Meloon and Vajra entered the court, and Meloon's stomach growled as he caught the scent of fresh bread. He ignored it and beamed as he spotted Elra and Vharem-and the watch armar past them. Just as Meloon focused on the oddly mussed and frizzy hairstyle of the atmat, the man's eyes rolled into the back of his head, and he fell forward, unconscious. Behind him, a grinning Osco Salibuck stepped out of the shadows, his sling dangling from his right hand. Moments later, Renaer appeared in the alleyway behind the halfling.
Everyone entered the courtyard, saying nothing but surveying the four downed Watchmen, then the large covered well at the yard's center. The folk who lived and worked in this stories-tall court had opened their windows or doors when the horn sounded, and they yelled out their upper windows and into the streets. 'Young Neverember and his friends assault the Watch at Trellamp Court! Murderer on the loose 'tween Sulvan's Way and Three Lords' Crossing!'
'We're innocent!' Renaer shouted. 'We've killed no one!'
'Aside from that one-eyed Watchman and his flunky,' Vharem whispered to Osco.
An elderly matron of doughy countenance leaned out her window and cackled at Renaer. 'If ye're innocent, stay and explain why the Watch lies at yer feet, laddie!'
With more than a few folk yelling into the streets, a warning bell sounded in a nearby temple tor, and the sounds of boots approached.
'Parharding bells.' Renaer groaned, and then said, 'This way, everyone!'
The six of them sped out of Trellamp Court, racing down Sulvan's Way as if gods themselves dogged their steps.
CHAPTER 14
Pave your path through life with kindness to others and every step forward will reward you with soft landings and little resistance. Pave it with anger or force to others, and your every advance will be hard fought.
11 Nightal, Year of the Ageless One (1479 DR)
That way!' Renaer said, kicking a block out from behind a wagon wheel, and Vharem did the same on the other side. 'Down Shyrrhr's Steps and northeast on the Garmarl's Dash over to Windless Way!'
The, two of them pushed the wagon and sent it careening back down the street to slow any pursuers and distract any observers. They caught up to Laraelra and the others dashing down a short stairwell linking them to an alleyway behind a slate of rowhouses. They looped around a pair of adjoined buildings and a covered well, startling three scullery maids filling buckets there. With Osco in the lead, the group slipped over to the brick-paved Windless Way.
Laraelra stopped dead and rasped, 'Osco, stop!' She looked for Meloon, Vajra, Vharem, and Renaer, and spotted another Watch patrol in pursuit behind them. Luckily, the morning sun rose into the Watchmen's eyes, which helped conceal the fugitives. Laraelra could see both Vharem and Renaer keeping their hands in front of their torsos, hiding their ditections from the Watch, and pointing her to theit right, to the south.
Laraelra held back, letting Osco, Meloon, carrying the swooning Vajra, and finally Vharem and Renaer past her, as she hid behind the side of an apothecary shop. Once everyone was past her, she let the Watch close a little more before she cast her spell, unleashing an explosion of magical colors over them. Of the quartet, three fell unconscious and the armar went blind. She smiled at the effectiveness of her magic and ran to catch the others.
Renaer had led the rest of them down the dark-bricked Windless Way. As Laraelra reached them, they darted onto a black cobblestone alley and into a tiny bricked courtyard. Three doors faced out onto the court, and the southwest-facing upper windows of the three two-story homes were still shaded from the morning sun. Renaer pointed at the door on the far left and said softly, 'A friend lives there. He should be able to hide us from the Watch for a nonce.'
When Meloon approached the door and raised a fist, Renaer whispered, 'Stop!'
The burly man raised an eyebrow in question, and Renaer reached up and. used the door knocker-a crude iron sculpture of a bird's head set atop a large plate of iron. The knocker oddly made no sound, but within a moment, a window overlooking the door on the upper floor opened.
'Who's there?' The voice preceded the night-capped head of an older man with a close-cropped gray beard, who fumbled to put spectacles on his long nose.
'Parlek, it's me!' Renaer said. 'Let us in, please!'
The older man leaned out, squinted down at Renaer, and gaped at them and at the prone Vajra in Meloon's arms.
'You're wanted for murder, boy,' Parlek replied. 'Give me one reason to trust you and your friends there.'
'I'll give you three-The Annals ofKyhral. You'll finally complete the set! The volumes are yours in exchange for safe haven.'
The old man's face brightened. 'Finally! I knew I'd gain those volumes from you one day, boy!' The old man practically cackled with glee, then caught himself and said, 'Er, well, that proves you are who you say, as you're the only one in the city with those volumes. And for you to part with them means you're either desperate or innocent-or both. Come in, all of you.'
The man waved, a light bout of sparkles drifting off his hand, and the door below unlocked. As Renaer opened the door, the older man above closed the window.
'We'll be safe here, temporarily,' Renaer said, escorting them all into the row house.
They entered a snug antechamber, then walked through a slim passageway to the front of the house and an equally slim stairwell leading upstairs. Down those stairs came a bowlegged old man wrapping his robes more tightly about himself.
Renaer gestured up and said, 'Everyone, Parlek Lateriff-sage, sorcerer, and smith of the highest order.'
'Stop basting my ego, boy.' The old man stopped in midstep, grabbing the railing in surprise. 'I wasn't sure… but it is! You've got her! That is Vajra Safahr, isn't it?'
Renaer nodded. 'What exactly are we accused of doing now?'
'The usual, when they want someone caught without having to explain much-murder, dissent against the Lords, and more. Surprisingly, there are specific charges that tell more, if you know how to listen.' He motioned them all up the stairs and continued. 'The fact that you're protecting someone you're accused of murdering should help your case-or harm it, if they claim you used your connections with many temples to resurrect her so you could kill her again.'
Renaer sputtered, 'But… why-who?'
Vharem smacked him between the shoulders and said, 'He's stuck. Lemme help.'
'Who's accusing us of all this?' Laraelra said.
'And who might you be, lass?' Parlek asked.
'Laraelra Harsard, daughter of-'
Parlek's eyes widened and he interrupted her, 'Malaerigo
Harsard, who claims his daughter has been bewitched into helping a murderer and offers a reward for her rescue. Interesting. Interesting.'
Laraelra groaned. 'On a brighter day, Father'd not be such a fool.'
'Yes, but your own reputation for cool-headedness serves you well. More folk than your loud-mouthed sire believe your involvement is both voluntary and honorable.'
Laraelra got a small smile out of that.
'What did you mean when you said the charges tell more?' Vharem asked.
'You disappeared yesterday morning from Neverember Manor. Too many people saw you go in, and none saw you come out. Without someone telling your side of the stoty, your accusers filled the streets with gossip to support
