Terra Incognita

54

Ruso threw his blanket aside and concluded that floors these days were harder than they used to be. “I’ll get some men to clean things up in here after breakfast,” he said. “They’ve had plenty of practice now that I’ve had them scrub up the wards.”

Thessalus reached stiff arms outside his bedding, stretched them toward the rafters, and sucked in a sharp breath. “Gambax kept promising me he’d get them to clean up, but he never-” He stopped. “Did I really hear you say last night that Rianorix didn’t do it?”

“I said I’ve been told he didn’t. It’s not the same thing.”

“But who else could it be?”

“That’s the problem. Metellus is determined to have a culprit to present to the governor, and at the moment, guilty or not, Rianorix is his easiest option.”

Thessalus dangled one arm over the edge of the couch and groped for his cup of water. “If he’s really innocent, and we can prove it, I could get out of here. It’s not much fun sitting here in the dark thinking up new lies to tell you. Especially when you take away my poppy tears.”

Ruso leaned across to put the water in his hand, and gave him another dose of poppy. “Sorry about that.”

“So who told you he was innocent?”

It was clear that Thessalus had not heard Ruso’s final observation last night about his own strained relationship with Tilla and Rianorix. “It was an unreliable source.”

“But we must follow it up!”

“I’ve tried.”

Thessalus put the water down and tried to pull himself up to a sitting position. “Tell me everything. There must be something else we can try.”

“We?”

“We can’t see an innocent man executed!”

Curled up together like kittens. “Are we talking about you or Rianorix?”

“Either of us. Try harder. Please. I’m not brave, Ruso. I want to end my life in Veldicca’s house, drifting away on the poppy tears. I don’t want to be executed. I’m only doing this because I have to.”

“I could save you from that right now by telling the truth about you.”

“I’m a patient. You would be breaking a confidence.”

“What confidence? You’re in the army.” Ruso sighed and folded up his blanket. Then he shifted the pile of scrolls out of the chair and told Thessalus everything he knew about the murder of Felix the trumpeter.

When he had finished, Thessalus said, “So. I’m asking you to help me save the man who’s sleeping with your girl.”

“A man who may well be guilty anyway.”

“Please, Ruso.”

Ruso put his blanket under one arm and pointlessly tucked in a stray corner. “The more I think about this,” he said, “the less I like it. If you take another man’s punishment, what about the others? What if he tells his friends and they all get the idea it’s all right to butcher anyone who’s offended them?”

“I don’t think he’ll go around boasting about it. Anyway, I’m not responsible for the peace of the province, Ruso, and neither are you. I’m responsible for my family. And I’d feel a lot easier in my mind if I knew you’d help me.”

“I’m not promising to lie to the prefect.”

Thessalus smiled. “I’ve already done it. It’s not too difficult.”

Ruso scratched one ear. “I’m sorry about the ease of your mind,” he said, “But all I’m going to promise is that I’ll keep trying to find out what happened. Then I’ll decide what I’m going to do about it.”

“What if the governor gets here before you find out?”

“I don’t know,” said Ruso, heading for the door and feeling like a coward. “I can’t talk about it now. I’ve got to go to work.”