A Dark and Starless Night

Chapter Twenty-Six

"The best we can hope for, Your Grace," the lawyer said, dabbing his forehead with a crumpled handkerchief, "is a commuted sentence. House arrest, at best. Life in prison, at worst. Well, a hanging is the worst, but we can avoid that."

He launched into his description of his plan, to highlight Don's services to the city and the kingdom, to highlight his exemplary character. But what did that mean if everyone thought he was a murderer? How could you look at someone who had killed in cold blood and say 'oh, but he was an asset to the community'. She couldn't fathom it. Couldn't grasp what the lawyer thought would come from it.

"Character witnesses," he said, "are our first step."

Eve tuned him out. She was already thinking of the day she had planned ahead. Starting at the Lock and Key. She was nervous and excited. If anyone remembered Don and where he'd been before, she'd have something to chase, something better than character witnesses.

She gave him a few names when he asked after her prolonged silence. He jotted them down dutifully before she excused herself to begin her search.

The Lock and Key was dead, barely a soul in sight. She approached the bar and offered the man a smile.

"Back again?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I wanted to know if you remembered when my uncle was here," she said, nerves making her heart flutter. "If he maybe mentioned being anywhere else?"

"Your uncle?"

"The man I came to collect? He... he had blood on his shirt."

"Girl, not to be cruel, but some of you nobles tend to look alike."

"Of course," she breathed, beaming a smile. "He was in the Silver Den. Thank you."

He blinked, surprised, but shrugged and went back to cleaning.

Eve jumped up and headed towards one of Don's usual haunts. It was what the barman had said about nobles looking the same. The serving girl at the Silver Den had said basically the same thing when Eve had been there looking for Don. If there'd been mention of where he'd been going, maybe he'd mentioned where he'd been.

The fashionable tavern was much busier than Eve had anticipated, but it meant that all the bar-staff were working. She found the woman quickly.

"Hello," Eve said, offering a smile. "I don't know if you remember me but-"

"Oh, I remember," she said, moving to another table as Eve followed her. "How's your uncle?"

"He's... fine. That night he was here, he misplaced a watch. I was hoping to trace his movements to find it. You don't know if he mentioned any places he'd been that day?"

"You not going to ask if it's here?"

Eve stalled. "Is it here?"

The woman gave Eve a pointed look but rolled her eyes. "It's not here. But he did mention where he'd been. I can't remember the name of it," she said, snapping her fingers to try bring the name to her head. "But it's that place by the docks, just of Victory Road. The one named after that flower."

"The Ivory Rose?"

"That's the one."

"Thank you," Eve breathed, handing the woman a pinch of coins from her purse. Her eyebrows shot into her hairline, but she didn't complain as she slipped the coins into her skirt.

"Good luck finding that watch."

Eve hurried along Victory Road, feeling hopeful. The sun was high overhead, but the breeze was strong and refreshing. Salt air filled her lungs, soothing her frayed nerves as excitement took its place. The docks were busy, between sailors unloading ships and soldiers unwinding between deployments on the Isle or the seas. The Ivory Rose was a popular spot among the officers in the army and a few of them made eyes at her as she stepped in out of the sun.