Spellfire - Ed Greenwood [90]
Shandril said simply, "Say on." She plucked up Narm's over-robe and, opening the Jakes door, thrust it within.
"If you don't mind," Jhessail suggested, "Illistyl and I will bring your meals. You stay here in this room until tonight. Any of the knights will come to see you, or you could spend the day together, just the two of you…" The Jakes door swung open and Narm emerged.
He grinned. "No words against that from this mouth."
"Nor from mine," Shandril agreed. "Only, why?"
Jhessail studied the rich rugs beneath her feet for an instant, and then raised solemn eyes to theirs. "Eight men tried to get into the tower last night, using magic.
They were sent by the High Imperceptor of Bane, and they were after you, Shandril. They were to capture you for your power to wield spellfire. They were all slain, or are all dead now. They might well have succeeded except for Torm and Rathan, who were out on an extra patrol requested by Mourngrym, and Sharantyr, who went for a walk, unarmed, to clear her head."
Shandril's face had gone slowly white, and Narm had grown more and more angry, as she had spoken.
"You mean," he burst out, "that enemies are going to be after Shandril for the rest of her life? I won't have it! I'll-"
"How will you stop them hunting you out?" Jhessail asked quietly.
Narm stared at her. "I… I'll master art enough to destroy them, or drI’ve them away in fear of such a fate!"
Jhessail nodded. "Good. It's about all you can do.
Once they get the idea you are powerful, as all know Elminster or The Simbul of Aglarond is, they will leave you alone-unless they have business with you, or with your tombstone, as the saying goes. But all of these who look upon you as weak and easy targets who have some power they can wrest or steal will fall away once you show Faerun that you are not to be so trifled with." She grinned suddenly. "But that time hasn't come, so stay in this room today, will you?"
Shandril grinned weakly and nodded; after a long moment Narm nodded, too.
Jhessail got up. "Good!" she said, and clapped her hands loudly. The door opened wide, and Illistyl came in, bearing a covered silver tray that steamed around the edges. With practiced ease she hooked a toe under a certain carving on the side of the bed, pulled it outward to reveal a folding pair of legs and a webwork of canvas attached to it, and set the tray on the table thus created. Shandril stared in open pleasure at the thought and construction of the bedside table, but Narm fixed Jhessail with a hard stare.
"You had it planned beforehand, did you not?" he said accusingly. "You would have gI’ven us no choice."
Jhessail shook her head. "No… if you had refused, Illistyl and I would have shared this morningfeast. I swear this, by holy Mystra." She grinned suddenly.
"Elminster will tell you soon enough," she teased,
"never force by magic anything you can trick a man to do for you. But know, please, that we will not force you to act as only we desire-ever. You can still change your minds; only tell us, please, so we can best arrange to guard you."
She got up, kissed them both fondly on their foreheads, and said, "Still, a whole day to spend together in bed-it's not something I'd pass up." She went to the door, where Illistyl had already gone, and said softly, "Fare you both well until tonight. We shall call for you then. Worry not about the testing; you are yourselves, and the whole affair is simply to know what that is, not change you. Illistyl and I have been tested by Elminster, when I came to the dale, and when she came to her powers. There is a guard outside; call if you need me." She went out slowly; between her feet a fast and silent smoky gray cat slipped in before the door closed, winked at her with Illistyl's eyes, and darted unseen under the bed.
The door closed and they were alone. "Well, my lord?" Shandril teased Narm challengingly. He grinned and reached for the tray deliberately.
"Morningfeast