The Howling Delve - Jaleigh Johnson [76]
When Dantane hesitated, Kali snapped, "Speak. You want powet-come to the Delve and take all you want. If yout speech about ancient magic is true, that should be mote than fair compensation for risking your friends' identities. I'm no threat to them, especially not after this explosion, which was likely witnessed by half of the Gold Ward. The merchant families will have taken my head long before they get around to yout friends."
Dantane didn't disagree. "You'll let me choose my tewatd- fot myself and my contact, should he agree to aid us?"
"If Meisha allows, so do I, just set up the meeting. Find someone who knows about this portal."
Dantane nodded and left them. Kali waited for the echo of his footsteps to fade before rounding on Cesira. "You're staying silent in this?"
No, said the druid, surprised. What's angering you, Kail? Surely not the loss of a tower or Dantane's greed?
Kail shook his head. "I sent her," he said, "to her master. I sent her right into Balram's hands."
Meisha is more than capable of seeing to herself and this is larger than Balram, said Cesira. You heard Dantane. There are forces at work neither you nor Meisha could have predicted.
"It was the same with Haig, my father, and Aazen," said Kali, as if he had not heard her. "I couldn't save them. Now Meisha may die. And Aazen…"
You believe he's involved? Cesira asked.
"Yes, and I'm afraid I'll be forced to put a blade through my best friend to accomplish what I must." Kali had ptayed, nightly, that it would not come to that. He prayed Aazen had escaped, or if he hadn't, that he would let Kail save him from his father's shadow. Merciful gods, shouldn't Kail be allowed to save at least one of those closest to him?
An image of Meisha flashed before his mind, drawing his deliberations to a close. "Dantane will find the portal," he said.
Yes. Cesira nodded.
"Setting up the meeting will take time."
Time enough to send a message of your own? Cesira asked, crooking an eyebrow.
Kail nodded. She knew what he was thinking. She nearly always did. "I want to know more about this Howling Delve." And if they were going underground, who better to aid them than a digger?
He cupped the sword's emerald between his palms and called out in his mind. His voice traveled across miles and mountains, to reverberate with the sword's sister stone. The gem graced a new weapon, a weapon that was not of Morel house, and yet the owner was no less than family to Kail.
CHAPTER 21
The Earthvault 5 Marpenoth, the Year
of Lightning Storms (1374 DR)
Garavin Fallstone strode back and forth on a patch of empty ait before a large expanse of cavern wall. He held up a taper that had burned down to threaten his thumb and had coated his arm in a waxy cast. He noticed neither circumstance, and continued to read the historical record etched deep into the stone.
The runes were inscribed with the same care and precision taken by a Candlekeep scribe, and Garavin should know. He'd been such a one, though it seemed like a lifetime ago: a scribe, a digget-Deepwatden for his clan. Garavin had worn many mantles, but all of them felt at home in the Earthvault.
The cone-shaped cavetn rested far beneath the Marching Mountains. Mages of Shanatar, the ancient kingdom of the shield dwarves, had created it centuries ago. The vault was, to Garavin's mind, the most impressive archive to be found outside Candlekeep's doors. From the lowest point, where only worms burrowed, to the highest i idge, the history of the shield dwarves and their great realm unfolded for any of dwarf blood-and only those-to tead.
Far below Garavin's boots, a tawny mastiff with stiff joints slept on the cavern floor, next to an account of the beginning of the shield dwarves' shattering war with the duergar. Garavin's satchel and maul rested against Boris haunches, but the mastiff didn't notice when the emerald in the weapon's handle began to glow. Only when the stone hummed with gathering power did the dog stir and leap to its feet, and