Elminster's Daughter - Ed Greenwood [25]
Narnra swallowed helplessly, stared down at him, and struggled to reply.
The Old Mage gazed back up at her and asked softly, "Or is it death ye'd prefer?"
Four
TRUTHS AS SHARP AS RAZORS
Nothing wounds so deeply as unwanted, unblunted truth.
Thauloamur Reerist, Minstrel
Clever Words From A Failed Jester
Year of the Prince
"That's not much of a choice to hand me-or anyone-is it?" Narnra snapped bitterly, anger rising in her to roll back the fear… a little. "Do as I say, or I'll blast you to ashes or leave you forever drooling. How can you trust any 'truth' handed you under such menace?"
The old wizard shrugged. " 'Tis the same cruel choice most folk of power in this world hand to everyone else. Ye seem a bit too old, lass-especially considering the nature of thy nightly trade-to yet believe Faerun is a fair place. If ye truly do, ye're already a drooling idiot, whether ye admit it or not. I simply make choices blunter and clearer than many when I'm not in the mood for wasting overmuch time on tongue-fencing or frivolity. I'm not in the mood right now. I like Cormyr and have seen so many of these idiot rebellions in the making: the 'making' always seems to involve the deaths of many good and even some innocent folk. As to how I can trust thy truths, my magic will tell me when ye lie and when ye speak true."
"And that's supposed to make me willing and obedient?" Narnra snarled.
"Nay, but a hope to survive this night should. 'Prudence,' I believe 'tis still called. Ye came back down here seeking my gate and a way home out of all this, did ye not? I'm the only way through it ye know, am I not? I'll be a trifle more willing to be helpful to someone who tried to rob and slay me in a dead-end alley not so long ago if she now tries to deal with me in at least a civil manner, will I not?"
The Waterdhavian lass drew in a deep, defeated breath. Despairing yet still furious, she sighed, took another shuddering gulp of air, and growled, "So ask your questions. I'll try to keep to the truth."
"Prudent," the wizard agreed calmly. "If, that is, ye wish to keep me to truth-reading and not mind-forcing ye, as I started to do to Thauvas, there. He learned wisdom quickly."
Narnra tossed her head. "Ask," she repeated quietly, hanging helpless in midair.
The mists around her glowed with sudden light, a flash of radiance that died away as abruptly as it had come.
Her captor turned his head quickly to look out into the darkness. "Caladnei, please just watch and listen and pretend ye're not here for a bit, eh? Vangerdahast will be most annoyed with me if I destroy his replacement without good cause-and ye may as well know now that thy reckless testing of my shield-spells is doomed to fail."
From the darkness came only silence, but after a long, motionless time the old bearded mage added quietly, "Thank ye."
He turned his head to look up at Narnra and asked, "Thy full, proper name, lass, is-?"
Gods, his nose is an even sharper hawk-beak than mine.Narnra looked down into those bright blue eyes-more blue than gray now, as his magic surged around them-and said steadily, "Narnra Shalace. My mother was Maerjanthra Shalace, a jeweler of Waterdeep. My father I never knew."
Bushy brows arched. "Maerjanthra, eh? I knew a Maerjanthra Shalace of Waterdeep, years back-a sorceress for hire, not a jeweler." He regarded his floating captive thoughtfully. " 'Tis not a common name. Describe her, as she is today."
Narnra let him see her fury as she spat, "A few bones, some dust, and probably a tangle of what's left of her hair-in a bonepit outside the walls of Waterdeep. She's dead, wizard."
The old wizard's face was unreadable. "I see. Yet in life, she had dark hair and eyes like thine?"
"Yes," Narnra said flatly, volunteering nothing more.
"How did she die?"
"I don't know. Murdered with magic, I think, but by whom, I've no idea-or they or I would be dead now."
"I see. Have ye kin?"
"No. Unless my father yet lives."
"And what know ye