The Howling Delve (25 page)

Meisha stepped around Talal to see at a better angle and realized the piles were arranged in tidy rows. A group of men with shovels scooped rocks onto a high mound at the back of the chamber.

“They’re graves,” Meisha said, counting the fallen and coming up with the exact number—plus one—of refugees Talal said had died in the Delve. Her gaze returned to the fresh stone pile.

Talal followed her eyes. “Like it? One of em’s yours. We dug it the night I brought you in,” he explained, and had the good grace to look sheepish. “You know—just in case. After you mended, we kept it for when they came back. Oh”—he kicked

off her boots and held them out—”you can have these back. Don’t fit me anyway.”

“They believed I was dead?” Meisha asked, suspicious. “On sight of a grave alone?”

Talal exchanged grinning gazes with the circle of digging men. One of the men winked at Meisha. “Not at first,” the man replied. “But Talal told em we’d dig you up, ‘yes sir, right away sir—it’ll only take a few days with these little stick shovels you give us, sir.’ ” The digger laughed heartily. Ś

“So we started in,” Talal said, frowning as he fingered the newly naked skin behind his ear. “We actually dug up Shirva. Aazen left with half the men and the latest shipment when we started digging, and Balram didn’t linger to look beyond that she was female and recently dead. It’s just like before,” he said, looking at Meisha. “Balram hates the Delve, everything about it makes him twitchy. It was all he could do to be down here smelling us.”

“Bloody cowards,” another man said. He spat on the ground.

Meisha smiled at Talal. “You have my thanks,” she said. “You’ve saved my life twice now.”

The boy jerked his shoulders, but he was blushing fiercely. “Nothing to it, Lady. You get us out of here, Tymora puts us in balance.” He added quickly, “The bitch.”

“We have to talk about that,” Meisha said, looking at the gathered men. “Get everyone together, if you will. We can’t wait for Kali to find the portal. We have to try to escape on our own, and the only way out is through the Shadow Thieves.” There was restless murmuring among the men, but Meisha ignored them. “According to Talal’s brother, at least one of them has the key to activate the portal. We’re going to take it from the next party that comes through the door.”

Eyebrows soared around the circle of diggers, but Talal grinned, slapping an arm around Meisha’s neck. “What’d I tell you, boys? She’s going death-seeking again. That’s our Meisha.”

When the diggets had dispersed back to the warrens, Meisha pulled Talal aside. “I need to know about Shitva Tarlarin,” she said.

Talal looked surprised. “What about het?”

“Do you know which of Varan’s items she touched that set him off? Was anything found near her body?”

Talal thought for a moment. His eyes clouded. “She had one of his strings,” he said finally. “From his neck sack.”

“His neck pouch?” Meisha asked. She hadn’t expected that. Then she temembered the rings. She’d put the apprentices’ rings back in Vatan’s pouch at the same time she’d been handling the sphere, just before Varan attacked her. Had Shirva Tarlarin touched the pouch too? “Is that why he killed her?” she wondered aloud.

“Don’t know, but the string was wrapped around what was left of het fingers. I think he”—the boy swallowed—”near as we could tell, he bit some of her fingers off taking it back.”

A mental picture of Varan attacking a woman with only his teeth made Meisha lightheaded. She felt Talal steady her with a hand to het waist. “Why would he do it?” she asked. “He keeps nothing of great magic in there. What is he hiding?”

Keczulla, Amn

5 Marpenoth, the Year of Lightning Storms (1374 DR)

Cesira stood in the ruined tower, watching through one of the arched windows as Dantane, Morgan, and Laerin rode toward the estate.

Kail came to stand behind the druid. He lifted a hand as if to touch het long hair, but her tresses stirred in the wind, blowing out of his grasp.

You never asked me, Cesira said, turning to face him. You didn’t ask me to stay behind.

“I was afraid you’d say I was a damn fool,” Kail said with a laugh. “I thought I’d try an indirect approach to get you to do my bidding.”

As if you’ve ever had a problem convincing me of anything. And you’ve always been a damn fool. Getting some years on you doesn’t change anything, she said. Why do you want me to stay here? Even my charms—though considerable, I grant you—won’t be enough to save Morel’s name. Amn has seen through all our pretenses.

“It isn’t for that,” said Kail, frowning. “Don’t you think I would rather have you at my back down that snake hole than Dantane? Now which of us is the fool?”

Then why?

