from foot to foot, ‘I knew that if someone wanted to tamper with a judgement, it would have to be subtle, given how many people were watching. And Brother Valeron’s suicide indicated that it was something he did, that he specifically influenced the judgement. So I watched him, over and over, until I knew every moment of the judgement by heart. But the problem was, he didn’t do anything unexpected; he never hesitated or gave any indication that he wasn’t following the standard procedure. It wasn’t until after we arrested Reaoul that I realised I should have been looking for a weakness in the system. From there it was obvious. There was one point when Brother Valeron spoke so that only one other person in the courtroom could hear him: when he translated the charges to the Herald.’
‘Do you think he whispered the charges?’ Karrion asks.
Ilana shakes her head. ‘He didn’t whisper, I remember hearing him speak.’
‘He didn’t have to,’ I say. ‘Heralds aren’t human; they don’t speak English or any other human language. When the Paladins communicate with them, it is using the Heralds’ native tongue that only the Paladins understand.’
Karrion remains confused. ‘But how come no one realised he changed the charges?’
‘Valeron was the only Paladin in the room. The Mages, Shamans and Metropolitan Police all had representatives present. Brother Valeron represented the Brotherhood. Even the guards left the courtroom once they had secured Marsh to the pillar.’
‘There was no one there to hear the charges, no one except Valeron and the Herald,’ Karrion says, finally understanding. ‘Afterwards, it would take a Paladin able to read lips to discover the truth.’
Brother Themas smiles.
‘Marsh’s affair with Tanyella was one of those secrets among the aristocracy of Old London that wasn’t a secret at all. Between that and Marsh’s disagreement with Braeman, Reaoul had an ideal scapegoat. It’s the perfect way to fool an infallible justice system.’
‘But it couldn’t fool you,’ Ilana says, and hugs me again.
‘We need to see the Paladin General immediately,’ Sister Alissa says and closes the laptop lid.
I nod. ‘Agreed. There’s an innocent man about to be executed and only the Paladin General has the power to stop that.’
As I move to leave, Ilana touches my hand and gives me a cheque.
‘It’s the outstanding part of your fee, plus an estimate for the expenses you have incurred.’
A glance at the figure leaves me frowning. Even with a generous estimate for the expenses, she has paid me for an additional day.
‘This is too much,’ I say. ‘By default, my employment ends today at noon.’
‘Given everything you have done for my family, it doesn’t seem enough,’ Ilana replies. ‘Take it, with my gratitude.’
‘Thank you.’ I fold the cheque and slip it into my back pocket.
‘Like you said, let’s end this.’
The Paladin General’s assistant tries to stop us marching into the General’s office, but the Paladins leading the way listen to no protests. Sister Alissa knocks on the door, and upon being granted permission to enter, opens it for us. The Paladins bow, while the rest of us file in, uncertain how to greet the Head of the Brotherhood.
A tall man sits behind an imposing oak desk. His robes are embroidered with blue symbols and his grey hair rests on his shoulders in tight curls. Shrewd eyes regard us beneath thin eyebrows and his dark skin is heavily lined. When he stands, I can feel the edge of his magic against mine, questioning, assessing.
‘Sister Alissa, what is the meaning of this?’ His deep voice holds an edge of authority that demands acquiescence. The auras of power around me shrink and diminish.
‘My apologies, Paladin General, but this could not wait. The life of an innocent is in danger.’
Before he has a chance to reply, I step forward. ‘Your justice system is flawed. I have proof.’
Dark eyes fix me on the spot and I regret my hasty words. But every minute takes Marsh closer to execution, and at least with that opening I now have the Paladin General’s undivided attention.
‘Close the door.’ Behind us, Sister Serah hurries to obey. ‘Speak.’
I take one of the seats in front of his desk, uninvited, and his frown deepens. A wave of magic washes over me, more assertive in its assessment, and I hide nothing from it. Whatever the Paladin General learns about me causes him to indicate towards the other seats, and Ilana, Karrion and Jamie sit. The Paladins remain standing behind us, shoulder to shoulder.
Taking a moment to gather my thoughts, I begin an abbreviated account of how Karrion and I were hired and where the investigation has led us. At the first word, a different kind of magic envelops me, leaving me with the feeling that I am breathing in a mist so thick it qualifies as water. I have heard of the spell, but never experienced it myself. It is the truth aura the Paladins use. From here on, the Paladin General will know instantly if I speak any untruths. With the facade of an infallible justice system crumbling around us, I have to wonder how effective the spell is.
