flying blades came whirling out of the air around them to hurtle toward Itharr.
The deadly converging rain of leaping points met the sweep of Sharantyr's blazing blue blade, shimmered, and was gone. Only a few weapons glanced aside enough to escape, missing Itharr entirely.
Sharantyr strode another pace closer to their foe, but a table, flaming cards, and chairs suddenly rained down from above as Olorn spun all the shadows of the gaming room into a cloaking spiral, trying to smother the powers of the blade that seemed able to slay all his spells. Shadow would not fail him. It never had.
The table smashed Belkram to the floor. Itharr was flung aside, face bleeding, under the blows of two chairs, leaving Sharantyr standing alone, struggling to keep hold of her blade as shadows roared and wheeled around her, clawing and tugging.
Olorn smiled triumphantly at the lady ranger, a smile that slowly grew fangs. Shar's eyes fell from the glistening teeth to the Shadowmaster's hands, and saw that they'd become tentacles. As she gasped at the terrible, ever-growing power of the shadows mounting against her, he reached forward. He'd tear one man limb from limb, and then the other. By then the maid should be disarmed and he could have some fun.
Then the whirling blades were back, making bloody ruin of the tips of his tentacles. Olorn recoiled, hissing in pain. Could the sword drink spells and then spew them back? He'd b-by the blood of Malaug!
A shimmering barrier of swirling rainbow hue had appeared in front of him, spanning the entire breadth and height of the Hall of Stars, walling him away from the three humans. How could they have such power?
The rainbow wall bulged, and out of the bulge stepped Amdramnar, smiling tightly at him. 'Fingers burned, Olorn?' he asked. 'That's what happens when you pick fights with innocent folk who've no quarrel with you.'
'And just what are they to you?' Olorn snarled, growing tentacles at a furious rate.
They are guests of mine, idiot kin,' Amdramnar said meaningfully. 'I observe the rules and courtesies of our family, if you do not. They remain under my protection.' Many glances were exchanged among the watching Malaugrym.
'And you let them wander the castle freely, to poke and pry where they may?' Olorn raged, drawing his tentacles up before him like a nettled giant spider, ready to strike.
'What can they see, Olorn, but shadows, doors, chambers, and walls? What is there to learn that can hurt any of us?' Amdramnar answered, adding lightly, 'What cards you still held in your hand, perhaps?'
There were chuckles from several Malaugrym, and Olorn's eyes turned flat, dark, and dangerous. 'You've gone too far,' he said softly, 'and have become a traitor to our people. I must do what Dhalgrave no longer can. Die, traitor!'
A forest of tentacles shot forward, only to vanish in a welter of gore about halfway to Amdramnar, writhing and disintegrating in a mist of blood. Olorn screamed and staggered back, hauling away what was left of his rubbery arms. They left a trail of glistening gore to where he whimpered against a wall.
'You don't learn, do you?' Amdramnar asked incredulously. 'Did you not see my blades? Did you actually think me so weak or careless a mage that I'd have to dispel them in order to raise a barrier against you? Nay, I just made them invisible, you dolt. I should finish you.'
He gestured as if to move the invisible blades closer to Olorn, but that worthy Malaugrym was dwindling and flattening, air whistling out of him from twenty places in his haste to flow out the door at the back of the hall. Amdramnar took a pace forward as if to pursue him, but other Malaugrym shook their heads and closed ranks to block his route.
'No, Amdramnar,' one elder said. 'I care nothing for your quarrel, but I'll see no kin slain in the very halls of our castle, fighting over custody of mortals! Keep better watch over your humans in future. If they wander, troubles are bound to befall.'
'I bow to your wisdom, Cortar,' the young Malaugrym replied, 'and I'll see to their whereabouts.' He withdrew a few paces, and the rainbow barrier fell away around him.
Several Malaugrym started forward from the walls, but Amdramnar said merrily. ' 'Ware the blades- remember?'
They came to abrupt halts and glared at him, and he recognized at least two of Olorn's cronies among their ranks. He gave them soft smiles that held deadly promise as he put an arm around Sharantyr's shoulders-she gave him a glare almost as black as Olorn's had been, evoking more chuckles from the watchers around the walls-and nudged Belkram with his foot.
The Harper rolled over with a groan. 'Ye gods and little ground-snails,' he gasped, 'I think something in my shoulder's broken. It burns like fire!'
'Crawl over to Itharr for me, will you?' Amdramnar asked him. 'We'd best get gone speedily. You somehow wandered into the Hall of Stars, where our mages practice spell-hurling!'
'We're going to talk, later,' Belkram promised him grimly, wobbling to his feet. Shar laid a hand on his arm, and through it he heard Sylune say, There's a ring to heal you in her boot, remember. Hang on and do as the shape-shifter bids.
By your command, Belkram told her mockingly, and began the painful journey to where Itharr knelt, clutching at his forehead, blood still streaming down his fingers. 'How are we, old blade?' Belkram asked, collapsing beside him.
'Chairs… chairs are beating the soft stuff out of me,' Itharr grunted. 'The head on the left hurts the most.'
'Up, lad. We can stagger off to the graveyard together,' Belkram said tenderly, rising and hauling Itharr to his feet by main strength.
'Where's a quiet place we can go?' Sharantyr asked Amdramnar.
'My chambers, of course.'
'No, Amdramnar,' she said quietly. 'Not now.'
The Shadowmaster's head swung around, and their eyes met for a long moment. Then he looked away.
'Out this door,' he said, 'and then through here.'
He led them quickly out into a passage and through the first door they saw into a staircase. They went up a flight to another door, across a hall, and through a dusty room full of shrouded human skeletons. They passed through another door into a dank, dark corridor choked with rubble, thence into some sort of storeroom full of huge casks. Amdramnar led them right through the last, false, cask into a small chamber that he lit by making the end of one finger flame until he found a dusty candle lamp. The room was crowded with small, cobwebbed tables, and Belkram promptly rolled Itharr onto one of them.
'Rest here,' the Shadowmaster said. 'I'll come back for you.' He turned to go, then turned back. 'Would you like me to work any healing magic before I go? Itharr's head looks pretty bad… and your ear.'
Take his healing, Sylune said in Shar's mind, for yourself only, no matter how selfish it makes you look. Act aroused.
'Heal me,' Sharantyr said in low tones, putting out her hand. 'Then I can tend my companions with a clear head. Later, when you come back, they'll probably be in need of sleep. And then…'
Quite deliberately she reached behind her and set Mystra's sword on a table. Then she put her freed hand to her lips, and licked one finger while she looked steadily at him.
Their eyes met again… and slowly, very slowly, Amdramnar smiled. In spite of herself, Shar felt a stirring within her.
He nodded and turned away, murmuring something and making an intricate series of gestures and passes in the air with his fingertips. Then he turned back, extending one finger to touch her ear as gently as possible.
He's added a glamer to make you want him, Sylune told her, a moment before warmth flooded through her and the pain melted away.
'Ohhh, yes,' she murmured, and melted against him, turning her cheek to rub against the arm that had healed her. His skin had a strange acrid, spicy scent, but she licked at his fingers avidly, purring deep in her throat.
When she looked hungrily up at him again, she saw laughter and triumph in his eyes. 'I'll be back,' he said 'Soon.'
'If you're quite finished sticking your tongue in his ear, Shar,' Belkram roared, 'I need you to hold the other end of this. Itharr's still bleeding!'
'I'll have spells that bring slumber,' Amdramnar murmured, and was gone out the door.
Sharantyr leaned against it and trembled. I hope you can do something about that glamer, she told Sylune, or
