Chapter 67
CHAPTER SIXTY-SEVEN
Unwilling to forgive himself, a good man often fails to see his goodness. Unwilling to condemn himself, a bad man often fails to see his sin.
—Inscription, Cosmati Pavement, Westminster Abbey
Brach’s angry mob cheered to have Cassius dismissed, but I held my ground.
“He was just taking orders,” I said.
Tyler sat back and smiled faintly. “The law is clear.”
“Church,” I pleaded, “doesn’t Cassius deserve some leniency for testifying?”
Church’s hands fell to his sides. “I’m sorry, Jack. Unprovoked vestige aggression toward a thanatist is unpardonable.”
I was having none of it. If there was a way to get Cassius out of this, I would find it.
“Jack,” said Cassius, “you are a good man. But I committed the crime, and I will stand up for it.”
I started to argue, but he stopped me with a sad smile.
“What I need you to understand, Jack, is that I want to do it. The chancery honored their verdict against Brach. We must honor their verdict against me.”
“But you fought for the right thing this time,” I said.
“We did. Which is all the more reason to finish it with dignity.”
It was a bogus law. At least in this instance it was. Cassius had been fighting to prevent a war against Shiguan who were breaking a dozen Precedent laws. It was unfair. And I wanted to fight it. But I couldn’t ask him to roll back on his honor, just when he’d reclaimed it.
Tyler motioned for the raptorials to seize Cassius.
“Hold up,” I said. “I bound him. If he’s got to be unbound, I’ll be the one to do it.”
Tyler sighed. “Very well, be quick.”
I stood there staring at my friend. We’d covered a lot of miles in such a short time. He drew his sword and handed it to me. “For you, Jack. Use it well.” I took the gift and bit back the ache in my throat.
I wanted to tell him so many things. But the chancellors were already fidgeting, so I settled on “I am happier to know you today, Cassius Classicus, than I was yesterday.”
He smiled. “And I you, Jack.”
We shared a long look, then I drew my khopesh and gently severed his bindings. They fell to the marble floor, and I extended my hand, taking him in the clasp he’d taught me. He put his giant hand around my forearm and squeezed. I already missed him.
But there was one thing more. The reason I wanted to be the one to dismiss him.
I brought to mind his steady calm in the face of overwhelming odds.
I recalled the many times he’d risked himself for me and the Horse.
I thought about how quickly he’d become loyal to our cause, and about the moment he came running onto the Ancient Stratum to rescue me from the wraith, even after I’d sent him away.
I allowed for traces of his own regrets, too. To make the fuller picture. Then I sang it all in a whisper, so that only he and I could hear.
His brow furrowed. “I was so beleaguered by my shame.” His grip tightened on my arm. “But I became the man I was in my youth, did I not?”
I looked him in the eye. “Damn straight.”
“Thank you, Jack.”
“The choice is yours now, I think, to move on if you wish.” He nodded and slowly began to fade.
I couldn’t bear to envision the Meadows and watch him go.
So, clutching his forearm, I eased his body to the hard stone floor, then watched his semblance pull free and disappear beneath him.
The memory of my oldest brother, Mark, stepping in to save me when I got caught in the wrong place one night, flared and was gone.
Another hollow like those I’d felt after Henry and Handel moved on opened up inside me.
“Are you quite finished, Mr. Solomon?” asked Tyler. I let go of Cassius’s hand and stood.
“Master Tyler,” said Emaline, “with my father under censure, I claim leadership of the Shiguan. Having the full support of my kin, any future matters or concerns pertaining to Shiguan defense of the Strata may be addressed directly to me.”
Tyler nodded. “Very well. But take care to tread a straighter path, else the Chancery may have nought but to recommend anathema inquiries to the Convocation.” He raised a fist. “We are adjourned until—”
“Wait!” I’d been so overwhelmed by the trial and Cassius’s dismissal that I’d almost forgotten. “Can you help us renew the ward?”
“The chancery has discussed this problem many times,” said Caswallawn, “but there is no Precedent Law against unfettered access to the Abyssal Steps. If, on the other hand, the Steps are used to abuse Precedent, please apprise the chancery.” Then softly he said to me, “You have my sympathy.”
Tyler slammed his fist down. “We are adjourned.”
As the galleries started to empty, I rushed around the table to Emaline. “Brach has recovery teams set to descend on the ward—”
“I’ll send word for them to stand down.”
Emaline dashed out the exit at the south end of the hall. The Strata chancellors began to return to their strata through their illuminated tapestries. My friends came inside the octagon to join Church and me.
“They were never going to help, were they?” I asked.
Church heaved a sigh. “I’m sorry, lad.”
Lakshmi surveyed the room. “You stifled their rebellion, Jack. I would never have thought it possible.”
“You got justice for Henry,” Lady added.
And Emaline escaped Brach, I reminded myself.
“Count your blessings, man.” Chuey clapped my back and started to sing. “You could have wound up the man in the box. Buried in your—”
I smacked his chest. His voice was still terrible.
“The Ward is nearly dead.” I stared at the little khopesh in my hand. “How will we defend the Horse and its people when she’s gone? Not to mention all the resentment in the Strata for our world.”
“It isn’t all the Strata,” Kincaid reminded me.
“I know,” I said, “but it only takes one. And they’ll have access to the Steps.” Everyone at the Iron Horse needed to know what was about to happen.
So, exhausted as hell, my friends and I left Westminster Hall and headed back to the place where it all started.