“Because Balram won’t stop us from entering the portal. He’ll find out about it, and he may put up a token resistance, but he wants us to get in. And once we’re inside, he’ll come in after us and bring all manner of Hells down on our heads. He’ll want to kill us all underground, where no one will see, then go about his business.”

Cesira laughed shortly. You fill me with such confidence, my lord. I may faint from it, she said.

Kail shook his head. “I’m not worried about a fight with Balram in the Delve. But if he tries to seal us in, if Garavin’s plan to get the refugees out fails, we need someone on this side who can blow that sealed entrance apart. You’re the only one I trust, and the last person I ever wanted to ask to do this.” He took her hand, folding her fingers around a small emerald.

Cesira looked at him questioningly. He showed her his sword. It rode at his hip as always, but the emerald in the pommel had gone. When Garavin took his gem down into the Delve, she could use her magic on the link between them to locate the hidden entrance, bypassing any concealing magic laid on the tunnel.

“Take rooms at an inn somewhere in the better districts,” said Kail. “Garavin will use his stone to call you, if something happens.” He grinned lopsidedly. “Believe me, if something goes wrong, we will call. I’m not too proud to ask for a rescue if I can’t dig myself out of a hole.”

But Cesira frowned, refusing to be distracted by the jest. Take rooms at an inn? Why would you ever think I would agree to hide, Kali? What are you protecting me from?

Kail hesitated. “This house won’t be safe. When Balram finds out who’s coming after him, he may send men here.”

And?

“And if he does, they’ll be out to destroy whatever is left of Morel. No loose ends this time. Balram won’t allow it.”

Then I hope he won’t be too disappointed to find the lady of the house here to greet him.

Kail’s eyes narrowed. His lips moved, but no sound came

out. What was that, my lord? Cesira asked teasingly. lam the one who lacks speech, remember?

Kail put his hands on her shoulders and squeezed, fighting the temptation to throttle her. “I said, you’re a stubborn, arrogant wench.”

And you’re a blind pig’s arse, Cesira threw back, if you think I’m running away to hide.

“I can’t have him get to you.” Kail tried to steady his voice. “I won’t let it happen.”

Kali… Her anger gone, she seemed as much at a loss as

he.

If anything happened to her, Kail realized, it would be the end of everything. He’d begun to build a new life the night he’d been hurtled through the pottal to Garavin’s camp. Now the ashes of his old life threatened to destroy everything he’d come to cherish.

Kail stepped back, kneeling before Cesira. He lifted a hand toward her. “Come here. I want to show you something.”

Hesitantly, Cesira placed her hand in his palm. His fingers wrapped securely around hers. He guided her to the floor, splaying her hand beneath his against the tough wood. “Do you feel that—that catch?” he asked.

Cesita nodded and pressed. The false floor slid back to reveal a slender nook, no wider than theit two arms but just as long. Arrows filled the pocket. Dust covered their fletching, but the points were still shaip enough to kill.

“My father feared attackers from every direction, even before Balram’s magic took his mind,” said Kali. He felt calmer now, and oddly detached as he spoke of the past. “He had dozens of these caches hidden throughout the estate. I don’t think I’ve managed to find them all, but there are weapons and traps— some of them wickedly ingenious. I’ve written the locations down, along with instructions for how to set the traps. Morgan and Laerin were very helpful in that area, as I’m sure you can imagine. You’ll want to go through everything step by step so you can remember where they are without looking fot them.”

Cesira watched his face as he spoke. You knew I would insist on staying, she said. “Yes.”

The druid forced a smile. Perhaps, she said, after all this is over, you’ll return to Mir with me? Unless, after you pull off your heroic rescue, Meisha decides to make you a Harper.

Kail groaned, a little of his old humor returning. “Gods forbid. Being a merchant was difficult enough.”

“Ye don’t need to be harping, anyway,” echoed Garavin’s voice from the stairwell. He appeared at the door, grinning. Morgan, Laerin, and Dantane trailed behind in the stairwell. “I’ve seen ye dig, and that’s fine enough work for any man.”

“I didn’t think I’d ever be able to stand upright again, after that first day,” Kail said with a mock wince.

“Ah, well, that was all part of my plan. Bent over, ye could hear me better. Young people are too tall for their own good— makes it harder for them to listen.”

Did you find what you needed? Cesira asked the dwarf.

“Aye, but it came at a high price.” He wagged a finger at Kail. “This little adventure had better hold my interest, young one,” he warned.

