Aerie and Anomen were taken with a sudden, silent alarm, glancing among the others, perhaps wondering who had withheld this from them. Yoshimo's face was studiously blank, gazing into empty space. Minsc said nothing but kept his head down, ruffling his hamster's fur. Jaheira caught Lidia's eye, an unspoken question in her face.
Lidia took a few slow but sure steps forward, standing before Sir Grady. She drew herself up to her full height.
"Hail, servant of Ilmater," he said gravely. "Do you speak for this company?"
"This time, I speak only for myself," she said. "If you spare the others, I will go with you."
"If atonement is what you wish, that we can help you find. But if you think to shield your companion, you only add wrong to wrong," the knight said.
"I apologize, but you misunderstood me," she said. She showed no hint of pride or fear. "I'm the one you want. The Lord of Murder sired me and nothing more."
The other knight drew his sword and dismounted. His voice sounded younger, though the armor made him difficult to distinguish from his commander. "Sir Grady, you have only to give the order."
Far too late, Lidia realized that she had miscalculated, possibly for the last time. She had assumed, more or less, that they were open to hearing her version of events. They were not, and now they would exact their chosen price. There seemed to be no escape. Gorion's Company was badly outnumbered, even if they decided to strike now. Even if they were willing to repeat in daylight what they had done in darkness.
She asked Sir Grady, "What will you do with me?"
He said nothing.
The other knight strode forward, unsheathing his sword. He lowered his visor on his helmet. He commanded: "On your knees, Bhaalspawn."
Lidia tried to keep her voice calm, though fear rose in her heart. "Tell me, first, what your orders are," she said, though she had guessed already. The man's dark eyes brimmed with anger, enough for her to read her fate in them: she would be slain by the hands of righteousness, in one last reminder that her entire being was borrowed.
"We've learned of our kindred's murder and your part in it," he replies. "The Order of the Radiant Heart demands your head for this."
Several feet rushed forward behind her. Nine bows raised in warning.
"Stop!" Lidia called, not moving herself. "Stop! Firkraag is the one who wins if we fall to blows."
Mercifully, the sound died and no one stirred again. But the bows remained taut.
She continued, "Evil was done here, but the culprit isn't who you think." She kneeled, casting aside her staff and placing her hands on her head. "I submit myself to your judgment. Before you strike me, let me say one more thing."
The helmed head above her gave her a silent nod.
"Ajantis and I were taken by the same deception. Would this still be justice, if our places had been traded? If I'd died and he'd lived?"
"Wait!" Iltha's voice cried out, straining, forced to be louder than what it was accustomed to. Small feet broke branches on the forest floor, and a small body crashed through the undergrowth.
Jaheira caught the girl in her arms for a moment, but she slipped out and ran forward.
The older knight dismounted. "Young lady, who are you? What are you doing here?"
Iltha bowed low. She tried to catch her breath as she talked. "I'm-I'm Iltha. Lord Jierdan Firkraag tricked us, like he tricked my father Garren."
"This is a serious accusation. Are you certain?" Sir Grady's voice was stern as he stared down at her.
She wrung her hands. "All I know is what Father told me. He left yesterday to speak to the Order in Athkatla. Lord Jierdan took me from my house." She pointed to Lidia. "She just helped me get free. Please...don't do anything to her."
The older knight turned to the younger, with the tone of someone giving a reminder. "Well, Sir Shamus?"
"The girl...speaks the truth, as best she knows." Then he immediately started protesting: "Sir Grady, with all due respect, would you defy the High Hall on a child's word?"
"No, but our duty is to the spirit of the law when the letter falls short," Sir Grady said. "The Bhaalspawn has given herself into our hands. We have time now to judge aright. I am not yet convinced that she must die-when has a child come forward in defense of Lord Jierdan?" He glanced at Lidia again, then to Sir Shamus. "I will not slay a follower of the Crying God merely on his word."
Sir Shamus tried one more time: "What of Sir Ajantis? And Jurian, and the others?"
"Considering all we have heard, I will reserve judgment." He added, rather dryly, "This is the order I give, and I will be answerable to the High Hall for it."
Lidia got to her feet, shivering as she retrieved her staff. Her knuckles whitened around the wood as she tried to conquer the tremor in her hands. She'd thrown herself into battle as often as needed; facing death in cold blood was another matter altogether.
Sir Grady removed his helmet, and she could see his face plainly now: almost regal in how he carried himself, but weighed down with years of hard service and sorrow. Silver strands sprinkled his black hair and beard, and his deeply furrowed face was grave and sad.
He addressed Lidia: "You asked us what we shall do with you and have patiently waited for an answer, and I have decided. You speak names that lie at the heart of this matter. I would hear what you know; it may also be of interest to the Prelate. I will go against my orders and spare your life today, on one condition: remain with my company and cooperate fully with us until we receive further word from the High Hall. I think it best if Squire Anomen stays as well. Since he is one of us, his part in this also bears examination."
"He is innocent, for whatever my word is worth," she said. "He was only following my lead."
"None among us can abdicate the exercise of good judgment even then, as he well knows," he said. He turned to Anomen. "But if the leader you have chosen proves true, you have nothing to fear."
"And the others?" Lidia asked.
He glanced at the other four members of Gorion's Company, and then back to Lidia. "I only ask that they give their accounts of these unfortunate events, and then they are free to stay or go as they will."
She nodded in acknowledgment, then returned to her group, slightly dazed. She had no idea what to tell the newest members of the group, though it was a conversation long overdue.