Elminster's Daughter

He put a hand on Florin's arm to signal the ranger to rise and step back. Together they withdrew, leaving Narnra sitting facing the Reel Wizard. Hastily, she scrambled to her feet, and backed out of his reach, snarling, "Keep back!"

With an obvious effort, the Thayan started to speak. "I am too . . . maimed to work spells or offer you violence."

"You tried to kill me!"

"I did."

"Why?"

"I needed you gone to impersonate you. To learn the secrets of Elminster."

She glared at him, then at the Old Mage, then back at him and spat bitterly, "You're no better than he is!"

"True," Starangh whispered. "Right now, I'm much worse."

"What good are his secrets to you?"

"Power," the Thayan husked. "All mages crave power."

Narnra's eyes blazed. "To make slaves of the rest of us!"

Starangh tried to shrug, but the movement brought such pain that he ended up writhing and groaning.

"Why don't you apprentice yourself to him or some other mage?" Narnra asked. "Why kill and deceive?"

"Trust someone else as my master? Leave myself so vulnerable? That road is the way of the fool," the Thayan told her, his voice a little stronger.

"Trust," Narnra told him furiously, leaning forward to drive her words home with slow, soft emphasis, "is a strength."

"You are a fool," he replied.

"And you're a cruel idiot," she replied scornfully. "Are all Red Wizards of Thay like you? Preening villains?"

Starangh shook his head. "Just kill me and have done taunting."

"Why? Do words of sense truly hurt you more than wounding magic?"

"Kill me," he pleaded, furious and ashamed.

"No," Narnra snapped, turning away. "My father shall have his chance to twist and shape you, as he does to so many. Why should you escape my fate?"

* * * * *

The flash and flare of magic in their faces sent Vangerdahast staggering back into Myrmeen even before the great silver-blue, scaled bulk burst into being, shattering the low passage ceiling with a roar of mingled exultation and pain then bursting forth skywards, flooding the sanctum with sunlight.

With a surge of wings and claws, the song dragon turned and pounced on the War Wizard Telarantra, rending her limb from limb before she could even shriek—to turn and hand the dripping result to Vangerdahast.

"Here's your traitor," she said, in a soft and vast echo of her human voice.

Back on his feet, Vangerdahast stood facing her calmly, as Myrmeen scrambled to her feet to defend him with her blade.

However, the song dragon did not strike. "Why," she asked the former Royal Magician, "did you spare me?"

"Lady," Vangerdahast replied gruffly, "you fought for your cause as I fight for mine. You've long dwelt among folk of Cormyr and must enjoy our company somewise to have persisted so long in doing so. I bear you no malice—and hope to turn you to support my plans."

"So I might become one of your willing defenders," she replied, a touch of bitterness in that great voice. "Exhibiting the grand destiny of... a useful tool."

Vangerdahast sighed. "Of course you'll see dragon-binding as evil. In truth, I'd avoid it if I could find a better way—but for me, all other things fall before my devotion to Cormyr."

"What has Cormyr done for you to deserve this devotion?"

The old wizard sighed. "Lady, defending this fair realm is what I do. There is no higher calling, no greater task, no brighter boon to all Faerun than this."

The great dragon head shook in resignation, those burning turquoise eyes never leaving those of Vangerdahast—yet searing also into Myrmeen's wary gaze. "What will you do now, Vangerdahast, if I fly away, gather a dozen dragons, and return to destroy you—and your precious sanctum—utterly?"

The old wizard shrugged. "Try me."

"Are you not afraid?"

"No," the retired Mage Royal replied. "I'm growing too old to fear for this wrinkled old hide."

"Do you not fear for your precious realm?"

Vangerdahast raised both of his empty hands in expressionless silence—and spell-links shone forth in the air like silver spider-webs, spa

The song dragon regarded them . . . and shivered. "Will you use these? If I try to fly away now?"

Vangerdahast shook his head. "Nay. Sworn to defend Cormyr I am, but in her defense I'll stand and fight those who come against her and me. I'll not lash out and become a tyrant over those who may menace her or rival me. I will never make Cormyr into the likes of Thay, or Zhentil Keep, or Mulmaster, just to keep its name on maps."

He started to pace, as if forgetting how close and powerful she was, and added, "I've far more to worry over than dragons—I've the usual treachery among nobles, traitors among the War Wizards, and more than one eager Red Wizard all seeking the downfall of the Forest Kingdom. Any of them is apt to do more harm to Cormyr just now than dragonkind of any sort."

He stopped and turned to face Joysil again. "I don't intend to bind any unwilling dragon—and now I must take steps to link the spells you so fear to my own life, so that if I'm slain they'll destroy themselves and leave no mage empowered to bind you or your ilk."

The dragon's turquoise eyes studied him thoughtfully. Joysil sprang into the air, swooped low and away behind some trees, and flew away, her wingbeats fast and furious.

Myrmeen and Vangerdahast stood in the sunlight watching her distant form dwindle, until the old wizard sighed, shook his head, and peered about to see if there still was a passage he could traverse ahead of him. At his shoulder, Myrmeen said softly, "You're either the greatest fool I've ever met—or the greatest man."

Vangerdahast looked at her. "The former, I fear—yet I'll cling to some pride in not trying to be the greatest villain, when the power to be so has come into my hands, time and time again. 'Tis why I admire Elminster, my sometime teacher, even though he infuriates me more often than not. Temptation snatches at him and finds him wanting, over and over."

Myrmeen nodded. "I've met Elminster . . . long enough to come to know him better than some high ladies of Cormyr know their husbands. A very great rogue. We parted with swords drawn on each other—respectful, but wary."

Vangerdahast lifted one bristling eyebrow. "That," he told her, "is a tale I must hear in full someday."

He spun around to stride briskly down another passage back to his spellchambers. "But not now. Now I must do as I promised Joysil and bind my spells to my life."

"How swiftly can that be done, and at what risk to you?"

The retired Mage Royal shrugged. "In the space of a grand fool's speech akin to the one I just uttered. The risk is no more than the one you both apprehend: Slaying me ends this danger to dragonkind."

"What do you expect the dragons and the other foes you mentioned to do now?"

"Come here with all speed and slay us," Vangerdahast replied gruffly, throwing wide the door to reveal a glimmer of lantern-light and walls cloaked in a latticework of full scroll-shelves. "So I must get you safely gone ere I must go down fighting. 'Twill be interesting to see who gets here first."

"My lord, I'll not leave you," Myrmeen said, lifting her sword.

Vangey chuckled. "Lass, I can have you deep in dreamslumber and halfway across Faerun before you can blink."

"But you won't," Myrmeen replied, diving forward to lie across a desk of spell-scrolls challengingly, clasping the lit lantern to her breast. "I've but to smash this, and let the flaming oil spill . . ."