Yes, but then what better life can there be than living out in the open as we do. Neither of us were born for the cities of Man.
No, Baylee agreed. I love the openness of this world. A room at an inn is a nice thing to experience once in a while, but I'd get bored looking at the same land all the time.
Then why get so attached to Jaeleen?
Baylee looked the azmyth bat in the eyes. / can't explain it even to myself.
Let me help. Have you ever heard of the word aberration?
Baylee ignored the comment. He knew it wasn't the bat's word, but he also knew her telepathic link always hit closely to what she was thinking. But he wanted to talk, not argue. There is so much she is good at.
I could tell you thought so from the way that hammock was jerking around earlier. I was actually fearful the two of you were going to break your necks before you exhausted yourselves.
Baylee smiled at the memory in spite of the pain that went with it. There was something missing. Wine. Some wine and some cheese, maybe some chilled fruit. That would have been nice.
That reminds me, Xuxa said. Jaelееn also stole the last of our journeycake.
'Stole' is too harsh a word. 'Borrowed' is better.
The azmyth bat sniffed in disdain, choosing deliberately to throw the artifice response at him. She'd learned the habit from a previous human she'd traveled with. Azmyth bats lived to be well in excess of one hundred years. Baylee had never gotten Xuxa to admit how old she really was.
Either term, Xuxa replied, it will be berries and spring water for breakfast.
I'll make it up to you at the Glass Eye Concourse, Baylee promised. You know there will be more than enough to eat once we arrive there.
And we'll stay the duration?
Xuxa, this is a forgathering. Not only that, it's one of the biggest far-gatherings of rangers in the year. Once it starts, it may not end for months.
The azmyth bat gave a happy chuckle of expected contentment.
We'll stay a tenday, Baylee promised.
I'll hold you to that.
In the silence, the ranger's thoughts wandered again to Jaeleen. He felt drawn to her in a way that moths winged to flame. Though he was loathe to admit it, there was not much to like about Jaeleen. She was self- centered, arrogant, and petty. But during the times he shared with her, contested against her own nature to try to get her to see a wider view of the world, he was convinced he'd never meet another woman like her who set his heart thrumming in quite the same fashion. When there was no sarcastic remark forthcoming from Xuxa, he was grateful. He knew he was allowed to have private thoughts in the azmyth bat's presence in spite of her telepathic powers, but he remained suspicious of how much Xuxa monitored him.
After the forgathering, Xuxa asked, are you still planning on returning to Waterdeep?
Baylee hesitated.
Remember, Xuxa said, no lies.
I don't know.
Well, at least that's honest, if not definitive.
It's not that easy, the ranger protested. Too many things were said between Golsway and me. Some of them I now realize I had no place to say.
And some of them Fannt Golsway had no place to say, Xuxa said gently. I am sure he realizes that by now as well. You are not the only one who can see the error of your ways.
Baylee looked deep into the azmyth bat's milk-white eyes. Golsway is a hard man. He's been my teacher. He can make no mistakes in his eyes.
He was much more than your teacher, and I think he's had time to realize that. Baylee, you would be better served to spend your time in Waterdeep repairing that relationship than in haring off after Jaeleen.
How did you know I was thinking about that?
Because being around that-that woman-locks up your thoughts. I expect you to be pining away after her for a tenday or more. I am looking forward to very depressing times, I'm afraid. I hate it when you mope.
You're no walk in an elvenglen yourself.
Baylee, why do you think Jaeleen left without saying good-bye?
She didn't want me to try to convince her to spend a longer time with me.
Xuxa chirped in frustration. That's only half the truth. The other part is that she has feelings for you and she knows she will never be the woman you need in your life.
What kind of feelings?
Xuxa spread her wings and shook them. Listen to all that I say, not half of it. As much as I find to dislike about that female, I sense that in her own strange way she loves you and would spare you the trouble that she would undoubtedly bring.
Baylee couldn't help but think that somehow sounded romantic.
Ill-fated lovers was a theme that played to most audiences, and all the legends and histories he'd ever read had been full of such stories.
You can't change her, Xuxa said, and I fear a bad end for her.
She can take care of herself. Baylee turned cautiously in the hammock and stared off into the darkened forest. To the east, the sun was starting to taint the sky a rosy gray. It would be so easy to trail her through the forest. She was good at her woodcraft, but he was better. He could find her before noon.
But he knew he wouldn't. In a few minutes more, he fell back asleep. There was no hurry.
Tirdan Closl surveyed the wreckage inside Fannt Golsway's study, seeking to understand everything that had happened inside the house. He was a tall man, and broad, slower now in his mid-fifties than he had been as a younger man. His dark hair and beard were well kept by his wife, but he had a habit of pulling at it while he thought.
The carnage inside the home gave him plenty to think about.
'Sir,' a young guard said behind him.
Closl turned. He was a senior civilar of the watch in Water-deep, his leather armor strengthened with chain bearing the green, black, and gold that marked his station. He fisted the pommel of his short sword as he regarded the junior officer. 'Yes, Daike?'
'I located the cook, sir.' Daike looked around the room with wide eyes.
Closl didn't blame the boy. Despite all the fights and bar brawls that happened in Waterdeep that the watch took care of, nothing could prepare a man for the sight of his first wizard's battle. 'Where is she?' the senior civilar asked in a gentle voice.
'Outside, sir. Her name is Qhyst. She asked that she not have to come in.'
'Of course.' Closl took another look at the ruined corpse of Fannt Golsway. The old mage was a crumpled shell of himself, lightning blasted so that his flesh had lost all its color, yet charred in places where the magicks trapped inside him had vented themselves. The early morning sunlight only made the horrific death seem even more evil. The watch senior civilar had been born a farm lad, brought to Waterdeep for a time to sail with the trading ships and see bits and pieces of the world, and had been with the watch for his last twelve years. He had seen such sights before, but not often.
Two men worked on Golsway's corpse. One was Hazra, a watch member trained as a physician. The other was Mintrivn, who was wise in the ways of magic. Both of them were there to determine exactly how Golsway had died. If possible.
'Daike,' Closl said.
'Sir.' The young man whipped his attention toward the senior civilar and straightened his carriage. Closl ran a tight shift.
'Help Oryan question the neighbors. She will need every man she can get to do it all properly.'
Daike snapped a salute and led the way out of the room.
Closl sighed heavily and followed the younger man out. With a murder like this, all the weak members of the watch would be culled by the end of the week. Especially when Piergeiron, Warden of the Guard, Commander of the Watch, Overmaster of the Guilds, and Open Lord of Waterdeep announced that they were intent on bringing the person or persons responsible to justice.
