Amber and Blood - Margaret Weis [81]
Gerard shook his head. “What I find damn odd is why Chemosh’s followers did all this in broad daylight. Those ghouls generally work their evil under the cover of darkness. Almost seems as if it was meant as some sort of diversion …”
Gerard paused, regarding Rhys intently.
“It was a diversion, wasn’t it?” Gerard slammed his hand down on the coverlet. “I knew this must have something to do with you. You owe me an explanation, Brother. Tell me what in the name of Heaven is going on.”
“That’s a good way to put it. I will explain”—Rhys gave a rueful sigh—“though you will find my story difficult to believe. The tale does not start with me. It starts with the woman you know as Mina …”
He related the story, as much as he knew. Gerard listened in amazed silence. He remained quiet until Rhys had reached the end of his tale, telling how he had killed Krell, and then Gerard shook his head.
“You’re right, Brother. I’m not sure I do believe it. Not that I doubt your word,” he added hastily. “It’s just … so implausible. A new god? That’s all we need! And a god who’s gone crazy at that! So what—”
They were interrupted by a knock on the door.
Rhys opened it to find one of the town guard in company with an older woman dressed in traveling clothes.
The guardsman touched his forehead respectfully to Rhys, then spoke to Gerard, “I have some information on that kender you were looking for, Sheriff. This lady saw him.”
“I did, Sheriff,” said the woman briskly. “I’m a recent widow. My husband and I had a farm north of here. I sold it—too much for me to handle, and I am moving to Solace to live with my daughter and her husband. We were on the road this morning, and I saw a kender like the one described. He was traveling with a black-and-white dog and a little girl.”
“Are you sure it was them, Madam?” the sheriff asked.
“I am, Sheriff,” said the woman, complacently folding her hands beneath her cloak. “I remember because I thought it was odd to see such a strange trio, and the kender and the girl were standing in the middle of the road arguing about something. I was going to stop to see if I could help, but Enoch—he’s my son-in-law—he said I shouldn’t speak to kender, not unless I wanted to be robbed blind. Whatever the kender was up to, it was probably no good and none of our affair.
“I wasn’t sure about that. I’m a mother, and it looked to me like the little girl was running away from home. My daughter did the same when she was that age. She packed up her little things in a gunny sack and set out. She didn’t go far before she got hungry and came back, but I was half dead with fright. I remember how I felt, and the first thing I did when we reached Solace was to tell the guard what I’d seen. He said you were searching for this kender, and so I figured I’d come tell you what I saw and where I saw it.”
“Thank you, Madame,” said Gerard. “Did you happen to see if they continued on the road north?”
“When I looked back the little girl was walking along the highway, heading north. The kender and the dog were trailing behind.”
“Thank you again, Madame. May Majere’s blessing be on you,” Rhys said, and he picked up his staff.
“Good luck, Brother Rhys,” said Gerard. “I won’t say it’s been a pleasure knowing you, because you’ve brought me nothing but trouble. I will say it’s been an honor.”
He reached out his hand. Rhys took it, pressing it warmly.
“Thank you for all your help, Sheriff,” he said. “I know you don’t believe in the gods, but—as someone once told a friend of mine—they believe in you.”
Rhys stopped on his way out to tell Laura that Nightshade had been located and that he, the kender, and Mina were going to resume their travels.
“She’s a dear, sweet child. Try to see to it that she has a bath every now and then, Brother,” Laura told him, and she sent him on his