When I get to the point involving Brother Themas, the focus of the Paladin General’s spell shifts to the line of Paladins behind me. Sister Serah translates Brother Themas’s statement, and with it comes the finality of belief. The Paladin General slumps down on his chair, his features twisted by shock. His spell dissipates like morning mist faced with the rising sun.
‘This cannot be,’ he says, his words slow. ‘For centuries, we have relied on the Heralds to impart justice.’
‘The Heralds are still infallible,’ I reply, feeling a surge of sympathy for him. ‘It’s the human element that has let you down.’
Silence permeates every corner of the room, while the Paladin General stares at his desk, chin down. Next to me, Ilana casts a discreet glance at her watch, ever mindful of the passing time. As much as I wish to hurry the Paladin General, I dare not speak. Being tactless once was enough.
Ilana, however, is braver than me.
‘So you see, my father is innocent.’
The Paladin General lifts his head, and although his expression is blank, I am struck with a sensation akin to the calm before a storm. I shudder.
‘No. Your father was judged guilty by the Herald.’
‘Yes, but of adultery. That is not punishable by death, it’s not even a crime.’
I can tell from her tone that Ilana does not yet understand. I do, and I stare into the yawning gulf of failure.
‘No,’ the Paladin General repeats. ‘The Herald declared your father guilty of Gideor Braeman’s murder before the presiding officials and a gallery full of people.’
‘So? A new judgement would see the verdict changed to innocent.’
‘That may be, but there won’t be a new judgement.’
‘You will release him without a second judgement?’ Ilana asks.
‘I cannot do that. A Herald has delivered a verdict and justice must be served.’
My heart clenches at the dawning horror on Ilana’s face. ‘I don’t understand. My father is innocent.’
‘Not in the eyes of the world outside this room. They know with absolute certainty that he murdered Braeman and that he will be punished for his crime. And that is what matters the most.’
Ilana jumps up, her face red. ‘You can’t do that!’
The Paladin General also rises, but I can see he is burdened by this new knowledge. He no longer towers over us as an imposing authority figure. Instead, I see a troubled leader trying to make us understand the impossible.
‘I not only can, but I must,’ he says, emphasising his words by placing his palms flat on his desk. ‘For centuries, the Heralds have served us infallible justice. They are never wrong and that has been the assurance we have offered humans. None of us, no matter how powerful, can use magic to conceal our crimes.’
‘It wasn’t a Herald that made a mistake, it was Brother Valeron!’
‘Correct, and that very act drove him to commit suicide. He must have understood, as I now do, the full implications of his betrayal. For he not only condemned an innocent man to die, but destabilised the very foundations of our society. The magnitude of his crime is inconceivable.’
‘Then blame him, make his mistake public,’ Ilana says, anger continuing to fuel her words.
‘That I cannot do. For no one outside this room can ever find out the truth. Your father must die so that the world can see him punished for his perceived crimes. Our justice system must remain infallible.’
‘My father is paying for Brother Valeron’s crime. Where’s the justice in that?’
‘Justice has been imparted and we must bow to its will.’
‘That’s horse shit. You’re hiding behind platitudes and meaningless phrases, all the while choosing not to help my father. He is as much an innocent as those you claim to be protecting.’
‘Alas, that is not true. Had your father honoured his vows of marriage, the Herald would have found him innocent.’
‘It must be nice, judging others from the pedestal you’ve set yourself on.’
Behind us, I sense the growing disquiet and anger of the Paladins. I reach out to calm Ilana, but she dodges my hand.
‘It is true that I hold people to high moral standards, in particular those who are the leaders of our community. We should all lead by example, should we not?’
Ilana flinches. Before she has a chance to reply, the Paladin General runs a hand over his face.
‘Despite my harsh words and the difficult choice I’ve had to make, I’m not without compassion. If there was a way to save your father and preserve the reputation of our justice system, I would gladly take it.’
‘You were quick to decide that your only option was to kill my father.’
‘I will forgive your naïveté, given your youth. There has been enough deception. Time to put an end to it.’
‘What makes you think I won’t tell the world about what you are proposing to do?’ Ilana steps forward so her legs are touching the desk, and she balls her hands into fists.
