The current occupant of the room in question was a merchant looking to establish a presence in Mastifon.

Strella knew all of this from what she had seen of the man’s previous conversations with the innkeeper.

The room was clean, tidy and devoid of personal belongings aside from a small traveling pack.

“I don’t want to ruin your investigation in any way, so I’ll just stand right here,” Ariaska said from just outside the open door. “I’ll be watching you closely, however.”

Strella ignored the Chronicler as she carefully scanned the room. Nothing stood out.

The only thing underneath the bed was a little bit of dust.

The drawers where empty, as was the wardrobe.

“Nothing? Secretive cabals cover their tracks well,” Ariaska nodded sagely.

Strella didn’t think this was the work of a group based on what she had read. It would be easier for a single person to avoid notice. Printing leaflets and leaving them in people’s homes and workplaces wasn’t hard to do in a small town like Mastifon. Although, the lack of a publicly available printing press in town suggested that they had been printed elsewhere.

She didn’t like the idea of having to return to the city that she had just come from. That would’ve been an act of moving backward on the trail. All while the perpetrator was getting further ahead of her.

“I’m finished here.”

“Where to next?” Ariaska said.

“I’m going to walk the town.”

Ariaska nodded, intrigued. She thought Strella was being purposefully vague as part of the justiciar persona.

This was true, however Strella was also being literal.

They spent the rest of the day, even skipping lunch, walking up and down what felt like every single, muddy street in town.

Strella appeared to be staring straight ahead at all times, but Ariaska had been watching her closely and realized that the justiciar never failed to glance at every single person that crossed into her line of sight.

Darkness had fallen and the torch lights had been lit, but they were still walking.

They neared a pub, which was filling up with people looking to ease the sores and hurts of a hard day’s labor.

“Are we going in there?” Ariaska said.

Strella detected excitement in the Chronicler’s voice. “Yes, but there will be no violence. We’re simply going to eat our dinner.”

She could read the disappointment. Ariaska thought a pub brawl would’ve just been the thing to add some action to a currently boring chronicle. That was just as quickly replaced by a different sort of excitement at a meal that the Chronicler was hoping wouldn’t come out of her own coin purse.

They entered the pub.

It wasn’t all hard-eyed men. There were plenty of hard-eyed women as well. Not to mention several families. Most of the children weren’t hard-eyed.

“You can still feel the effects of the rioting,” Ariaska whispered into Strella’s ear.

Strella flagged down a young server and held up two fingers.

The girl’s eyes widened at the tattooed eye on Strella’s palm.

She had kept her gloves off for a reason.

The serving girl took them to a small table for two near the front window. “What’d you like to drink?”

“Just hot tea, please,” Strella said after the girl handed them a simple menu.

“Smart. In a few minutes everyone in here will know you’re a justiciar,” Ariaska nodded appreciatively. “Cut of potential trouble before it starts.”

Strella removed the sheathed rapier from her side and leaned it up against the wall within easy reach before sitting down. “In this type atmosphere there is potential danger in simply having an unfamiliar face.”

“Why this pub in particular?” Ariaska said.

“It was the closest.”

“So, nothing at all related to the your investigation?”

Strella nodded.

Ariaska scribbled that down into her small journal.

“I understand you’re short on coin. I’ll cover the meal.”

“Justiciar, thank you, sincerely, thank you,” Ariaska dipped her head.

“It’s only proper. Since you’re providing… aid… in an official Imperial investigation daily expenses fall under the auspices of the Office of the Emperor.”

“I can’t tell if you’re serious or joking,” Ariaska said after a moment.

Strella inclined her head a fraction.

The serving girl returned with the tea and to take their orders.

“A bowl of your stew,” Strella said.

“Roast chicken and fried vegetables,” Ariaska said. She had never trusted stew. The thick, darkness could’ve hidden all sorts of things. Now that she wasn’t paying, well, no more stew for her while that lasted.

Strella paid the serving girl ahead of time. It wasn’t necessary, but she had found that she preferred taking care of that upfront so that she could leave as soon as her meal was done.

“Have River Glade and Tyranon experienced the same unrest?” Ariaska said.

“I don’t have information to suggest that, but I won’t know until I go to those towns.”

“When are we leaving?” Ariaska was concerned about traveling accommodations.

River Glade was a few days south from Mastifon by horseback. Tyranon was a few days south from there.

