Elfshadow

She watched the stranger for some time, but he did nothing to arouse suspicion. Apparently content to sit in the shadows and listen to the bard, he attended to his di

I'm seeing danger in every corner, she chided herself. Soon I'll be checking under the bed for ogres, like some frightened child. I need rest, and badly. At that moment, a yawn escaped her, stopping the recently renewed verbal match between Danilo and Elaith Craulnobur in mid-pleasantry.

"It has been a long journey," she apologized.

Elaith raised a hand. "Say no more. It was inconsiderate of me to keep you so long. As an apology, perhaps you would allow me to settle with the i

"Thank you," Arilyn said, again kicking Danilo under the table to keep him from arguing the point.

"We will meet again, I hope?" pressed Elaith.

"Yes," she said simply. She inclined her head and spread both hands in the formal leave-taking gesture between elves. Taking Danilo by the arm, she dragged him away before he could start up again.

"So, where is this room?" she demanded in a resigned tone.

Danilo led her to a small staircase in the rear of the tavern. "It's not best chamber in the i

"As long as it has a bed," she mumbled, almost numb with weariness.

"Fu

Elaith watched them go. He speculated, shrugged, then rose to leave. He briefly considered tossing some coins on the table to pay for the meal, then decided against it. Why should he bother? Skipping out on a tavern bill was the sort of thing people expected of him.

For good measure, he picked up the half-full decanter of elven spirits, firmly stoppered it, and openly tucked it into his belt. The decanter alone was probably worth more than the i

With a casual nod to the i

The rain had stopped, and the wind whipped the elf's black cloak around his legs as he strode toward the stable. He claimed his horse and mounted, riding swiftly westward toward the Way of the Dragon. There was a stone townhouse there, a particularly fine building fashioned of black granite. Tall, narrow, and elegant, the house was located on the main road between the South Ward and the Dock Ward.

Blackstone House, as it was called, was one of many properties the elf owned in Waterdeep. Elaith used the house infrequently. It was too stark and angular for his taste, but it was ideally equipped for the evening's purposes. He dismounted at the gate of the iron fence that surrounded the property and flung the reins to the young servant who ran out to greet him.

Elaith nodded to the house servants-a pair of highly trusted moon elves-as he entered, then he sprinted up a winding spiral staircase to the chamber in the topmost floor. He shut the door, sealing it magically against any possible interruption.

The room was dark and empty save for a single pedestal. Removing a silk cloth, Elaith revealed a dark crystal globe that floated in the air several inches above the pedestal. He passed a hand over the smooth surface of the crystal, murmuring a string of arcane syllables. The globe began to shine, dimly at first, and dark mists swirled in its depths. Gradually the light increased, filling the room as the image came into focus.

"Greetings, Lord Nimesin," Elaith said to the image, voicing the title with gentle irony.

"It is late. What do you want, gray elf?" the haughty voice demanded, speaking the word "gray" with the subtle inflection that transformed it from the Common term for a color into the Elvish word meaning "dross." Into that one word was distilled the opinion that moon elves were no more than the waste product formed from the long-ago forging of the golden high elves.

Elaith smiled, ignoring the deadly insult. He could afford to be tolerant tonight. "You always pay a good price for information. I have some to impart that you should find most interesting."

"Well?"

"I met Arilyn Moonblade this evening. She is staying in Waterdeep, at the House of Good Spirits," Elaith began. "She is very beautiful and strangely familiar."

"What?" The gold elf's face was livid. "I told you to keep away from her."

"It was a chance meeting," Elaith said smoothly. "Under the circumstances, I could hardly avoid her."

"I won't have her associated with such as you!" Kymil spat out. "I won't have her reputation tainted."

"Oh, come now," Elaith chided him. "Tainted? Gifted she may be, beautiful she certainly is, but there is no denying that Arilyn Moonblade is thought by many to be an assassin."

"She was an assassin."

"Have it your way. Oh, yes. She has a companion, a particularly foolish whelp of one of the Waterdhavian noblemen. Danilo Tha

"Yes, yes," Kymil Nimesin said impatiently. "I know all this already."

Elaith continued, undisturbed by the interruption. "But appearances, as we both know so well, can be deceiving. The etriel's companion, I'm convinced, is something more than the fool he appears to be. Were you aware that Danilo Tha

"Blackstaff's nephew?" For the first time, Kymil's face showed a flicker of interest. Just as quickly, the interest was gone. "What of it?"

"Perhaps nothing," Elaith allowed. "But Arilyn Moonblade is reputed to be skilled at concealing her identity and purpose. Is it inconceivable that her companion is similarly gifted?"

The face in the globe twisted in a

"But he is Blackstaff's nephew."

"So you've said. I see no significance."

"He is well placed and more clever than he pretends to be," Elaith said. "Given her background, surely the Harpers suspect Arilyn of the recent spate of murders. Perhaps this Tha

"Ha!" Kymil broke in scornfully. "Danilo Tha

"Perhaps not, but if he were, wouldn't it be amusing if he were to fall victim to the Harper Assassin?"

"You have a peculiar sense of humor."

"Yes, so I've been told," Elaith agreed. "Now, what about Danilo Tha

"If you want the fool dead, see to it. One human more or less is of no consequence to me."

The face in the globe began to fade into mist. "I also saw Bran Skorlsun," said Elaith casually.

Instantly the image snapped into sharp focus. "Yes, I thought that might get your attention," Elaith murmured, a malicious glint lighting his amber eyes. "Imagine my surprise to see our mutual friend again after all these years. Of course, I did not recognize him at first. Humans can age appallingly in-what has it been? Almost forty years?"

Kymil brushed aside the question. "Bran Skorlsun was there? At the House of Good Spirits?"

"Fascinating coincidence, wouldn't you say?" Elaith said casually.

Lost in thought, Kymil again failed to comment. After a pause, he said, "You did well to contact me. I will send you your usual fee."

Elaith had contacted Kymil Nimesin merely to a