Azure bonds - Kate Novak [144]
"Listen closely. Mist followed us from Cormyr. She ambushed Ruskettle while we were in Yulash, but Dragonbait subdued the dragon and convinced her to work alongside them to rescue us. They rescued me first only because Moander thought me more expendable. The god opened some type of magical gate from the Elven Wood to here, and we followed the creature through it with the help of your finder's stone. I think we lost that, didn't we?"
Dragonbait nodded and looked down at the ground, apparently ashamed at having mislaid Alias's property.
"Then Mist shook us loose; whether intentionally or not I could not tell. She died fighting the old god."
Alias held up a hand. "You said Dragonbait subdued Mist and convinced her to help. You mean Olive…"
"Not the halfling. Dragonbait. He can talk, but not in ways that we can understand. He uses-"
"Smells," Alias guessed, remembering the heavy odor of violets she had detected in Meander's temple in Yulash.
Akabar nodded. "Mist understood him. And he has no trouble understanding us. You know from Moander, of course, that his people are called saurials."
"Yes," Alias said, remembering. "It also said something about him being a pure soul-he was intended as a sacrifice to enslave me somehow."
"He's more than that," Akabar explained. "He's a paladin in his own world, much like the ones you have up north. He can heal in the same fashion. So you see, we need only wait a few days and he can make both of us good as new."
Alias looked into the lizard's yellow eyes. "You healed me when I came out of Mist's cave with my chain mail fused?"
Dragonbait nodded without expression.
"And when I hurt my arm smashing the crystal elemental with your sword?"
Again the saurial nodded.
"You sneaky devil," Alias said with a grin.
My feelings precisely, Olive thought behind the screen, but she did not give away her eavesdropping.
Alias, however, meant the words as a compliment. Dragonbait hung his head, though, ashamed of his deception.
"You had no idea, did you?" Akabar asked.
"No."
"You don't seem very surprised."
Alias shrugged. "I have evil assassins, evil mages, evil gods, and evil who-knows-what-all chasing me. Why shouldn't I have a guardian paladin?"
Then it occurred to her why not. So far, Meander's words were a secret between her and Akabar. She did not think Dragonbait knew. Akabar would not give her away, but it would not be right to keep Dragonbait with her, risking his life for her. She was just a thing. She was fully intent on sending her companions away, out of danger, and now she had the means of driving the faithful lizard from her side.
The idea of losing Dragonbait's tender concern left an ache in her heart, and the thought of losing his protection left her more than a little afraid. Don't be stupid, she tried to convince herself. You've taken care of yourself all of your life. You can do it.
Then she remembered that that just wasn't true. She'd only been born last month, and all that time she'd had the lizard as a nanny. How could he not know? But if he knew, why did he stay? No doubt he'd been fooled like Akabar into having pity for her.
I'll have to leave them, and I'll have to leave without telling them, she thought. She ran her hand down the smooth, pebbly scales of Dragonbait's arm. Aloud, she said, "I just want you to know how much I appreciate you. Everything you've done." She could not resist-she hugged the lizard again and then turned and hugged Akabar. "Both of you."
"Well," Olive said, stepping out from behind the screen. "Nice to know you're safe and appreciated, isn't it?" The bard was dressed in a pink robe, with scarlet pants beneath. Her yarting was strung across her back, and a pouch hung on her belt. The expression on her face was a mixture of jealousy and disapproval.
"I appreciate your friendship, too, Olive," Alias assured her as she walked toward the screen. She knelt before the halfling and reached out to hug her as well.
The bard stepped backward, almost toppling the iron