Elminster's Daughter - Ed Greenwood [138]
"All the better reason to be wary," the perfumed noble said angrily. "Who's to say there isn't a purple-noses patrol in here now or heading here for a regular peer-about?"
A sudden glow flared below, shining up through gaps in the floorboards to show Bezrar and Surth each other's tense faces.
"Behold," the amused noble said, "my glowstone. We can take a good look about as we talk and be gone before anyone's the wiser.
If the Watch does burst in, saw you the 'storage for reasonable coin' sign outside? Well, we're two empty-handed nobles inspecting the place to see if it's dry enough to store the next incoming shipment of the wardrobes of Eastern silk our wives have gone mad for, hmm?"
"All right," the perfumed noble said grudgingly. "Shine it over there-I thought I saw something moving."
"You did."
"Tymora's sweet tea-!"
"A big one, yes. No, let it go. A rat that big is the main nightfeast for some dockers' families in this city."
"Thandro, you're sick! "
"So my mistresses often say-but they never refuse my gifts nor company, I've noticed. Enough of this. Satisfied?"
"I suppose. Thundaerlyn Hall, yes, and I've found five minor baubles my kin won't miss-a comb that slays lice, the head of a walking-stick that knows north, that sort of thing."
"Good. How many blades can you muster?"
"Seven at least, three trained to the blade, and two experienced hireswords. When and where?"
"Under the broken lantern on Thelvarspike Lane-you know it?-by five-toll at the latest. We have to be in our places well before First Candlelight, when the royals are supposed to arrive."
"They'll bring dozens of War Wizards and Purple Dragons, Thandro!"
"Of course. We of the Rightful Conspiracy shall be ready for them. Act like you're out for a night of scouring the taverns, get to that lantern-post, and all will be well. We've blades and wizards enough to take care of any army the Obarskyrs bring-and yes, we expect to have to deal with the Mage Royal and her bully-spells, too."
"I don't like it."
"Your sort never do, Sauvrurn. If it wasn't for men like me, you'd be muttering darkly about Obarskyr misrule from now until doddering to your grave seventy summers hence-doing nothing all that time but fuming. You want a new Cormyr? Well, we'll give it to you and the 'true power' you crave so loudly. You can use it to order Alusair-or whatever's left of her-brought bound to your bed by morning and stop boring our ears with that oft-repeated demand, too. Who knows? You might even get to father the next King of all Cormyr, you lucky dog!"
"My family beast," the perfumed noble replied icily, "is the winged lion- notsome mongrel hound."
"Well, my Winged Lion," Thandro replied, his voice fading as he moved toward the door, "just you be there under the Lightless Lamp before five-toll, and you'll get your chance to leave the Steel Regent gasping. If you don't have to slice her up like sausage-meat in the fray, that is."
"She'll be no match for me in swordplay, so keep your men well back…"
Sauvrurn's voice faded entirely, and the two men in the loft heard the door-bar crash back into place.
"B'gads, Surth!" Bezrar hissed, sweat streaming down his face like a waterfall. "What have we gotten ourselves into?"
"Nothing"Marsember's wealthiest dealer in scents, wines, cordials, and drugs snarled, "if you shut your loose jaws for once and help me get the roof-trap open. We have to stay quiet, and move quick-and get as far away as the walls of Marsember let us from all the bloodshed that's going to erupt ere dusk! Whatever happens in Thundaerlyn Hall, this city is going to be scoured out and turned upside down by every War Wizard the realm can muster by highsun tomorrow!"
* * * * *
Florin Falconhand stood with his fish dripping forgotten in one hand and his blade ready in the other, warily watching the sprawled Red Wizard. Helpless at