Darkvision - Bruce R. Cordell [75]
"Perhaps," allowed Eined.
Iahn led them into the city. They located a horse breeder willing to rent a secondhand travel coach. It was a crude, dirty version of the custom coach the wizard had left behind in Vaelan, but Ususi supposed it would serve.
As the sun reached its zenith, the coach pulled out of Huorm's north gate. A little-used dirt road led north, toward rolling foothills crowned by the Dustwalls. A broader road led east and west. They turned west, directly toward the lone spire of Adama's Tooth, easily visible among the lower foothills as a lone peak, strangely tall and slender.
Ususi drove, using her magically summoned steeds to pull the coach. Iahn sat on the bench at her side. Eined rode inside the carriage, hidden from casual observers. No need to tempt Datharathi sympathizers or sycophants with glimpses of a lone family member traveling without her normal retinue.
The wizard drove at a brisk pace, but not so swiftly as to draw attention. Outside the city, carriages were rare. Foot traffic ruled the road, though most folk moved to the side rather than face down an oncoming horse and wagon. After traveling a quarter of the afternoon, Eined called from a side window, "There! Take that road!"
The main road, heading west, veered to the north. Eined pointed to the south, to a narrow, slightly overgrown trail. Eined's head poked fully out of the carriage window as she said, "That leads directly to Adama's Tooth. It used to be the route for low-grade ores to be transported out of the mines below the peak, before Shaddon moved in permanently and established an air link."
"What kind of traffic are we likely to see on it?" Iahn asked.
"Hardly any. Shaddon's got Adama's Tooth sewn up pretty tight. Housing and meals are provided internally, and outside supplies are brought in from Vaelan via airship."
Iahn nodded, satisfied. Ususi turned the carriage down the narrow track. The vengeance taker noted a few stares from nearby travelers, but nothing beyond typical curiosity.
The new trail, despite being narrow, was in excellent condition, and they practically raced down it. The thin spire of Adama's Tooth grew to become the dominant feature of the surrounding landscape. Sunlight failed as they drove into the shadow of the slender mountain.
"Why is it called Adama's Tooth?" asked Iahn, leaning over to direct his question into the open carriage window. "Was Adama some ancient hero of your people?"
"No. The Adama is what passes for religion around here."
"Truly?"
Instead of replying, Eined opened the side door of the still moving carriage, climbed the side ladder, and seated herself behind Iahn and Ususi.
"Now that we're so close to Adama's Tooth, it's probably better if I can see what's coming. There-we want to turn right here." The woman pointed toward an even narrower path off the trail they'd been following. "It looks steep now, and it'll get steeper. I hope your summoned steed is up to it, or we'll be walking before we get to the top."
Ususi nodded and turned the carriage down the path. As promised, the angle pulled all the riders back in their seats.
"This will get us to a side door halfway up the peak. Unless Shaddon changed the locks, I can get us in without attracting any notice."
Their speed dropped to about half their earlier clip-the summoned beast struggled with the grade, but persevered.
Eined touched Iahn's shoulder. "Sorry-you were asking about the Adama? Adama is not a person, but a belief system and a code of conduct. To the average Durpari, the Adama is the one true force guiding their lives. It encompasses all the deities of what some call the lesser beliefs." She shook her head and smiled sardonically.
"You do not follow the path of the Adama," Iahn concluded.
"I did, once. But if you are part of a merchant family long enough, you either learn to lie to yourself-a mind sickness I'd prefer to avoid-or recognize the Adama as just another in a string of half truths the merchant elites feed the lesser classes to keep themselves on top."
Iahn said, "How so?"
"Think about it. The Adama teaches