Elfshadow - Elaine Cunningham [104]
"Why?"
"I'm going to teleport us to Blackstaff Tower. It'll save time.
"No!"
It was Danilo's turn to be exasperated. "By the gods, woman, be reasonable for once." He leaned over and snatched her hand.
Immediately they were surrounded by white, milky light. There was no sensation of movement, no sense of anything solid around or beneath them. It seemed to Arilyn that they were suspended in nothingness, a state of being that was outside of her understanding or control. Before the half-elf had time to feel the panic and sickness she expected, the light faded and the dark granite walls of Blackstaff lower came into focus before them.
"There now, was that so bad?" Danilo asked.
"No, it wasn't," Arilyn said with a touch of surprise. "That's odd. Dimensional travel has always made me very ill, ever since I first tried it with Kymil…" Her voice drifted off.
Danilo did not seem to notice her distraction. He knocked on the gate and was promptly answered by the disembodied voice of a servant. "Arilyn Moonblade to see the Blackstaff," Danilo announced.
Within moments the gate opened and Khelben Arunsun himself came to greet them. "Come in, Arilyn. It's always a pleasure to see you." The mage's gaze fell on her companion. "Oh, it's you, Danilo."
"Hello, Uncle Khel," Danilo replied. "Arilyn needed a spellcaster, so I brought her here."
Khelben Arunsun's brow knit as he turned to Arilyn. "And you listened to my frivolous nephew? I hope this is important."
"It could be." Arilyn unbuckled her swordbelt and handed the sheathed moonblade to Khelben. "I give you my permission to touch it," she said, her voice taking on a hint of ritual. "Just make sure you don't try to take it from the scabbard."
The archmage accepted the ancient sword and examined it with interest. "Fascinating weapon. What's all this about?"
"I need to learn everything I can about this sword and its history. Can you help me?"
"I'm no sage, but a legend lore spell might yield some answers," Khelben said, tucking the moonblade under his arm. "Please follow me."
The archmage led them into the courtyard. When they reached the tower he motioned for them to follow and disappeared into the wall. When Arilyn hesitated, Danilo unceremoniously pushed her through the hidden door. She glared over her shoulder at him. "I have done this before, you know."
"Really? I wouldn't have guessed."
"Hmmph." The half-elf squared her shoulders and stalked into the reception area of Blackstaff Tower.
"Come upstairs," Khelben said. "We'll have a better look at your sword up in my spellcasting chamber."
Arilyn and Danilo followed the archmage up the steep spiral stairway that wound up the center of the tower. When they came to the third and top floor, they stepped into a large, book-lined study. Khelben ushered them through it and opened an oaken door into another, smaller room. A table stood under the chamber's only window, and in the center of the room a scrying crystal rested on a marble pedestal. There was nothing else in the chamber that could distract the wizard from the process of casting spells.
"Wait here," Khelben said. He put the moonblade on the table and disappeared through a door.
"Spell components," Danilo explained to Arilyn. "He keeps his magical supplies in the next room Very organized, our archmage."
Khelben reappeared carrying several small items. "Stay over on the far side of the chamber," he instructed his visitors, "and for the love of Mystra, Danilo, try to hold your tongue. This spell requires a degree of concentration."
The archmage moved to the table where the moonblade lay and arranged the spell components. Arilyn caught a glimpse of a small white vial that bore Khelben's sigil.
She bit her lip, suddenly chagrined by the boldness of her request. She'd heard that some spells required the sacrifice of an item of value. For the first time it seemed odd to her that an archmage of Khelben's stature would cast such a spell for a mere acquaintance, at such cost to himself.
The wizard moved through the words and