sahuagin once, remember?”
“Ugh, I remember,” said Dania, one hand moving to her belly. “I’d still have scars to show if it weren’t for Maija’s healing.”
“You’d be dead if it weren’t for Maija’s healing,” Mathas said. “That trident went in deep. And stomach wounds kill—they just do it slowly.”
“And painfully,” Dania added. She turned to Auftane. “That reminds me, Auftane. Do you have some means to heal wounds?”
Auftane smiled and produced three wands from a pouch at his belt, holding them up for Dania’s inspection. “This one will take care of minor cuts and scrapes. This one is good for more serious injuries. And this one will bring you back from death’s door.” He stuffed the wands back in the pouch. “With a little time and a lot of money, I could make a scroll that would bring you back from the Realm of the Dead. But let’s hope there’s no call for that!”
Janik scowled as he hurried up the dock to the street to find a messenger.
“Where’s he going?” came a voice from the deck abovethem. The captain, Avaen d’Lyrandar, was leaning over the bulwark and watching Janik as he disappeared into the crowds. “I thought we were leaving!”
“A momentary delay,” Dania called to him. “We’ll come aboard now, if you’re ready for us.”
“We’re ready! Come aboard!”
Mathas and Auftane followed Dania up the gangplank. At the top, the captain offered them each a hand to steady them onto the gently rocking deck, though he held Dania’s hand somewhat longer than necessary.
“Thank you, Captain,” Auftane said with a small bow when he was firmly planted on the deck. “We appreciate your gracious hospitality.”
“As well as your willingness to make sail on such short notice,” Mathas added.
“House Lyrandar exists to serve the people of Khorvaire,” Avaen said with a bow. “Allow me to show you your quarters.”
Avaen led them aft and down a few stairs to a pair of cabins below the poop deck.
“Master Allister assured me that two cabins would be sufficient for the four of you,” the captain said with some hesitation.
“Mathas and I are quite used to sharing rooms,” Dania said. She peered in both cabins, then walked into the one on the starboard side.
“She thinks because I’m eight times her age that I pose little threat,” the elf said, winking at the captain before following Dania into the cabin.
“I suppose that leaves me and Janik to get better acquainted over here,” Auftane said.
“I will make the final preparations, and we can weighanchor as soon as Master Martell returns,” Avaen said. He left them to settle in.
Auftane dropped his pack in the port cabin, then stood in the doorway of the opposite room. Mathas sat on the edge of his bunk as Dania paced the small cabin, anxious to get under way.
“So whose boots am I here to fill?” Auftane asked. “There was a cleric with you before?”
“That’s right,” Mathas said. “Maija Olarin.” “She’s dead?”
“Not exactly,” Dania answered. “She betrayed us to an old enemy.”
“Krael? The one who took the ship we were supposed to sail on?”
“Precisely,” Mathas said.
“And Maija was Janik’s wife? Or lover?”
“Yes,” Mathas replied. “He’s still quite bitter about the experience.”
“That’s understandable. How long has it been?”
“Three years,” Dania said. “He and Mathas haven’t seen Maija or Krael since.”
“But you have?”
“I saw them both in Karrnath last year.” Dania scowled. “At the time I didn’t know what they were up to, but I know that Maija had a stink of evil on her that went far beyond normal human corruption.”
“What does that suggest, Dania?” Mathas asked.
“Probably that she has given herself over to one of the Dark Six.”
Shouts from the crew indicated that the ship was about to sail, and Auftane turned in the doorway to see Janik thumping down the steps.
“Are we ready to leave?” Auftane
“Ugh, I remember,” said Dania, one hand moving to her belly. “I’d still have scars to show if it weren’t for Maija’s healing.”
“You’d be dead if it weren’t for Maija’s healing,” Mathas said. “That trident went in deep. And stomach wounds kill—they just do it slowly.”
“And painfully,” Dania added. She turned to Auftane. “That reminds me, Auftane. Do you have some means to heal wounds?”
Auftane smiled and produced three wands from a pouch at his belt, holding them up for Dania’s inspection. “This one will take care of minor cuts and scrapes. This one is good for more serious injuries. And this one will bring you back from death’s door.” He stuffed the wands back in the pouch. “With a little time and a lot of money, I could make a scroll that would bring you back from the Realm of the Dead. But let’s hope there’s no call for that!”
Janik scowled as he hurried up the dock to the street to find a messenger.
“Where’s he going?” came a voice from the deck abovethem. The captain, Avaen d’Lyrandar, was leaning over the bulwark and watching Janik as he disappeared into the crowds. “I thought we were leaving!”
“A momentary delay,” Dania called to him. “We’ll come aboard now, if you’re ready for us.”
“We’re ready! Come aboard!”
Mathas and Auftane followed Dania up the gangplank. At the top, the captain offered them each a hand to steady them onto the gently rocking deck, though he held Dania’s hand somewhat longer than necessary.
“Thank you, Captain,” Auftane said with a small bow when he was firmly planted on the deck. “We appreciate your gracious hospitality.”
“As well as your willingness to make sail on such short notice,” Mathas added.
“House Lyrandar exists to serve the people of Khorvaire,” Avaen said with a bow. “Allow me to show you your quarters.”
Avaen led them aft and down a few stairs to a pair of cabins below the poop deck.
“Master Allister assured me that two cabins would be sufficient for the four of you,” the captain said with some hesitation.
“Mathas and I are quite used to sharing rooms,” Dania said. She peered in both cabins, then walked into the one on the starboard side.
“She thinks because I’m eight times her age that I pose little threat,” the elf said, winking at the captain before following Dania into the cabin.
“I suppose that leaves me and Janik to get better acquainted over here,” Auftane said.
“I will make the final preparations, and we can weighanchor as soon as Master Martell returns,” Avaen said. He left them to settle in.
Auftane dropped his pack in the port cabin, then stood in the doorway of the opposite room. Mathas sat on the edge of his bunk as Dania paced the small cabin, anxious to get under way.
“So whose boots am I here to fill?” Auftane asked. “There was a cleric with you before?”
“That’s right,” Mathas said. “Maija Olarin.” “She’s dead?”
“Not exactly,” Dania answered. “She betrayed us to an old enemy.”
“Krael? The one who took the ship we were supposed to sail on?”
“Precisely,” Mathas said.
“And Maija was Janik’s wife? Or lover?”
“Yes,” Mathas replied. “He’s still quite bitter about the experience.”
“That’s understandable. How long has it been?”
“Three years,” Dania said. “He and Mathas haven’t seen Maija or Krael since.”
“But you have?”
“I saw them both in Karrnath last year.” Dania scowled. “At the time I didn’t know what they were up to, but I know that Maija had a stink of evil on her that went far beyond normal human corruption.”
“What does that suggest, Dania?” Mathas asked.
“Probably that she has given herself over to one of the Dark Six.”
Shouts from the crew indicated that the ship was about to sail, and Auftane turned in the doorway to see Janik thumping down the steps.
“Are we ready to leave?” Auftane
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