remedied.”
Her teasing hint that she might be open to some employment took the high captain’s mind off the merchant quite readily, something that was not missed by his obedient soldiers.
“He’ll give you the finest deal possible,” Kurth said, casting one disconcerting glare at the small man for good measure.
“You have given me-us-much to consider,” Dahlia said to Kurth. “Will we find you on Closeguard Island tomorrow at midday?”
“This day is only just begun,” Kurth reminded her.
“And I have not rested at all through the night,” Dahlia replied. “Drizzt and I will take our leave here.”
“You may reside on Closeguard Island,” Kurth said. He looked past Dahlia to a pair of burly soldiers, who quickly shifted to block the exit. “I insist.”
“We have much to consider,” Dahlia replied. “You understand that we prefer to discuss our plans in private, of course.”
“You will not be safe anywhere in Luskan, outside of my protection, lady,” the high captain said. “Do you think one minor failure will put off Ship Rethnor?”
“But now we know of the threat,” Drizzt said. “And so we’re not worried.”
“Then you’re a fool.”
“Then why would you want me in your employ?”
That set Kurth back on his heels, and for many heartbeats he just stared at the drow, as if trying to decide whether to lash out or back off.
“Midday tomorrow, then, on Closeguard?” Dahlia asked, and she pressed the point by walking over to Drizzt, who stood closer to the door.
High Captain Kurth looked to Beniago, to his wizards, then to his soldiers, and finally nodded his agreement. The burly soldiers moved clear of the door.
“He’s used to having his way,” Drizzt whispered to Dahlia when they were back on the market square.
“And yet he allowed us to leave, not even knowing our course.”
“Do you think he’s punishing the poor merchant now for daring to speak up?”
Dahlia looked at Drizzt skeptically, as if the notion was ridiculous, which of course, she knew it was not. “Why would he? What would be his gain?”
“His pleasure, perhaps,” said Drizzt.
“Finding one with a good jeweler’s eye is no easy task, particularly this far north.”
“But were it to his gain, he would beat the man to death with nary a concern.”
Dahlia could only shrug.
“It matters,” Drizzt remarked as they walked away.
Drizzt was speaking as much to himself as to her-trying desperately to hold on to beliefs that had carried him through a century of fierce battle, beliefs that shielded him from the grief and pain of so much loss.
He saw the pity in Dahlia’s pretty eyes. But was there something else there, as well?
Envy?
They went to the Cutlass to get some food and drink, but didn’t remain there for their meal, taking Kurth’s warning to heart. Moving carefully through the shadows of Luskan, they went back to the scene of the fight, and stood in front of the wreckage of the porch, below the door of what had been Jarlaxle’s apartment.
“How strong and agile are you?” Dahlia asked with a wry grin. “You control your blades so well, but can you also control your body?”
“How so?”
“Beyond the practiced movements of swordplay, I mean?”
Drizzt stared at her as if he had no idea what she was getting at, so Dahlia moved through the broken boards to the base of the wall below the door and planted the end of her eight-foot metal staff on the ground. With a nod to Drizzt, the woman leaped up, hands climbing the staff to its top end as she rose, and there she caught a firm hold and rolled her body, inverting at the top of the staff. She pirouetted just a half turn, lining her legs up perfectly with the open portal, and rolled into the room, letting go of the staff as she did.
Drizzt caught it before it fell aside.
“Bring it up with you, if you would,” Dahlia said, poking her head out the door.
Drizzt tightened his belt and his backpack and took a firm hold of the staff. He looked up at Dahlia, thinking to go even higher in his leap, to get all the way into the room standing, perhaps.
Up he leaped, reaching higher on the pole, grabbing hold and inverting… almost.
Before he went over, the drow caught himself, his instincts fighting against his intentions, and he didn’t quite invert. He managed to break his fall by continuing his hold on the staff, and he landed with some measure of dignity back where he’d started.
Dahlia looked down at him from the doorway, obviously quite amused.
Drizzt frowned and leaped again, this time with a growl, throwing himself even higher and with more speed.
But once again, as he neared the break point of his inversion, his instinct resisted, and even though he fought through it this time and forced his upending, that slight break in his movement altered his momentum and his angle. He went upright, feet high in the air, but fell against the wall to the side of the door and failed miserably to grab on.
With great effort, Drizzt managed to catch enough of a hold to spin him back upright before he crashed down. The staff clanged down to the side.
“Do you intend to inform all the city of our whereabouts?” Dahlia teased.
Drizzt pulled himself up to his feet, rubbed a sore elbow, and glared at the smiling elf.
“It’s not unexpected,” Dahlia offered.
But to Drizzt, it surely was-unexpected and disconcerting. He was a warrior who had ridden an avalanche down from the top of a mountain by staying atop the tumbling stone, a warrior not unaccustomed to doing free somersaults in the air in battle, even to leaping over an opponent and turning around to strike as he landed.
This movement didn’t look difficult to him. Dahlia had executed it brilliantly and easily.
“With a running start, you’d have no trouble,” Dahlia remarked.
Drizzt looked around at the broken porch. “I would have to spend an hour clearing the way,” he replied, and with a shake of his head, he went to his pack. “I’ll throw up a rope for you to secure.”
“No,” Dahlia answered before Drizzt had even untied the backpack. He looked up at her curiously.
“You’re strong enough and more than agile enough,” Dahlia explained. “Only your fear holds you back from completing the movement.” She smiled even wider. “And what you fear is being embarrassed, and failing where I succeeded,” she added, and with a laugh, she disappeared into the room.
Drizzt grabbed the staff and leaped with all his strength, catching his high hold and spinning his legs up and over, so high he had but one hand on the very top of the staff, the other out beside him, controlling his balance. He balanced like that, inverted and eight feet above the ground, for several heartbeats before leaning toward the door and pushing off again to gain speed.
He landed on his feet, facing out from the door, the staff in his hand.
Behind him, Dahlia laughed again and slowly clapped her deceptively delicate hands.
“Not so difficult with a bit of practice,” Drizzt remarked, tossing Kozah’s Needle back to Dahlia. He walked past her, pulling off his gloves and undoing the neck tie of his cloak.
“I’ve never attempted anything like that maneuver before,” Dahlia stabbed at him as he walked by her. He stopped and slowly turned on her, unblinking, his violet eyes matched her blue orbs.
Dahlia smiled and shrugged.
Drizzt grabbed her and pulled her close, and she gasped in surprise, just for a moment before her smile returned, and this time, it was an inviting look.
Drizzt moved his lips toward hers, but he hesitated at the last moment. That didn’t stop Dahlia, however, and she fell over him, pressing him in a tight and passionate kiss. She brought her hands to the sides of his head, pulling him tighter, holding him closer. She moved her face back just a bit, just enough so that she could bite at his lower lip then, with a groan, went right back in tight against him, this time with her mouth opened just a bit, just enough for her tongue to tease him.