“In the morning. You will need to secure your own passage. Our arrangement will continue the same way in that regard.” Strella empathized with the disappointment written in the Chronicler’s thoughts.

“From what I understand it’ll be hard to find anyone to travel with during the middle of the week, but,” Ariaska nodded solemnly, “since I’m now a part of this investigation… I’ll walk if that’s what it takes or…” she eyed Strella, “the town guard can be persuaded to lend me a horse in consideration of my role in carrying out the will of the Emperor and such.”

“Perhaps that can be a possibility.”

The food arrived and the two ate in silence.

Ariaska ate with much less urgency compared to breakfast. In between bites, she continued to scribble in her journal.

Strella kept an eye on the people in the common dining room and the ones passing by outside the window.

That’s how she knew exactly why the town guards running past the window were looking for her.

A few hours ago the council had received a messenger with a dire report of what had just happened at River Glade a day ago. They had wasted time in deliberations before sending for her.

She longed to depart immediately, but she needed to observe the forms.

Too many questions would be asked if she didn’t pretend that she was hearing the news for the first time.

The town guards burst into the pub.

She could read their frantic thoughts as their eyes scanned the room until one spotted her.

Strella rose and grabbed her rapier.

“What is it?” Ariaska looked prepared to dive under the table as her head turned.

“I suspect we’ve lucked into some new and pressing information.” Strella strode and met the town guard in the middle of the crowded common room. She knew that every eye was on the two of them. “Don’t speak,” she warned the young woman. “The council wishes to speak to me, yes?”

“Yes, justiciar, with haste. There’s been a—” the town guard began.

“You may tell me when we’re outside. Away from… other ears,” Strella turned around to address Ariaska. “You may come with me or finish your meal. Your choice.”

Ariaska made a decision in an instant. She hurriedly stuffed her journal, quill and ink pot back into her bag. “You’re joking? I’m not leaving your side.”

“Let’s go,” Strella gestured to the town guards.

Ariaska went after them, thought a moment, then rushed back to grab the last chicken leg from her plate. “This is great by the way,” she said in passing to the wide-eyed serving girl.

“It’s River Glade,” the town guard said in a harried tone. “They had a mob, but unlike here, they couldn’t get it under control. The whole town’s burning!”

“Very well. In light of that information. I can’t waste time. I must proceed immediately. I’ll need a horse for my associate,” she indicated Ariaska.

“But— I don’t have the authority!” the town guard stammered.

“Oh, but it isn’t under yours. It’s under mine,” Strella said. “Any complaints that your superiors may have with your conduct will be addressed by me. Make that clear to them. Have the horse sent to the eastern gate. Time is of the essence. Do you understand?”

The young guard nodded.

Strella felt bad for the young woman, but she was already walking to her inn and Grevax.

The young guard screamed an inarticulate cry of despair in her thoughts.

Strella sighed and turned. “Please, hurry,” she said.

The two town guards nodded and ran off.

“Do you think they’ll get me that horse?”

“Yes.”

“You’ve a lot of power as a justiciar,” Ariaska mused. “I knew this conceptually from all the accounts I’ve read of those in your role. To see it in action firsthand is… different.”

“A good insight for your chronicle?”

“It’s more yours than mine, but yes… I don’t recall any of the other chronicles truly capturing that aspect. It’s a wonder that there haven’t been more justiciars that have succumbed to the temptation of being essentially unanswerable to most of the checks our laws place on individual people.”

“Indeed,” Strella said.

“On to River Glade!” Ariaska threw a fist into the air. “What danger? Daring deeds? Tragedies and triumphs? What awaits the lone justiciar?”

That excitement was killed a few days later when they rode up to River Glade.

A thick cloud of dark smoke hung over the town.

Ariaska coughed before hurriedly searching her bag for a scarf to cover her face.

Strella had been prepared and was already wearing a cloth mask over her nose and mouth.

She wiped a gloved hand over Grevax’s shoulders and came away with a fine layer of ash.

“It smells like—” Ariaska began.

“There have been many deaths here,” Strella nodded in agreement.

“Should we even go in? I don’t see anyone at the gatehouse,” Ariaska squinted.

Strella weighed her possible courses of action against multiple probabilities. They could get sucked into the violence. Rioters were a threat, as were the town guards. In such a charged environment people would be quick to violence. Fear and rage held sway in their minds. Even her status might not be enough to avoid it.

