The Blessed Curse (The Elder Blood Chronicles, #4)(101)
“And it’s all we have as hope, so don’t take it away,” Victory returned gently and nodded toward the large stone building tha t had served as Sanctuary’s prison for as long as he could remember. “The holding cells are in here. I will take care of the paperwork as quickly as I can and get word to Jail that you are here. With luck I will have it done before they process you to move to the prison.”
“What?” Neph snapped whirling to look at Victory. “What do you mean move me to the prison? This is the prison.”
“This was the prison, Neph. There isn’t enough room in this building to contain everyone that has been arrested recently. As I said, Symphony is cleaning the city and making it a safer place. These are the cells where prisoners wait until they are processed. Then they are either fined and released or sent to the main prison,” Victory explained calmly.
“I thought you said mine would only be a fine?” Neph grumbled.
“Right now it is,” Victory agreed with a nod. “But I know you too well, and I don’t think it will remain just a fine for long. By the time Jail arrives here to get you out, you will likely be facing a life sentence in the Black cells.”
Neph snorted in amusement and nodded faintly. “Ya, I could see that happening. So tell Jail to hurry.”
*
The smell of the cells was thick with mingled scents of urine and vomit. Holding his breath against the stench, Neph shouldered his way through the crowded space to the small window and leaned against the filth covered wall. He had only been waiting for twenty minutes by his best guess, but the idea of blowing a hole in the wall was sounding better and better with each breath.
“Delvay to the front,” one of the guards bellowed from the hall and Neph stifled a snarl as he pushed his way back to the bars once more.
“This better be a summons for release,” he growled at the guard as the man regarded him through the thick iron bars.
“Watch your words, Delvay,” the guard warned as he pulled a heavy set of keys from his belt and proceeded to unlock the door. He stepped aside as the door swung open and motioned Neph through with his free hand. “Wait there till I get this door closed and then follow,” the guard ordered in crisp tones that suggested any fuss would result in injury for one of them. Apparently the man wasn’t having a good day either.
Neph nodded and snapped his mouth shut. It wasn’t often he decided to hold his tongue, but he really didn’t want a personal war with the entire prison guard. He glanced back at his fellow prisoners who were watching him with sullen eyes and let out a disgusted sigh. Perhaps one in twenty of them looked to be actual criminals. The rest were nothing more than terrified commons. Now was not the time to point out the injustice, though. It could wait until he was in a position that offered more power.
The guard turned wordlessly when the door was secured and started back down the hall at a quick pace. Neph fell into step behind him, his gaze moving from cell to cell as he walked. Most of the people seemed to be from the lower class and their poverty showed in their clothing and health. Every once in a while, though, he spotted someone dressed well with the fine blemish free skin that spoke of an easy life. They were likely the ones arrested for speaking ill of the Empress, he decided, as the guard continued up a set of stairs to the main floor of the prison.
Neph searched the room silently, looking for Jail and paused as his gaze found Dresharn in the crowd. He was easy to spot in his finely tailored black suit and well-polished boots. Neph could only imagine how the man must despise being in such a filthy place. From what he remembered of Dresharn on the Avanti campaign, though, he doubted the dragon would complain to him. He had seemed to be a very calm and rational person, which was exactly what was needed at the present, because Neph certainly wasn’t feeling rational. Dresharn nodded politely to him and turned back to the clerk to sign papers.
“You are free to go. He paid your fine,” the guard announced as he removed the manacles from Neph’s wrists and turned to return to the cells.
Neph watched him for a moment and moved closer to Dresharn with a look of curiosity. It should have been Jail that arrived for him, and the fact that Dresharn was here didn’t bode well for Merro. Of course, given Jail’s nickname, it was possible that the big Han’shy was waiting in one of the holding cells as well. “I didn’t expect to see you here,” Neph offered in greeting as Dresharn turned from the clerk to face him.
Dresharn smiled and shrugged one shoulder before motioning to the door. “I will explain it all once we are in a more fitting place. I detest the crowds in here. Too much noise and jostling for a conversation,” he replied quietly. The dragon’s low cultured voice seemed so out of place that Neph almost smiled.
“A lot has changed in the city since the last time I was here,” Neph said neutrally as they stepped out of the stuffy confines of the prison to the bright sunlit day. His gaze shifted to the massive white palace and then back to Dresharn who was taking care to keep all expression from his face.
“Indeed. There is quite a lot I should inform you of once we are comfortably back in our district. A nice tumbler of brandy and a discussion of laws. What could possibly be a better way to while away the afternoon?” Dresharn replied with a slight smile. He raised a black gloved hand and waved toward one of the coaches before glancing back at Neph. “I apologize for taking so long to respond to your difficulties, but I was at the palace when Victory brought the word to Merro’s district.”