—apprentice has proven to be a mixed bag. His interest in sorcery feels artificial, only present when I’m pushing my ideals in his direction. I have to wonder where he gets his work ethic, honestly. At least he’s been cooperative with more questionable suggestions. I think I can count on him carrying on my—
“Do you swear to seek the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth as a Defender for your client?”
The bailiff stood, waiting for Karna’s response.
“I do.”
It felt surreal. The weight of everything that led up to this moment crashed down on her, a hundred times greater than before.
It was the morning of Brexothuruk’s trial. She was packed into a courtroom half the size that she was used to, standing opposite from the Enforcer’s bench. There were a half dozen people sitting in witness to the events, and they managed to take up half the public seating anyway. Everything felt like a pale imitation of what she’d done before, but perverted, reflected and twisted to make her as uncomfortable as possible.
“Do you swear to accept the judge’s ruling at the conclusion of this trial as the truth and all consequences along with it?” The bailiff asked.
“I do.”
The judge was a tall human fellow with a clean-shaven face and round spectacles in the traditional white robes. Karna had never seen him before, which was going to make lobbying at him much more difficult. She didn’t know his name, and she likely never would, as the identities of judges were kept secret from most people involved in the court system, so that they couldn’t be as easily influenced. But she had no clue to his personality, which meant one more advantage toward the Enforcer. It was a flaw in the system that favored more experienced Enforcers over unseasoned Defenders and resulted in more arrests.
One of the many reasons she felt it necessary to walk away from the courts entirely.
“Do you swear to accept the Enforcer’s presented case as the truth, should the judge rule that the case is compelling enough to be accepted as such?”
Iricha stood across the room from her, but Karna hadn’t yet been able to get a read. Had she figured it out by now? Did she know that there was more to this case just from Karna’s presence?
“Do you swear to uphold this truth in the Harramschall courts and laws, no matter your personal opinion?”
And in the middle of all of this: Brex, who had never seemed smaller. His posture was as bent forward as he could manage, looking like he was ready to curl into a ball and roll out of the room at the slightest provocation.
It had never occurred to Karna before just how much was attached to the Defender’s Oath. Were there so many slimeball Defenders that tried to weasel their way out of something that they had to add onto the oath endlessly? Or were Harrish lawmakers just trying to cover their asses for every possible outcome?
“I do.”
Probably a bit of both, she reasoned.
“Thank you, Captain,” the judge said. “I understand that this is your first case serving as a Defender, both for your client and in the Harramschall courts overall. Out of curiosity, why do you feel yourself qualified to accept this burden?”
Karna nodded. “While this is my first case as Defender, I have several years of experience in the Harramschall courts as an Enforcer. Miss Iricha, who serves as Enforcer in this case, was once my subordinate.”
“Is that so?” the judge asked, then looked over at Iricha for confirmation.
“It is,” Iricha said. “Captain Karna is no stranger to the courtroom. A few years ago, she transferred to field assignments, much to our surprise, and has been performing special operations for Harramschall Provincial Guard.”
Karna nodded.
“Well, an interesting case to reunite you two, in a fashion.” The judge looked down at his notes. “Serial murder. And…am I reading this right? Captain, you were the arresting officer?”
“That’s correct,” Karna said.
“Well now, that’s quite the reversal. What inspired these circumstances?”
“I’ve been very close to the case for several weeks, your honor,” Karna said, her eyes locked on Iricha for any sign of a tic that could point her toward what was on her mind. “As such, I’ve found evidence in this case that has lead me to believe the truth of this case is fundamentally different from what the Enforcers plan to present. I fully intend to prove this during the trial.” No reaction from Iricha.
Shit.
“Well I suppose we’ll have to see what our Enforcer thinks about that.”
The judge wracked his gavel.
“The trial of Brexothuruk, son of Grotuk, versus the City of Harramschall and its outerlying provinces and territories is now in session. Defense, please approach the podium.”
Brex and Karna both stood up and walked to the center of the room, facing the judge’s significantly taller bench. Brex towered over the podium, while Karna barely cleared it. He was the only orc in the room, and the largest present by far. Graciously, Karna was able to convince the embassy to let him keep his translation ring on him. But anyone could see that he was terrified if they watched him for more than a fleeting moment. At least, Karna hoped they would.
“You stand accused of the murders of Wallach Esserton, Osmer Damus, Amalkara Kaite, Amraid Fertani, Gwenna Cassine, Duncan Morgus, and Rupert D’Orgonda. How do you plead?”
Brex clutched the podium and swallowed.
“Just like we practiced,” Karna whispered.
Lip trembling, Brex spoke. “On the account of the murder of Wallach Esserton: Innocent by reasoning of self defense. On all other accounts: Innocent.”
What few people present in the gallery started whispering to each other, and the judge looked at Brex with his eyebrows raised. “Well I suppose there had to be a reason you didn’t accept a plea bargain. Still, this is…unexpected. You may return to your bench.”
Brex left the podium a little too fast for Karna’s comfort, but she followed suit.
“Enforcer? Do you agree with this plea?”
