Chapters (76)
- Title Page
- Copyright Notice
- Dedication
- PROLOGUE
- PART I
- ONE
- TWO
- THREE
- FOUR
- FIVE
- SIX
- SEVEN
- EIGHT
- NINE
- PART II
- TEN
- ELEVEN
- TWELVE
- THIRTEEN
- FOURTEEN
- FIFTEEN
- SIXTEEN
- SEVENTEEN
- EIGHTEEN
- NINETEEN
- PART III
- TWENTY
- TWENTY-ONE
- TWENTY-TWO
- TWENTY-THREE
- TWENTY-FOUR
- TWENTY-FIVE
- TWENTY-SIX
- INTERLUDE
- PART IV
- TWENTY-SEVEN
- TWENTY-EIGHT
- TWENTY-NINE
- THIRTY
- THIRTY-ONE
- THIRTY-TWO
- THIRTY-THREE
- THIRTY-FOUR
- INTERLUDE
- PART V
- THIRTY-FIVE
- THIRTY-SIX
- THIRTY-SEVEN
- THIRTY-EIGHT
- PART VI
- THIRTY-NINE
- FORTY
- FORTY-ONE
- FORTY-TWO
- FORTY-THREE
- FORTY-FOUR
- FORTY-FIVE
- INTERLUDE
- PART VII
- FORTY-SIX
- FORTY-SEVEN
- FORTY-EIGHT
- FORTY-NINE
- FIFTY
- FIFTY-ONE
- FIFTY-TWO
- PART VIII
- FIFTY-THREE
- FIFTY-FOUR
- FIFTY-FIVE
- FIFTY-SIX
- EPILOGUE
- AUTHOR’S NOTE
- ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
- ABOUT THE AUTHOR
- Newsletter Sign-up
Gerold nodded and composed himself. His mouth moved silently, he had sense in him enough to know his life was at stake. Finally he exhaled and spoke slowly. “I’ve been on my own for a while, and I know I’ve acted poorly. I’ve stolen more than a few nights’ sleep in places I wasn’t welcome, and pinched food from those that might not have had any to spare. I have regrets, and I’ve prayed for them, and I know they’re mine.” He glanced around, hoping he had made any progress. “But whatever reason they say I’m here, it wasn’t me. I was asleep in an alley, and I woke up to commotion and I don’t know what, and next thing ever was me pulled away, thrown in here, saying I did things I didn’t. Please believe me. I’ve been trying to make right of myself, I have, an’ it’s hard, it’s so hard.” He sniffed harshly, seeming to wipe some wetness from his eyes. “An’ I know it’s not for anyone but me to make it right, not even the Lord, and I try every day. Even down here, every day I try to make something right again.”
At Guy’s signal they excused themselves from the prisoner. “What do you think?”
“He’s a decent candidate,” Simon admitted. “He may be a bit broken, but I’d wager he’d be powerful grateful to have a bed and regular meal.”
“I agree. He would be.” Guy bit his lip. “You don’t think he’d be a threat?”
“I think he’d be more a target than a threat. He cries like that in the Yard and The Simons will have to get all Simonsy on him.”
“So you’d take him?”
Simon considered it. “I would. Do you disagree?”
“Of course.” Guy laughed.
“You think he wouldn’t cut it?”
“This man is a liar, and a murderer.” Guy knew exactly who Gerold was, he had recognized the name in the gaoler’s records. Gerold stopped crying and looked up sharply as Guy raised his voice. “I watched that man smash a young woman’s head in with a rock. It took five Guardsmen to take him down. Everything he just told us was a complete fabrication. I thought the blubbering was a bit much.”
“Fuck me.” The man’s baby-face contorted. “I knew I recognized you.” His entire countenance changed, whatever innocence he had faked was now replaced with cruel lines.
Simon exhaled heavily. “For the love of … why are we talking to him at all? Why hasn’t he hanged?”