After a moment of intense, silent struggle, the mage snatched up her clothing and tossed it to her. 'Forget the matter. It is of no consequence.'
Isabeau stopped in the act of pulling her chemise over her head, as if his words had stunned her into immobility. She tugged on the undergarment with a single quick, furious motion and rose from the bed. Stalking over to Oth, she stabbed him in the chest with an angry forefinger.
'My rubies were of considerable consequence! If you wish me to remain silent on this matter, I insist upon reparations.'
Oth's narrow face turned pale with fury. 'Extortion is hardly a wise course of action for a woman alone.'
There was a cold, dangerous note in his voice. Isabeau's frightened expression was not completely feigned. She took two steps back, her hands turned palms up in supplication.
'I meant no such thing, my lord. I was distraught over the loss of my gems. You have my word that I will say nothing of this matter. I would not in any case, for fear of damaging your good name and mine. There were many who saw us leave the Thann estate in one carriage.'
She kept her gaze wide and ingenuous while Oth tried to ascertain whether her words held a second, subtler threat. Finally he threw up his hands in sur shy;render. 'Shed no more tears over your baubles. The Eltorchul family will see to their replacement. Before you carry tales, though, know that your new rubies will place a geas of silence upon the wearer!'
A little fact that Isabeau did not intend to pass along to the fence who would resell these gems. She sank into a low curtsy. 'More than I dared ask, my lord.'
Oth hauled her to her feet. He stripped a ring from his finger and pressed it into her hand. 'Take this. Show it to the seneschal of any of the Eltorchul estates and bid him handle the matter.'
Isabeau took the proffered ring. 'Will you see me safely on my way, my lord?' she asked in tentative tones.
The mage scoffed. 'The thief has come and gone. What more can he take that you have not lost? Or eagerly given,' he added in nasty insinuation.
She gasped in genuine outrage. 'You are no gentleman!'
Oth sneered. 'I will not gainsay you. How could I? Though you have not been long in Waterdeep, I dare say you have already sampled enough of my peers to be con shy;sidered an expert in the matter.'
Isabeau lunged for the oil lamp and hurled it at the mage. He stood his ground and made a short, sharp ges shy;ture with both hands. The lamp shattered in mid air and fell to the ground in a shower of glass shards and droplets of scented oil. Without another word, Oth turned and stalked from the room, leaving Isabeau shaking with rage.
And fear. And triumph and excitement blended in a sudden, wonderful, waterfall burst of relief.
The moment she was alone, Isabeau flung herself back onto the bed and opened her mouth in a long, silent scream of victory. She had done it! Oth's treasure was hers, and no suspicion would touch her!
She quickly finished dressing, then slipped down the back stairs and dived through a hidden exit in search of a man who could market these treasures for her and set her feet more firmly on the path that she had chosen.
* * * * *
When Oth Eltorchul came storming down into the tavern room of The Silken Sylph, Elaith was waiting for him.
'A carriage,' the mage demanded of a serving maid, 'and wine while I wait. One small goblet. Mark me, I do not wish to wait long.'
Elaith caught the woman's eye and held up two fin shy;gers. She moved off to tend to the amended order. The elf rose and came over to the mage's table, sliding silently into the empty chair.
The mage studied him with ill-concealed distaste. 'The tavern is nearly empty, elf. Surely you could find another seat.'
Before Elaith could reply, a large, well-armed tavern guard stepped forward and nodded politely to Oth. He then leaned down and said confidingly, 'Lord Craul shy;nober can sit wherever he pleases. He owns this tavern, you see.'
'Ah. I do indeed.' Oth smiled thinly across the table at his host, who spread his hands in a parody of self- deprecation. 'It would appear that I am your guest.'
'A paying guest,' Elaith said cordially, just so there would be no misunderstanding on the matter.
'Quite.' The mage looked up when the servant brought a bottle of wine, and his face darkened when she placed two goblets on the table. 'Won't you join me,' he invited through gritted teeth.
'How very kind.' Elaith took up the bottle and poured two generous portions of elven wine. Usually he would not waste the precious liquid on a human, but the light, almost floral taste of the wine masked a kick more pow shy;erful than that of an angry centaur.
Oth drank more deeply than prudence dictated. When the goblet was empty, he thunked it down on the table and glared at his host. 'What manner of establishment do you run here, elf?'
Already his tone was fuzzy, lacking focus. Certainly his judgment was affected, for he would not otherwise dare to speak with such belligerence. Elaith let the insult pass for the moment.
'It is my desire that the service at The Silken Sylph be without peer. If you have reason for complaint, speak, and the matter will be set right.'
Oth snorted and held out his goblet for a refill. 'So easy, is it? What was taken from me cannot be replaced.'
Elaith began to see the shape of things. He poured a second goblet and waited until the mage had drained it.
'Perhaps it could be recovered.'
'Hmph,' scoffed Oth, but without much conviction. His face went slack with despair, as long and morose as a pack mule's.
'If you were robbed during your stay, then the reputation-and the profitability-of this fine estab shy;lishment is at risk. Confide in me,' Elaith said earnest shy;ly, 'and I will ensure by any means available to me that your loss is made right, and avenged, if you are so minded.'
Oth peered at him with drunken cunning. 'No small foe,' he cautioned. 'The treasure was stolen while I slept, despite wards I myself placed.'
The elf carefully hid his surprise and anger. He had anticipated a tale that pointed to a misplaced belong shy;ing. Guests were more inclined to ascribe their losses to theft than to their own carelessness, but the inn should have been protected against a theft. If Eltorchul's tale were true, Elaith's servants would answer for it.
'Do not concern yourself over the finding or the foe. Only tell me what is missing, and I will carry on from there.'
'Some coins, perhaps a hundred platinum,' Oth said in a sly tone. Elaith suspected the amount was probably a third of that. 'A few pieces of jewelry: a gold ring, an embossed wrist bracer, also of gold. A ruby necklace set in silver filigree, with ear drops and rings to match.'
Elaith pricked up his ears. 'A lady was with you? Where is she now?'
'Gone,' Oth said shortly. 'She was most unhappy about her loss.'
'I can imagine,' the elf murmured, making a note to find out the identity of this lady. 'Was that the extent of your loss?'
The mage hesitated. Indecision waged battle on his face, then gave way before the potent persuasion of greed and elven wine. 'There was more. Dream spheres, at least a score of them.'
'Dream spheres,' Elaith repeated.
'Small crystal orbs,' Oth explained. 'They hold magic. A single illusion, which is experienced as a vivid dream in which the dreamer places himself.'
Elaith had heard rumors of the things for quite some time now. They were becoming quite popular among the city's servants and mercenaries. The tale Arilyn told had raised enormous possibilities in Elaith's mind and convinced him to track these new magical toys to their source.
'An ingenious notion. I imagine many in this city would pay a small fortune for such a thing.'
'Would and do,' Oth boasted. He leaned toward the elf. 'You offered to help. Find them. Return them. I'll