Iricha stepped out from her bench, moving as if she were gliding underneath the dress that she wore, graceful and insidious. “As an Enforcer representing Harramschall and all of its divested interests, we do not.”
Shit, Karna thought. She’d expected this, but…Shit. There’s no stopping it now.
“Very well,” the judge said. “The trial will proceed to opening arguments. Enforcer, at your convenience.”
“Thank you, your honor.” Iricha slid out from behind the bench, addressing the judge and the gallery in turn, but never the defense. “We as Enforcers propose that the accused, Brexothuruk, Son of Grotuk, was responsible for no less than seven murders in the outerlying province of Harramschall, either in or around the town of Ziqondi. Why? All of the evidence that’s been collected points to Brexothuruk as the killer.
“Wallach Esserton’s body is the link here. The wounds were consistent with all of the previous victims. An orcish crossbow was found at the scene. Swaths of the accused’s clothes were also found in the victim’s home. Our fellow Defender has gone on record to state that she saw the accused in Wallach’s company several times before he was found dead.
“The fact of the matter is: There is no other logical conclusion. Brexothuruk, son of Grotuk, is responsible for the deaths of seven people. And we cannot allow him to return to Harramschall as such a danger. We should not allow him to roam the streets of Goronich. He may have persuaded his arresting officer with tears and a convoluted story, but we must not lose sight of the cold, hard truth. The facts point to Brexothuruk. We intend to prove this with expert testimony, and we should not let rhetoric sway us from this.
“Thank you, your honor,” Iricha said, then stepped back behind her bench.
“Compelling,” the judge said.
Karna’s blood was already starting to boil. Iricha’s statement implied that she was some weak-willed, sentimental little snot who didn’t understand facts. Iricha was playing the court and didn’t give a damn about what it meant for Karna’s reputation. She’d come out with her blades drawn. Karna would have to meet her the same way.
“Defender, you may begin your opening argument,” the judge said.
“Thank you, your honor,” Karna said, stepping out from behind her bench. She followed Iricha’s technique, addressing the judge and the gallery, but never the Enforcer. “The Defense believes that the Enforcers’ case is flawed at best: A shallow analysis of the scene. I should know. I was present to collect this evidence and I used it to track the accused and make the arrest here in Goronich.
“The real fact of the matter is this: There are far too many inconsistencies with the evidence to properly condemn the accused for these actions. The Enforcers’ case hinges on Wallach Esserton’s body and its connection to the accused. But the picture they’re attempting to paint here does not account for all of the facts.
“I’m sure you’ve noticed earlier, the Defense did not shy away from the fact that the accused killed Wallach Esserton. This is because Wallach Esserton himself was responsible for the deaths of the other six victims. The accused would have become the seventh, had he not defended himself at a crucial moment.”
Whispers erupted from the gallery, onlookers giving each other pointed glances. Some even tried to lean and see how Brex was reacting to this.
“I would not be defending the accused if I did not believe this to be true. The Enforcers would have you believe I’ve been swayed by emotion. But I have a clearer picture of the case, and we intend to show you the truth during this trial. To condemn the accused without seeking the full truth would be a grave mistake on the court’s behalf. A mistake we should all seek to prevent.
“Thank you, your honor,” Karna said before stepping back behind the bench.
“A grave mistake indeed,” the judge said. “But let us not jump to conclusions.”
Oh, fuck off, Karna thought, glad she caught herself before saying it out loud.
“I really hope they bought that,” Brex said.
“They don’t need to buy it yet. We’re just making a promise and we’re going to deliver on it.”
“With what? We don’t really have hard evidence.”
“Neither do they,” Karna said. “And any witness they call to the stand doesn’t understand the big picture. We’re going to put everything into context.”
“Your honor,” Iricha said from across the room. “The Enforcers would like to call Captain Barrask Herkirious to the stand.”
Barrask?
Karna couldn’t stop herself from wincing. She should have seen that coming. Thornwater said Barrask was on his way already. If she lost this case in front of him, her career as an Enforcer would be a dead-end for sure. But that might mean pressing him during the cross-examination more than he’d be comfortable with.
A bailiff escorted Barrask to the witness stand at the center of the room, facing the judge. In Harrish courts, the Enforcer and Defender would stand in front of the judge, facing the witness, allowing the judge to see the witness’ face while they gave testimony. Both to intimidate the witness into speaking truthfully and to allow the judge, Enforcer and Defender to read facial tics and body language.
Barrask was getting on in his years, despite being a decorated Enforcer, he had the posture of a man who’d taken a crossbow bolt one too many times. He was barely taller than Karna, and like her, barely cleared the top of the witness stand. For an embassy in a mostly dwarvish city, Harramschall didn’t really accommodate dwarves all that well.
Iricha smiled at Barrask. “Witness, please state your name and occupation for the record.”
“Captain Barrask Herkirious, er, Deputy Chief Enforcer of Harramschall, Special Crimes Division.” His voice was gruff and edged, a little too raw for his age. Karna always guessed he’d smoked cigars, but never saw him with one.
“Thank you, Captain. Both sides of the court have stated that Wallach Esserton’s body is the key link to the accused and the other victims. Now, as you might have heard, we the Enforcers believe there is more than sufficient evidence. Can you please give the court your account of finding Wallach’s body?”
