D.D. Ward is Writing

“I see that we have already begun.” A man’s voice said. I looked up. The torturer was a slim short man with a bald head and prominent nose. He looked like he belonged in an accounting firm. He had set up a folding table and placed a case on it at some point. The two guards brought in a weird contraption. It looked like a clothing rack but for a person. They locked me into it, arms spread, feet dangling inches about the floor. The thing put all my weight on my shoulders, and the pain felt agonizing.  I don’t remember the guards leaving. Perhaps they didn’t and I didn’t notice.  I hung there in the middle of the room.  “Get on with it.” Duke Xander said.  “A moment.” He put a hand on my shoulder. “This has been painful so far. Yes? You should know, I will be worse. I see auras. I will not merely break your body. Do you understand?” I considered this. I’d been talking myself into confessing a moment ago. But would that actually fix things? Would it save anything? I woul...

Two guards entered. They wore tabards in the royal blue and white of Hyperborea with a Pillar Tree design. Both were taller than me, at least an inch or two above six feet, and much heavier in build. Both were grinning. I didn’t like the grins. Duke Xander did not take part. He watched from several steps back.  “I objected to the use of torture. I have been overruled. The royal guard are here to administer the torture.” I shook my head, and said nothing.  “Get on with it.” Duke Xander waved at them. “If we have to do this, then do it.” One stepped forward and grabbed me, twisting my left arm behind me and then my right arm. With my arms behind my back, the guard wrapped his arms around my shoulders in a bear hug. “Alright. I’ve got her. Go to work.” The other guard stepped up in a boxing stance. He paused. “You could save yourself a lot of pain by telling us who your accomplice is now. You know that, right?” He said. I sniffed, “Decide that for yourselves and be done with it.”...

Xander placed me in a cell intended for nobility. The walls stood bare. But the bed had a soft mattress and proper sheets. A chamber pot sat at the foot of the bed. And a privacy screen stood in the corner. I may have been a suspected murderer, but I was still a lady. And even in Hyperborea that mattered.  My cell sat at the end of the hall, three other cells sat between mine and the door out of the prison. I rested my head against the bars of my cell and closed my eyes. The prison smelled of wet stone, though I’d found no puddles or mold. The cell was cold, the stone was cold. And the prison lay silent save for my own breathing. I felt alone.  I considered my circumstances. Hyperborea hoped that Ys would sacrifice me to prevent war. I knew that Leon wouldn’t do that. But the Council of Lords might instruct Leon to do otherwise. Although that would take time. The world of Ossedei did not have a method of instant communication. Which meant that Leon held the power in the short ...

“We could put this to bed, you know.” I said. “How do you see that happening?” Duke Xander asked.  “You’re worried that Agnar is the killer.” I said, keeping my voice neutral. Xander didn’t answer immediately. I waited.  “I am.” He said. “I don’t think he is. I can understand why you would think so. But I don’t think that he is. And if we were to search his room, we could get a clear idea. Find poison? Guilty. Find no poison? Probably not guilty. Simple.” “He could have used it all, couldn’t he?” Amy asked. “Indeed. But a search could still help. Finding nothing incriminating would placate those who fear that Agnar is the killer.” Vincent raised an eyebrow. “So we’re searching in the hopes of not finding anything?” “Basically.” I scratched Quincy’s head.  “We cannot do this,” Xander said. “To insult the duchy so would be unthinkable.” “Is there a duchy though?” I asked. “There’s no duke at the moment. You said it yourself. Agnar isn’t duke. You outrank him.” “I do.” Xande...

The castle belonged to Clan Wulfling, and Duke Xander was a guest like us. We found him in his room after a quick knock on the door. He was still dressed.  “Part of my vision has occurred.” I said.  Xander raised an eyebrow and then nodded. “Which part?” “We were attacked by an immortal assassin.” Xander nodded, “You fought it off? Did it retreat?” I watched Xander’s eyes. He didn’t look surprised.  “No. Fiona and Vincent killed it. The body is still in our room.” “Fiona killed it,” Vincent corrected. “I helped keep it distracted.” Now Xander did look surprised. He turned to look at Fiona in her scanty evening dress. Fiona stood five foot two and people underestimated her.  “An immortal that can transform into a bat-like form would not be a young immortal. To best such a foe is impressive. To best such a foe in evening wear is beyond impressive.” Amy raised her hand. Duke Xander looked at her and smiled. “Yes. The gentle one. What is it?” “Do you know who might send ...

