Elminster in Myth Drannor - Ed Greenwood [83]
"Too capable, if all these reports of deaths are true," Uldreiyn murmured. "Very well, we shall continue to disagree ami-"
The tabletop glowed with a sudden, sparkling radiance that was laced with the soft, calling notes of a distant horn. Lord Starym stared down at it.
"My herald approaches," the Coronal explained. "When wards are raised, her passage awakens such a warning."
The Starym archmage frowned. " 'Her'?" he asked. "But sur-"
The door of the chamber opened by itself, admitting a cloud of swirling flames of the palest green and white. It rose and thinned as Lord Uldreiyn stared at it, dwindling swiftly into a flickering death to reveal at its heart an elven lady who wore a helm and a mottled gray cloak. "Hail, great Coronal," she said in greeting.
"What news, Lady Herald?"
"The heir of House Echorn has been found dead atop Druindar's Rock-slain in spell-battle, 'tis thought," the herald said gravely. "House Echorn beseeches you to allow them vengeance."
The Coronal's lips thinned. "On whom?"
"The human armathor Elminster of Athalantar, slayer of Delmuth Echorn."
The Coronal slapped the table. "He's a lone human, not an elemental whirlwind! How could he deal death in the backlands and in the Hallows, too?"
"Perhaps," Lord Uldreiyn told the tabletop, "being a human, he's swiftly capable."
As Naeryndam Alastrarra gave him a disgusted look, the Srinshee surprised them all by saying, "Delmuth's own spell slew him. I farscryed the fray; he lured Elminster from his studies and sought to slay the human, who worked a magic that returned Delmuth's attacks upon his own head. Knowing this, the Echorn made the mistake of trusting in his own mantle, and proceeded with his attack. Elminster pleaded with him to make peace, but was rebuffed. There is no fault to avenge; Delmuth died through Del-muth's scheme and Delmuth's hurled spell."
"An unheralded human? Defeat an heir of one of the oldest Houses of the realm?" Uldreiyn Starym was clearly shocked. He stared at the Srinshee in disbelief, but when she merely shrugged, he shook his head and said finally, "All the more reason to stop human intrusions now."
"What answer shall I take back to House Echorn?" the herald asked.
"That Delmuth was responsible for his own death," the Coronal replied, "and that this has been attested to by a senior archmage of the realm, but that I shall investigate further."
The Lady Herald went to one knee, called up her whirling flames about herself once more, and went out.
"When you do catch this Elminster, his brains may run like wax merely from all the truth-scrying," Lord Uldreiyn observed.
"If the young bloods leave us enough of him to do anything with," Naeryndam replied.
The Starym smiled and shrugged. "When," he asked the Coronal, "did you acquire a Lady Herald? I thought Mlartlar was herald of Cormanthor."
"He was," the Coronal said grimly, "until he thought himself a better swordsman than his Coronal. Your House is not the only one opposed to my plan of Opening, Lord Starym."
"So where did you find her?" Uldreiyn asked quietly. "With all due respect, the office of herald has always been held by one of the senior families of the realm."
"The herald of Cormanthor," the Srinshee told Uldreiyn's favorite spot on the tabletop, "must bear foremost loyalty to the Coronal-a quality unattainable today, it seems, in the three Houses who hold themselves to be senior in the realm."
"I resent that," the Lord Starym said softly, his face going pale.
"Three of the People were approached," the Srinshee told him firmly. "Two declined, one very rudely. The third-Glarald, of your House, Lord-accepted, and was tested. What we found in his mind is a matter between himself and us, but when he knew we'd learned it, he tried to strike down myself and Lord Earynspieir with spells."
"Glarald?" Uldreiyn Starym's