“Uh, yes. Well, I’d been in Ziqondi for several months already, tracking Ambrosia movements and the killings as they were reported. After the third murder, I sent word to Consul Tiamel that I needed more assistance in solving the problem. After Captain Karna arrived, we’d tracked and identified the first six victims.”
He looked over at Karna and Brex, side by side at the Defense bench.
“Then the accused arrived. The next day, while I was preparing to hand the case over to Captain Karna in full, Lieutenant Tivyana asked me to visit Wallach with Captain Karna.“
“And what did you find there?”
“The three of us found the body of Wallach Esserton, which had been beaten nearly beyond recognition. We were able to verify his identity thanks to a birthmark and his hair color.”
The judge nodded and made a note to himself. “Enforcer, the floor is yours,” he said, gesturing to Iricha.
She stood from her chair and stepped toward Barrask, her shoes clacking loudly against the shining, pristine wooden floorboards. “Thank you, your honor. Captain Barrask, can you tell me what else you found in Wallach’s home at the time of the murder?”
Karna stood up, ready. “Objection! Referring to the incident as a murder will bias the proceedings when my client has pleaded self-defense.”
“Very well,” the judge said. “Ms. Iricha, please refrain from referring to the incident as a murder.”
Iricha flashed a smile in Karna’s direction. “So be it.”
Karna’s blood was boiling. It’d been a trap in the very first question for Barrask and she’d sprung it already. It was a trick Karna herself used to deploy at the first question—to show that the Defender was too invested in the outcome of the case reflecting positively on them, rather than seeking the truth.
“Captain Barrask, forgive the interruption. Can you tell me what else you found in Wallach’s home after the incident?” Iricha asked.
“Oh, not very much. Lots of sorcerous implements, tissue samples, books, the kinds of things you’d expect in a scholar’s home. We did find some swaths of orcish, er, ritual fabrics, I suppose I’d call them. But they were in another room from the scene of the incident.”
“And could you describe the body in more detail? Were you able to assess how the man died?”
“Wallach was likely killed by repeated blunt force. The damage we found was consistent with other murders where the killer was unarmed, except the sheer strength on display was a level of magnitude greater than what we usually find. His upper body was covered in bruises with several ribs and other bones broken entirely. His face was half caved inward–”
“That’s enough,” the judge said. “The man was killed by blunt force, let us leave it at that unless the details become relevant.”
They’re always relevant, Karna thought. I hate this guy already.
She was at least grateful for Brex’s sake. As soon as Barrask started relaying the ugly details, she heard him try to stifle a quiet whimper.
“I see,” Barrask said.
“And did you uncover anything else at the scene of the incident?”
“Yes,” Barrask said, flipping through a small notebook he had brought with him to the podium. “We found traces of hair from a feline, long enough to be consistent with the lions in the area surrounding Ziqondi.”
“Yes, that’s here in the report you filed alongside Captain Karna’s account from the arrest itself. I see that the accused was recently seen in the company of a lion, stated by Captain Karna herself. Is that correct?”
“Objection!” Karna shouted. “If the Enforcers have questions about the arrest, she should ask the arresting officer.”
“That’s nonsense,” Iricha said, stepping in before the judge could speak. “Enforcers and Defenders themselves can’t testify when they already play a role in the courtroom.”
“Yes, Defender Karna, just because we’re already breaking quite a few guidelines doesn’t mean we shouldn’t hasten ourselves into breaking the law.”
Correction, Karna thought. I despise this man.
“My apologies, your honor,” she said. “In a case as unusual as this, it’s hard to tell which guidelines take priority over others.”
“But your concern shall be addressed regardless, Defender,” Iricha said. “As soon as Captain Barrask finishes testifying.”
All eyes turned toward Captain Barrask.
“Actually, I thought I answered all your questions. So…Think I’m done.”
Iricha gestured toward Karna. “The floor is yours, Defender.”
Karna stood and eyed Barrask.
“Captain, you were able to examine the bodies of the other victims, correct?”
“I was, yes. You were present for a few of those examinations.”
Karna nodded. “Did you notice any inconsistencies between Wallach and those of the other victims?”
“Certainly. Many of the previous victims died to rather violent, gruesome wounds. We once thought it was the work of a wild animal, as the lacerations often matched the damage wrought by the lions of the nearby mesa.”
“But you seemed rather quickly convinced that the accused was responsible for each individual incident once Wallach was killed.”
“Well, yes. I don’t like to mention these kinds of things in public, but we’ve found that when orcs…violate the law, so to speak, there’s often a more brutal, animalistic element to the crime.”
Karna turned, crossing her arms. Exactly what she wanted to hear.
“Perhaps that may be, but the only incident that my client has confessed to is Wallach Esserton, who you said died of wounds inflicted by blunt force trauma. Not lacerations consistent with a wild animal’s claws.”
“I hardly think it’s a leap to—” Barrask began.
“We are interested in the facts of the case, Captain, not your casual opinions,” the judge said. “Are you confident that your report is accurate? That Wallach Esserton died of blunt force trauma while the other victims died from lacerations and blood loss?”
