Masquerades - Kate Novak [91]
looked back at the sage. "So, how do I learn this stuff?" he asked.
"First, you get a good night's sleep," Mintassan said. "Lessons are learned better in the morning."
The boy clambered back into the attic and bolted for the stairs, as if speed would bring the next day closer.
"You really know how to motivate a child," Jamal said with a grin.
"Great thieves and rich merchants. What sort of heroes are those for young boys to have?" Mintassan asked with a shake of his head.
"The sort that fade into obscurity when better men make an effort to impress them," Jamal replied, giving the sage's shoulder a grateful squeeze. "Good night," she murmured as she slipped through the attic window.
Mintassan remained on the balcony for a while longer, alone with his thoughts.
*****
"The fireworks have been over for half an hour now," Olive said. "She should be back soon." The halfling stood at the open window. Although the second story of Blais House did not offer a clear view of the harbor, she had been able to catch sight of the higher skyrockets and, of course, hear the entire display.
Dragonbait, his attention focused on the chessboard, made a noncommittal noise. He'd beaten Olive at two games already, and he had been winning a third when the halfling had abandoned the game to watch the fireworks. Not surprisingly, when the fireworks ended, the saurial had been unable to coax Olive back to the board, so now he was continuing the game solitaire-playing both sides.
The chess pieces gilded in white gold represented the Cormyrian forces, those in yellow gold, the Tuigan Horde. Dragonbait made a clicking noise with his tongue and dragged Vangerdahast diagonally across the length of the board to capture a Hordelands horseman. Then the saurial switched positions at the table and considered the halfling's crumbling defenses.
Olive peered out into the darkness, where she could just make out the Westlight. "I wonder what's going on out there," she said, not for the first time that evening. "On the boat, I mean. This Lord Victor seems genial enough, for a human, but he is still one of the merchant nobles. The most poisonous snakes are the most brightly colored, my mother used to say."
Dragonbait made the same disinterested huffing noise he'd made the last three times Olive had tried to draw him into a discussion of the party on The Gleasonor Victor's character. He maneuvered the remaining Horde-lands horseman to threaten the Cormyrian sage Dims wart, but the move only delayed the inevitable. Olive had left her Tuigan forces in complete disarray.
This time Olive would not be deterred from her speculations. "Jamal says Lady Gleason, his mother-Victor's, that is-died young.' Considering Lord Luer's reputation for arrogance, one has to wonder how Lord Victor turned out to be so pleasant. Maybe he had a halfling nanny or something. She's out there alone. Alias, I mean. Not even a chaperon."
Dragonbait changed sides and stared at the situation from the Cormyrian side. From behind the King Azoun figure it looked like mate in three moves. He couldn't imagine what Olive was worrying about. Alias had once taken on a dragon single-handedly. How the swordswoman could have trouble on a two-hour cruise eluded him. More likely, the saurial reasoned, Olive was trying to cover her nervousness about their planned excursion to Cassana's old house.
A long pause ensued as Dragonbait changed sides again and tried to discover a way out of his self-inflicted attack, but an escape was denied the Tuigans. Mate in two now. At least the Tuigans should have something more to show for it. He took the Dimswart piece with the horseman.
"At least she has her sword with her," Olive said. Dragonbait toppled the Tuigan khan and growled. Olive turned at the saurial's guttural roar. In the thieves' hand cant the paladin signed, She'll be all right. Don't worry.
"Don't worry?" Olive retorted. "Alias is out there alone