Ferret and Tyveris were engaged in a friendly argument of some sort and paying little attention to Estah and Caledan.
Caledan should have known he couldn't hide his emotions from the healer. 'I can't, Estah,' he said almost angrily. How had he gotten himself into a situation like this? 'Maybe the Harper and I do feel… something for each other. But both of us know that it's not going to work.'
'Why?' Estah asked simply. 'Why turn your back on love, Caledan?'
He shook his head, fidgeting with the copper bracelet on his left wrist. 'I loved once, Estah. And I think maybe once was enough.'
'I've never heard such nonsense,' Estah said, her brown eyes flashing fire. 'Why, you're every bit as stubborn as she is.' She stood up, her hands resting firmly on her hips. 'We all loved Kera very much,' she said quietly but firmly. 'But someday, Caledan, you are going to have to take that bracelet off.'
Caledan stared at her in surprise, but the halfling turned on a heel with a flounce of her gray dress and marched up the stairwell.
The moon had not yet risen; the night was dark. It was Tyveris's watch. The loremaster stood by the window while the others slept, gazing out over the village streets. He yawned, keeping his eyes peeled. He was determined not to fall asleep during his watch.
So intently was the loremaster's attention focused outside, however, that he did not hear the faint stirring in the shadowed room behind him.
A form quietly slipped from one of the beds and stood in the dimness, clad only in a light robe of white. It was the Harper, Mari. Her eyes were open, but they stared blankly into the darkness, unblinking. Slowly, Mari reached down to the leather pack that lay next to her bed. She slipped something silently from the pack, then gripped it tightly in her hand. Sharp steel shone dimly in the dusky air.
Mari trod almost soundlessly on bare feet past the bed where Estah lay, deep in slumber. Tyveris did not turn from the window, nor did he see Mari step through the open doorway into the adjoining room. Moving stiffly, Mari strode past the bunks where Morhion and Ferret slept until she reached a low cot against the far wall.
Caledan lay sleeping before her.
He shifted in his slumber, making a low sound, but did not wake. Still staring blankly ahead, Mari lifted the dagger. She hesitated, her brow furrowing. But after several heartbeats her face hardened once more. Her grip on the hilt tightened as she poised the blade over Caledan's bare chest.
And then she thrust the knife downward.
Fourteen
Caledan woke to the sound of a scream. It was a terrible, wordless cry of primal rage.
He leaped from the bed and stared at the scene before him. Tyveris was grappling with the Harper. She struggled furiously, trying to stab Tyveris with her dagger, but the loremaster held her tightly. Again Mari cried out in fury.
'By the gods, Tyveris, what is going on?' Caledan shouted. The others had risen now and were also staring at the strange scene in astonishment. Then Morhion spoke a word of magic, and the room was suddenly flooded with silvery light.
The big loremaster shook his head. 'I was hoping someone could tell me, Caledan. I went to wake Ferret for the next watch and saw that Mari's bed was empty. When came in here, I found her ready to bury this knife in your heart. I caught her hand just in time.' Caledan shook his head disbelievingly, his mind reeling… The Harper had meant to kill him?
'But Mari would never do such a thing,' Estah said, the halfling's voice trembling.
'Wait,' Morhion said. 'Can you not see it in her eyes?'
Indeed the Harper's eyes were empty. Normally glowing with life and fire, they were instead as dark and dead as stone.
'What is it, Morhion?' Estah asked, wringing her hands. 'What's happened to her?'
The mage did not answer immediately. Gazing at the Harper, he muttered a few strange words as he touched her forehead. Suddenly she went limp in the loremaster's arms, the dagger slipping from her fingers.
'She is under an enchantment,' the mage said.
Caledan helped Tyveris lay Mari down on the bed. Her eyes were closed now, her face was pale, her breathing shallow and rapid. 'Enchantment?' Caledan wondered, turning toward the mage. 'By whom? The shadevar?'
Morhion shook his head. 'No, I do not think such would be within its powers. A Zhentarim sorcerer is the more likely culprit.'
Caledan swore.
'Estah, is there something you can do for her?'
The halfling healer laid a hand upon the Harper's brow, then shook her head. 'She's burning with fever, but none caused by any sickness. It's the magic that's setting her blood afire.' She looked hesitantly at the mage, then back at Caledan. 'Magic must be fought with magic.'
Caledan clenched his jaw, not looking at Morhion. The Harper moaned in the enchanted slumber the mage had cast upon her, her hands clutching at the bedsheets. 'All right, mage, do what you must.' If you harm her… Caledan almost said, but he swallowed the words.
Morhion drew a small pouch from the pocket of his gray robe. He removed a dried leaf from the pouch, then opened the Harper's mouth, placing the leaf beneath her tongue.
Caledan looked worriedly at Estah, but the halfling shook her head. She had no idea what the mage was doing. They would have to trust him.
Morhion rummaged in his pack until he found a flask of wine. He dipped his finger into the flask, then let three ruby-colored drops fall onto Mari's brow. As the third drop fell he spoke several eerie, flowing words of magic. Suddenly the Harper cried out in pain.
'You're hurting her!' Caledan cried, grabbing the mage's arm, but Morhion shook off Caledan's grip.
'What… what happened?' the Harper said weakly. She frowned and spit out the bitter-tasting leaf. She looked at the mage and Caledan in puzzlement.
Estah shook her head ever so slightly. The others exchanged meaningful looks. This incident was something Mari need never know of.
'We're not sure,' Caledan told Mari. 'The mage thinks there might be a sorcerer outside the inn, someone who means to do us ill. Whatever he was doing was making you… uh, sick. But the mage's spell took care of that.'
Mari nodded weakly. 'Thank you,' she said to Morhion, but the mage had already turned to gather his things.
'We must leave here immediately,' Morhion said, and for once Caledan agreed with him.
In minutes the companions were packed and ready to leave. Mari still looked a bit drawn, but she was standing firmly. 'Can you make it?' Caledan asked.
She nodded, her face grim.
They found Brandebar in his nightshirt in the common room, a look of concern on his face. 'What is it?' he asked.
'We've got to go, Brandebar,' Caledan told the innkeep.
'I want you to lock the door behind us. Don't open it again until daylight Do you understand?'
'Is there someone out there who means you harm, milord?' Brandebar asked.
Caledan hesitated. 'I believe so.'
'Then I think you should follow me.' The innkeep beckoned for them to go into the kitchen. Caledan looked at the others and then followed. In the corner of the kitchen Bran-debar pulled up a wooden trapdoor. Caledan could see a ladder leading down into shadows.