“No,” Barrask said plainly. “Each of the bodies was found in such a damaged and eroded state that we can’t be truly confident about the exact cause of death for each.” Being chided by the judge changed his tune. Now Captain Barrask was entirely professional. “These causes of death are our best guess.”
“That’s all, your honor,” Karna said, returning to stand next to Brex as Iricha rose opposite her.
“You are free to go, Captain,” the judge said.
Barrask hopped out of the chair and grumbled to himself as he went to take his seat in the gallery.
Iricha rose and addressed the court. “The Enforcers call Lieutenant Tivyana Sylvestris to testify.”
“What, really?” Tiv’s voice was a whisper, but rang out in the silent courtroom. “Is this a joke?”
“I assure you it’s entirely genuine, Lieutenant.”
Karna bit her lip as Tiv stood up and walked over to the podium to take her seat. She glanced at Karna, both of them bewildered at Iricha’s gambit.
“Thank you, Lieutenant. As the only other Harrish officer present at the arrest, I’m afraid it falls to you to provide testimony for it, given Captain Karna’s position.”
Damn it.
“I see,” Tiv said.
Iricha nodded toward the judge, who looked to Tivyana expectantly. “Would you please give your account of the arrest?”
Tiv sighed and agreed, sharing exactly what Karna expected her to. She described the two of them arriving at the Loquela grove, splitting up, hearing a commotion and running over to find Brex, Karna, and the lion at the Giant’s trunk.
“So the accused was present in the company of a lion? Not a felarin, but a four-legged lion with a red mane?”
“That’s correct.”
“And did the lion behave in any particular way toward the accused?”
“Not that I’d seen. When I arrived, it was unconscious on the ground.”
“And the Guard’s report from Ziqondi that you filed with Captain Karna mentioned the accused traveling with an animal companion?”
“Yes, though at the time that was a large dog.”
“Could the dog have been mistaken for a lion?” Iricha asked.
“Perhaps from a long distance.”
“Could the dog have been responsible for lacerations in the victims’ bodies?”
“I don’t think I have the expertise to answer that.”
“And what is your expertise, Lieutenant?” Iricha asked.
Tiv paused. “I uh, used to practice sorcery myself before joining the Guard. I’m particularly skilled with identifying potential uses of sorcery by criminals.”
“And was sorcery involved with the lion in any way, by your expert opinion?”
Tiv glanced at Brex and Karna, as if to apologize. Then: “The dog I saw in Ziqondi could have been the result of an illusion spell placed on a lion. Though I don’t know how such a thing could be accomplished myself.”
Karna grimaced.
“So it’s entirely possible that the animal companion seen with the accused was a lion the whole time. A lion whose size and strength is consistent with the wounds on the previous victims’ bodies.”
“Objection!” Karna said. “The Enforcer is clearly leading the witness to a specific conclusion.”
“The only logical conclusion I can see, Defender,” Iricha said.
“The Enforcer has yet to present a motive for any of the murders!” Karna said, her passion spilling forth before she could stop herself. “Stating a ‘possibility’ does not count as evidence! This is all circumstantial—at best!”
“Perhaps if you were willing to allow me to finish my questions, you could see the throughline, Captain Karna.”
The judge wracked his gavel. “Defender, Enforcer. Please approach the bench.”
Karna bit the inside of her cheek. Whispers passed around the courtroom like bolts fired from a dozen crossbows. She and Iricha avoided each other’s eyes as they stepped over to have a private conversation with the judge. Even Tiv was left behind with the rest of the gallery.
“Defender, your objection is sustained. However, this is your third objection in a scant few minutes. Your behavior is disruptive to the courts and the case itself. Our objective here, I feel I must remind you, is to unearth the truth, not to tear down your opponent.” The judge heaved a sigh and Karna did everything she could to hide her anger at being scolded for doing her duty.
“Enforcer,” he continued. “Disruptive though she may be, the Defender has a point. You have not yet given proper motive for the accused, and if you are ready to sentence him to death because it seems logical for an orc to kill an innocent bystander, then you must be prepared to explain that logic. Because at this point, you’re asking me to openly declare that a stereotype is true without proof. The evidence you’ve presented is indeed circumstantial. Give me something that places him at the scene, and then we can continue.”
“Respectfully, your honor,” Iricha said. “We will need time to examine our current dossiers and evidence before we can do that.”
The judge turned toward Karna. “Sounds like you just earned more time to brush up on courtroom ettiquette, Defender. You two are dismissed from the bench.”
As Karna and Iricha moved back to their respective desks as Defender and Enforcer, the judge wracked his gavel one more time. “Court is adjourned until tomorrow morning to allow both parties more time to develop their cases.”
“What an embarrassment,” Karna said while nursing a bottle of ale. “I hate that judge.”
“Why do you hate him?” Tiv asked, slouching in her chair by the window facing the embassy, the tavern reasonably quiet for a late evening. After spending an entire afternoon going over case files and relevant law books, they both had decided that they’d earned a decent drink for the night, because the only alternative was to keep studying and two all-nighters was just too much to ask of oneself.
