toward me. “She won’t hurt you.”
I looked away from them both.
“Mukhtar,” said she, “why are you afraid? I have caused you no harm.”
I swung my head around so fast that I slammed my temple against the litter frame. “Then why did you throw sand in my eyes? And why I am tied here against my wishes, with a head that feels as if it could hatch an eagle?” With every word, I sprayed spittle from my mouth, hoping they would think me ready to have another fit. “Pelias, she has tried to kill me once already, and if you leave her alone with me, she will do it!”
Pelias wiped the spittle from his face and turned to the witch. “It would be better if you fetched Ulraunt.”
Ruha’s eyes grew narrow, and she studied me for a long time, and when she spoke, her voice was sharp with anger. “My spell did him no harm, Pelias. That dog has no cause to fear me!”
Pelias took her arm and led her a few steps away, but even with one bad ear and the rustle that filled my head, I knew what he whispered to hen “He needs no cause, Lady Witch. He’s mad.”
I felt her dusky eyes upon me and knew she was not entirely fooled by my pretense. Yet, neither did she understand what I was doing, and this made her as nervous as my words made her angry.
“As you wish, Pelias. I’ll go for the Keeper.” She made no pretense of whispering, but spoke loudly enough so I could hear. “But you mustn’t untie him. This beggar plays a bigger role than we understand. It is best to consider him as dangerous as Cyric.”
“As you wish, Lady Witch.” Pelias probed a pocket in his robe. “You will need this token to enter the Keeper’s Tower.”
“I have my own. That is where I am staying.”
With that, the witch left the chamber, making no mention of the vision in which she had seen me with a book. It was her custom to keep such things secret, for she had learned through unwelcome experience that most people would rather blame her visions for their trouble than thank her for warning them against it. Perhaps this stupidity is why the fear I feigned offended her so; this I cannot say, only that she was the first woman who ever took such an instant dislike to me.
After the door closed, I forced myself to count a hundred heartbeats. I was eager to begin my search, but I had to remain patient, lest my friend heed the witch’s warning. Nor did it calm me much that it was Pelias who guarded me, for my escape would bring an avalanche of troubles down upon his head. I would have been a better friend to let him go for the Keeper and have the witch take the blame, but Ruha was more than my match. If I was to have any chance of avoiding Kelemvor’s torments, Pelias would have to do me this one last service.
When I finished the count, I turned to Pelias. He sat upon the corner of the desk, watching me. The dagger I had given him was still tucked in the front of his sword belt.
I wrinkled my face to form a pitiful expression. “I am most uncomfortable, my friend. Won’t you please undo these straps?”
Pelias shook his head. “If Ulraunt finds you loose-“
“What do you care of Ulraunt, my dear friend? He has already decided to make your life here most unpleasant If you had any sense, you would leave and go home with me to Calimshan.”
“Calimshan?”
There was no danger in what I had said. Though several companies from Calimshan had been conspicuous during the siege, I knew Pelias would discount my words as the ramblings of a madman. This allowed me to soothe my conscience with a genuine offer of assistance. “I am a personal friend of the Caliph of Najron,” I boasted. “I could arrange a house for you, and fill it with women who suit your desires.”
At this, Pelias laughed. “I am a monk, Mukhtar. I have all I desire here in Candlekeep.”
“But not for long, I fear.”
“Ulraunt is not so petty as you think. He’s a wise man.”
“Perhaps, but wisdom is not kindness.”
Pelias’s answer came more slowly
I looked away from them both.
“Mukhtar,” said she, “why are you afraid? I have caused you no harm.”
I swung my head around so fast that I slammed my temple against the litter frame. “Then why did you throw sand in my eyes? And why I am tied here against my wishes, with a head that feels as if it could hatch an eagle?” With every word, I sprayed spittle from my mouth, hoping they would think me ready to have another fit. “Pelias, she has tried to kill me once already, and if you leave her alone with me, she will do it!”
Pelias wiped the spittle from his face and turned to the witch. “It would be better if you fetched Ulraunt.”
Ruha’s eyes grew narrow, and she studied me for a long time, and when she spoke, her voice was sharp with anger. “My spell did him no harm, Pelias. That dog has no cause to fear me!”
Pelias took her arm and led her a few steps away, but even with one bad ear and the rustle that filled my head, I knew what he whispered to hen “He needs no cause, Lady Witch. He’s mad.”
I felt her dusky eyes upon me and knew she was not entirely fooled by my pretense. Yet, neither did she understand what I was doing, and this made her as nervous as my words made her angry.
“As you wish, Pelias. I’ll go for the Keeper.” She made no pretense of whispering, but spoke loudly enough so I could hear. “But you mustn’t untie him. This beggar plays a bigger role than we understand. It is best to consider him as dangerous as Cyric.”
“As you wish, Lady Witch.” Pelias probed a pocket in his robe. “You will need this token to enter the Keeper’s Tower.”
“I have my own. That is where I am staying.”
With that, the witch left the chamber, making no mention of the vision in which she had seen me with a book. It was her custom to keep such things secret, for she had learned through unwelcome experience that most people would rather blame her visions for their trouble than thank her for warning them against it. Perhaps this stupidity is why the fear I feigned offended her so; this I cannot say, only that she was the first woman who ever took such an instant dislike to me.
After the door closed, I forced myself to count a hundred heartbeats. I was eager to begin my search, but I had to remain patient, lest my friend heed the witch’s warning. Nor did it calm me much that it was Pelias who guarded me, for my escape would bring an avalanche of troubles down upon his head. I would have been a better friend to let him go for the Keeper and have the witch take the blame, but Ruha was more than my match. If I was to have any chance of avoiding Kelemvor’s torments, Pelias would have to do me this one last service.
When I finished the count, I turned to Pelias. He sat upon the corner of the desk, watching me. The dagger I had given him was still tucked in the front of his sword belt.
I wrinkled my face to form a pitiful expression. “I am most uncomfortable, my friend. Won’t you please undo these straps?”
Pelias shook his head. “If Ulraunt finds you loose-“
“What do you care of Ulraunt, my dear friend? He has already decided to make your life here most unpleasant If you had any sense, you would leave and go home with me to Calimshan.”
“Calimshan?”
There was no danger in what I had said. Though several companies from Calimshan had been conspicuous during the siege, I knew Pelias would discount my words as the ramblings of a madman. This allowed me to soothe my conscience with a genuine offer of assistance. “I am a personal friend of the Caliph of Najron,” I boasted. “I could arrange a house for you, and fill it with women who suit your desires.”
At this, Pelias laughed. “I am a monk, Mukhtar. I have all I desire here in Candlekeep.”
“But not for long, I fear.”
“Ulraunt is not so petty as you think. He’s a wise man.”
“Perhaps, but wisdom is not kindness.”
Pelias’s answer came more slowly
Similar Books
