Shadowdale

The fighter leaped from his mount and ran for the door to the inn without bothering to tether his horse.

'Should we follow?' Adon said.

'Give him a moment,' Cyric said, and soon Kelemvor emerged from the inn, barking orders to take the girl around back.

They were met at the rear entrance by an old woman who carried a lantern and gestured frantically for them to get inside. Kelemvor seemed subdued in the woman's presence.

'Zehla, this is Cyric, a fellow guardsman, and Adon of Sune,' Kelemvor said.

The old woman shook her head. 'Time enough for pleasantries later. Follow me.'

Moments later they stood by Zehla's side, in a room she had always reserved for emergencies, watching the fever-plagued motions of Caitlan Moonsong. As beads of sweat formed on the girl's brow, Zehla wiped her forehead with a wet towel.

'She's ill, possibly dying, Kel,' Zehla said, her wizened features and the lines of her face speaking volumes on her authority on pain and suffering.

Kelemvor realized Caitlan had become conscious: she was trying to say something. He bent low that he might hear her words.

'Save her.' The girl's voice was weak and ragged. 'Save my mistress.'

'Rest,' Kelemvor said simply, brushing the girl's hair from her eyes. Then Caitlan suddenly grabbed his massive hand with an iron grip that made the fighter flinch.

'She can cure you,' Caitlan said, then her muscles relaxed as she sank back on the bed.

'Zehla!' Kelemvor cried, but the old woman was already there. Kelemvor looked to the others. If they heard the girl's promise, they gave no sign. His secret was safe.

'She's alive,' Zehla pronounced. 'For now.'

The old woman turned to Cyric and Adon, and asked them to leave the room so that she and Kelemvor might speak privately. Both men looked to Kelemvor for confirmation, but he was staring down at the girl, lost in his own concerns. They left without further prompting, and Zehla closed the door behind them.

'My reward,' Kelemvor said, gesturing at the girl. 'If she dies, I will be cheated of my reward.'

Zehla moved toward him. 'Is that your only concern?'

Kelemvor looked away from the girl and turned his back on the old woman.

'Riches can be counted in more than gold, good Kel. There are people who help others simply for the pleasure it gives them to do so, and the knowledge that they have made a difference in the world. Hired arms are cheap and plentiful in comparison. You would do well to think on this.'

'You think I don't know that? I think of that every day! But, remember, I'm no wide-eyed youth, no child for you to lecture. I have no choice but to follow the path that's been laid out for me.'

Zehla went to him, touching his arm. 'But why, Kel? Can you not tell me why?'

Kelemvor's shoulders fell as the anger that had raced through him evaporated. 'I cannot.'

Zehla shook her head and walked past the fighter. She then moved a chair out of the way, and pulled at a floorboard that came away in her hands without effort, revealing a small box that had been hidden in the tiny space. Zehla pulled out the box, then used the bed as support as she dragged herself to her feet.

'Help me,' Zehla said as she set the box beside Caitlan. Kelemvor hesitated. Zehla's features turned cold. 'Come, we must protect your investment.'

Kelemvor moved forward, watching as Zehla opened the box and a series of multi-colored flasks were exposed. 'Healing potions,' Kelemvor said.

'Of course. That's why you came here, instead of taking her to one of the temples, isn't it?'

'Aye,' Kelemvor said. 'Clerical magic can't be trusted. I told Adon to cure her earlier, without thinking, as if it were still the time before Arrival. Of course, he couldn't. I feared the worshipers of Tymora would turn her away, as she was not one of their own, or force us to bring her back in the morning. By then she might have died.'

'Having her drink this might be just as deadly as not treating her at all,' Zehla said as she held up a vial. 'All magic is unstable.'

Kelemvor sighed and looked down at Caitlan, who was still shivering. 'But we really have no choice, do we?'

Zehla took the lid off the flask and raised the girl's head. Kelemvor assisted her and they coaxed the unconscious girl to drink.

'So you came to me for my healing potions.'

'I knew that if you didn't have the potions, you'd know where to get them,' Kelemvor said. 'The black market, if necessary. These items go at a premium.' The flask was empty and Kelemvor allowed Caitlan's head to sink into the soft pillows. 'Now what?'

'Now we wait,' Zehla said. 'Unless we've poisoned her, it will probably be morning before we see any results.'

'If the potion works, will she be fit to ride with us?' Kelemvor said anxiously.

'She will live,' Zehla said. 'We will see about the rest.'

Kelemvor reached for his gold, but Zehla stayed his hand.

'Unlike you, Kel, I need no reward other than the knowledge I have saved a life.' Zehla motioned to the opened box. A half dozen flasks lay untouched. 'Put those away,' she said, and left the room.

Kelemvor stood for long moments, staring at the girl and the flasks, Zehla's words weighing heavily upon him. When the fighter finally emerged from Caitlan's room, he found Cyric and Adon waiting for him.

Zehla had already informed them of Caitlan's improving condition, and they wished to discuss their next move. Kelemvor, however, was in no mood for discussion. He left the inn, his comrades in tow, and waited until they had taken to their mounts and were well away from the inn before he let loose a string of orders that surprised Cyric and quelled some of the former thief's earlier doubts about Kelemvor's abilities.

'The boy you mentioned earlier, Cyric. The one you saw at the inn, with the girl: the one whose father is a guardsman. Pay the boy a visit and convince him to serve as a distraction at highsun tomorrow, when his father is guarding the north gate. If he objects, threaten to expose his liaisons with the girl. And tell him to maintain his silence after we're gone, as you have friends in the city who will expose him in your absence. Do this under the cover of night, then get some rest and gather your belongings. We will meet at the Hungry Man at first light.

'Adon, I want you to visit a man named Gelzunduth. I'll give you directions. Cyric and I will need false identifications that will hold up under scrutiny. That fat old buzzard is a master at creating bogus documents. We will also need a false charter.' Kelemvor threw a bag of gold pieces to Adon. 'That should more than cover your expenses. With your innocent face, you should have no problem convincing that pig to go along. If he refuses, come to my room at the Hungry Man. If I'm not there, wait for me, and I'll go back there with you. I've a debt to settle with that man, anyway.'

Adon seemed confused. 'Neither of you stay at the barracks, with the other guards?'

Kelemvor looked to Cyric.

'Part of our reward for bringing down the traitor,' Cyric said. 'The independence was welcome.'

Adon frowned. 'False documents? That's hardly legal.'

Kelemvor pulled up the reigns and brought his mount to an abrupt halt. He glared at Adon. 'You can't heal. You can't throw spells. You're adequate in a fight. Buying false documents shouldn't be too much to ask, all things considered.'

Adon hung his head and took the directions Kelemvor offered, then rode off toward Gelzunduth's house.

'What will you do?' Cyric asked.

Kelemvor almost laughed. 'Try to find a competent magic-user who's not a woman.'

The Fighter rode off into the night, leaving Cyric to pursue his own task, and ponder his own questions.

The streets of Arabel were deserted, and Midnight wondered briefly if a curfew had been in effect. She had wandered from the course the serving girl at the Pride of Arabel had laid out for her, and soon found herself lost. Midnight knew that this was for the better, as it gave her time to calm down before she found herself in the company of others at the Scarlet Spear.

Midnight touched the pendant — Mystra's trust — as she thought of the blue flame dragon that had materialized at the Pride of Arabel. She had tried to throw a simple spell of levitation to impress Kelemvor, but somehow the spell had been altered. And though Midnight had remained visibly calm, and claimed credit for the