“Because!” Karna gestured with her free hand. “He’s a jerk!”
“Didn’t he basically admit that Iricha’s trying to get the accused sentenced on a stereotype and circumstantial evidence?”
“Sure, but anybody could see that,” Karna said. “He didn’t have to make it about my…” She lifted a hand and curled out two fingers. “‘Behavior.’”
Tiv looked away, back through the window toward the embassy.
Karna grimaced, curling her lips into a half-sneer. Maybe a full sneer. She was a little more buzzed than she cared to admit. “Oh come now, you don’t really agree with him, do you?”
“Maybe not entirely. But you were different in there, Kay.”
Karna grumbled wordlessly, taking another sip of her ale before crossing her arms and pouting.
“I wouldn’t go so far as to say childish,” Tiv said. “But it felt really personal, real fast too. In any other circumstance, this whole case would have been kicked down the road, but you and Iricha are the only people in the city who are qualified to stand in court and the embassy isn’t willing to delay or extradite. What kind of baggage do you and Iricha actually have?”
“I’m not drunk enough to tell that story,” Karna said. “But we didn’t part on the best of terms.”
“She was your subordinate, though?”
“She was. And now she’s clearly got something to prove since we’re facing each other. She thinks she has the whole thing figured out already, just because she has one angle of the case. But you know what, Tiv? I’ve got six angles and I still don’t have a guess as to what’s really going on.”
“Kay…”
“She thinks that just because she has a case, she understands exactly what happened. She thinks it’s so simple. She has no idea what she doesn’t know. What she can never know.”
“Kay, are you all right?”
“You ever hear that phrase? We don’t know what we don’t know? The world is just something we can never fully understand because we can’t pick everything apart. And the past is even trickier! Anything more than a few months and all of a sudden you’ve got conflicting testimonies and accounts, faulty memory, falsified records. How are you supposed to make any sense of it?”
Tiv kept quiet as Karna heaved a sigh.
“I never told you anyting about why I left the courts, did I, Tiv?”
She shook her head.
Karna set the empty bottle down on the table between them. “Maybe I am drunk enough for this,” she sighed. “I can’t speak much to the details but—there was this woman. Dwarf. Accused of an awful thing. Don’t even want to repeat it. She swore to me she wasn’t involved at all. That there’d been some kind of mistake. She never changed her story, but all the evidence pointed toward her.
“I’d been an Enforcer for a few years by then. Iricha was training under me for about half that time. Much as I wanted to believe that woman, I had zero reason to do anything but doubt her testimony. Even then, Iricha was talented. She could find connections that even my superior was blind to. We would end a day in court wondering if there was any evidence we could dig up, and then she’d show up in the morning with the silver arrow we needed.
“And that’s exactly what she did. I let Iricha take the case, since it was reasonably straightforward, but still a challenge. I acted in a supporting role, but it was unnecessary. She dominated the court. She presented a ticket stub that belonged to the accused, that the accused even admitted was hers, and it just…brought everything together. Everything hinged on that evidence. It contradicted everything the accused was saying.”
Karna swallowed back the beginnings of tears. “The judge in that case, he couldn’t find a way around it. That poor woman, she was—”
“Kay, it’s all right. You don’t have to say any more.”
“I can’t let that happen to Brex, Tiv. The boy is an idiot who’s got himself in the biggest possible trouble because—I don’t even know, bad luck? Pissed off a god or a shaman or something? To say he’s capable of killing seven people in cold blood because he’s an orc—”
Tiv bit her lip, clearly wanting to raise a point but letting Karna continue instead.
“You back anyone into a corner and they’ll do what they can to survive. I just…I just want to know whether what he did was wrong—by trying to understand what really happened that day. If Iricha can prove he did this, maybe I can accept it. But I’m not going to let her send him to the gallows for being a kid who lost his way in the wrong town on the wrong day.”
She steeled herself and heaved a final sigh. “That buffoon ran into a burning building to help people he’d never met, Tiv. That’s an inconsistent profile.” She glanced at her empty bottle of ale. “Another round?”
Tiv looked grateful for an embassy clerk slipping into the tavern and handing her a note, as if to save her from answering the question. She unfolded the paper and read through it with a sigh. “Looks like your old rookie is living up to her reputation.”
“And why’ssat?” Karna asked.
“The Enforcers just filed a motion to submit new evidence in tomorrow’s session, with an addendum to keep Defenders unaware lest it ‘compromise’ the case. At least, according to the clerk I tipped.”
“Well shit,” Karna said. “Nothing we can do about it ’til morning.”
She lifted her hand and twirled her finger to signal for another round of drinks, hangovers be damned.
Iricha stood across from Karna, pointedly refusing to make eye contact, even as the gallery filled with more civilians and interested members of the embassy. The crowd must have been twice as big as the previous day. Maybe rumors spread about the trial and more people wanted to witness what could become a momentous occasion in the history of Goronich and Harramschall’s relations.
Or maybe people just wanted to hear about the dirty details of a serial murder case. It’d be hard to fault them for seeking excitement like that with so little culture in Goronich beyond carved wooden art and some hamfisted attempt at a new musical instrument.
