Crypt of the Shadowking

'Really?' she asked archly. 'If you cared so little, why didn't you simply leave me there in the alley, Caldorien? It would have saved you some trouble.'

'Gods, woman. I saved your life, and all you can do is mock me for it?'

She lifted her square chin defiantly. 'For that I thank you,' she said stiffly, 'but from now on you needn't concern yourself about me. Next time you may be the one who needs rescuing.'

'Is that so?' Caledan sneered. 'Well, maybe you wouldn't find yourself on the wrong end of a wizard's magic if you tried to be a little less conspicuous. Didn't the Harpers have the sense to teach you to keep that blasted sigil under cover? Or did you think that if you wore it in plain view all the Zhentarim agents would simply flee in terror? Who is your prime master, anyway?'

Mari's eyes smoldered, but she did not flinch beneath his harsh words. 'Belhuar Thantarth, Master of Twilight Hall, gave me this mission.'

Caledan grunted. He remembered Thantarth. Seven years ago Thantarth had been a journeyman Harper, but even then he had the kind of ambition and staunch-if overly idealistic-values the Harpers treasured so much. No wonder Thantarth had risen to the highest seat in Twilight Hall in the city of Berdusk, to the west of Iriaebor. It didn't surprise Caledan that Mari had been sent by Twilight Hall. That bunch believed in giving their new agents a trial by fire. The Harpers of Shadowdale were a more impromptu and secretive lot. They would never have let someone as green as Al'maren journey alone to a city crawling with Zhentarim.

'Let me guess,' Caledan said flatly. 'This is your first mission.' Mari said nothing, her hands clenched into fists. Both of them knew he was right 'You know,' Caledan went on a bit smugly, 'you still haven't told me why you were searching for me in the first place.'

The Harper looked away, gazing out a window into the morning light. On the plains below the Tor sprawled the New City like the shining but deadly web of some vast spider. 'It's simple enough,' she explained, turning to regard Caledan once more. 'You don't think that the Harpers would simply stand by idly while the Zhentarim enslaved the richest trade city between the Sword Coast and the Moonsea, do you?'

'No, I suppose that would be too much for a bunch of meddlers like the Harpers.' Caledan laughed grimly.

Mari shot him a fiery look. 'These 'meddlers,' as you call them, are all that stand between the Zhentarim and the Realms. If not for the Harpers, the Black Network would not stop until it ruled every land. Would you be a slave to the Zhentarim, Caldorien?'

He had no reply to that.

'Anyway,' Mari went on, 'the Harpers sent me here to spy on Lord Cutter-that is, Lord Ravendas-and the Zhentarim. We need to learn how their operations work here, discover what their weaknesses are, and devise a way to help the people of Iriaebor drive them from the city. At the same time, I was supposed to search for the legendary Caledan Caldorien, even though he had not been heard from in seven years.' She eyed his frayed and road-worn clothes disapprovingly. 'But it seems I've failed in that part of the mission.'

'Why? You found me, didn't you?'

'Really?' Mari scoffed. 'I was searching for a Harper, Caldorien. What I found was a worn-out drifter who doesn't seem to care about anything, least of all himself.'

Caledan winced. That one hurt, especially because it came dangerously near the truth.

'I don't know the reason you left the Harpers, Caldorien, and now I find that I don't particularly care. I thank you for your assistance yesterday, but I won't bother you again.' She shrugged off the quilt and rose stiffly.

'Sit down, Harper.'

'What?'

'I said sit down,' Caledan growled fiercely, and in her surprise Mari complied, sinking back down into the chair. 'Maybe you don't want my help anymore,' he went on, 'and I don't want yours, either. But there is something you should know. Lord Ravendas and I have… encountered each other in the past.' He laughed darkly. 'This was during my last mission as a Harper. It was not a pleasant meeting. Someone… a friend of mine… died that day. But I think I always knew that someday I would face Ravendas again. Now it seems that the time has come, and the meeting is destined to be here.'

He stared fiercely at the Harper, as if daring her to question his resolve. 'I had the chance to be happy once, you know. Ravendas stole that from me. I won't let her do it a second time.'

Mari regarded him carefully for a long moment, her expression guarded. 'So you will work with me then, Caledan Caldorien?' she asked finally.

He let out a twisted laugh. 'Oh, no, Harper. You're going to be working with me.'

The crescent moon was just rising over the city's spires when Caledan and Mari slipped out a side door of the Dreaming Dragon and into the walled garden Estah kept behind the inn. Caledan searched along the high stone wall until he found what he was looking for-a small wrought-iron gate overgrown with morning glories. The secret portal led into a narrow alleyway behind the inn.

'Are you going to tell me where we're going, Caldorien?' Mari asked as they made their way down the shadowed alley. 'Or is this supposed to be some sort of surprise?'

Caledan grimaced. Why did the Harper always have to make such an issue out of everything? 'We're going to see an old acquaintance of mine. His name is Cormik. In fact, I was on my way to pay him a visit when I had the misfortune to cross paths with you.'

The alley opened onto a larger avenue. Making certain no guards were about, the two headed on foot deeper into the heart of the Old City. The streets were deserted. It was the hour for thieves and murderers. And Harpers and scoundrels, Caledan thought wryly.

'And what does this Cormik do?' Mari asked softly.

'You might call him an entrepreneur,' Caledan whispered back. 'Then again, you might call him a greedy, self-centered, crooked-hearted swindler.' He laughed quietly. 'It just depends on how much you like him… and on whether he likes you.'

'Sounds enchanting,' Mari muttered. 'So how many daggers are we going to get stuck in our backs?'

'You worry too much, Harper. Cormik and I have been friends for years. If you really want to learn something about the Zhentarim operations in the city, there's no one better to talk to. If Cormik doesn't know about it, it isn't happening.' If he's still alive, that is, Caledan added to himself. Cormik's line of business was not without its risks.

Mari shot him a skeptical look but said nothing the rest of the way. Finally they turned onto the murky, refuse-lined Street of Lanterns. They halted before a dark storefront. The building looked as though it had been abandoned for years, but Caledan knew better. The place was a discreet gambling establishment called the Prince and Pauper.

'Just follow my lead,' Caledan said jauntily. Before she could reply, he opened the door and stepped through. Mari followed on his heels.

Inside was a large room. The light of a few torches was mostly lost in the haze of smoke they gave off. The Prince and Pauper was crowded. It appeared this was one establishment that had lost little of its trade since Cutter had become lord of the city. True to the place's name, nobles in fine but threadbare clothes, opulently attired merchants, and every manner of rabble crowded about the gambling tables, shouting, laughing, or crying as best suited their luck.

Caledan ignored the gamblers. He spotted a heavy velvet curtain in the back wall and began wending his way through the crowd toward it. Mari followed, a look of disapproval on her face. Caledan reached the curtain and flipped it back. He and the Harper stepped into the quiet hallway beyond.

'Stop right there,' a huge, bull-necked man clad in crimson leather rumbled. 'I don't know you two, do I?' He stood blocking the hallway with a companion who was similarly dressed and likewise massive. Both wore short swords at their hips, and there was no doubt that they knew quite well how to use them.

'Name's Caledan. I'm a friend of Cormik's. And this here's my lady, if you know what I mean.' Mari opened her mouth in protest, but Caledan elbowed her hard in the side. She threw him a venomous look but held her tongue.

'A friend of the Master, eh?' The big man leered down at Caledan. 'Well, you'd better hope to the gods that you are. Follow me.' The huge man led Caledan and Mari to a small but plush room.

'The Master will see you when he has a minute,' he said with an unpleasant grin. 'He's a busy man, you