Two Crows Watch from the Gallows Tree (part 14)

(Oh fuck I don’t think so oops xD I think just said she had unsavories after her)

(Oho!)

"Klev?" Gaius tensed, and his eyebrows shot up. "Who told you about Aleth?"

“You—? … didn’t. F…” he bit the swear off. “I…” he put his hands in front of his chest, trying to placate him. That was a horrible blunder. And he didn’t want to spend the next fortnight in prison. Or worse. “I can explain. It… fuck—sorry.” He took another deep breath. He needed to collect himself. “May I reach into my right pocket to show you some letters? You won’t believe me if you don’t see them for yourself.”

"If you must." Gaius scooted forward in his chair.

Derik moved slowly and deliberately, not wanting to appear like a threat. He understood how this looked. How he seemed planted. But he wasn’t. And he wanted to make sure they knew that. “I apologize in advance for my brother’s language and the names he used to refer to you all. We try to avoid using real names whenever possible in case the letters get intercepted somehow.” They also hadn’t been planning on sharing them.

He pulled the crumpled letters out of his pocket and gently set them on Ash’s desk before leaning back in his own chair again, out of arm’s reach — more to put Ash at ease than himself. But he didn’t want to risk the man doing anything rash they’d both come to regret, either.

“Where I’m from, it’s possible to send and receive letters instantly. I went to the barracks to talk to Zander.” He gestured at the letters. “Those were his responses to me… and are everything I know about the situation, beyond the child — Kylia — having been placed with a farmer in infancy. I don’t have any more specifics.”

God fucking damn it why the fuck are you there?

This… isn’t good. I let them believe I was the only one, like we’d agreed. I assume he called you on it? He’s smart. As sharp as ma. Watch yourself.

You'll have to tell him, I guess. Part of it. Keep names to yourself and be judicious on details. But… goddamn it I don’t see another option here. Do you?
-A

Kylia Ruiarc. She believes her father to be Petrir — he died by his own hand. It’s… sore for her. I claimed that surname, kept my first. Aleth fucking Klev got his hands on her. Long story, but I’m off trying to track down his mess. He sent assassins after her. I… god. Should I come back? It’ll take me two weeks, maybe, if I rush it.

Alright. Fine. I’ll be there in a fortnight. Try… to be gentle with her. And the father, too, if he crosses your path. He seems just as delicate. Neither will take it well. The uncle won’t like it, but he can keep his head about him. You could talk to the wife or apothecary. Anything you say to him goes straight to them anyhow. Be careful with the father and the girl. They… talk.

Gaius sifted through the letters, then handed them off to Sara, feeling sick to his stomach. Did Derik really think he'd buy some thing like that? Instant communication?
This had to be some kind of ploy. It was Zander's handwriting, true, but then it would have to have been planted beforehand. So he'd placed too much trust in Zander and he and Derik were working some kind of angle.
But what angle? Where was the trick?
He thought for a moment, then took a deep breath. "You realize how this looks, I hope," he said quietly.

(My fingers keep accidentally hitting caps lock in the keyboard but only on Gaius's lines for some reason)

(Oop)

Derik sat staring at the edge of his desk as they read through the letters. His heart was pounding in his ears and he had to focus on stilling his racing thoughts and hoping to the gods he could talk his way out of this mess.

“I unfortunately do,” Derik agreed, glancing up at him. “And I know how implausible the letters seem, if you’re not familiar with the concept… if you’d like I can send him a letter you write yourself. Ask him something there’s no possible way I could know. Fold it up and I’ll send it without looking.”

"How will we know you haven't just performed sleight of hand?"

“How would I do that, if I don’t know the answer to your question and I don’t look at it to see what you’ve written?”

"How do I know you didn't meet Zander on the way down here? Perhaps these letters are pre-written."

“I’ll send one from you now. Before your eyes. I didn’t meet with Zander — haven’t talked to him in weeks before now — but even if I did, he couldn’t have told me every single thing that happened while he was here. I don’t know how long he was here. Did something inane happen he’d know about? Something so banal it would never cross his mind to tell me? I’m not sure how to reassure you beyond being your conduit to send Zander a letter yourself. What proof would you like? Ask him for it.”

Gaius glanced at Sara; her brow was deeply furrowed. Then he looked back at Derik.
"I will entertain this," he said. "But I will keep my hand on the letter at all times, do you understand?"

“That’s fine,” Derik said with a wave of his hand. “I will need to put my hand near the paper to have enough strength to send it since he’s so far away. But I don’t have to touch it and you’re more than welcome to hold it while I do so, so long as you don’t mind a bit of a tingle running through your hand. It won’t hurt at all, but is a bit unsettling if you’re not used to it. Full disclosure.”

"I'll be brave," he said thinly, taking a sheet of paper from his desk and starting to write.
Zander,
I've been informed of some rather troubling things; I'll be needing proof of this link between you and your brother.
I want you to tell me what was served for dinner on your last night here. Don't delay.

Lord Ash

He folded it neatly into a lemon-sized square and gripped it in his left hand, then offered the note forward.

Derik held his hand about an inch under Gaius’s, opened with his palm facing upward. He took a deep breath and focused on tapping into the R’hyk. It was always harder without physical contact. And even harder when channeling it through someone else’s hand. But he’d done it before when teaching young Rangers how to use the R’hyk and he could do it now.

He tapped into the feeling of the molecules vibrating around him. Gaius’s hand. The letter. His own hand. Then he quickly pulled the molecules of the letter apart and sent them hurdling through space towards Zander. The letter disappeared instantly, a jolt that felt like your hand falling asleep running both his own and Gaius’s hand for about a second before leaving them the same as before. Derik leaned back in his seat.