Thornhold - Elaine Cunningham [83]
“The hell we do. Get out of my shop.”
Ebenezer came to stand beside her, and the expression on his bearded face suggested an entire battalion taking flank position. He folded his arms and looked Bronwyn’s visitor up and down. He snorted when his gaze fell on Danilo’s jeweled sword. When his scrutiny was completed, his upper lip curled, leaving no doubt concerning his opinion of the faired-haired dandy. “Haven’t killed anyone today,” he announced. “Might be I ought to, just to keep in practice.”
“Hold that thought,” Bronwyn told him, secretly rather touched that the dwarf would come to her defense without question or hesitation. It helped a little, especially when all her perceptions and alliances seemed to be shifting, and her emotions in such chaos that she couldn’t think things through with her usual clarity.
But at that moment, another disturbing piece molded itself into the spreading puzzle. It suddenly occurred to Bronwyn to wonder about the reason for the Harpers’ recent, intense interest in her. Did Khelben suspect the Zhentarim had designs on her father’s keep? If the Harpers had known and had done nothing to stop it, then she was finished with the lot of them!
She whirled back to Danilo, her pain over his earlier transgression forgotten. “How much of this did you know?”
He spread his hands, palms up. “I swear to you, Bronwyn, I had no idea who you were when we met in Amn,” he said earnestly, “nor did I know of your lineage until a few days ago. There was no subterfuge or design in our friendship. We were young and congenial. When I vouched for you as Harper many months later, I did name your distinguishing marks. Such things are important for a Harper Master to know, and when Khelben asked the question I thought nothing amiss. I told him, but I made no mention of how this knowledge was acquired.”
“Ever the gentleman,” she sneered. “But that’s a small thing. A few moments ago, I wouldn’t have thought so. This new betrayal outshines all that went before.”
This clearly took him aback. “What is this about?”
“You deny it still!” Furious now, she snatched up a carved ivory statue and hurled it at him. It missed and crashed into the lintel, breaking into several pieces. “You killed my father! If you hadn’t withheld information, he might still be alive.”
Bronwyn was raving and knew it, but she was beyond caring. The bitter words tore from her like living things determined to be born, regardless of the pain of their birthing.
Danilo stooped and gathered up the ivory bits; Bronwyn suspected he wished to buy time to gather his composure and shape his next remarks. But when he rose, his face was still bewildered. “Bronwyn, what is going on?”
“Tell me this: did you know that Thornhold would come under attack?”
Danilo looked honestly and thoroughly stunned by this news. He sank down to sit on a carved chest, and he rubbed both hands over his face. “Thornhold was attacked?” he echoed.
“And taken,” she said shortly.
From the corner of her eye Bronwyn noticed that Shop-scat was showing keen interest in her visitor’s ear-cuff and was starting to edge closer for the attack. Out of habit, she started to grab for the raven-then thought better of it and left the bird alone to do as it willed.
“The fortress of Thornbold is now held by the Zhentarim,” she said, her voice gaining volume and passion as she spoke. “Isn’t that why Khelben Arunsun was so concerned about my dealings with Malchior? He was afraid I might give away family secrets, is that it? Or perhaps you thought I was in collusion with the Zhentarim?”
“Not that. Never that.” Danilo rose and took a step toward her. His progress was halted when a very angry dwarf stepped between him and Bronwyn.
“Back away,” Ebenezer growled. He reached up and thumped the Harper’s chest with his stubby forefinger. “Seems to me the lady of this here shop told you a ways back to git. And you ain’t got yet. Now, I see a problem there that we could solve one of two ways.”
The Harper took a long breath and exhaled with