Elfshadow - Elaine Cunningham [126]
"I'm going with you." Bran Skorlsun's quiet voice was as inflexible as tempered steel.
"You're as bad as your daughter," Khelben said. "What makes you think the elves will let you near Evereska, Bran? Elves have long memories, and they're not overly fond of humans who ruin their princesses."
Bran met the archmage's glare. "Who else could track Arilyn to the site of the elfgate?"
"It's out of the question!"
Danilo laughed without mirth. "Oh, come now, Uncle. Aren't you just a little curious to know where this elfgate is? Now that the cat's in the creamery, so to speak, I imagine you'll have to move the thing sooner or later." Khelben's eyes widened.
"Another thing," added Bran. "If we wish to help Arilyn, we must bring in Kymil Nimesin. In her current frame of mind, I fear that she will kill the elf."
"Let her," Danilo retorted. "Forgive me, but I cannot shed many tears over the fate of Kymil Nimesin."
"As much as it pains me to do so," Khelben put in, "I must agree with Bran. Arilyn is a former assassin. Kymil Nimesin is a highly respected armsmaster. Kymil must be brought in and magically questioned. Without such evidence at the trial, without Kymil's actual presence, Arilyn looks very much like the Harper Assassin. She would stand a much slimmer chance of acquittal if she kills Kymil."
"So you agree that we should go, Uncle Khelben?"
"Given our options, yes." The wizard turned to Bran. "If you will excuse us, I need to have a few words with my nephew before you leave. Come up, Dan."
Khelben and Danilo climbed the tower's staircase to the magical supplies room. Once the wizard had shut and warded the door, he got right down to business. "You were right. The elfgate must be moved again," Khelben said bluntly.
"Oh, marvelous. With Laeral off cavorting with the elves of Evermeet, who's going to accomplish this miracle?"
Khelben fixed a steady gaze on his nephew. Danilo shook his head and whispered, "Surely you're not serious."
"I am very serious."
The wizard stalked to his scroll library, a large shelf that covered the length of one wall and kept the vast collection in order. Its tiny, round compartments held hundreds of magic scrolls, making the shelf looked like an oversized honeycomb or at the very least an impressive wine rack.
Pressed for time, Khelben muttered a spell. Instantly one of the compartments glowed with green light. Khelben drew the scroll from the glowing niche, blew the dust from it, and removed the magic wards that sealed it.
"Here is the spell, Dan." Khelben spread the scroll out on a table and fixed the young man with a steady stare. "I've pledged not to cast the spell, so you'll have to." Danilo paled. "You can do it. I've been working with you since your twelfth winter, after that last tutor quit in despair. You have the ability. Do you think I would endanger your life by insisting you cast a spell you could not control?"
"You're willing enough to sacrifice Arilyn's," Danilo said.
"Tread carefully, young man," the archmage warned. "Few things in life are as simple as you would make them. When you have carried the burdens and responsibilities I have known, then you can sit in judgment upon me. Will you cast the spell or not?"
Danilo nodded and bent over the scroll. One glance at the arcane symbols that formed the powerful spell, and Danilo knew that the task lay on the untried edges of his magical ability. Few mages would attempt such a spell. That Khelben would expect this of him was a measure of the wizard's trust. Or perhaps his desperation.
As the young mage struggled to read the spell, pain shot through his head like shafts of lightning, making the arcane symbols cavort on the parchment. With fierce concentration, Danilo forced himself to focus on the spell, and after a time the symbols slowed their dance. As they arranged themselves into patterns, their meanings started to become clear. Danilo began to memorize the complex gestures and the strange words that formed the incantation.
After a moment he closed his eyes.