'They're smooth again,' Tazi noticed with delight. 'Not a scratch on them! You have been testing the waters, haven't you?'
Steorf merely shrugged, but Tazi knew he was pleased that she had noticed. His subtle smile faded, and he squeezed her hands again. Tazi tilted her head to one side and parted her lips. She regarded him questioningly, and her heart beat a little faster. Steorf leaned forward, and the door behind them suddenly swung open. They broke apart, startled by the intrusion.
Tazi took a step back and watched as three of the Children of Ibrandul entered the room. The first was the novice who had brought them to the room, the second was one Tazi hadn't seen before, and the third was Asraf.
'Are we interrupting?' Asraf asked. Tazi thought he sounded somewhat mocking.
'We were just discussing our next move,' Tazi answered him, afraid of what Steorf might say and also glad to have a moment to consider what had almost happened between them.
She glanced at Steorf and was relieved to see that he looked calm. In fact, he startled her by going over to Asraf and inspecting the young man's face.
Tazi thought that except for his nose, Asraf appeared fine. His nose, though it was no longer bloodied and discolored, definitely had the telltale lump indicating it had been broken.
That must be the reminder the Lurker said he was going to leave, she thought.
'Not bad work,' Steorf commented easily, turning the novice's face from side to side.
'You had doubts?' the youth retorted, though he winced at Steorf's touch.
'Of someone else's work,' Steorf answered, nodding his head slightly, 'I always have doubts.'
Tazi sighed but the youth took no umbrage with Steorf's insult. He tried to straighten and look Steorf in the eye. Tazi could see that though there had been some cosmetic work and he was cleaned up, the youth was not yet recovered entirely from Steorf's attack.
Asraf gave him a lopsided grin and Tazi realized he was younger than she had originally thought. While his body was not completely healed, his attitude had improved. Either the Lurker had admonished him or he had just decided not to be bothered by what the gharabs said any longer. He caught Steorf's hand in his and returned the favor.
'I could compliment you on your work, as well,' he said, not missing the fact that Steorf's hands were no longer injured, either.
Steorf extracted his fingers from the acolyte's inspection.
'Yes,' he answered, 'you could.'
Tazi shook her head and realized not much had changed after her discussion with Steorf. He was still proud and stubborn.
Would I really want him to change all that much? she wondered.
'What's next?' she asked Asraf.
'If you two have had enough time to refresh yourselves-' he paused and looked at them both shrewdly- 'we should go.'
Before Steorf could say something Tazi was certain would be in anger, Tazi asked, 'You're coming with us?'
She could see from the corner of her eye that Steorf's jaw had tightened.
'Of course,' Asraf replied easily.
'Oh,' Tazi muttered. 'This is going to be an interesting trip.'
CHAPTER 7
'Which way now?' Tazi asked.
She, Steorf, Asraf, and the other two Children of Ibrandul had been maneuvering through the lower tunnels for just a short time. Already Tazi felt some disorientation. Every tunnel looked the same, with very few distinguishing features. The rocks were just rocks to her, no different from each other than blades of grass in a meadow.
'I don't understand how you're able to tell one tunnel from the next,' she marveled.
'You wouldn't,' replied the only clean-shaven novice in the group.
Tazi wasn't certain if he was being condescending to her or not. She did notice that none of the Children of Ibrandul had bothered to give their names to her or Steorf. In fact, they only knew Asraf's name because the Lurker had referred to him by name in front of them.
Are they not supposed to tell us their names, or is it a subtle way to snub us? Tazi wondered.
'That's why we're fortunate to have you to lead us,' she said diplomatically.
When she received no response, she turned to Steorf and raised her eyebrows as if to say, 'I tried.' But he maintained his silence as well and she gave up her attempts to make conversation.
I wonder how my father manages to manipulate a room full of different merchants and get anything done? she wondered as she started to envy his ability to maneuver others so expertly. A compliment didn't work, so maybe a somewhat pertinent question might.
'Just how long ago was the last Dark Bazaar?' Tazi asked.
None of the Children of Ibrandul were quick to respond. After a look passed between the three, the beardless novice finally answered her.
'More than likely, it occurred last night.'
'But you don't know for certain,' Steorf remarked.
Tazi knew he was pleased to show her that their guides were far from omniscient.
'We've never been to one,' Asraf chimed in.
'Why not?' Tazi asked, glad that at least Asraf was willing to offer some information without too much solicitation.
'They are very grave occasions,' the beardless novice interrupted him. Tazi watched as he cowed Asraf with one serious glare. 'As our Mysterious Lurker tried to explain to you, we have never needed to resort to these measures for information.'
Tazi was definitely sure that the beardless acolyte was belittling them.
'Desperate times call for equal measures,' Tazi replied, tired of the verbal fencing and insulting innuendo. 'We aren't afraid to take any chance to save Fannah, no matter what the cost.'
Steorf nodded in agreement.
She and Steorf marched on in silence for a while after that, behind the three Children of Ibrandul.
Tazi shivered occasionally as they descended into the cooler depths, and she thought longingly of her jellaba back at the temple. While her leathers would not slow her down like a robe might, her arms were left bare, and she shivered.
She also tried to look carefully at the different rock formations to see if there were discernible landmarks. In a few of the tunnels they went through, the group had to pass single file as the walls were extremely narrow. Others opened up into comfortable passageways that allowed them all to walk abreast of each other. Most of them had a little light, and Tazi recognized some of the first tunnels they walked through as main thoroughfares of sorts. They were lit with semi-permanent glow spells.
As they progressed deeper into the system, the lights grew more sporadic. Tazi relied completely on the Children of Ibrandul's unerring ability to navigate in the darkness.
'Do you really know these tunnels that well?' she finally broke down and asked Asraf.
The young Calishite fiddled with his black and purple robes and sneaked a peak at the other Children of Ibrandul. Tazi realized he did want to talk to her but was hesitant to speak, so she slowed her pace imperceptibly. As a result of that, she and Asraf fell a bit behind Steorf and the other two.
'I think I would probably get lost down here if I were alone,' Tazi said. 'Did it take you long to learn the layout of all of these tunnels?'
