Tangled webs - Elaine Cunningham [60]
"Not too hard. I often search lost ships for items of worth," the elf said eagerly. "i am considered skilled at such tasks and often find things useful for trade." He reached for his belt and unclasped a bracelet attached there-a heavy gold band of ancient design set with large oval sapphires. He offered the bauble to Liriel. "Would you take this in exchange for the knife you lent me? And would you name a price for one of the magic crabs? Or other weapons of magic, if you have them to spare?"
Liriel waved away the gaudy bauble. "Take the knife, and welcome," she said absently. "i've a dozen like it. As for the magic crabs, it so happens that i do have a price in mind. "Before i was tossed overboard," she began, "i saw enough of the battle to recognize which man led the attack.
A big man, dark-bearded, left-handed. My friend Fyodor fought him and cut off his sword hand. It went into the sea. Find the severed hand and bring it to me."
A look of horror crossed the sea elf's face. "What could you want with such a thing?"
"Can you get it or not?" Liriel asked impatiently; She had her reasons, but she certainly didn't intend to speak of them. By Lloth's eighth leg, thinking about them was bad enough! During her short career in Arach-Tinilith, Liriel had learned that Lloth's priestesses possessed spells to rival those of the most powerful necromancers. Even if the darkbearded man still lived, his hand was certainly dead, and there might be answers she could get from it, powers that she could wield over him. The needed spell was powerful, and as usual the risks were correspondingly great. Liriel was not certain she could control such a spell even if Lloth chose to grant it.
"it is possible that i could find it," Xzorsh admitted. "But the sea is full of creatures, and most likely a severed limb has been…"
"Eaten," the drow finished curtly. "Well, do your best. Iii make it worth your time. In fact, why don't you take a couple of the magic crabs with you now as advance payment? The rest well negotiate upon your return."
Hearing the dismissal in her words, the sea elf claimed his treasure and rose to leave. He paused at the door. "The lost spirits of my people. How can i help you find them and set them free?"
"Get the damned hand," Liriel repeated emphatically. When the male did not look convinced, she added, "Doesn't it seem strange to you that three ships and nearly two hundred fighters came after a small fish like the Elfmaid? They wanted something from us, and they knew enough about us to bring a large fighting force. I don't think they were after Hrolf's cache of Neverwinter clocks."
Xzorsh stared at her. "The attack was prompted by the slain sea folk?"
"it's possible. Once we find out who those men were and what theyre up to, we have a chance of fmding out what happened to your people. For that," she concluded testily, "i need that hand."
The sea elf nodded as he absorbed this. "Forgive me, but
1 do not understand why you trouble yourself with the problems of sea folk."
The drow shrugged, not having any reason to give that she herself understood. When she offered no explanation, Xzorsh suggested one.
"i have heard many grim tales about the dark elves. You are not at all what i expected of a drow. It seems to me that i have been taught in error."
A vivid image flashed into Liriel's mind-the inevitable result that would occur if this noble-minded but utterly naive sea elf ever encountered one of her dark kindred. In a heartbeat, she snatched a handful of throwing knives from under her mattress and hurled them in rapid-fire succession at the too-trusting elf. The blades bit deeply into the wooden door, tracing a dangerously close outline around the startled Xzorsh.
"You are too slow to think and too quick to trust," she snarled at him. "Now get out, and return only when you can bring me what i want!"
The ranger ducked out of the room and disappeared. With a sigh, Liriel fell back onto her pillow. It was a necessary thing, but she