Elfshadow - Elaine Cunningham [60]
"But he is Blackstaff's nephew."
"So you've said. I see no significance."
"He is well placed and more clever than he pretends to be," Elaith said. "Given her background, surely the Harpers suspect Arilyn of the recent spate of murders. Perhaps this Thann boy is a spy, sent to ascertain her guilt or innocence."
"Ha!" Kymil broke in scornfully. "Danilo Thann is no more a Harper than you or I."
"Perhaps not, but if he were, wouldn't it be amusing if he were to fall victim to the Harper Assassin?"
"You have a peculiar sense of humor."
"Yes, so I've been told," Elaith agreed. "Now, what about Danilo Thann?"
"If you want the fool dead, see to it. One human more or less is of no consequence to me."
The face in the globe began to fade into mist. "I also saw Bran Skorlsun," said Elaith casually.
Instantly the image snapped into sharp focus. "Yes, I thought that might get your attention," Elaith murmured, a malicious glint lighting his amber eyes. "Imagine my surprise to see our mutual friend again after all these years. Of course, I did not recognize him at first. Humans can age appallingly in-what has it been? Almost forty years?"
Kymil brushed aside the question. "Bran Skorlsun was there? At the House of Good Spirits?"
"Fascinating coincidence, wouldn't you say?" Elaith said casually.
Lost in thought, Kymil again failed to comment. After a pause, he said, "You did well to contact me. I will send you your usual fee."
Elaith had contacted Kymil Nimesin merely to annoy him, but now the moon elf's curiosity was piqued. Any plot involving Bran Skorlsun smelled of adventure, and where there was adventure there was potential profit. He decided to ignore the gold elf's patronizing attitude for now and press for details. Retribution for tonight's insults would come later.
"Is there something further with which I can help you?" Elaith offered.
"Nothing," Kymil said curtly. "Wait. Yes, there is."
"At your service," Elaith replied.
"You can stay away from Arilyn Moonblade."
"Of course. Is that all?"
"Yes."
Kymil's tone held the ring of finality. Elaith was not impressed. He was accustomed to having the last word himself, in his own time and in his own fashion. "As you wish. There is, however, the little matter of my fee," the moon elf pointed out. "The terms have changed. I prefer payment in, shall we say, a less direct form of currency."
"Yes? Well?"
"Danilo Thann," Elaith said flatly.
"Done," snapped Kymil Nimesin. "As I said, it matters not to me whether he lives or dies. Considering the gold you're giving up, your pride has a high price."
As you will learn, Elaith Craulnobur thought, my pride has a very high price indeed.
Nine
"We could share it," ventured Danilo.
"Hardly," Arilyn returned, looking pointedly at the narrow cot that was the chamber's only bed. "A pair of newlywed halflings would find it too crowded. I'll take the floor."
Danilo watched as she settled down on a pallet by the fireside and jerked a blanket over her head. "I should be a gentleman and insist that you take the bed, but I'm too tired to argue," he said.
"Good," came the muffled response.
With a sigh, Danilo sank down on the bed. So what if this was the humblest chamber in a second-rate inn? They were lucky to find a place to sleep. And after the rigors of travel, anyplace would do. Yet it was some time before sleep came to Danilo. Long after Arilyn's faint, measured breathing assured him that his companion had fallen asleep, he lay wakeful on his lumpy mattress.
The encounter with the rogue moon elf troubled Danilo. Back in Evereska, the nobleman had recognized Perendra's sigil on the gold snuffbox. The one-eared thug had acquired the box from an elf in Waterdeep. It was not unreasonable to assume that this elf might be a key to the mystery of the Harper Assassin. In Danilo's mind, the Craulnobur rogue was certainly an elf