Temple Hill - Drew Karpyshyn [77]
Corin didn't even bother replying anymore. His glare spoke volumes enough.
"I don't think she's comin,' " the waitress said with a nasty laugh. "She musta stood ye up!"
"She'll be here," Corin said softly, his voice filled with menace.
The hunchbacked serving wench wisely beat a hasty, limping retreat. As she scurried off she shouted back over her shoulder, "Tell yer friend she can't be breakin' anymore o' me glasses!"
In vain, Corin searched the virtually empty interior of the seedy tavern for any sign of Lhasha, hoping she might have come in while he was distracted by the waitress. But she wasn't there. Corin had been waiting a long time.
He considered going back to search the woods around the clearing, but what if she showed up while he was out looking for her? He also considered going to see Fendel-maybe the gnome had some fantastic invention to help locate Lhasha. But again, Corin was afraid of Lhasha arriving while he was gone, then leaving to go search for him. Once such a vicious circle began, it might take days before they caught up with each other.
Drumming the fingers of his only hand on the table, he tried to analyze the situation logically, to survey it as he would survey a battle. It was possible Lhasha had mistakenly gone somewhere else to meet up with him. Possible, but highly unlikely. He dismissed that option.
It was also possible she was lost in the woods, confused by the darkness and the unfamihar surroundings. Her elf eyes would let her see through the night, but Corin knew the range of her heat-sensitive vision was not very far-twenty yards at most. She wouldn't walk into an open pit, but she still might not be able to figure out her exact location with such limited sight.
If she was lost, it would be pointless for Corin to go looking for her. He'd have no idea where to even begin. Dawn was only a couple of hours away now. With the rising sun, Lhasha would find her way back to Elversult and the Weeping Griffin soon enough.
Of course, there was one other possibility. One that Corin refused to even consider. Not yet, anyway. He'd give her a few more hours to find her way back with the rising sun before he'd give up on her.
The door to the streets outside opened, a rare occurrence at the Weeping Griffin. Most of the regulars were already there. Corin looked quickly, hopefully, to the door, but instead of Lhasha's petite form, three men bundled up in robes entered. Knowing patrons came to this tavern for privacy and a chance to be left alone with their problems, Corin didn't pay any more attention to the group.
He was staring intently at his stump, still debating what to do about Lhasha when one of the robed men sat down at his table. Corin glanced up sharply and realized the other two had crept up behind him. On either side he felt the tip of a dagger pressing against his ribs.
"Don't call out, speak only when necessary to answer my questions. Keep your voice low," the seated man whispered, "and you just may get out of this conversation alive."
Corin's eyes flitted over the few people scattered about the bar, looking for some help. The other patrons stared pointedly at their drinks. The waitress, obviously sensing trouble was brewing, had disappeared behind the bar. Unfortunately, Corin knew the last thing on her mind would be alerting the authorities. At the Weeping Griffin, everyone's business was strictly their own.
Giving a nod to show he understood the hooded man's instructions, Corin turned his attention to his uninvited guest. Up close, Corin could see beneath the shadows of the man's cowl. He recognized the young face and shaved head of the cult wizard, and a chill ran down his spine.
"My name is Azlar," the man said. "And I have a proposal for you, Corin One-Hand. One that you might be very interested in hearing."
Corin nodded again, and the knives against his sides eased up their pressure slightly.
"Do you know who I work for?" the mage asked.
"I'm not stupid," was the warrior's short reply.
"No, of course not. Then you also know that we possess great