Elfshadow - Elaine Cunningham [119]
The scrying crystal, Filauria realized. When Kymil recovered, he might be able to magically restore it. The etriel dropped to the floor, and with shaking fingers she began to faithfully gather together the blasted shards.
* * * * *
The jangle of keys interrupted Arilyn's exhausted slumber long before she was ready to awaken. She sat up and pushed her hair out of her eyes as the door of her cell swung open. "What time is it?"
"Almost highsun. You're free to go," announced the jailer. Her hunting bow, arrows, dagger, and knife clattered to the stone floor of the cell-they had "allowed" her to keep the moonblade with her but had taken her other weapons. Arilyn rose and gathered up her steel.
"You three must be pretty important," the jailer observed. "The Blackstaff himself sent word that we were to let you out, and he even sent your horses around for you. They're out front. You're to go to Blackstaff Tower at once."
Arilyn gave a noncommittal murmur and strode into the sunlight. Danilo and Bran Skorlsun were already there. The nobleman, perfectly groomed and clad in forest green, peered into his magic sack as if taking inventory. "Everything seems to be in there," he announced with deep satisfaction.
He looked up at Arilyn's approach. "Ah, good. We're all here now. Bless Uncle Khel for putting in a good word, eh?"
"Be sure to give him my regards." She mounted a chestnut mare and pressed her heels to its side. The horse set off toward the east at a brisk trot. The two men exchanged puzzled glances.
"Where are you going?" Danilo called after her.
"To find Kymil Nimesin."
Bran Skorlsun's face clouded. "The armsmaster? What has he do to with this?"
"Everything," she said.
In a heartbeat both men mounted their horses and sped after Arilyn. "Kymil Nimesin is the Harper Assassin?" Bran asked in disbelief as he and Danilo pulled up on either side of the half-elf.
Arilyn did not slow her pace. "More or less."
"Shouldn't we tell the authorities?" demanded Danilo.
"No." Her voice was implacable. "Leave the authorities out of this. Kymil is mine."
Danilo threw up his hands. "Be sensible for once, Arilyn. You can't bring this man down alone. And you shouldn't."
"He is not a man. He's an elf."
"So? That makes him your sole province?" Danilo argued. "If he's the Harper Assassin-even more or less-you should leave him to the Harpers. You've done enough."
She spoke without looking at Danilo, and her voice was low and bitter. "Yes, I have, haven't I?"
"Then-"
"No!" She faced the nobleman. "Don't you understand? Kymil isn't the Harper Assassin. He created the assassin."
"My dear, please don't talk in riddles before dinner," Danilo pleaded.
"Kymil trained me. He set my feet on the path of an assassin's life, then he encouraged me to become an agent for the Harpers." Arilyn laughed without mirth. "Don't you see? He made me to order."
Danilo was stunned by the guilt and anguish on his companion's face. He reached out and grabbed the reins of her horse, bringing her to a halt. "Stop talking like that. You're not the Harper Assassin."
"With your memory, I imagine you can recall the ballad of Zoastria," Arilyn said.
Danilo scratched his chin, startled by the seeming non sequitur. "Yes, but-"
"Recite the part about calling forth the elf shadow," she insisted.
Still looking puzzled, Danilo repeated the passage:
"Call forth through stone, call forth from steel.
"Command the mirror of thyself.
"But ware the spirit housed within
"The shadow of the elf."
"Don't you see?" Arilyn said. "Kymil Nimesin called the elfshadow and bid it become the Harper Assassin. Here is the stone I carried in my sword for many years," Arilyn said, producing the blackened topaz from her pocket. "This is Kymil's sigil. I imagine that the stone was enspelled so that he could call and command the elfshadow through the stone, as the ballad says."
"So that's how he kept such a close watch over you," Danilo said. "Your carrying an enspelled stone would make scrying very simple."