Iricha clutched an object wrapped in fine white cloth at her table. Undoubtedly the evidence that she filed a motion for the previous night. Sure to be an unpleasant surprise. Karna was already bracing herself. It looked rectangular in shape and Iricha had a new pair of black gloves on her hands while holding it.
Brex was doing his best to remain composed, but the tension was clearly getting to him. He reached into a pocket and dabbed his forehead with a handkerchief, only for each bead of sweat to be replaced in seconds.
As the judge entered the room, everyone stood, and followed him in taking a seat once more.
“The trial of Brexothuruk, son of Grotuk vs. Harramschall and its outerlying provinces will now resume,” he said before wracking his gavel again.
“Defender. Enforcer. You were previously given extra time to strengthen your cases for each side. Enforcer, I specifically requested something that could tie the accused to the incident itself, rather than just circumstantial evidence. Do you have anything to present along those lines?”
Iricha was clearly holding back a grin. “Your honor, the Enforcers submit the following as evidence in this trial. The personal journal of Wallach Esserton himself, recently recovered from his former home in Ziqondi.”
A few hushed whispers reverberated from the gallery as Karna clenched her fists.
Iricha unfurled the cloth and revealed an unlabeled, well-worn and leather-bound book, stepping out from behind her desk to display it to both the Defenders and the judge himself.
“This journal is filled with details concerning Wallach’s personal and professional life. There are entries spanning from his time at the University of Sorcery to his decision to relocate to Ziqondi to—and this is especially relevant—the apprentice he took on shortly before his murder.
“Your honor, this journal has revealed some shocking information that has made we Enforcers reconsider the narrative we once thought to be true.”
Karna felt her stomach drop. There was no way Iricha was giving up on this case. If she didn’t believe Brex to be responsible for the murders then she wouldn’t have allowed the trial to continue or withheld this evidence until it could be presented in court.
“Don’t get your hopes up,” she whispered to Brex, who was nervously chewing on his own cheek.
“We thought that the accused on his own was responsible for each murder, including Wallach Esserton’s. But we’ve come to discover: There is some truth to his plea. He is not solely responsible for the death of the victims—In fact, he was Wallach’s accomplice in each incident.”
“What? I would never—” Brex burst out, but Karna silenced him with a hand on his shoulder (which she could really only achieve while they were both sitting).
So this is your game, Iricha. Karna thought. You can’t look past him as the accused, so you have to fit him into your little story, no matter how much he sticks out.
Karna had to admit, while she didn’t expect Iricha to pivot like this, it did make sense. Enforcers love their own imaginations, often to a fault, and Iricha acted like she had a lot riding on this verdict.
Or she’s right, a little voice spoke up within Karna. And Brex is lying to you.
Karna stood up. “Enforcer, would you be so kind as to share the differences between your opening argument and this new narrative you’ve discovered thanks to the journal? After all, some of us were not given the chance to review this new evidence.” She kept her words formal, but couldn’t hide the emotion seething in her voice.
“Yes,” the judge interrupted. “My apologies, Defender, but I agreed with the Enforcers that it would be valuable to see the accused’s reaction when learning of this evidence.”
“Did you come to any particular conclusion, your honor?” Karna asked.
“Just that it merits further debate.”
Karna resisted the urge to roll her eyes.
“You may continue, Enforcer,” the judge said.
“Thanks to this journal, we now have a timeline of the accused’s arrival in Ziqondi, along with several corroborating details. While it does not describe the murders, it has plenty of information about Wallach’s research into Resource and the arrival of his new apprentice. Namely, the accused.
“Shortly after arriving in Ziqondi, Wallach Esserton began his research into Alchemy, a practice forbidden by the University of Sorcery. His notes indicate that he was looking for an accomplice and a test subject, but the commitment to either role was far too great to ask a stranger, so he set out to befriend some locals before asking for their assistance.
“In time, he met another man who had just arrived in Ziqondi for other business. They struck up a conversation and Wallach offered his assistance.”
“Offered his assistance in what way?” Karna interrupted.
“An apprenticeship,” Iricha replied without looking up from the journal. “They both believed it would be useful for his accomplice to learn sorcery.”
Karna glanced at Brex, who winced and bit his lip before nodding subtly.
“According to the journal, they devised a plan together involving the manufacture and distribution of the drug Ambrosia in order to fund their efforts in the absence of University grants, as well as identifying potential test subjects together.”
Karna looked to Brex again, who rather adamantly shook his head.
Wallach, that bastard. He was the one supplying Ziqondi with Ambrosia the whole time? The more Karna learned about Wallach, the more she grew to despise him. To think she had once sworn on his grave that she’d catch his killer.
Although, technically speaking, she did.
“Enforcer,” Karna said. “Could you explain how you managed to come across this evidence since the last session?”
“Yes, I’m rather curious about that as well,” the judge said.
Took you long enough, Karna thought.
Iricha showed a professional smile. “Why, it was submitted anonymously. We Enforcers wish the person who shared this with us could have shared their identity as well, but we’re grateful for this kind benefactor and understand why someone may want to remain nameless.”