“Trust me,” said Kail, clapping the dwarf on the shoulder. “If Meisha’s message is any indication, it’s long past time the Delve’s secrets were brought to light. Dumathoin will approve.”

“And Abbathor’s fury will be unleashed,” said Garavin.

“What do you mean?” asked Dantane.

“Meisha’s Howling Delve is named for a dozen or so dwarf venturers who fell to the sway of the god Abbathor,” said Garavin. “The Howlings worshipped Dumathoin first, but greed corrupted them. They were banished from their clan and went into exile.”

“Into the Delve,” said Kali, “and into business with Amn. According to Dantane’s information, the ancestors of the current Bladesmiles made a substantial and secret fortune buying magic weapons and item components from the Howlings. They made

the exchanges through a portal that connected the Bladesmile estate with the Delve.”

“Until the day the portal went dark on dwarf heels and never lit again,” said Dantane. “The Howlings disappeared and so did the supply of magic. Subsequent Bladesmile generations locked away the portal and removed its keys. If they couldn’t make money off it, they didn’t want their name associated with arcane magic. Except now the portal’s been reactivated.”

“By the Shadow Thieves,” Kail said, “in a quiet, no-questions-asked arrangement with the Bladesmiles.” He looked at Garavin. “We hoped you could tell us what this ‘beast’ is.”

“I couldn’t say, but Abbathor and Dumathoin have long been enemies. One is forever trying to draw faithful away from the other. Abbathor won a plump victory with The Howlings, yet this ghost ye spoke of wore Dumathoin’s symbol—with the gem sundered from the mountain. I’m suspecting the two gods are still at war over the Howlings. It could be on account of the beast the sorcerous lass hinted at—a prize for Abbathor, surely, and a secret Dumathoin wants bound to the earth. When we go down there, we’ll be caught in the middle of the fight.”

“Standing between two dwarf gods is not the most appealing place to be,” Kail conceded.

“While we’re speaking of that,” Garavin said, “have ye given any thought to what ye’ll do when ye encounter yer friend?”

“I don’t know.” Kail had avoided thinking about what he would do if Aazen came down into the Delve after him.

If he’s made his choice, Cesira put in, You won’t dissuade him, not after he’s spent so long under Balram’s hand. He won’t be the friend you remember.

Come with me! Kali remembered shouting, in vain. He had escaped and was given a new life with comrades to walk beside him and to protect him when needed it, because they counted him as a friend. Aazen had had nothing but pain.

Kali couldn’t forget that ultimately, without Aazen’s help, he never would have had the chance at the life he enjoyed now. Balram would have killed him before it all began, if

not for Aazen. Kail would never know how much that small bettayal cost his childhood friend, but he’d seen the scars on the boy as early as seven years old. He knew Balram’s fury was immeasurable.

“He gave me a chance,” Kail decided. “I’ll give him the same.”

Gatavin nodded, and something that might have been approval lit his eyes.

Is the magic Rays gave you sound? asked Cesita, changing the subject.

“According to Dantane, it is,” replied Kali. He held up a large bloodstone, deeply green in color with red flecks. Rays’s item, bought at a high price, would transport them to a similar gem located in the portal room at the Bladesmile estate. All they had to do was take care of whatever guards weren’t drawn away by Rays’s distraction and get the portal key.

“Once we’re in, the Shadow Thieves’ll be nipping at our heels.” Garavin turned his maul over in his hands. “We’ll have to be hoping we’re not strolling into a maze to find yet friend.”

“Then it’s fortunate we have the Sword Coast’s foremost expert on caves and tunnels in our party,” said Kail, grinning.

“Ah, the flattety of the very young and foolhardy knows no bounds,” Garavin sighed. “Here I thought ye brought me along for me battle prowess.”

“We’ll be needing lots of that too.” Kali placed the bloodstone on the floor in the center of the tower. “Dantane, you and I are first,” Kail reminded the wizard. “Light spell ready, in case we’re headed into the dark?”

“Yes,” the wizard replied. Kail hesitated. “Slaying spell ready, in case we’re headed into ceitain doom?” he asked hopefully.

Dantane made a gesture that had Laerin clucking his tongue. “Get on with it,” the wizatd snapped. Kali put his hand on the gem, leaving room for Dantane to do the same. “The rest of you, wait for a moment, then follow.” He looked at each of them in turn, his gaze resting last and lingering on