Free Commitment Hour by James Alan Gardner Page B

as he tried to identify who was approaching him.
    I could tell the exact moment when the lamplight touched our party—everyone on the steps gasped and started babbling. Well…not everyone. Cappie stayed silent, wearing a grim look on her face. Sometimes she had no sense of humor. Personally I couldn’t help but chuckle at the flabbergasted expressions on the Elders’ faces; it isn’t every day you walk up to the Council Hall with a knight and Neut on your heels.
    Mayor Teggeree soon composed himself enough to call in his sonorous voice, “Bonnakkut…what do you think you’re doing?”
    “The situation is complicated,” Bonnakkut replied. “Very complicated.” With a false air of casualness, he lowered his hand to stroke the Beretta on his belt. “This is a matter for the full council to decide.”
    Teggeree called over his shoulder into the council building. “All in favor of killing the Neut, say, ‘Aye.’ ”
    A dutiful chorus within answered, “Aye.”
    “Motion passed.” He turned back to the First Warrior. “Carry out the sentence…and try not to break the noise bylaws, there are children sleeping.”
    “It’s not that easy, mayor,” Bonnakkut insisted. “The council should discuss this.”
    “He’s right,” Leeta added. “You don’t appreciate the nature of our visitors.” She cast a glance at Rashid.
    “Still sticking up for Steck, are you?” Teggeree said to Leeta. Then he sighed. “All right, Cappie woke us all anyway. We can afford to talk about this for the thirty seconds it deserves.” He held up the lantern and gestured toward the door with his free hand. “Everyone into the hall.”
    One by one, we mounted the steps. I let Rashid and Steck go ahead of me. They climbed the stairs awkwardly, Rashid’s arm still around Steck’s shoulders. As the Neut passed Teggeree, It nodded Its head and smiled. “Dear little Teggie. Mayor now, are you? I knew you were bound for great things.”
    The mayor’s face curdled in exasperation. “What do you want me to say, Steck? Welcome home?”
    Steck only smiled and passed into the hall, squeezing tight under Rashid’s arm. I made to follow, but Teggeree put a fat hand on my chest. “Not you, Fullin.”
    “Fullin?” Steck hissed, turning to stare at me. “Back at the creek, you said you weren’t Fullin.”
    But Teggeree pushed into the hall and closed the door in my face before another word was said. Confused, I gazed at the blank door for several seconds.
    Its paint was cracking. It needed a new coat.

    “Something wrong?” asked a voice behind me. Cappie.
    I turned slowly. She stood two steps down the stairway, leaning against the wooden rail that served as a bannister. With her arms propped back against the railing, her breasts pushed out against the man’s shirt she wore.
    At that moment, I realized there was something about a woman in man’s clothing. Something arresting. I couldn’t take my eyes off her. Cappie, of all people, looking desirable. I could hardly believe it.
    “Nothing’s wrong,” I said, gazing at her. “Nothing at all.”
    She rolled her eyes. “You’re being obvious again.”
    “What’s wrong with that?”
    “The past few months you’ve barely looked at me. As soon as I dress like a man, you start drooling. What does that say, Fullin?”
    “Nothing.” With an effort I tore my gaze away from her, turning instead to look at the shadowed fishing boats rocking on the dark lake water. “Bonnakkut was suggesting some ridiculous things about you.”
    “What things?”
    “Stupid lies.” I checked her face for signs of guilt. Nothing. It was a thin soft face, attractive in its way, but at this moment very guarded. Maybe I should have asked outright if anything had gone on between her and Bonnakkut, but I couldn’t ask Cappie anything outright anymore. I turned back to the darkness and mumbled, “Bonnakkut is such a turd.”
    “He’s not that bad,” she said. I couldn’t tell if she was defending