She made a decision. She wanted to avoid putting herself into a position that required hurting someone unnecessarily.

“We go around and continue to Tyranon.”

“Shouldn’t we investigate here first. The suspect might still be in town,” Ariaska said. Her tone didn’t conceal the uncertainty and fear in her thoughts at the idea of actually entering.

“Their work here is finished. They’ll move on to the next town, if they haven’t already,” Strella said.

“Well… aren’t you going to lend a hand or something?” Ariaska shrugged.

“And do what? Stop the fighting? It’s too late for that. My energy is best spent in attempting to prevent this,” Strella gestured toward River Glade, “from occurring in Tyranon.”

“Pragmatic…”

A few more days found them within sight of Tyranon.

“Ah… no ash in the air, nor that sick smell at River Glade. We’ve arrived in time it seems,” Ariaska said.

Strella urged Grevax on.

They encountered a pair of town guards at the gate.

Wide eyes stared at the dog mechaniform, then up at Strella.

So great was their shock that Strella could’ve walked Grevax right past them without challenge.

She cleared her throat. “You may inquire about my business in Tyranon.”

“Uh… yeah… yes!” the thick-necked guard said. She straightened her spear and her back. “What is the nature of your visit to Tyranon!”

“Justiciar Strella is my name. I’m here on matters concerning the Office of the Emperor,” she held up the Imperial Badge. She allowed the guards to take a long look before tucking it away. “Tell me, has a young woman passed through this gate recently?” She gave them Jocuvel’s physical description.

The town guards looked at each other and shook their heads.

“We’re on the day shift, so if she came at night we wouldn’t have no idea,” the other town guard, a fresh-faced young man, said without looking at Strella’s eyes.

“Gimme her name and I can check the entry logbook… your ladyship,” the thick-necked guard awkwardly bowed.

“Your ladyship, beg your pardon,” the fresh-faced town guard also bowed. “We’ve got three gates. This person you’re looking for could’ve gone through one of the other two.”

Strella stifled a sigh.

“Ah, but this is the one on the road that leads to River Glade,” Ariaska chimed in.

“The miss is right,” the fresh-faced town guard nodded.

“How vigilant are you and your fellows?” Strella said.

The town guard audibly gulped.

“Would you have noticed if a traveler coming from the north avoided this entry and used one of the other two?”

The town guard’s smooth brow furrowed as he thought.

Strella got his answer the same time as he came up with it, but she was obliged to maintain the charade.

The silence seemed to stretch out for minutes as dozens of frantic, nervous thoughts stampeded through the young man’s head.

“Why would anyone do that? It’d just add steps to tired legs,” the fresh-faced town guard shrugged. “Sorry, your ladyship…” he seemed to sense something of what Strella thought at the moment.

“Don’t apologize unnecessarily,” she said.

“Yes, your ladyship,” he bowed profusely.

Strella sighed.

The thick-necked town guard emerged from the small guardhouse with a small scrap of paper in her hand, which she handed up to Strella.

Grevax turned his thick, blocky head in the woman’s direction and sniffed at her.

This caused the woman to blanch and hurriedly step back.

“Your ladyship, that name was recorded arriving through here three days ago, bout an hour before dawn broke,” the thick-necked town guard said.

Strella read the slip.

Jocuvel’s name.

Ariaska moved her horse closer to take a look.

“Hmm… business contacts?” she said.

“Yeah, least that was what she said was here for,” the thick-necked town guard replied.

“Did she happen to say where she’d be staying?” Ariaska said.

“We don’t ask that,” the fresh-faced town guard replied.

“Probably in one of the inns, you’ll find one or two near every gate,” the thick-necked town guard shrugged.

“Thank you,” Strella said. “My associate’s name is Ariaska,” she added. “We will be in Tyranon for the foreseeable future.”

“I’ll log that right away, your ladyship,” the thick-necked town guard said.

Strella gave the two guards a nod and urged Grevax forward.

Ariaska gave her horse a gentle nudge with her heels. “More inn diving? Or should we find the stables, so I can return this horse? Quite a lovely beast, in the top three of most agreeable horses I’ve ever ridden, but I think the poor thing needs a long rest.”

“No. Time is of the essence. The suspect has had three days to do her work,” Strella said.

“Sorry, horsie, looks like you’ve got a few more miles to go before you can rest,” Ariaska patted the muscular, brown neck.