“Don’t let her see the body.” I said. “Hide it.” “Where?” Vincent repeated. “Why?” Amy asked. I stopped, “What?” “Why shouldn’t we let Lynn see it? We can trust her.” Amy said. I considered it. Then nodded, “Knee jerk reaction to protect her. Let her in.” Amy stuck her tongue out at me, then smiled. I shrugged back in response. Fiona opened the door. Lynn looked into our room and then her eyes widened. “You should come inside.” Fiona said. “Yes. I should.” Lynn agreed.  Lynn stepped into our room and we closed the door. “You’ve had visitors.” Lynn grasped my arm and pointed.  I nodded, “An immortal assassin sent by Duke Xander.” “The Duke?” Lynn gasped, “I thought we could rely upon him. How do you know?” “Amy did a reading. Duke Xander is sympathetic, but that won’t stop him from protecting Hyperborea. They think the killer is a local. They are trying to cover up the crime. And they want to frame me as the killer for a bonus.” “Why you?” “I killed Crown Prince Wulfric.” I sai...

The bat-thing folded its wings and drew out a pair of daggers from sheaths of its belt.  “At last,” Fiona said, shaking glass shards from the backs of her hands, “Something tangible. Something real.” I looked at Fiona. She wore her favorite royal blue evening gown. The dress was sleeveless with a plunging neckline that touched her bellybutton. She wore a cream sash bound with a silver cylindrical clasp. She wasn’t dressed for battle. As I watched, Fiona reached down and clicked a hidden button on the clasp. She drew the concealed dagger from the cylinder. Her sash drifted to the ground like settling fog. I grimaced and did the same with my clasp, identical to her own save for being gold. I wasn’t much of a fighter, but I knew how I could help. “Lover. Fiona. Here, catch.” I threw my dagger.  Fiona caught the dagger in her left hand without looking. She stepped to place herself between her two fiancées and the assassin. Vincent threw an end table into the bat-thing’s face, stag...

Lacking other options, we retired to our room in Castle Wulfling. Monique and Lynn went to their own rooms, but Vincent joined us. We weren’t planning to go to bed yet, and there wasn’t another place we could speak in private. Tapestries telling the history of Clan Wulfling lined the walls. Heavy rugs lay on the floor. Condensation still hung in the air every time I exhaled. Fiona and Vincent sat beside each other, and I noticed that Fiona leaned in to Vincent. Although I don’t think she noticed she had done it. Amy collected her heavy cloak and wrapped it around her shoulders. We settled in and after a moment’s silence, Amy spoke. “So. Dearest.” Amy said. “Was what you told us out there the entire vision?” I smiled and shook my head. “I can’t fool you. No, it wasn’t even close to the whole vision.” “What was necessary to hold back?” Fiona asked. “Well, me confessing to the murder for starters.” The three of them stared at me. Vincent spoke first. “You didn’t though. You were nowhere n...

Chapter Nine: Luckfish "What did you see?" Duke Xander loomed over me. I pushed myself to a sitting position and met the duke's eyes. "I saw a tribunal. Chaos. Diplomats from many nations." "Damn. That is the last thing Hyperborea or his majesty will want." "You can't stop it now. The visions don't lie. All you can do is shape it, respond to it." "Was that all you saw?" Leon asked. "No. I saw more. And I heard more. Somebody said the following: None of you are safe from the Husband Poisoning Society." Duke Xander took a startled step back. "The Husband Poisoning society. What is that?" "I haven't the faintest idea." I answered. "The voice belonged to a woman though. I didn't see the person saying it or a scene of any kind. Only the words. I also saw an immortal of some sort, a man-bat thing. It yelled about how somebody would die for Hyperborea." Leon looked at Duke Xander. ...

Chapter Eight: Accusations "Obviously our new duchess is the culprit." Magnus said. "She was right next to his grace during dinner. Women are serpents, Yssian women doubly so." "We were at your charming outhouse when his grace died." Lynn objected.   "That means nothing. That one said the poison had an alchemical agent to delay its activation." Magnus pointed at Fiona. "That gives her plenty of time." "Why would she kill her new husband? She wouldn't gain power from it. She'd just get married off again." Amy said. "Who knows why women do anything they do?" Magnus shook his head.  Laila smacked Magnus's shoulder. "She gains nothing from this. Women are not insane. His grace has a brother who has already declared himself duke. Obviously Lord Agnar is guilty." "You would accuse your new duke?" Magnus bristled.  "He isn't your duke or mine yet. Right now he's only a murderer....