Azure bonds - Kate Novak [73]
"Seven," Alias corrected. "I was the youngest."
"Wasn't the youngest a mage?" asked Mourngrym.
"That was Kith," said Alias. "She was half a year my elder. She studied under Sylune for a short while."
"Yes, the witch mentioned her once," smiled Mourngrym. "Not too favorably, as I recall, but spellcasters are a temperamental bunch."
"Speaking of temperamental spellcasters, have you seen the other member of my party?"
"The Turmishman?" Mourngrym asked. "Aye, he came down late this afternoon and paid a lad a gold eagle to ask Elminster for an audience. He waited until about an hour ago, when Elminster's reply came back. The message was-and I quote Elminster's words-'Hie thy backside to my outer office and await there on my pleasure.' So your spellcaster is probably pacing the tower floor right now."
The waiter returned with their drinks.
"Good fortune," Mourngrym toasted, raising his mug.
"Good fortune," Alias agreed before she sipped the cold, pink liquid. She'd come to the conclusion that part of her curse involved not being able to enjoy ale. After her dream in Shadow Gap, she'd decided to try wine instead. The drink the waiter brought her was nowhere near as pleasant as the wine in her dream, but it was at least palatable and, with any luck, not so potent.
"Poor Akabar," Alias said. "Elminster must be this local master sage he was so anxious to talk to. Akabar is so responsible, he'll miss out on all the fun. I hope he isn't wasting his time. Is this Elminster any good?"
Mourngrym nearly choked on his ale. "Elminster? You used to winter here and you've never heard of Elminster the sage?"
Alias shook her head. "That was over seven years ago. I take it Elminster is someone new."
"Only as new as the Sunset Peaks and twice as craggy," the lord of Shadowdale replied, giving her a strange look. "He's been here forever. He's the wisest man in the Realms. He's the reason most people come to Shadowdale, though he doesn't usually hire his services out anymore."
Damn, damn, damn, damn! Alias thought. I've gone and spoiled everything again. How could I remember so much about this town, and not remember someone so important?
Alias lowered her eyes. "I'm afraid I have trouble remembering things sometimes," she explained.
"Well, as you said, that was seven years ago. You were young, and young people don't often take much note of old sages and their ilk," Mourngrym answered kindly.
The songhorn began another melody accompanied by Olive on her yarting.
"I remember this song, though," Alias declared. It was an elvish tune, but its lyrics were in the common tongue. It was about the Standing Stone, the monument erected to commemorate the pact made between the dalesmen and the elves of the wood over thirteen centuries ago.
Determined to put the awkward moment behind her, Alias began to sing, her voice clear and strong. The taproom patrons turned from the musicians to the swordswoman. Alias shifted her glance from one face to the other, catching the eyes of her audience, making them feel as if she sang for them. She spotted Dragonbait smiling at her, keeping rhythm with the end of his tail. The only eyes she did not catch were Olive's. The bard bent over her yarting strings, apparently too intent on her fingerings to look up.
When she finished, the room burst into applause. Alias blushed and turned back to the table. What could have possessed me to show off like that? she wondered. She had always kept as low a profile as possible in towns. Now she was behaving like a child. For a moment she thought of the runes, but there was no tell-tale heat or light coming through her sleeve.
The songhorn player came up to her table. "Excuse me, my lord. Lady," he addressed Alias, "do you think maybe, if you have time, you might give me the words to that song? They were just wonderful. Did you write them yourself?"
"No. I learned that song here, to that melody. You've never heard the lyrics before?"
The musician shook