Song of the Saurials - Kate Novak [95]
Alias and Zhara both glared at each other but did not speak.
"How could you hit my wife, your own sister?" Akabar asked Alias.
Alias glared at the mage. "She seemed like a good substitute in your absence, Turmite," Alias replied.
"I beg your pardon?" Akabar said coolly, offended by the vulgar term.
"You heard me," Alias shouted. "You married this fiend spawn. Why didn't you just accept Cassana when she offered herself to you? Was Zhara better because she was younger, or because you could have her behind my back?"
The blood rushed from Akabar's face, shocked as he was by Alias's words.
In saurial, Grypht asked Dragonbait. "Who is Cassana?"
"A dead sorceress," the paladin answered in saurial. "Please, Grypht, try to convince them to turn their energies to the dangers we face."
Grypht nodded. "Alias," the beast began.
Alias turned suddenly and stared at the huge saurial in astonishment. "You can talk!" she exclaimed.
Grypht snorted with amusement. "Since I was two years old," he said.
"I mean, you can talk in common, not just in saurial," Alias explained.
"I know what you meant," Grypht said. "I cast a tongues spell. It will not last for long, so I need your undivided attention, child. You must let go of your anger for now. We face a great danger, and you must behave now like an adult and set your differences with these people aside, for they are your allies."
"I don't need any allies," Alias snapped. "All I need to know is what you did with Nameless. Where is he?" she demanded. "And Olive, too?"
"The bard and the halfling must have fled to escape Kyre after she imprisoned me in a soul trap. I do not know where they went. We have more important things to concern ourselves with at the moment."
"Kyre imprisoned you in a soul trap?" Alias asked incredulously. "Why didn't she tell anyone?"
"Because she was a minion of Moander, preparing the way for the Darkbringer's return to your world," Grypht said.
"You're all crazy!" Alias declared. "Moander is dead. Dead!"
"You merely destroyed the body of Moander in this world, but Moander's power and spirit live on in the Abyss, and the Darkbringer's slaves in this world are building it a new body, a new abomination for it to possess. The Darkbringer will return once the body is finished."
"Moander hasn't got any followers left in the Realms to build him a body," Alias protested.
"That," Grypht explained, "is why Moander enslaved my tribe and brought them to the Realms-"
Grypht gurgled suddenly, released Alias, and clutched at his throat. There was an arrow lodged in his neck. The great creature teetered once, then fell over backward and landed on the forest floor with a crash.
13
The Soul Song
Dragonbait rushed to Grypht's side as Alias whirled around. Breck stood at the edge of the clearing, a second arrow already notched in his bow. He must have rediscovered Akabar and Grypht's trail and tracked them right back to the camp, the swordswoman realized.
Dragonbait knelt beside the saurial wizard, cursing himself for having forgotten the ranger's bloodlust.
Breck cried out, "Don't touch him!"
Dragonbait ignored the ranger's order and laid his hands on the larger saurial's chest. He began to pray for the power to heal.
"Breck, you idiot!" Alias called out. "What do you think you're doing?"
Breck approached them. "I thought I was saving your life," he said. "That creature could have killed you in an instant. What does Dragonbait think he's doing?"
"Healing him," Alias explained.
"No!" Breck shouted, and shoved the saurial paladin away from Grypht. "Are you crazy? That's the monster that killed Kyre!"
"No, he isn't," Alias said. "Grypht is a saurial like Dragonbait. He's a friend of Dragonbait's. He couldn't have killed Kyre."
"Well, actually," Akabar said, "he did kill her."
"See? I told you so!" Breck said, waving his finger in Alias's face.
Alias shot Akabar a look of frustration. Even if the Turmishman didn't