The Queen of Stone_ Thorn of Breland - Keith Baker [70]
“I can examine him,” Toli said. He might not be an adept of House Jorasco, but Thorn had seen Toli’s talents when he bound his own wound in the Duurwood.
“Then I think we’d best retire,” Beren said. “I’m trusting you to represent Breland at dinner, Thorn. This is a time for charm, and I don’t have that in me.”
The evening meal was interminable. The medusa Sheshka was notably absent, and Thorn yearned to set her mission in motion, to match wits with the medusa queen. But Beren’s orders were equally important. She might be a Lantern, but she was also an agent of Breland—and at the moment, her country needed her charisma as well as her blade. And so she laughed with the gnomes over the soup, discussed the aerial races of Sharn with the ambassador from the Mror Holds while enjoying a course of braised boar, and heard about the troubles with the Q’barran lizardfolk while considering the dessert.
Sora Katra chose not to make an appearance that evening, and Drul Kantar was the master of ceremonies. He moved from table to table, talking with envoys about the issues raised at the final debate. The oni paused at Thorn’s table, where she was talking with the Q’barrans. “Is Lord Beren in need of assistance?” he asked.
“He slept poorly last night,” Thorn said. “All he needs is rest.”
“Good advice.” Drul smiled, revealing his tusks and pointed teeth. He was still wearing his robe of stars and necklace of moons, and the crystal spheres seemed to pull in the light. “I fear the people of the east have no stomach for the ale of Droaam. Perhaps we went too far with last night’s festivities.”
It was as good an explanation as any, for Beren wasn’t alone in his absence; a number of delegates and their guards were missing from the hall. Drul chuckled, and there was something about his tone that bothered Thorn.
“What’s funny?”
“Tonight is a special night for the people of Droaam, Lady Tam. The Midnight Dawn.”
Right—the convergence of the moons. Hence, the necklace. “And?”
“The celebration on the streets of the Crag this evening will outshine last night’s gathering as a full moon does the new moon. I was simply imagining how you easterners might take to the celebration of the Midnight Dawn, if you couldn’t even stomach our welcome.” He placed a hand on her shoulder and smiled again. “Please, Lady Tam, I meant no disrespect. I hope that we will someday share a meal in the palace at Wroat. Then you can show me how the Brelish enjoy themselves.”
“Let us hope so, Drul Kantar. And with that in mind, I think it’s time for me to take my leave,” Thorn said, rising from the table. She smiled at the Q’barran delegation and curtsied to the oni. “Good night to you all.”
Drul Kantar assigned a guardian ogre to escort her back to the Brelish dormitories. Walking alone through the corridors with the massive brute brought back unpleasant memories of the previous night, but this creature was peaceful enough; he was simply slow and ponderous, perhaps frustrated that he should be shepherding a little half-elf when he could be dancing beneath the moons. Thorn had to restrain the urge to run ahead of him, but eventually she was back in her chamber and alone.
“Sunset?” she said, drawing Steel.
You are not being observed through magical means.
A smile spread across Thorn’s face. “Then let’s prepare for our audience with the queen.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
The Great Crag
Droaam
Eyre 19, 998 YK
Thorn spread her tools out on the bed. If everything went as planned, she’d be leaving the Great Crag tonight in the company of Harryn Stormblade. She had to take everything she’d need with her, but she wanted to leave enough behind for her disappearance to seem truly mysterious. As they’d been warned many times, the Great Crag was a dangerous place. Thorn wanted her hosts to believe that she’d wandered off the path and fallen prey to one of the lurking threats. So she was leaving behind a locket with images of someone’s family,