Shadows of Doom - Ed Greenwood [103]
Yet the old man not only held up the wounded giant, he half-carried him forward into the room and leaned him carefully against the wall. When he straightened up, his eyes were like two blue-white flames as they met those of Angruin Stormcloak.
"I'll met," he said, and every soft word cut like a leaping knife as it left his lips. His gaze bored deep into Storm-cloak's eyes, and it was the Zhentarim who looked away first.
"Elminster of Shadowdale!" gasped Cheth Moonviper of the councillors, and ducked under the table.
Angruin Mvyrvult Stormcloak paled and snatched at the wand in his belt. He half expected the world to explode before he ever got it out, but exultantly he got it free, aimed, and hissed a word only he knew.
Lightning leapt and crackled across the suddenly darker great hall toward the old man in tattered robes who stood empty-handed, hair wild-tangled and blood running down his face from a cut on his forehead.
And Elminster stood there and waited for the lightning to come to him, watching calmly.
* * * * *
Ylyndaera Mulmar smiled a mirthless smile as a Wolf came out of a door ahead, saw them, and with a startled oath whipped out his sword. She advanced steadily, Ulraea trembling at her side.
They were both startled when Tanshlee suddenly burst past them, shrieking, "You! You're the one! You!"
She hurled herself on the Wolf, knocking his blade aside more by luck than skill, and took him to the floor, sobbing and raking with her nails.
The women broke into a run. In an instant the Wolf would find room and strength to get his blade out from under her, and then it would all be over.
It was Jharina who threw the mace she'd plucked up several rooms back, while they were still marveling at being inside the castle and unseen for so long. It wobbled through the air drunkenly and just touched the Wolf's shoulder as it went on its way past him.
He jerked, dropped his sword from numb, burning fingers, and snarled in startled pain. Tanshlee's hands found his throat.
She held on, white-faced, eyes blazing, as he gasped and struck at her and thrashed about, trying to break free of the deep-sunk fingers squeezing out his life. But he was too young to think of breaking those fingers, or gouging at the reproachful, staring eyes of his nemesis, or even breaking her hold by shattering her jaw with a punch-and so his face went dark and then gray, and he sagged back and died.
Daera and Ulraea stood over him, but the Wolf did not escape. They let Tanshlee have her revenge on the one who'd wronged her-months ago, now-and stood silently by as she sobbed atop the body of the unknown man who'd fathered the child within her.
Ulraea looked at Ylyndaera, standing there with her sword ready, and saw a much older woman than the girl who'd been hidden away in the mill. Daera raised eyes dark with fury to meet hers and said quietly, "Let's go kill us some Wolves."
They put a sword ready beside Tanshlee in case she needed it and wouldn't pick up the one the Wolf had wielded, left her in her own dark world of tears, and went on down the passage.
Ahead was the din of battle-the clash of sword upon sword, shouts, and cracklings-but muffled as if from behind a door. The three women exchanged glances. "The great hall," Ulraea said. "Of course."
Daera swept hair out of her eyes impatiently, swung her sword at nothing to loosen her arm, which was beginning to ache-how did men swing these things all day?– took a deep breath, and said, "Come on."
They'd rushed a dozen steps before four-no, six-Wolves came out of a side passage. The warriors halted, half-lowered their weapons, and smiled slow, cruel smiles as they began to advance slowly.
"Oh, gods," Ulraea said in her throat.
Daera laughed. "There are only six of them," she said loudly, "and Tanshlee showed us just how easily they die. Are you with me?"
Without waiting for an answer, she charged. Ulraea and Jharina exchanged despairing glances and followed.
Jharina's mace, lying unnoticed on the floor, tripped the first Wolf. He fell heavily, and Ylyndaera's blade slid into