Azure bonds - Kate Novak [90]
The Lady Cassana laughed with cruel amusement. "He needs the reminder occasionally. What are you doing here? I didn't notice you board."
"That's because I only just popped in. I thought I might accompany you. How's your arm?"
The lady frowned. "How did you know about that?"
"My master's been scrying you to be safe. There was a blur as the One approached your bird form. When she passed by we noted the dagger in your wing."
Cassana shrugged. "All healed when I polymorphed back to my own body."
"Well, our condolences on the failure of your mission."
The lady snarled. "The beast sleeps with his damned sword, so I could only use the subtlest of magics lest I alerted him to my presence and he dispelled my attacks My creature would not approach him, branded as he is. I almost had the mage and the thief, but Puppet managed to shake me off in time to raise an alarm."
"Well, there will be other opportunities," the halfling replied, shrugging.
"We were lucky she had the brands checked for magic, or we might still be searching all compass points. But it was a fluke she had it done again near Zrie's old rock garden, and a fluke that my creature spotted her in the gap. Don't you think it's time your master got involved in this?"
"There is no need when he has such efficient, clever helpers as myself."
"Oh? And what have you done lately to earn such praise?"
"Planted a tracking device in the One's, or as you would say, Puppet's, party. A device strong enough to be detected despite the enchantment of misdirection about her."
"Planted with the thief, I presume."
Phalse nodded.
"But, how did you find the party?" Cassana asked.
"Upon interrogating Nameless I learned of a peculiar desire he had to sing in Shadowdale. Like father, like daughter. I kept watch on the town. As soon as my scrying power became blurred, I knew the One must have arrived. Sneaking in was a bit perilous-the town is heavily warded against my kind, but nothing I couldn't handle. Now, aren't you glad I didn't let you kill poor, foolish Nameless? "
Cassana smiled slyly. "I suppose I am." From her pocket she drew out a small serpent. The reptile tried unsucessfully to slither from the woman's grasp.
"You took him with you?" The halfling sounded surprised.
"He proved quite useful in holding Puppet's attention. He really is a remarkable storyteller." Cassana slipped the snake back into her pocket.
Giogioni withdrew hastily from the railing. It isn't possible, he thought. She's supposed to be heading to Yulash. Something has gone very wrong. She's here, discussing the most sinister-sounding things. Using magical attacks against branded people, threatening to kill someone's father, and turning humans into snakes. Instead of a sell-sword named Alias, now she's a sorceress called Cassana. Giogi didn't know what to make of it all, but his duty was clear. The woman had to be placed under arrest.
The sailors were all too busy dropping lines overboard and calling out numbers, so the Wyvernspur noble made his way toward the captain. "Excuse me, sir, but there is a woman aboard your ship who is wanted by the Cormyrian authorities. A very dangerous woman."
"Ten!" a sailor shouted from the port bow.
The captain seemed not to see Giogi. His eyes were fixed on the port, his hands clenched about the ship's wheel.
Giogi stepped closer, whispering confidentially. "Why, not sixteen days ago she tried to assassinate a very important Cormyrian official."
"Eight," shouted another sailor from the starboard bow.
"The fourteenth of Mirtul to be more exact," Giogi said.
"Nine," the first sailor called out.
"We all thought she'd gone north to Yulash, which is over six hundred miles away, but," Giogi gave a nervous laugh, "I just saw her on the lower deck."
"Seven," called out the sailor on the starboard bow.
"It doesn't seem possible. I mean, it would take nearly two rides, twenty days, for her to get back here that quickly, but maybe she never went there to begin with, don't you see."
"Five." This last came from the starboard bow.
"Five!" the captain