Spellfire - Ed Greenwood [96]
"We workers of art have our dark secrets," said Illistyl crisply. "I dragged it."
"Oh," Narm said, surprised. "I see. Uh, sorry." They went down the stairs, nodded to the guards and went out into the night. It was very warm and still. Selune shone brightly overhead. Merith and Lanseril waited with mules. "Well met," the elf said softly.
"Where are we bound?" Shandril asked quietly, as he knelt to help her into the saddle.
"Harpers' Hill," Merith replied, and they set off.
Shadow-dale lay dark around them. Looking about, Narm could see the watchful guardposts atop the tower and the Old Skull Tor behind them and upon the bridge and at the crossroads ahead. Silently the guards watched as the small party rode at ease through the dale and into the trees.
It was very dark, and the mules slowed to a walk on the narrow forest trail. Someone saluted Merith quietly. As they passed, Shandril saw a grim man in dark leather, with a drawn sword. "A Harper,"
Jhessail said simply. "There will be others."
The forest changed as they traveled on. The trees became larger and older, growing closer together.
The darkness of their foliage, which now blocked the moonlight, became deeper and somehow quieter.
Thrice more they passed guards, and at last came up a steep slope into a clear space. Torm and Rathan waited there, with others standing beyond. The thief and the cleric greeted them with quiet smiles and encouraging pats, and took their mules.
Merith drew Narm to one side, proffering a cloak.
"Remove your clothes and leave them here," he said.
"Cover yourself with this." Away along the bare hilltop, Jhessail was doing the same with Shandril.
"Boots, too-the ground is soft."
"Will this be… dangerous?" Narm asked Merith.
The elf shrugged. "Aye, but no more so than spending your night any other way, if it's death you fear. Come, now."
Elminster stood in the moonlight at the center of the hilltop with Florin and Storm. As Shandril and Narm were brought to them, Elminster scratched his nose and said, " Sorry to get ye from bed for all this mystery and ceremony, but tis necessary. I need to know thy powers for certain.
Shall we begin, the earlier to be done?"
The knights embraced Narm and Shandril, and then left them alone on the hilltop with the old sage. He drew from his robes a small, battered book and handed it to Shandril.
"First," he said, "can you read this?"
The book was old, but upon its brown and crinkled pages were runes sparkling as clear and bright as if they'd only just been set down. Shandril stared at them, but she recognized nothing. Even as she looked, the runes began to writhe and crawl, moving on the page before her as if they were alive. She shook her head and handed the book back. "No," she said, rubbing her eyes. Elminster nodded, opened the book to a certain page, and extended it to Narm.
"And you? Only this page, mind-at the top; tell me the words aloud as ye can make them out." Narm nodded and peered in his turn.
'"Being A Means Both Efficient And Correct For The Creation Of-'" he began. Elminster waved him to silence, took the book back, and selected another page. Narm looked longer this time, forehead furrowed in concentration.
"I-I… 'A Means To Confound; I think it says here,"
Narm said at last, "but I cannot be sure even of that; nor is a word more clear to me, anywhere upon this page"
Elminster nodded and said, "Enough, and well enough." He turned to Shandril. "How do ye feel now?"
Shandril looked at him with a little frown. "Well in head and body, or at least I feel nothing amiss, but there is in me a… stirring, a feeling… a tingling."
Elminster nodded slowly, as if unsurprised, and looked to Narm. "Have ye any spells or cantrips in thy head?"
Narm shook his head. "No. I-I have scarce had the time to study, since…" His voice trailed off under Elminster's grin.
"Aye, and good." From his robes, he drew forth a scroll, glanced at it, and handed it to Narm. "Read this" he commanded, "and cast it-at thy lady. Tis but a light spell; ye