“What proof do you have that this is, in fact, Wallach’s journal?” Karna asked. “How do you know this wasn’t submitted by someone with an ulterior motive or just some nonsensical bystander who wasn’t even involved?”
“We did consider the possibility,” Iricha said. “So after we got our hands on the journal, we summoned Goronich’s preeminent scholar in handwriting analysis. Mister Ulrich, would you please come to the podium?”
A sheepish human man stood up from the gallery, his lanky figure awkwardly climbing over other members of the gallery before finally reaching the podium. He stood tall but probably could have been knocked over with the slightest breeze, his oversized glasses perched on the edge of his short nose.
“Er, yes, hello,” he said. “I am the aforementioned handwriting analyst. Expert. Witness expert.” He looked over to Iricha while twiddling his thumbs.
“Mister Ulrich,” Iricha said. “Would you be so kind as to share with the court the results of your analysis?”
“Y-yes. Well, you see, I was given both the evidence in the Enforcers’ hands there and some samples gathered from the scene of the incident. Little notes and things from the victim’s lab and library.” He fumbled with his fingers while trying to stay calm and present.
Karna grumbled. That was evidence she brought with her on the journey to Goronich, a small handful of clues she thought could be useful later. Just not quite like this.
Iricha walked over and presented the journal to him. Ulrich pointed at a few key letters and words as he continued his explanation.
“I can say with reasonable certainty that the owner of this journal is indeed the same person who wrote those notes. Now, I can’t guarantee that it’s definitely the same person that you’re talking about, because I wasn’t there to see him write them—”
“That’s enough, Mister Ulrich. Thank you.”
The judge turned his gaze to Karna. “Defender, do you have any questions for the witness?”
Karna stood up again, taking Iricha’s place pacing back and forth in front of the judge and the witness. “Yes. Mister Ulrich. Did you notice anything else that was unusual about the journal? You are, after all, one of the few people who were able to spend dedicated time with it.” Karna threw a glare in Iricha’s direction.
“Y-yes, actually. I noticed that there were pages missing.”
Karna stopped pacing. “Missing? Were they ripped out?”
Iricha narrowed her eyes at Ulrich, which Karna took as a sign to keep pressing.
“Not so much ripped as carefully removed,” Ulrich said. “The journal is bound with string instead of adhesive, so removing pages is a matter of unbinding and rebinding. However, I noticed that the strings and cover were somewhat loose, and that one signature was smaller than the others.”
Karna furrowed her brow. “I’m sorry, did you say signatures?”
“Oh! Yes, those are the smaller groups of pages that are bound together to complete the book, usually folded in half, you know?”
“I’m not familiar with the details of bookbinding,” Karna said, affecting her most proper tone yet. “But I appreciate your expertise. Now, could you give us more details about the pages that were removed?”
“Ah, yes. Well, they were near the end of what the, er, victim had written. He hadn’t even filled out half the journal before the m-murder?”
“You can say ‘incident’ if you prefer, Mister Ulrich,” Karna said, patting herself on the back for taking the opportunity to build rapport with him.
“Yes, the incident. But, it’s hard to say which entries were removed. It was after the apprentice had arrived and after some significant process in his studies of Alchemy. But there were also entries after the removed pages referencing a new presence of the Harramschall Guard sent to Ziqondi to track Ambrosia production.”
So the apprentice arrived long before I did, Karna thought. Meaning it couldn’t be Brex in the slightest.
“Could you share the date of the entries that were removed?” Karna asked.
“I would if I could, Defender,” Ulrich said. “But the victim used some sort of code or cipher to encrypt the dates. Or, failing that, used some method of measuring time that I’m not familiar with.”
“I see,” Karna said. Wallach did seem like the type to add unnecessary complexity to something as mundane as keeping a journal. “So, we have a journal without reliable dates, referencing a nameless apprentice that arrives before the Harramschall Guard in Ziqondi, with pages removed. Is that correct?”
Ulrich’s eyes shifted around the room, then he offered a sheepish nod. “Y-yes, that’s right.”
Karna resisted the urge to grin. Finally, she had a chance to turn this whole thing in her favor with one question. A question that raised a possibility the judge couldn’t ignore, no matter how much Iricha objected to it.
“Is it possible that whoever submitted this evidence to the Enforcers was looking to frame the accused?”
“Objection!” Iricha stood up, addressing the judge directly. “The Defender is clearly leading the witness here.”
“Overruled, Enforcer,” the judge said. “The question has merit. We must consider all possibilities, no matter how strange they may sound at the time.”
Karna tried not to sigh while everyone’s attention turned back to Ulrich.
“I…I suppose that’s possible, yes. I don’t know whether I’m qualified to say how likely, though.”
“Isn’t it possible that the apprentice mentioned in this journal is the one who submitted this evidence in the first place?” Karna asked.
“Objection, your honor!” Iricha said, standing up again.
“Sustained,” the judge said. “We’re looking for useful information, Defender. The court is not a venue to display your theories.”
“Understood,” Karna said. “No further questions, your honor.”
“In that case, Mister Ulrich, you are dismissed.”
