Elfshadow - Elaine Cunningham [85]
Arilyn drew a gold snuffbox from the folds of her cloak and held it up. "Ever see this before?"
The man shrugged. "It is possible. Gold snuffboxes of that type are common enough."
"Very few bear this mark." Arilyn placed the box on the table before him and tapped the flowing rune engraved onto the top. "Do you know this mark?"
"My field of expertise is books and rare papers," the man said importantly. "I cannot be expected to know the sigil of every mage in Faerun."
Arilyn leaned forward. "I can tell you're a learned man," she said in a pleasant voice. Jannaxil inclined his head in modest agreement. "Otherwise, you could not know that this was a mage's sigil." Her shot found its mark, and a nerve twitched under the man's left eye.
"What else could such a mark be?"
"What else indeed?" Arilyn laid the sketch down beside the box. "You're quite certain you've never seen this man?"
Jannaxil picked up the sketch and studied it. "Hmm. Come to think of it, I believe he did purchase a book some months ago. Paid for it in barter."
"This box?" she asked.
The man smiled suavely and spread the fingers of his one good hand, as if to say, "all right, you've caught me."
"These books must be quite expensive," Danilo said, looking up from an illuminated volume. "I doubt you got the best of that deal."
"It is a most unusual box," Jannaxil said defensively. He reached for it and raised his eyebrow to ask permission. Arilyn gave a curt nod. The fence opened the box, took a liberal pinch of snuff, savored it. "Ahh. The best I've encountered anywhere." He removed a large piece of parchment from a drawer and placed it on the table, then he dumped the rest of the snuff onto it, shaking the box to empty it completely. Then he closed the lid and handed the box to Arilyn. "Have some."
Curious, the half-elf opened the box. It was full to the brim. She set it down.
"You see?" The fence shot a triumphant glance at Danilo. "It is quite a valuable item. The enchantment is very strong."
"It ought to be," Arilyn said. "The box belonged to the mage Perendra." Jannaxil responded to this announcement with deftly feigned surprise. "I don't suppose you received anything else of hers-in barter?"
"It's not likely." The man paused, considered. "Of course, since I didn't know this was stolen, it's possible that something else of the mage's came into my hands. I do not know. I deal in books, mind you. And, as young Lord Thann pointed out, many of my books are extremely valuable. On occasion, I do exchange a book for barter, since scholars are notoriously short of cash. I get whatever I can for the goods I receive."
"Funny, I wouldn't have taken our man Barth for a scholar," Danilo said mildly.
"The thirst for knowledge can reside in the humblest of men," the fence said piously. "I have learned to overlook appearances."
"That is wise, I'm sure," Danilo said. He picked up a small, leatherbound tome and glanced at the pages. "What language is this?"
"Turmish." Jannaxil looked sharply at the nobleman. "That book is not for sale." Nodding agreeably, Danilo put the book down and picked up another.
"How did this man happen to acquire the snuffbox?" Arilyn broke in.
"Who can say?"
"Our man said he got it from an elf," Danilo said helpfully.
"Strangest thing, really. He tried to tell us the elf's name, and he died." Danilo shrugged and picked up a book with a cover made of fine inlaid wood.
"An elf?" asked the fence in a dry whisper.
"Yes, that's what he said. Barth also had a partner," Danilo mentioned, looking up from the book. "A man by the name of Hamit. Poor man got a dagger in the back." Jannaxil's eyes widened in pure panic, and the nobleman appeared stricken with remorse. "Oh, I'm sorry. Was he a friend of yours?"
"No," the fence said hastily. A light went on in the man's eyes, and as he glanced down at the hand in his lap his face took on a crafty appearance. "Perendra the mage was slain by the Harper Assassin, was she not?"
"It's possible," Arilyn said.
"What will happen to this assassin, should you find