Elminster's Daughter - Ed Greenwood [73]
Harnrim Starangh's eyes narrowed. "So dozens of War Wizards know about this cavern and what goes on there-and have truly managed to keep it secret, for all these years?"
"No. Only a very few know of it, because the various Royal Magicians normally go there alone."
"So who lurks in the woods, keeping outlaws and nosy Harpers and blundering foresters away?"
"That," the Lady Ambrur replied, leaning forward to fix Dark-spells with a very direct gaze, "is the most interesting thing about all of this. Folk who blunder too close without following exactly the right route-and no, I'm sorry, but I've not been able to learn the specifics of that trail-encounter creatures of Mystra: watchghosts and wizardly wraiths and the like, who turn them back with magic. Or they simply take one wrong step and are teleported halfway across Faerun-seemingly to a different place every time. Most War Wizards who patrol the area are under orders only to observe who approaches and report such intruders to Laspeera or her most trusted senior mages. Most of them know only that something precious is located near Mouth o' Gargoyles and that the very existence of this unknown valuable thing is a state secret."
"So presumably a select few senior War Wizards do know the correct route to this sanctum," Starangh said softly, bobbing his chin onto his steepled fingertips. He suddenly broke into a wide smile, blinked, and added, "You shall be well paid, Lady Ambrur."
He opened a belt pouch, placed twenty thumb-sized rubies on the table in front of him, and added, "Consider this but a first, trifling payment-a gift, if you will. The worth of these is not be included in our agreed-upon price, which shall be delivered to you on the morrow. For I deem that you- if youforget all you've said tonight and speak nothing of it to anyone else ever again or of the names and faces of any of us three-have more than earned payment in full."
He favored Noumea Cardellith with a long, silent, thoughtful look but said nothing to her.
Starangh rose in a single smooth motion, nodded politely to the Lady Ambrur, and asked, "Have you learned anything more of interest, pertaining to this matter?"
"Not as yet," she replied gravely.
"No matter. You have rendered me great service, Lady. I shall not intrude further upon your time."
He bowed, spun around, and made for the door. Wordlessly, the two merchants rose in his wake, sketched clumsy bows of their own, and hastened to follow.
When the doors had closed behind them, Lady Ambrur looked at her remaining guest with a smile. "Well? What think you?"
Noumea regarded her with large, dark eyes, shook her head ever so slightly, and said softly, "I do not trust that man."
"Nor should you," her hostess responded. "Are there spells upon the rubies?"
Noumea rose, went to stand over the stones, muttered something, and passed her hand over them without touching anything. "Yes," she said grimly, with no trace of surprise in her voice.
Lady Ambrur nodded. "Touch them not nor send any other magic at them. In fact, cast no more magic in this room. Were I you, I'd use spells to disguise myself this very night and lie low in some distant land for a month or so. Red Wizards tend to have very long arms and sharply honed senses of cruelty."
"But yourself?" Noumea asked, waving her other hand at the rubies. "What if he sends something deadly with his payment?"
"I can protect myself," the Lady of Haelithtorntowers said softly, acquiring a smile that was not at all dissimilar from that worn by the Red Wizard.
"Like Vangerdahast, I too have some important tasks I wish to accomplish before I die."
Eleven
A WIZARD IN EVERY SANCTUM
And so at last I was forced to put the world behind me and go and hide. I made myself a hole to hide in, pulled the hole in behind me, and there I was: nowhere.
The character Greatghalont the Archwizard
in Scene the First
of the play Endings In Innarlith
by Skamart "the Clever" Thallea
first performed in the Year of Thunder
There was a moment of blue, endlessly falling mists, then solid stone under