Ulrich bowed and quickly vacated the podium to take his seat back in the gallery. In the shuffle, people started to whisper to each other, no doubt debating whether or not Brex was being framed. At the same time, a clerk slipped into the room with a note in her hands, quietly approaching the judge and passing along the note before hurriedly leaving.
Brex himself seemed afraid to hope things were turning around for them, but Karna let slip a smile in his direction that he couldn’t help but share.
“Before we can continue,” the judge said. “Defender, Enforcer. I need to speak with you in my private chambers.” He stood up, prompting everyone else present to stand as well, then he turned and slipped beyond a door in the back of the room.
Karna gave Brex a pat on the shoulder before walking in line with Iricha toward the judge’s chambers.
“Enforcer,” Karna said with a smirk, keeping her voice low enough for only Iricha to hear. “Do you bother to examine the evidence you’re about to present to the court, or do you just enjoy being contradicted in public?”
“Do you bother to consider how wildly unlikely your own narrative is, Defender?” Iricha said, her voice tinged with disdain.
“The evidence seems to be leaning toward my unlikely narrative as it is.”
“Is that so? Because everything pointing toward your story is circumstantial at best. An analysis you were quick to levy at my opening argument.”
The door to the judge’s chambers closed behind them, ending their momentary debate. The judge himself sat behind a formidable desk in a chair that looked a size too small for him.
“Ladies, please have a seat.”
They each took their place in chairs across from that desk, Karna looking as out of place in hers as the judge was in his. The room was lined with thick leatherbound tomes nestled into wooden bookshelves, dimly lit by a single window behind the judge that cast its hazy light across the desk.
“There has been a…substantial development in this case,” the judge said.
Karna and Iricha both leaned forward as he kept his voice hushed, even removed from the courtroom.
“Someone has come forward to the embassy and confessed to all seven murders.”
Karna immediately choked on her pride, eyes wide.
“Excuse me? Someone confessed?” she asked.
The judge nodded.
“To each murder?” Iricha said.
“Correct. I’ve been informed that he has surrendered himself to the embassy and is currently being processed with the cooperation of the Goronich guard. He’s giving his statements and will be spending a few days behind bars while the embassy figures out what to do with him.”
Karna couldn’t help but slouch in her chair, even in the presence of the judge, bringing one hand to her temple.
“But your honor, “she said. “None of this fits either of our cases.”
Something started gnawing at her just for saying that.
This is Brex’s chance to escape certain death, and you’re blowing it on a confessor that’s an imperfect match.
“Did he confess to being the accomplice mentioned in Wallach’s journal?” Iricha said. “Or did he confess to actually killing each of the individual victims?”
“As I’ve been informed,” the judge said. “He is admitting to each slaying himself.”
Iricha looked equally befuddled but far more resigned than Karna felt. “I suppose we’ll just have to take his statements and see how everything fits.”
“Don’t you think this is a little suspicious, your honor?” Karna asked. “Someone coming in and confessing only after the trial has begun? The same day that he—or someone else entirely—submitted evidence implicating the accused?”
The judge sighed, clearly frustrated. “Captain, your paranoia may be a result of finely-honed investigative senses, but I assure you that in our courts, a confession is treated as the truth. Must you really question this so quickly? If this goes as expected, your client will be acquitted of all charges.”
“Your honor, my client believes he is responsible for Wallach’s death, by his own hands, in self defense.”
“Isn’t it possible your client is mistaken, then? Perhaps he invented that story as a method for coping with the loss—or it was a vision that took hold after a dose of Ambrosia. There are plenty of reasonable outcomes here.”
But it doesn’t fit. None of it fits.
“I’ve asked the clerks to draw up paperwork for each of you to sign. We’ll be suspending the trial indefinitely until the Enforcers have a chance to rebuild the case in light of this new evidence, and all charges against Brexothuruk will be vacated.”
That was my one condition. No bullshit acquittals. No technicalities.
There was only one option left.
“I’m calling the confessor as my next witness,” Karna said.
Iricha froze. The judge stared down at Karna. “Excuse me?”
“I’m calling him to the podium. I want to hear his testimony.” Karna turned to Iricha. “You can cross-examine him as much as you like, I’m aiming to treat him as a witness like any other.”
Iricha looked flabbergasted, almost flustered. “Not that I mind, but…Are you really throwing away a victory so easily?”
Karna shifted her posture to face Iricha directly. “It’s never been about winning the case, it’s about the truth.” She hoped to push Iricha’s buttons and inspire that old idealism she once saw years ago, but Iricha simply deflated with a sigh.
“Very well. Let’s get it over with so I can get back to the rest of my caseload.”
“Captain,” the judge said. “In all my years in the courts, I’ve never had a Defender like you, and I must admit that while I was fascinated as this trial began, you’re beginning to get on my nerves.”
“I have that effect on people,” Karna said.
The judge looked toward Iricha, who scrunched up her face in quiet agreement.
“I’ll announce a short recess,” the judge said. “We’ll prepare the witness and resume the trial in an hour.”
Karna and Iricha were dismissed from the judges chambers, exchanging one last furtive glance with each other as they crossed the threshold back to the courtroom.
Orcanist 