Viper's Kiss - Lisa Smedman [50]
Arvin, staring down at one of the few people to have shown him kindness without wanting something in return, had realized that there was only one thing he could do for his old friend, one final kindness.
He could still hear Naulg's final choked gasp as the cleric's prayer took effect. and the silence that followed.
Together with Nicco and the others in the Secession, Arvin had thwarted Sibyl's plan to turn the humans of Hlondeth into mindless semblances of yuan-ti. But the abomination herself was still at large. Though the Secession had been searching for her, these past six months, they'd turned up no trace of her. Arvin had bided his time, hiding from Zelia and slowly learning new psionic powers from Tanju. He'd told himself that, when Sibyl did rear up out of her hole again, he'd be ready to avenge himself on her. That was something he'd sworn to do-sworn in the presence of a cleric of Hoar, god of retribution.
The god must have been listening. Why else would he have placed another of Sibyl's followers in Arvin's path?
As if in answer, thunder grumbled somewhere outside, rattling the shutters of the windows.
Arvin swallowed and nervously touched the crystal that hung at his throat.
The vision his manifestation had conjured up was still unfolding. In it, Naneth raised a hand to her mouth and pointed her forefinger at the crystal ball. "Mistress," she said in a tight, urgent voice, one hand stroking the crystal. "Mistress, heed me."
A figure took shape within the sphere-a black serpent with the face of a woman, four humanlike arms, and enormous wings that fluttered above her shoulders. The abomination twisted to look at Naneth with eyes the color of dark red flame, her forked tongue flickering.
"Sibyl," Arvin said in an anguished whisper, speaking the name at the same time the ghostly figure of Naneth did.
"Speak," the abomination hissed.
Arvin watched, horrified.
"I have just received word, mistress," Naneth said, addressing the figure that stared at her from inside the sphere. "The baron has learned of our plan."
Sibyl's eyes narrowed. "Who told you this?"
"A man I've never met before. A spellcaster-he used magic to deliver his message."
"Describe him."
Arvin's breath caught.
"He was human. With collar-length brown hair, and…" Naneth paused, frowning. "And an oval of blue stone attached to his forehead."
"Do you have any idea who he might be?"
"None."
Arvin laughed with nervous relief. The description Naneth had just given was vague enough that it might have been anyone-aside from the lapis lazuli, which he'd be careful to keep out of sight from now on.
"What, precisely, did the spellcaster say?"
Naneth frowned. "Only this: 'He knows what you did.'" She paused. "It's a ruse, isn't it? One designed to get us to tip our hand."
"You humans are not always as stupid as you seem," Sibyl answered, her tongue flickering in and out through her smile.
From behind the closed door came the sounds of a man shouting. Then footsteps pounded up the stairs. For a moment, Arvin thought the baron had returned, but then he realized that this was part of the vision. To his eyes, the door was still closed and locked-and shuddering as the baron pounded on it and shouted at Naneth to open it.
The midwife gave a quick glance over her shoulder then turned back to the sphere. "The baron is here," she whispered in a tight voice. "Should I-"
Sibyl's wings flared. "Do nothing rash," she hissed. "Do not go to the girl; if this is a ruse, they will have a means of following you. Avoid the baron, for now. Continue your preparations."
Naneth bowed her head. "I am your servant, oh Sibilant Death."
As the baron shouted what sounded like a final warning, the image of Sibyl vanished from the sphere. Scooping up the crystal ball, Naneth spoke several words in a foreign language. Then she vanished, leaving only swirling dust motes behind.
A heartbeat later the door crashed open, propelled by the baron's boot. He stormed into the room and glared around it, nose crinkling as he caught the odor of snake.