Curse of the Shadowmage - Mark Anthony [78]
Morhion exchanged grim looks with the others. "You might wish to pour yourself another glass of wine before we explain…"
When at last Morhion had finished recounting all that had befallen, Ferret appeared visibly shaken. "Poor Caledan," he whispered sadly.
"You can understand why we are glad to have reached yon before Caledan did," Morhion said. "The Shadowstar is the key to halting or completing his metamorphosis. With it, we should be able to-"
"You can't have it!" Ferret snapped suddenly. As if by dark magic, the little thief's usually cheerful face was transformed into a pale mask of suspicion. He retreated into a corner, crossing his arms and glaring at them with calculating eyes. "I should have known all along that was what you wanted, to come here and rob me. Well I won't allow it! I'll call my servants before I let you touch any of my treasure." A look of pure greed crossed his face. "I found the medallion. I rescued it from the tomb. The Shadowstar is mine!" His hand strayed to the jeweled dagger at his belt as the others stared in shock. None had ever seen Ferret behave this way.
There was a tense moment of silence. At last, Jewel stepped forward. "That's not like you, Ferret," she said quietly, her violet eyes intent. He gripped the hilt of the dagger more tightly, staring at her with a mixture of fear and hatred, like a cornered animal. Jewel continued to approach him, speaking calmly.
"Greed is a thief's worst enemy, Ferret. You know that. It was the first lesson I ever taught you. A covetous thief is a dead thief. We commit thievery for our livelihood, and that's all. As soon as the objects we steal become dearer to us than life, it is our own lives that are stolen." Slowly, she reached out to touch his hand.
Ferret stared at her with a look of utter terror loathing. For a moment he gripped the knife with white-knuckled hands. Then he shuddered violently and let go of the dagger. He passed his hand before his face. The look of violence vanished.
"I'm..I'm so sorry, Grandmother," he said haggardly "I don't know what came over me. I must be tired, that's all." He turned toward Morhion. "Of course you can have the Shadowstar, Morhion, if you think it might help Caledan."
Morhion only nodded. He watched the little thief thoughtfully. Once, a thousand years ago, the Shadowstar had transformed a simple minstrel into the Shadowking.
Ferret had possessed the medallion only a short time, but the thief had not gone untouched by its dark influence.
Ferret led them out of the chamber and through the twisting labyrinth of his hideout. Soon they came to a door hewn of a single massive slab of the same strangely slick black marble they had seen before. "I keep all my greatest treasures in here," Ferret explained. "The Shadowstar created the door for me. It will open only at my touch."
He placed his hand in a circular depression in the center of the marble slab. There was a hissing of air. Then the door parted along an unseen crack and swung silently open. Ferret took a torch from a nearby sconce and led the way. Inside the circular chamber were chests filled with glittering gems, stacks of priceless antique furniture and heaps of ornate weapons forged from precious metals. In the center of the chamber was a pedestal upon which rested a black velvet cushion, and on the cushion rested…
Nothing.
"By Shar!" Ferret swore in disbelief. "It's gone! The Shadowstar!"
"But how?" Mari demanded. "I thought you said that only you could open the door."
"A door