The Howling Delve - Jaleigh Johnson [90]
"Friends," said Meisha. The fire died away, leaving the Harper's skin sweat-slicked and flush. "Well met, Kail."
"Meisha." Kail held out his arm, and she clasped it gratefully.
"I see you brought the whole army," Meisha said, greeting Morgan, Garavin, and Laerin with a nod. Her eyes fell on Dantane and widened with curiosity. "This one's new."
"Meisha Saira, meet Syrek Dantane." Kail waited while Dantane bowed politely to the Harper. "I wish I could say that was the extent of the party, but the Shadow Thieves will be coming behind us."
"That's what the bats are for," said Meisha. "We didn't know if you'd be able to find us. We planned an ambush."
"We'll need it." Kail looked at the boy. "Is this one trustworthy?"
"Likely more so than your wizard," the Harper answered, grinning when Dantane flushed in irritation.
For his part, Talal bristled with all the fervor of his nineteen years. "Trust me not to catch on fire, without so much as a warning," he muttered.
"Talal saved my life when I came down here," Meisha explained.
Kali nodded approvingly. "Then I owe him my thanks as well. Go get the others together, Talal," he said. "Not here- we'll gather them in the entrance tunnel. We need to know where the seal is."
Talal took off back the way he'd come. "What are you planning?" Meisha wanted to know, but Kali shook his head.
"You'll see. Garavin and Dantane have it worked out. Meisha," he said, pulling her aside, "where is your mastet, Varan?"
Meisha's eyes were stone. "Varan is dead."
"Dead? But your message…"
"Oh, he still breathes," she said harshly, "and his mind functions, on some level. But there is no heatt in his eyes, no passion driving his actions, unless you consider madness a sustaining emotion."
"How did it happen?" Kail asked, shocked. "How did the Shadow Thieves overcome him?"
"It wasn't the Shadow Thieves. They exploited Varan's condition to get their magic items, but they didn't put him in his current state. I don't know how it happened, but now all he can do is sit in a room and make deadly magic."
Kail took it all in. "So Chadossa's illusion, the black matket in Amn…"
"The what?"
"A piece of broken magic that twisted a boy into a monster. It came from the black market." Kail's expression darkened.
"And they got it from Varan," Meisha said. "As far as I can tell, some of his creations woik, some are… broken, and run wild. But they're all dangerous, as long as the Shadow Thieves have them."
Talal's voice broke in as the boy came batreling back into the chamber. "They're on the move," he said breathlessly. "Every one of em." He noticed Meisha's stricken face. "What? What's wrong?" He frowned at Kail, as if knowing instinctively he was to blame.
"I'm fine, Talal," Meisha said, forcing a smile as she looked at him. "Are you ready to bathe in the sunlight, Ditty Bones?"
He sniffed. "Ale is what I'm aching for. Keep your watet and sunshine."
"We'll use Meisha's bats as distractions," Kali said as they filed in to the tunnel. "Can you let them out safely?" he asked, looking at the Harper with concern.
"I'll take care of it," Meisha said.
She retraced Kail's steps quickly to the portal room, while the others headed for the main entrance.
Careful to avoid the bats, Meisha placed her hands against the poison-treated net and called the fire. The power, simmering dangerously close to the surface, answered immediately. There was no flame, but the ropes began to smoke where her palms touched them. She waited a moment to make sure the hemp would burn, then ran back to the opposite tunnel.
She slowed, wary, when she saw Dantane waiting for her.
"What was that spell?" he asked curiously.
"It will slow-burn the net away," she said. "Between the fire and the poison, the bats will have worked themselves into a fine furor by the time our friends arrive."
"You're an elementalist," said Dantane, "and a sorceress. Have you learned to bypass spells completely, turning your raw power into whatever form you will?"