The Howling Delve - Jaleigh Johnson [66]
From somewhere outside the fog, Morgan's voice rumbled, "Two red inks say he skewers him."
"No bet, I can't see his face," was Laerin's reply.
Kail lingered over the raised steel a moment longer. Abruptly, he sheathed his sword, his eyes still spearing Dantane with hostility. He kicked at the harpsichord bench and jumped off the dais.
The sttagglers had gone. Aazen had gone. Kail hadn't seen him leave with the crowd. "Close off the estate," he ordered the servants who'd dated remain within earshot. "Let no one back in except the guard, whenever they turn up." He had no doubt they would. Dantane was right, damn the man again. He had to find out who the lute playet was and why she-or he-had turned up at the party with deadly magic.
Could it have been one of the families, attempting to strike at him? It seemed ludicrous, considering theit aversion to magic and the tumors flying all evening about his generous-bordering-on-desperate attempts to make restitution among the merchants.
Attempts that might come to nothing after tonight, Kail thought. Futy spiked through him. Amn's retribution for magic use, especially magic that murdered, was second only to the collection of debts among the merchant families. He was about to be buried deep in trouble of both sorts.
CHAPTER 19
The Howling Delve 4 Marpenoth, the
Year of Lightning Storms (1374 DR)
This was a great idea," Talal said sarcastically as he held the torch around Meisha's body.
The Harper turned, flames catching in her eyes. Talal flinched. "Are you really going to walk at my heel with that thing, or can I caRry it?"
"My torch, Lady," Talal said, holding it out of reach. "Then would you care to lead?" She pointed down the dark, unfamiliar passage.
"I'd care to go back to the warrens!" he complained, handing her the brand. "I showed you the wizard. Haroun says that's enough, and she doesn't even know he tried to kill you."
"You told me your people explore these caves constantly, looking for ways to escape."
"I told you we draw lots for the pleasure," Talal argued. "Stain one stone with berry juice, put the rest in a sack, and choose. Tymora's lucky whipping boy gets a torch, a weapon, and a trip down the tunnel to have his wits smashed all over the place. That's what happened to Gadi."
"He was killed?" Meisha shone the torch down a side passage and listened. She heard nothing but the distant, constant drip of water. When she'd lived here, Varan had always made his apprentices safe, no matter how dangerous the Delve could be. Now the apprentices were dead, and Varan…
Meisha suppressed a shudder. Varan had become one of the threats in the dark.
"Smashed, I said. By whatever roams the tunnels outside your wizatd's shields," said Talal.
"Varan warned us not to venture outside the wards. Even I don't know what lies at the end of many of these tunnels," Meisha admitted. "You say you've sent someone out already?"
"Braedrin," Talal said, nodding. "Hasn't come back yet. Smash," he mutmured under his breath.
"What are these matks?" Meisha pointed to the walls.
"Tells us where people have been," Talal explained. "Means no traps, either."
"Traps," Meisha echoed. A mask of blood and a dead apprentice's face flashed before her eyes.
"Don't know who swung 'em, but they'te all over the place. We lost two that way when we fitst started going out. Ptessute spears. Hit you square, one'll take your head clean off. More of Lady Luck's favor, the well-meaning bitch."
Meisha raised an eyebrow. "You've a ready insult for all the gods. Which one do you actually like?"
The boy shrugged, dislodging a scuttling beetle from his clothing. "None of them-easiet that way."
"You don't believe in the gods?"
"Believe, yes. But I leave them be, and I wish they'd return the favor." He flicked away the beetle. "Not so much to ask."
"What about after this life? Don't you worry for your soul?"
"Hells, no. I'm aiming to live forever. See how I avoid prancing down dark tunnels with death-seeking sotcetets? I get along fine, Lady; it's