Finder's Bane - Kate Novak [112]
"The hand is about twice the size of an average man's hand," Walinda explained. "It is carved from obsidian. The claws are fashioned from pieces of garnet."
"Now that you know what it looks like, try the stone," Jedidiah told Joel. "Look bored and indifferent, as if you're measuring the town for a sewer survey or something."
Joel pulled out the saurials' half of the finder's stone. Walinda stared curiously, realizing it was identical to the half her master held, but she said nothing.
Joel concentrated on the Hand of Bane, and a light beam immediately lanced from the gem off to their right and upward through the fog.
"It must be in a tower," Walinda said.
"Not necessarily," Joel replied. "The beacon could just be following the straightest line to another spot on the curve of the city." He slid the stone back inside his tunic.
They couldn't follow the beam directly, so they meandered along the streets, trying to maintain the same general direction. Often they had to turn in a different direction to avoid buildings or dead ends. Finally they paused before a huge statue of a three-eyed horse surrounded by armed guards.
"Better take another reading," Jedidiah suggested. "We could have gotten turned about some."
They were indeed off the correct heading by several degrees. The angle of the light beam had lowered considerably-an indication, Joel thought, that they were getting closer. They corrected their direction and walked on.
After they'd passed through what seemed like miles of meandering city streets, Joel drew out the finder's stone again. Now the angle of the beam was not very steep at all.
"We're in the neighborhood," Joel whispered excitedly.
"We're also being followed," Walinda said calmly. "Oh?" Jedidiah replied with a tone of disinterest.
The tall, pale individual in heavy armor," the priestess of Bane said. "Wearing a skullcap helmet and a thin little sword. He's been with us for at least half a mile. To your right."
Joel glanced to his right immediately. Jedidiah was more casual. The individual Walinda mentioned was talking to a fruit merchant, holding up a pear and examining it as if it were a diamond. His skin was as white as moonlight.
"At the next intersection, let's turn left," Jedidiah suggested. "We'll see if we can lose him."
Joel glanced back once they'd made the turn. The pale warrior was still following them. The adventurers increased their speed and turned left once more, then made a dash to the next corner and made yet another left turn.
Joel looked back. "We've lost him," he said.
They had almost reached the street where they'd taken their last reading when the tall, pale man popped around the corner just in front of them. Joel and Walinda started. Even Jedidiah looked surprised by his sudden appearance.
"Excuse my imposition," their stalker said. He was choosing his words slowly, as if he wasn't speaking his native tongue. Besides being inhumanly pale, the man had cat's eyes and unusually long, slender fingers. "Are you priests of Finder or Bane?" he asked.
Jedidiah sighed. He pointed to Joel and himself and said, "We're priests of Finder." Then he indicated Walinda. "She's a priestess of Bane."
The pale man in armor bowed low. "I was told to expect you," he said. "And a fourth one, a dead one?"
"He couldn't make it," Joel answered before Walinda could muddy the issue concerning the lich.
"Very well," the pale man answered. "I am Bors. You are to come with me, please."
"Excuse me," Joel said, "but why are we to come with you, please?" Bors smiled. "She wishes to see you," he explained.
"She?" Joel asked.
"Come. She will explain all," the pale man insisted. "Please."
Joel glanced at his companions. Walinda looked suspicious; Jedidiah merely shrugged.
"Very well," Joel said. "We will come with you,