Azure bonds - Kate Novak [47]
Annoyed, Akabar reached over and lifted the sigil engravings from the halfling's palm. He rewrapped and tied them and handed the bundle to Alias. "So, shall I arrange passage for the morning?"
"I'm almost positive I came to Suzail by boat," she mused.
"By ship," Akabar corrected.
"Couldn't we travel to High Horn and circle around the Lake of Dragons?" Olive suggested. "The roads to Westgate are pretty good."
Akabar remembered the little woman had claimed to dislike sea journeys.
"We're going to Yulash," Alias said quietly.
"What?" both the bard and the mage demanded in unison.
"Suppose I came to Suzail from Westgate," Alias whispered, "fleeing from whoever did this to me-the Fire Knives or this Cassana person. Instinct tells me to avoid Westgate. I don't know why-1 can't remember. Maybe I was there and tried taking care of someone else the Fire Knives don't care for-then I could be wanted by the law, as well as by the underworld. Besides, I don't want to take on two enemies at once. I've already waltzed into one dragon's lair this month. I don't intend to do it again for at least another year. In Yulash, as far as we know, I have only one enemy. Also, this master sage you mentioned is on the road to Yulash. We may get more information from him."
"But the temple in Yulash is destroyed," Akabar objected. "Yulash is in the hands of the Zhentarim, and they're not… decent people. It is too dangerous."
Alias frowned. "Look, Akash, whose quest is this, anyway? You want to accompany me, you can come with me to Yulash. If you're afraid, you can go to Westgate without me, or better yet, just go home and forget about me."
Akabar colored. Whether he was more angry that Alias would not take his sage counsel or embarrassed that his honor and courage had been called into question, Olive could not tell for sure. She chimed in, "If this sage in Shadowdale can help, we may not even have to go to Yulash."
Alias turned to glare at the halfling. "I'm going to Yulash," she hissed. "I leave in the morning!" With that, she rose from the table, staggered two feet, and passed out on the wooden floor.
"Better make that late morning," Akabar sighed. He rose to settle accounts with the barkeep while Dragonbait and Ruskettle hauled the fallen warrior to her room.
9
Trek Through Cormyr
It was almost noon when the party left Suzail. Akabar had spent the morning purchasing supplies. His was the easy job.
Olive and Dragonbait had the dubious honor of tumbling Alias out of bed so she could lead them to Yulash. The swordswoman cursed them both feebly. When they finally got her to sit, she threw up. Finally, they got her cleaned up and dressed. She moaned all the while and wept some, too.
"To hear her complain," Olive sniffed, "you'd think she was a fifteen-year-old debutante suffering from her first drunk. Is she always like this?" she asked Dragonbait.
The lizard made no sound or gesture in reply.
The halfling looked about the room for another bottle of liquor. According to the barkeep, the swordswoman had had only two mugs of mead. Granted, it was good, potent stuff and the barkeep's mugs were a generous size, but that couldn't possibly be enough to leave a seasoned warrior so incapacitated, Olive decided. Yet, there was no sign of alcohol in any of Alias's belongings.
Olive remembered her aunt who would go into a crying jag after a single glass of wine. It wasn't the booze, her mother had explained to her, it was the feeling in her heart when she drank. The halfling wondered how anyone could be so depressed. Alias had her health, gold in her purse, she wasn't love-struck over anyone, and this afternoon she'd he three steps ahead of the law on open road. Who could ask for more? Humans! Go figure. Olive sighed and ran a coo!, damp rag about Alias's face.
By the time a scowling Alias stumbled out of the inn, her hood up to shade her eyes against the bright sunlight, Akabar was waiting with the party's horses and pony saddled and packed.
If Alias had any