Stardeep_ The Dungeons - Bruce R. Cordell [111]
Telarian called a halt and warned the vanguard, "Do not advance until I give the word!" The Knights prepared themselves for a charge up the slope and into Stardeep proper via the Parade Hall.
"What idea?"
For answer, Kiril turned in her saddle and called back along the narrowing tunnel, "Raidon Kane, can we speak?"
The odd-looking half-elf who'd displayed amazing martial skill walked forward, his face the picture of calm acceptance, as always. Telarian frowned.
"Raidon, we're close enough to Stardeep's heart that you might be able to use your mother's forget-me-not to bypass its defenses."
Raidon nodded, gave Telarian an appraising glance, and withdrew an amulet from beneath the collar of his silk jacket.
"A Cerulean Sign!" gasped Telarian. Alarm skittered through his mind. How had he missed that?
"Yes," agreed Kiril, "Raidon keeps a Sign, for him a family heirloom. In any case"-she waved away the questions forming on Telarian's lips-"with a Sign, we can wrench Stardeep's point-to-point ttansfer system from Cynosure long enough to deliver ourselves directly to Delphe."
"An excellent idea," exclaimed Telarian. "Let me see, and I shall attempt to do as you suggest." He held his hand out to the half-elf. Raidon looked askance at him, making no move to comply.
Kitil shook het head, said, "Raidon has held the Sign for years-it is firmly attuned to him, and him alone. You'd have no chance of using it without a lengthy bonding period, and we don't have time for that."
Ttue, of course. He just wanted the Sign out of the hands of someone over whom he had no leverage. And the appearance of such a potent bane against the Traitor was, again, not something he had foreseen. Anxiety, his old friend, took his cold palm in its own unsettling grip.
Kiril continued. "Even without training, Raidon should be able to use it now that we're so close. Try it," she bid the half-elf. "Try to visualize the seams of arcane energy that infuse Stardeep. Try to… mentally pluck one and bring it to you."
Raidon's eyes unfocused slightly, and he said, "I sense something of what you say. And"-he looked up, pointing with his free hand-"a questing shaft of light even now reaches out to us. It… is here!"
Telarian choked.
A voice rang out-Delphe's voice. It said, "Kiril Dusk-mourn, gone from Stardeep these long years. Why have you thrown in with this deserter of the Cerulean Sign's ideals, he who even now plots to overthrow centuries of captivity and release the Traitor?"
Kiril started on hearing the voice. Delphe's voice, she supposed. So this was the woman who had defiled the oath and sought to aid the Traitor? She didn't sound insane. Of course, the truly mad rarely did, until you drew them out and exposed the foundations of their reasoning.
"Muddle-minded witch," declared Kiril, a sneer coming to her face, "don't insult me with your lunatic imprecations. What promise did the Traitor make that you'd join him in his defilement?" As she spoke, the swordswoman looked Raidon in the eyes and gestured sidewise with her head. She asked a question with her movement; could the monk figure out how to trigger a transfer? Perhaps she could keep Delphe distracted with meaningless babble. The demented enjoyed describing their aims, perhaps to justify a guilty conscience, or so stories suggested.
Raidon's brows furrowed in concentration as he gazed into the symbol on his amulet.
A disbelieving gasp came from thin air. Then Delphe said, "You believe I've thrown in with the Traitor while you stand with Telarian, whose mind is poison and whose hands are stained with the blood of Empyrean Knights?"
"Yes, I stand with him, but don't waste your breath with falsehoods and ravings. I know your mind has cracked. Your lies stain my ears, and the weak, craven cowardice I hear in your voice is near to making me vomit!"
Despite actual rancor, Kiril was more concerned with the monk's progress. She watched as Raidon continued to stare into the Sign. A faint, bluish glow woke within the potent trinket. Raidon was accomplishing something!