Elfshadow

"As you guessed earlier, we were being followed. I believe we've eluded pursuit, but I don't wish to risk making a fire while we're still so close to Evereska."

Danilo studied her, then as if he hadn't heard anything she'd just said, he repeated, "An elf. You're an elf. And your eyes aren't really green, after all."

He made the last observation in such a mournful tone that Arilyn blinked in surprise. "Is that going to be a problem?"

"No," he said slowly. "It's just that, well, I am highly partial to green. By Mystra, you're definitely not what you appeared to be at first glance."

"Who is?" she asked with asperity. She glanced at Danilo's waterlogged finery and added in an arch tone, "Except perhaps you."

"Thanks," he murmured absently.

Arilyn cast her eyes upward in disbelief. Still absorbed in his intent study of her, Danilo was oblivious to the insult.

"Wait! I've got it!" he crowed triumphantly, jabbing a finger in Arilyn's direction. "I knew you looked familiar. You're the person that the oaf in the bar was seeking. Ariel Moonsomething, right?"

So he wasn't a complete fool. "Close enough," she admitted grudgingly. She rose, feeling a need to walk about.

"How interesting! So what's your story?" Danilo asked, settling comfortably down for the evening's entertainment. He lay on his side, crossing his ankles and propping himself up on one elbow. Arilyn cast him a dismissing look and walked to the fireplace.

"No, leave it alone," he insisted, as Arilyn began to poke at the burning logs with a stick. "We're both wet and cold, and the fire will do us good. Just forget about it and sit down." He noisily patted the straw beside him in invitation. "Come on. Relax. You had them moonswaggled back at the i

"I told you, I'm not worried about him," she said.

"If not him, who? We are being followed, you said."

"Were," she stressed, looking over her shoulder at him with a quelling glance.

Danilo Tha

Arilyn turned away, ignoring his friendly sarcasm.

"Look," Danilo said to the back of her head, "since I'm along for the ride, so to speak, don't you think I should have some idea who or what I'm up against? And where we're going, for that matter?"

Why not? Arilyn thought. Maybe the truth would frighten him into holding his tongue. She sank down in the straw beside Danilo, drawing her knees up tight against her chest.

"All right, then, here it is. Since you seem to be current on most of the gossip in the area, you may have heard that someone is systematically assassinating Harpers."

"Ghastly business," Danilo said with a shudder. His eyes widened. "Oh gods. I'm not sure I like where this is leading. You're saying that the Harper Assassin is after you?"

"You're sharper than you appear," she said dryly.

"Thank you, but how do you know? About the assassin, I mean."

Arilyn shrugged, trying to appear matter-of-fact. "For some time now, I've been followed everywhere I go. Several of my friends have been killed. I was usually nearby when it happened."

"Oh, my dear. How awful for you."

The genuine warmth and concern in the young noble's voice temporarily disconcerted Arilyn. Her eyes flew to the fire, and she stared fixedly into the magically conjured flames that had ignited such bitter memories. At the moment anything was better than meeting Danilo Tha

"I regret involving you in this," she murmured. "Believe me, I had not pla

"So far, no problem," he replied, cheerfully accepting her apology. "Anyway, it's a rare honor for a humble fashion plate such as myself to be of service to the Harpers. You are one of them, I take it?"

"No," she said slowly. "I'm no Harper."

"Oh? Then why is the Harper Assassin after you?"

"I work for the Harpers on occasion."

"Ah. And what is it that you do?" Danilo drawled, eyeing her and waggling his eyebrows in a broad parody of a leer.

Arilyn glared at him, and he gri

"I am an assassin," she intoned in a threatening voice.

A droll expression crossed Danilo's face. "Do tell. And you've got some lakefront property in the Anauroch Desert to sell me as well, I suppose?"

Arilyn gri

Her gibe went over Danilo's head with a foot to spare. He waved away her comment. "No, no, it's not that. I could buy you as an assassin, although I imagine you're prettier than most. It's just that, well, since when do Harpers have people assassinated?"

"They don't," she admitted. "I haven't done that sort of work for years, and never in the employ of the Harpers. Now I recover lost items, lead quick-strike parties, guard travelers. I'm a ranger, spy, or sell-sword as the need arises."

Danilo rolled onto his stomach and propped up his chin with his hands. "Your versatility is astounding, but for my own peace of mind, let's get back to this assassin thing. Do you-oops! excuse me-did you really sneak up on people and kill them?"

Arilyn's chin lifted. "No, never. I challenged armed and capable fighters and overcame them in single combat."

"I see." Danilo nodded knowingly. "No wonder the Harper Assassin is after you." She raised her eyebrows in inquiry, and he gri

A bubble of laughter welled up in Arilyn, but she held it under control. "I never actually belonged to the Assassin's Guild."

"You see? There's yet another motive. They want to collect their back guild fees out of your estate."

Arilyn finally succumbed to a chuckle. "I'm not sure the Assassin's Guild would want to claim me as a member."

"Really. There is a tale here, perhaps?"

She shrugged. "Not really. Very early in my career, 'assassin' became a sort of nickname. If someone crossed swords with me, they died," she said simply, in answer to Danilo's inquiring look.

"Hmmm. I'll bear that in mind. And then?"

"The name stuck. In time I was truly considered an assassin, and I began to think of myself as one, albeit an honorable assassin. For years I was an independent adventurer, hired to fight and therefore to kill."

"That sounds like an assassin to me," Danilo murmured.

"Yes, but never did I fight one who was unarmed, never did I shed i

"You know that for a fact, do you? It must be nice to be so confident of one's judgment," he said, a little wistfully.

"For good or ill, I do not have to rely upon my judgment," she said. Even to her own ears, her voice sounded a little bitter. She lay her hand on the sword at her side. "The sword I carry ca

"What happened?" Danilo encouraged her.

A small smile tightened Arilyn's lips. "My sword arm went numb, and the moonblade dropped from my hand. Tintagel took the opportunity to beat me senseless."

"That's terrible!"