The Alabaster Staff - Edward Bolme [50]
"Sir," said Demok, "I can help."
Kehrsyn glanced at him suspiciously.
"Meanest thou that thou canst sort and interpret that singular volley, nay, that tempest of words?" the merchant asked.
"I can start," he replied. "I watched her… perform two days ago. Great skill. She left the Jackal's Courtyard. I followed."
Kehrsyn crinkled her nose in confusion. The guild's scout was obviously trying some sort of gambit to cover himself.
"Wherefore?" asked the merchant.
Demok blinked, looked at Kehrsyn, looked back at his employer, and said, "I thought her a good resource. Contractor or employee."
"I see," responded the man, drumming his fingers together.
"Within moments," Demok continued, "the watch raised an alarm. They said a woman had seen this one kill a Zhent."
"That's not true! She killed him and you know it!" blurted Kehrsyn, but she held her tongue when Demok nodded and gestured at her to be silent.
"The accusation was made," he said. "I don't believe it. Don't think she has it in her. Also saw a sorceress shadow her, not to capture, despite the reward."
"That was her," she said, half to Demok and half to the merchant prince. "The sorceress, I mean. She was the woman who got me into that trouble. She killed the Zhent but told the guards I did it, then she followed me to see how well I could get away from them. She said it was a test to see how good I was, but she was also trying to scare me into doing what she wanted. Luckily they didn't check out my hiding spot. Otherwise, I'd probably be a goner by now." Kehrsyn fidgeted with her shackled hands. "After that, she gave me the map and told me what to steal and where they wanted me to bring it, and, if I didn't, they'd either turn me in or just kill me."
"They?" asked the merchant.
"The thieves' guild," answered Kehrsyn.
"There's no thieves' guild in Messemprar," countered one of the guards.
Kehrsyn just shrugged.
"So thou wouldst have me believe that thou wert blackmailed into performing this theft, under threat of being turned over for this murder of which thou art innocent?"
"Murder of a deputized guard," clarified Demok.
Kehrsyn nodded meekly.
"It seemeth a fanciful alibi," grumbled Ahegi. "She shall be tortured for names and discarded."
"Fits what I saw," said Demok. "Zhent was killed. Caught her outside the Thayans'."
The merchant laced his fingers and tapped his thumbs together. He studied Kehrsyn, glanced at Demok, and studied Kehrsyn some more.
"Unchain ye her," he said in a soft voice, "and bring ye her a chair and some mulled wine."
The room burst into motion, and Kehrsyn found herself seated comfortably with a hot mug.
As he held the chair for her, Demok whispered, "Be grateful."
"Let us start of new," said the merchant.
Kehrsyn noticed that his baritone voice had softened. Her heart skipped a beat to hear someone with such power treating her with kindness and speaking so softly. Her experiences with those in power had heretofore always involved raised voices, commands, and threats. She nodded and tried to relax, but she ended up sitting forward in her chair, clutching the warm mug between her hands.
"I am called Massedar," he said. "Wing's Reach is my house, the center of a modestly sizeable mercantile and expeditionary combine. This room is the center of Wing's Reach, wherein agreements are detailed at the onset and consummated at the end. Upon the observations of my servant Demok and my own instincts, we open such an agreement now.
"I deal in the rare, the exotic, and the exquisite. Until recently, I had in my possession an item that not only fit, but dare I say defined all three of those categories." He leaned forward. "Until thou, Kehrsyn,"-he pronounced the name with added emphasis, causing Kehrsyn to bite her lip- "removed that item at the behest of parties unknown. I trust thou knowest what that item was, for thou removed it with great skill and