Page 79 of The Swordmaster's Daughter

“Merely by looking? That sounds more like witchcraft…”

The very word injected terror into her veins. “There is nothing sinister about keen observation. You can tell a great deal about a person by studying their face.” Boldly she stared back at him, though her heart trembled like a field mouse scenting the presence of a snake.

“Very well,” he said interlacing his fingers and turning them inside out to stretch out the kinks. “You may mention that you were attacked, but you fought the ravager off by stabbing him. Impress on them the need for silence, or else I might have to report your own crime.” The edge of his lip curled up in the hint of a victory smile. He fished a document out of the pile of papers which had scattered to the floor. “Do you know what this is?”

“Not without reading it.”

He handed the paper to her. It was thick parchment with the look of something important. Swiftly she scanned the single page, once she had grown accustomed to the manner of handwriting, which was ornate and almost decorative, full of flourishes and swirls, in stark contrast to the bald words upon the page. She did not need to read the full document to be plunged into an icy lake of dread. As far as she could make out, it was a warrant for her arrest, and the charge she was accused of was treason.

“I do not understand. You said if I cooperated, I would be safe.”

“And I am a man of my word. This was drawn up before I knew the full details of what you claim.”

“So you will destroy it now you know the truth?”

“If only it were that simple. Destroying an arrest warrant is also a crime.” He paused a long time for effect, tapping his fingers together while she fought to control her hitching breath. “I will endeavor to have the warrant rescinded, but you may have noted the document is not dated. Hence it is a form of insurance. At any time I can inscribe a date if ever you were to get foolish ideas…. In the meantime I shall store it in a safe place.”

The swirls in the timber paneling seemed to shift in front of her eyes. She squeezed them shut to stop the room from spinning. If she didn’t get a drink soon, it was more than likely she would pass out, but oblivion was not without its appeal.

“Now we have cleared that up, I shall see if your room is ready. A servant will collect you in due course.” She blinked her eyes back open as he went to leave the room and added with a chilling smile. “I trust you will find the bed most comfortable. Pleasant dreams, Mistress Evans. And goodnight.”

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