perhaps bump into him.'
Storm made a rude noise. 'He's forgiven you, Vangey-he forgave you the very same nightfall, and that was years ago. Forget it, man!'
'The question is not whether he has forgiven me,' Vangerdahast's voice came out of the stone very precisely, 'but whether I have forgiven him.'
Storm rolled her eyes. 'Well, if you haven't, you should have. Isn't it about time you set aside all this overblown pride and grew up?'
The obsidian stone in front of her sputtered and then snarled, 'Whatever you wanted me for, good lady, this interview is at an end!' It quivered once, and then sank toward the tabletop.
'What have you done?' Broglan roared.
Storm made a gesture. The speaking stone stopped and floated back up to its former position again.
'Not until I'm finished, Old Thunderspells!' she told it crisply. 'Your team has a serious problem. None of us- from ambitious young Hundarr, here, to you at court and Azoun up at the palace-can afford to have you getting up on your high horse and overplaying the high-and-mighty old wizard role. The safety of the realm is at stake. Even if it weren't, you'd do well to set aside the nose-in-the-air, fit-me-for-a-statue stuff, or you'll start to believe the role. Worse, you'll start to shrink and gnarl down to fit it! Royal Magician of Cormyr, indeed!'
All of the wizards were staring at her now, aghast. Hundarr was quivering in the grip of a rage even greater than Broglan's. The leader of the war wizards stepped back one deliberate pace-half to keep himself from throttling this outrageous woman, and half because he expected the stone to spit lightning around the room.
The stone flickered and pulsed with sudden light. Then the four wizards heard Lord Vangerdahast's voice say quietly, 'My apologies, Storm. What is happening at Firefall, and how can I help you?'
Jaws dropped in disbelief all around her as Storm said crisply, 'We're facing an entity who can shapeshift and burn out the brains of its victims. They're blind-barred to all magic we've tried thus far. Since the two initial deaths, it's slain two of your junior wizards and the seneschal of the keep. On my arrival here, I enjoyed a feast that was one long parade of poisons and magical traps, too. You've got problems with a rotten noble house, and this slayer who can walk right through the ranks of the noble and powerful in Cormyr and keep going. The boldshield-Ergluth-is willing to do whatever it takes, but Broglan here has to have your permission before he'll even be civil to me. Will you tell him I'm his commander for a tenday, so we can get to work.. before it's too late?'
'Lord High Wizard!' Broglan shouted. 'There's-'
'Broglan, I presume you heard her,' the voice rasped out from the stone. 'Obey her as you would me, and tell all of the mages under you to do the same.'
'I-yes, Lord High Wizard,' Broglan said with a sigh.
'May I cast spells on your mages?' Storm asked.
'Gods, woman,' the stone said, a hiss of exasperation in the voice, 'I can see why you want to, but that's one rule I never break… only war wizards can enspell other war wizards, and then only for certain specific things- else the Dragon Throne would've faced attacks from hostile mages long since.. '
'These are not normal times,' Storm said quietly, 'and I'll not misuse this grant of power. More than that, I'll drop in on you soon and scratch your ears and the small of your back the way you like, and dare not trust anyone else to-'
The stone harrumphed very loudly, and said, 'Consider both the offer and the grant of power accepted. I don't think we need say anything more about such matters, do you?'
Storm smiled. 'I guess not. Fare thee well, Thunderspells.'
'Don't call me that, blast it! A man has to have some dignity,' the stone said, quivering. It started to sink down toward its cushion, 'And keep safe, Storm. Deliver our kingdom to us and save the day and all that wind and roar … but keep safe.'
'You, too,' Storm said gently as the stone settled onto the black velvet. She gave it a last smile, and then looked up at the four silent men above her and said brightly, 'Now, this won't hurt a bit….'
Orling the Bold unhappily strummed his harp, eyes on the bright-and empty-display case beside him. This was the last string that needed tuning. When it was done, he'd have to go tell someone about the ring vanishing. That would be the end of his night of revelry, over before it began-and perhaps of his career as a Harper. Or even his life, if they took it really amiss.
Orling gulped as he plucked the last string repeatedly. He certainly didn't feel 'Bold' right now, or even just 'bold.' No one would believe he'd not even touched the case, and the ring had just up and-
He blinked at the case again, and let out an uneasy laugh. His forehead was suddenly wet with sweat, and outside the room he heard the first trumpets echoing through Twilight Hall to start the fun. He looked in wonder at the case, shaking his tense fingers to loosen them and hardly daring to believe his eyes.
The ring was back. Floating there, turning slowly, as it had been for years. The little electrum dragon, the silver orb under it, and the plain gold band. Orling smiled.
The ring was back, as silently as it had gone. It winked almost mockingly at him-turning just as it had been turning for years.
The poison was rather more subtle this time, but it was still there. In the stuffed pheasant, the lemon juice and the pepper overwhelmed the burning, oily taste that Storm'd come to expect from the kitchens of the keep. There was nothing wrong with the good, sharp stonemountain cheese on her side dish, and the white sauce for the birds was simply exquisite.
Storm ate with gusto, washing down bird after bird with wine, and enjoying the sniping attacks of the Summerstars down the table. It was good entertainment-even if the chilly atmosphere was made even colder by the retention of the same seating arrangement, with empty seats where the seneschal and the two dead wizards had sat. Uncle Erlandar had also decided to miss the meal for some undisclosed reason or other. Pheirauze was preoccupied, and that left the mice free to play.
Just now, the two maiden aunts were taking turns sharpening their tongues on the outlander guest.
'Have your. . kind. . lived in Shadowdale long, dear?' Margort asked with kindly condescension.
'Humans?' Storm asked brightly. 'Oh-for centuries, now.'
'Oh, surely not as long as there have been Summerstars in Firefall Vale, dear,' Nalanna put in. 'We're a very old family, you know.'
Not far from them, Thalance rolled his eyes, favored Storm with a sympathetic look, raised his glass to her, and drained it, all in one smooth motion. He got up from the table. Both of the dowager ladies favored him with frowns, but neither said anything as he loped down the feast hall and departed.
'A Summerstar was at King Galaghard's side when he went in to see the Last Elf, on the eve of the battle where he broke the power of the Witch-Lords,' Margort said haughtily.
Storm nodded. 'I remember that,' she said, tapping her goblet. 'I wanted to see Othorian myself. He was very rude to Thanderahast, as I recall.'
'You don't expect us to believe that you were there, dear? I mean, really!' Margort said in pitying tones.
Pheirauze said coldly, 'I'm sure this could go on all evening, but in defense of our. . distinguished lady guest, it must be said that all she has done is answer your questions, Margort and Nalanna. Is there some point to this. . inquisition? The lineage of our house is a matter of record, you know.'
Margort darted a glance down the table, and hissed, 'Not in front of her, Pheirauze!'
'Yes, in front of her,' the elder dowager lady said with a sigh. 'I'm tired of this. Next you'll be telling me that old tale about her sleeping with Pyramus again!'
'Yes!' Nalanna squeaked.
Margort nodded, and said fiercely, double chin quivering, 'That's it exactly! She's here to try to steal the vale and the keep and all away from us!'
'What?' Pheirauze shot an incredulous look down the table at Storm, who shrugged and spread her hands in a baffled gesture.
'There she goes!' Margort cried, bouncing up and down in agitation and pointing with a wrinkled hand whose wrist dripped long ropes and hoops of gems. 'Acting all innocent! Why, I caught her sitting up in the Twilight Turret with Pyramus-late one fall, it was, when the sunsets were long. And they didn't even act ashamed!'
Heads turned all along the table to look at Storm, who smiled faintly, and waved a polite reply to all the
