The Lost Library of Cormanthy - Mel Odom [112]
"She was called Chalice of the Crowns," Baylee answered. "Charged with transporting one of the great libraries near Myth Drannor to Evermeet."
"I've never heard of such a ship," Calebaan said, "and I've studied much of Myth Drannor."
"She was headed up by Gyynyth Skyreach," Baylee went on.
Calebaan shook his head. "Another name I've not heard of."
"Skyreach was the granddaughter of Faimcir Glitterwing."
Calebaan leaned forward, obviously interested. "Ah, now that name I've heard of. She was in charge of this vessel?"
"I found her logbook."
"Intact?"
Baylee nodded. He intended to tell them everything before it was over. But not at the moment. At the moment, he wanted to find Uziraff.
*****
Four hours later, they found what remained of Windchaser. The boat was a battered hulk listing in the water. Her sails and rigging rose and fell lifelessly on the ocean surface.
Baylee recognized the stress fractures running through the cog's mast and sides. The whales had returned to finish what they had started.
The captain of Tsunami Dancer put the ship to anchor cautiously, and had men up in the crow's nest to keep lookout. They organized a search for any survivors, but only found dead men in the swirled tangle of broken planking.
Baylee used the second potion he'd bought from the apothecary to search the ocean floor one hundred sixty feet below. He only found three dead men caught in the knotted length of the anchor line.
None of the treasure remained.
"What do we do now?" Cordyan asked as he climbed back aboard Tsunami Dancer. "The trail apparently ends here."
Baylee shook the water out of his eyes. "It doesn't," he said. "We'll pick it up again in Candlekeep."
"How do you figure that?" Calebaan asked.
Baylee took out the special bag from his bag of holding. "Uziraff didn't know
about this," he said grimly. He took out a piece of paper from his journal and scribbled a hasty note on it. He put the note into the bag, then closed it. When he opened it, the bag was empty.
"Where did it go?" Cordyan asked.
"Candlekeep?" Calebaan asked.
Baylee nodded. "I've got a friend at Candlekeep. Innesdav, an acolyte there, gave me this bag when I was still a teen traveling with Golsway. He took the time during one of my visits there to read some of the journals Golsway had instructed me to fill at certain sites I'd had interests in. Innesdav liked my writing, told me I had a keen eye for putting information down on paper in a way that allowed people to sense it for themselves. He said the bag was a gift, and that I should use it to send him my journals as I filled them, or special papers that I wanted him to see." He looked out at the stricken ship. "Uziraff didn't know about the logbook."
"And now the logbook's at Candlekeep?" Cthulad asked.
Baylee nodded. "Unless something went very wrong."
"Do you know what's in it?" Calebaan asked.
"Maps," the ranger replied. "It looked like Skyreach had written down the location of the lost library of Faimcir Glitterwing in her notes, but I didn't have time to study it further."
"Then your treasure chase is still on," Cordyan said.
Baylee nodded. "As soon as I get to Candlekeep. I'm not going to let it slip away. Golsway gave his life to get this far."
23
"Awe-inspiring, isn't it?" Baylee asked. He stood in the prow of Tsunami Dancer days later, looking up at the rocky volcanic crag where the citadel sat. Candlekeep boasted many towers that stabbed straight up at the blue sky.
"Yes," Cordyan answered. "I've only heard stories about it. I've never actually seen it before."
"Well, today you'll get a closer view of it," Baylee said, "than most everyone on Faerun. Provided Innesdav got my note." He peered at the dock at the bottom of the crag. The rock was volcanic and black, reaching down into the green of the Sea of Swords. It made it harder to see the group of acolytes gathered near the small docks in their black robes.
Calebaan came up beside them, clinging to the rigging as the ship sailed