Crown of Fire - Ed Greenwood [105]
It was small and square; behind the banners she found another door. Opening it, she found a short, featureless hall with another door at the other end, Shandril shrugged and entered. She'd gone three paces into the room when a sudden thought struck her; she turned back and opened the door again, hoping to find Deeping-ale's colors among the banners, But the room was empty now, a place of dark, polished floors and cobwebs in the corners. She shuddered and closed the door again very carefully.
"Tessaril," she said aloud, almost crying in fear and frustration, "what have you done to me?"
As she spoke, the door at the other end of the hall swung open. Beyond lay the grand hall with the Zhentarim she'd slain lying dead on the floor and Tessaril standing beside him, The Lord of Eveningstar's sootedged face broke into a smile at the sight of her. Shandril ran to her-and then came to an abrupt halt. "Tessaril?" she asked suspiciously, her sword up. "Is that really you?"
The Lord of Eveningstar smiled. "Yes, Shandril." Then her smile turned a little sad, and she added, "I can tell wandering in my House has unsettled you."
Shandril rolled her eyes. "Just a touch… what is this place?"
Tessaril slipped past her blade and hugged her reassuringly. "This is the Hidden House," she said softly. "It's been here a very long time-since the towers of Myth Drannor stood tall and proud and new, at least."
Shandril glanced at the room around them, That old? "Who made it?"
Tessaril shrugged, "An archmage of very great power… some tales say Azuth himself,"
"Some tales? I've never heard of it,"
"Few folk know that it is anything more than a tale and very few know how to get to it, These days, it serves as my refuge. Sometimes I hide important things here for Azoun. Sometimes those who are hurtor hunted spend time here,"
Shandril looked down at the bloody corpse of the man she'd slain. "If he died when I thought I killed him," she said slowly, "who was chasing me?"
Tessaril stroked her cheek reassuringly, "A shapeshifting being that Torm and Rathan are after. Did Elminster ever tell you about the Malaugrym?"
Shandril frowned at her, "I-I think so, in Shadowdale. Very briefly, He said I must beware 'Those Who Watch,' but we were interrupted then, and he never told me more."
Tessaril nodded, "They're very dangerous. Certainly too powerful for Torm and Rathan." Shandril's face grew pale, and the Lord of Eveningstar patted it, "Don't worry -did they fight it with what looked like a golden rose?" Shandril nodded.
Tessaril smiled. "That's a mazetrap I gave them," she said, "It'll whirl them all away into separate mists, tearing them apart even if they're clawing at each other. It'll be awhile before the Malaugrym can find you again,"
Shandril looked at her, "Find me?"
"It's after your spellfire, like everyone else on Toril," Tessaril said lightly, then added more seriously,
"There's not much you can do about the Masters of Shadow except use your spellfire on anything that has golden eyes… really gold, like shining metal, I mean."
Shandril sighed and looked down at the dead Zhentarim again, Then she lifted her head, wearing a determined look. "All right,"
Tessaril chuckled, "That's the spirit, Shan." She gently took the sword from Shandril's hands and laid it on a nearby chest. "How did you like my House?"
Shandril looked at her, "When you're alone, it's… frightening."
Tessaril nodded, "It can be, Those who don't know the words to say can get lost and wander endlessly, or step through a gate into a far more dangerous place than this-or than Zhentil keep, for that matter,"
"How did you find it?"
"I didn't; I was given custody of it when I took the lordship of Eveningstar. The only easy entrance to find is the one you came by, and it opens only from the room you came from, The Hidden House is part of the wardship of the Lord of Eveningstar. Those who don't know that including most noble families of Cormyr-have always been puzzled by