The Azimar Archives Book One- The Book of Death

Ajax

Ajax tugged absently at his new surcoat, eyeing the swelling crowd nervously. News of the Matriarch's confession to the King's murder had spread quickly throughout the city, and their anger at the Coven was nearly palpable. There had already been a near riot this morning, prior to Mothlenor's ascension as King, and Ajax and his men had been woefully unable to quell it unarmed. It had only quieted for good when Mothlenor himself stepped out onto the balcony overlooking the market square and had promised vengeance and retribution for the Matriarch's deeds. Ajax almost found himself questioning whether he was right to be skeptical of the new king.

Almost.

The market square was beginning to fill again as those who had left after Mothlenor's coronation began to return to witness the first public hanging in several years. A hastily constructed gallows surrounded by wooden barricades waited beneath the same balcony Mothlenor had stood on earlier, but far enough away from the castle wall to give the King a decent view of the proceedings. It was the job of the Peace Guard to prevent anyone from slipping from the crowd and reaching the gallows, and Ajax could feel his stomach tighten with each passing moment.

Nevina... I'm sorry. But you confessed.... Why did you confess?

He was sure to take his post directly in front of the noose, making sure he was close enough to hear the sentence being carried out but angled so that he wouldn't have to see it happen. Ajax was just as upset by Areanath's death as everyone else present, but he couldn't bring himself to believe that Nevina was responsible. And he couldn't watch her die.

A young man approached Ajax, eyes bright with anticipation or anger, Ajax couldn't tell for certain. "When will the show be starting, Commander?"

Show? Is that what they think is happening? Ajax frowned down on the young man, dropping a hand to rest on the pommel of his sword, forgetting for a moment that it was no longer on his hip. "The sentence will be carried out at the mercy of our King," Ajax answered stiffly. But the young man just stared blankly at him. Ajax grimaced. "It will happen when it happens. Now step back. And I'm no longer the commander," Ajax added. His words had a bitter bite to them that he wasn't fond off, but he didn't apologize as the man turned and walked away.

The young man had hardly stepped back into the crowd when Ajax heard the slam of a heavy door behind him, and several members of the waiting horde cheered loudly. Ajax turned, seeing the new commander leading a small entourage of fresh King's Guards from the entrance of the guard tower. Between them staggered a woman, bound at the wrists and head covered with a black bag. She was led up to the gallows' steps by the elbows, unable to see her surroundings, and Ajax quickly turned away as Farrand began to pull the bag from her face.

The crowd cheered again, and Ajax heard a muffled cry behind him. Did they gag her? Ajax wondered, but he couldn't bring himself to turn and look. A middle aged man stepped forward, arm poised to throw the sizable rock held in his fist. Ajax reacted without thinking, shoving the man back as he threw. The rock skittered to the ground a few feet away, and the man scowled up at Ajax as he picked himself up from where he had fallen.

"Stay back!" Ajax bellowed, his voice carrying out across the jostling crowd.

Commander Ferrand began to read aloud the charges brought against the Matriarch. Ajax didn't want to listen. He tuned them all out. Ferrand's reading, the shouts and jeers of the watching crowd. He went deaf to them all.

The crowd obediently stayed an arm's reach away from Ajax and his men, the sole exception being an old woman who hobbled forward at a shocking speed to spit on the ground before the gallows. Ajax let her. He couldn't stop an elderly woman. But the man next to him, Mirn, stepped forward to take the woman's arm and escort her back to the crowd. The woman smacked his hand away, cursing him. Then she turned once more, raising a shaking fist to the gallows. Her cheeks were wet. She returned to the crowd and melted into it again. Ajax looked to Mirn, who caught his eye before turning away. He looked like he was going to be ill. Ajax felt the same, his stomach roiling.

Oh, Great Ones, Ajax thought, fighting the rising bile in his throat. Is this the worst of it all, or is this only a small taste of the darkness to come?

As if in answer to his prayer, Ajax heard the trap door to the gallows collapse, and the snap of the rope as it went taut.

The crown went frantic, erupting into loud cheers. They began to press in closer, and Ajax and his men fought to keep them back. One man slipped under Ajax's arm and made a run for the gallows. Ajax turned, grabbing the man and pulling him away. But in that moment he saw the face of the woman hanging from the gallows. She was swaying slightly, but she had thankfully died with her fall. Her mouth had been gagged, as Ajax has thought, and her neck was twisted at an angle that made his breath catch.

With a hasty shove, he pushed the man back into the screaming crowd. His gut was in turmoil at the sight of a broken woman hanging for all to see. But his heart was elated, pounding in a rapid staccato in his chest.

It was not Nevina's face that he had seen.