Tangled webs - Elaine Cunningham [21]
Calling upon her levitation magic, she shot out of the water and floated lightly up to the railing where Fyodor awaited, grim and watchful. He'd taken off his cloak and had it ready for her. With a nod of thanks, she took the warm garment and handed him the rope. The fish was at least half her weight, and she could hardly be expected to haul it up herself.
As she wrapped herself in the cloak, Liriel noticed that ibn was looking past her out to sea. His face was unreadable, but an air of malevolent satisfaction rose from him like a miasma. Liriel knew with certainty that this time ibn would not speak his mind if asked.
Well enough-there were other ways of getting answers to her questions.
Beneath the cover of Fyodors cloak, the drow's hand crept up to her symbol of Lloth. Her fingers closed around the obsidian disk, and she silently cast a mind-reading spell, one of the first lessons taught to novice priestesses. From ibn's thoughts she took a single word-shark-and several quick images: a triangular fin slicing through the water like a small gray sail; rapacious jaws lined with rows of sharp teeth; a small, dark-skinned body torn past recognition.
So. This shark was a hunter, a dangerous one, and if ibn had his way, she would be its prey. Again, well enough-she was forewarned.
Angry now, Liriel strode over to the weapon rack and selected another harpoon, this one larger and heavier than the first.
"Going down again?" ibn asked casually as he refilled his pipe.
From the corner of her eye, the drow gave him a long, measuring gaze. No sign of his intent showed on his face, and not once did his eyes shift toward the place where he'd spotted the shark. Liriel noted this with a touch of perverse admiration. She had grown up in Menzoberranzan and had survived many such games, but few were the drow who could play them better than this red-bearded human. At that moment Fyodor pulled the fish over the rail. It dropped to the deck, still thrashing weakly and splashing icy water upon the boots of the men who'd gathered to watch the peculiar scene.
"i'm going back in for another fish," Liriel announced. Taking full advantage of the audience, she turned to face Fyodor and then dropped his cloak to the deck. "i'm afraid i've gotten your cloak all wet. Would you mind getting me a warm blanket? i think there's one somewhere in Hrolf's cabin. Ibn will haul up the next fish for me… Won't you?" she asked, turning to the first mate.
ibn did not respond, though Fyodor gaveher a narrowed, suspicious look. She returned it with a smile. Of course the warrior knew she was up to something, but he had to choose between staying to question her, or doing something about her disconcerting nudity. With a deep sigh, Fyodor chose the latter and disappeared into the hold.
Liriel tied the loose end of the harpoon's rope to a winch and attached a float to the line. The rope was not all that long, but she didn't think she'd have to go very far to find the shark. She'd taken the first fish not far from the ship. If this shark was like any of the other predators she knew, it would be drawn by the scent of blood.
The drow plunged in again, dreamily imagining the look on ibn's face when he hauled up her catch and came face-to-fang with this shark ofhis.
Liriel swam quickly toward the site ofher first kill, taking a slightly different path downward. She was more at home in the water than were most drow, but she knew she was out of her element and kept careful watch. The image she'd taken from ibn's mind-the sight ofher own mangled body-was still vivid.
The drow's only warning was a flash of silver on the outermost edge of her vision. Instantly she whirled, the harpoon on her shoulder and ready to throw.
To her shock, Liriel found herselffacing not a shark, but a young male elf-the first nondrow elf she had ever encountered.
The faerie