Elminster in Myth Drannor - Ed Greenwood [112]
He turned toward the Coronal's palace once more, and saw soft light coming from part way up a tower he'd never noticed before. The last light of day was fading off across the gardens; he slowed near the window and saw, in the chamber within, the Coronal sitting in a chair, apparently asleep. The Srinshee was leaning on one of its arms and speaking to the six court sorceresses, who sat in a ring all around.
If he had any good hope of aid in Cormanthor, it lay in that room. Elminster rushed excitedly along the side of the palace, seeking a way in.
He found a slightly open window almost immediately, but it led to a storeroom so securely sealed off from the rest of the palace that he could go no further. He boiled up out of it again, frustration rising; every moment wasted was more of the conversation in that lighted chamber that he wouldn't hear. He raced along the wall until he found one of those large windows whose "glass" was no glass at all, but an invisible field of magic.
He felt a slight tingling as he darted through it, and almost whirled to go through again, in hopes that this heralded a return to solidity, but no. Later. He had a gathering to eavesdrop on now.
He knew what room he needed to enter, and his sense of direction was supported by the three tinglings he felt as he drew near it, and encountered spell after spell of warding. The Srinshee certainly didn't want anyone to overhear what was going on in that room.
Its door, however, was old and massive, and therefore worn so much by centuries of swinging that there was a sizable chink around the frame. El darted in excitedly, and raced right through the ring of listening sorceresses to circle the tiny figure at their heart.
The Srinshee gave no sign of feeling or hearing him, as he bellowed her name and waved his hands through her. El sighed, resigned himself to more of this silent ghostliness, and settled down to hover above the empty arm of the Coronal's chair, to listen in earnest. He'd arrived, it seemed-thank Mystra-at the best part.
"Bhuraelea and Mladris," the Srinshee was saying, "must shield Mythanthar's body at all times-and themselves besides, for any foe rebuffed in an initial strike at Emmyth will surely seek out the source of his protection and try to eliminate it. His mantle bests any of ours, and I suggest only one augmentation: Syl-mae, you cast the web of watching I gave you so as to mesh with Emmyth's mantle. You and Holone must then take turns observing it. It will lash back at anyone seeking to pierce it with spells by itself, yes, but such attackers may be well protected, and suffer no harm at all. I want you two not to strike at them, but simply to identify them and inform us all as soon as possible."
"That leaves us idle again," the sorceress Ajhalanda said a little sadly, her gesture taking in herself and Yathlanae, the elven maid who sat at her elbow.
"Not so," the Srinshee said with a smile. "Your shared task is to lay spells that listen for anyone in the realm who utters the names 'Emmyth' or 'Mythanthar' or even 'Lord lydril,' though I suspect few of the Cormyth of today recall that title. Identify them, try to follow what they're saying, and report back."
"Anything else?" Holone asked, a little wearily.
"I know what it is to be young, and restless to be doing things," the Srinshree said softly. "Watching and waiting is the hardest work, ladies. I think it best if we meet here four morns hence, and switch tasks."
"What will you be doing?" Sylmae asked, nodding in agreement with the Srinshee's plan.
"Guarding the Coronal, of course," the Lady Okie-vaera said with a smile. "Someone has to."
Mouths crooked with amusement around the circle. A half smile played about the edges of the Srinshee's mouth as she turned slowly to meet the eyes of each of the six in turn, and receive their slight nods of agreement.
"I know it chafes not to be working unfettered, you six," she added softly, "but I suspect the time for that will come soon enough, when the prouder houses of