Free Wellspring of Chaos by L. E. Modesitt Jr.

with reminders, Jorum. Just answer directly.”
    “Yes, Lord Justicer.”
    “What did the woman Charee say to you about the blackstaffer?”
    “Very little, ser. She said that someone had been hurt and that she wanted them to finish recovering away from the cooperage.”
    “Away from the cooperage? Did she say why?”
    “She only said that she didn’t want the person to stay at the cooperage.”
    “She gave no reason?”
    “No, ser. Except she said that she was having trouble with Kharl over it. She said that she might ask me to talk to the cooper.”
    “Did you?”
    “No, ser. She never did ask me.”
    “Has she talked to you since?”
    “She came to me on sixday and asked me what to do about her consort. She told me that the Watch had taken the body of the blackstaffer and that they had taken Kharl. She was very upset.”
    “Did she say anything about the killing?”
    “She only said that she wished it had not happened, that she wished the blackstaffer had never come to Brysta, and that she wished that she had not allowed the woman even in the cooperage.”
    “Was that all?”
    “She asked for me to pray for her and her children.”
    “You may return to the bench, Jorum.”
    The priest inclined his head, then stepped back.
    “Captain Egen,” Reynol stated. “Approach the dais.”
    Egen rose, almost languidly, and stepped forward, stopping and bowing.
    “When you arrived with the Watch, Captain, did anyone have blood on their clothing?” asked the justicer.
    Egen frowned for a moment, as if recalling, before speaking. “The
    cooper’s consort did. She was the only one. There was blood on her blouse.“
    “Did you examine the body?”
    “Yes, ser.”
    “How was the blackstaffer killed?”
    “The blackstaffer had a large jagged cut across her neck, ser.”
    “A jagged cut?”
    “Yes, ser.”
    “Did you look at the barrels of the cooper?”
    Kharl frowned. What did his barrels have to do with anything?
    “Yes, ser.”
    “Are they well made?”
    “Very well made, ser, in my judgment, but I am not a cooper.”
    “And the cooper was not ill or trembling, or drunk when your men took him into custody?”
    “No, ser. He was quite in possession of himself.”
    “You may stand back, captain.” The justicer looked to the bailiff. “Have the woman Charee step forward.”
    Charee looked from the justicer to the bailiff before stepping toward the dais.
    “Did you like the blackstaffer?”
    Charee seemed to step back.
    “Would you answer the question?”
    “No, ser.”
    “Why not?”
    “They’re…”
    “They’re what?”
    “They’re evil…”
    Reynol nodded. “Do you ever work with the cooper’s tools?”
    “No, ser. I see ‘em, but I don’t work with them.”
    “Could you explain why you had blood on your blouse?”
    “Blood… on me? ‘Cause I saw her lyin’ there, and I bent down to see what was the matter. She was dead.”
    “Are you certain of that?” asked the justicer. “ ‘Course she was dead.”
    “I’ll ask you again. Are you certain the blackstaffer was dead?” Kharl glanced from the justicer to his consort, and back again. He didn’t understand the questions, or the reason for them.
    “She was dead.”
    Reynol nodded, then gestured to the bailiff. “Restrain her.”
    “No! I didn’t do nothing!” Charee protested, turning, then stopping as two armsmen appeared and bound her hands behind her back.
    “The Hall of Justice has heard enough.”
    “All stand!” The bailiff rapped the stone floor with the staff.
    One of the armsmen had to drag Kharl to his feet. The cooper looked blankly at the justicer.
    “There are a number of facts of great import here. First, the cooper was fighting the fire, and noted witnesses saw him doing so, and also saw the blackstaffer alive. Second, dead bodies do not bleed profusely. There may be some blood, but it is limited. Third, the slash on the black-staffer’s neck was a jagged cut. Although the cut was made with a