Stormlight - Ed Greenwood [103]
Lightning crackled hungrily around her, but Storm ignored it. Bolts and chain lightning were among the things she was immune to, by Mystra's grace; she kept her attention on the falling things dislodged by the laughing, glowing-eyed foe flitting above her. So far, nothing had crashed down on her head, but he was still trying.
A bolt veered away from her, toward the distant, startled face of Broglan Sarmyn.
"No!" Storm exclaimed in angry surprise. She raised her hand to slash the bolt with silver fixe-but Shayna Summerstar rose up behind the mage, a chair-leg in her hand, and brought it viciously down.
The wizard fell out of sight. The young heiress capered in triumph; the bolt that might have struck her veered away of its own accord.
Sick at heart, Storm turned her attention back to the tentacled foe. "You'll pay for this. I swear it."
Their eyes met. The foe laughed maniacally before ducking out of sight onto the floor above. Storm sent a jet of silver fire into the ceiling above her-and as it punched through the stone, she was rewarded with his startled cry of rage and pain.
Furiously, the foe struck back, hurling the pieces of a shattered statue down at her.
Neither of them noticed a dust-covered figure rise from the rubble on the floor below Storm, and lurch toward the nearest ascending stair. The Hungry Man had forgotten some of its orders, but it knew to receive more, it had to be where the strong magic raged.
* * * * *
Some overclever Sembians were stirring up trouble in Marsember again. The war wizard briefings and strategy sessions had been long and wearisome. As they walked together to the doors of Lionsrest Hall Laspeera saw Vangerdahast put a hand to his mouth to conceal a yawn.
"Come in," she said gently, an offer that made his head turn quickly in surprise. "Aundable will be pleased to see you."
"He will? Having to kiss his wife in front of the royl magician of all the realm, and pretend the old gruff-nose isn't there? Strange man," Vangerdahast commented.
Laspeera wrinkled her nose, took him firmly by the elbow, and steered him into the parlor she shared with her husband, Aundable Inthre.
The seldom-seen subject of so much speculation among the magelings Laspeera tutored was bent over a tiny model of the fortress of High Horn. He frowned and glanced up at an image that hung in the air above it-a floating magical view of the castle. As they watched, he gestured with a fingertip, and one hillock shifted its position along the mountainside a trifle. Laspeera's husband nodded in apparent satisfaction, looked up, and broke into a broad smile.
Laspeera swept around the table and into her husband's arms.
"Lord Vangerdahast! A pleasure! What can I do to set you at ease?"
"Stop calling me 'Lord Vangerdahast' and try 'Vangey,' for a start," the old mage growled.
Aundable indicated that he'd heard Vangey's request by a wink, and was then rather busy with an affectionate, wordless greeting for the next four breaths or so. Vangerdahast hid a smile by taking up a decanter of amberfire wine and strolling over to glance at the miniature castle Aundable had crafted, on his way to the glasses.
"Ah, yes-please, make yourself at home," Aundable said when he could speak again. "Like it?"
"I do indeed," Vangerdahast admitted, peering at the tiny windows and doors, and extending a cautious finger. Did they actually open? Say, th-
"If you'll excuse me," Aundable said, "I was just going to do my usual scry of the border lands, and then retire to bed"
Vangerdahast gave him a grave nod, and said, Ana you shall not do so alone; I wont keep Laspeera more than a few breaths before wandering off in search of my own bed. Soon enough I'll be wandering the kingdom again, and sleeping out on wet, rocky ground under the stars. Aye, lass?"
Laspeera sighed. "Only you, in this entire palace, could get away with calling me 'lass'!"
"Oh, laser Aundable teased. "What's that you say?"
She reached out and playfully tweaked his nose.
"Urrghl" he replied, intelligently and happily. He sat down at his scrying crystal. Few