to the air from a branch near Cordyan's head. Xuxa, what have you learned?
A lot of silly intrigues that are currently in vogue in Waterdeep, the azmyth bat answered. But nothing regarding you.
Baylee watched the woman, eating as unconcernedly as if she had a right to be there. He smiled. In a way, he found her behavior curious. And she had chosen the right way to set all the tongues wagging at the forgathering. As well liked as he was by most rangers who knew him, Baylee also knew he had people who disliked him, if they didn't count him as a definite enemy.
Aymric held up an arm. Xuxa landed neatly on it, hanging upside down. 'A reward, dear Xuxa, for your daring efforts.' He offered her a small piece of apple nut crunch.
Gossip collecting, you mean. Still Xuxa took the offered treat.
'They are deliberately not talking about you,' Serellia stated.
'Well,' Karg rumbled, standing beside them, 'after the display I'm told she put on at the axe throwing contest, everyone else is talking about you.'
'They came at you straightaway, my friend,' Aymric pointed out. 'If they had a fell purpose in mind, they would have waited for you outside the forgathering.'
'Even then, that would not have been a wise move,' Karg said. 'Our sentries spotted them a full two hours before they arrived and had word sent back to Myndhl. He's in charge of security this year, you know.'
Baylee did know. Myndhl was a forest runner like Vaggit, and several areas in the Dalelands named Myndhl as an outlaw. His largesse didn't necessarily stem from the coffers of Zhentil Keep as Vaggit's did. Many times over the years, Myndhl's victims had included the wealthier houses around the Dalelands whose only crime was success. As such a wanted person, Myndhl's security systems were elaborate.
'Then I suppose there's nothing to be done for it,' Baylee said.
'What do you mean?' Aymric asked, peering through the branches.
'I'll go down there and kill the man sitting with the lieutenant,' Baylee replied. 'Then she'll talk.'
'You're kidding,' Karg rumbled.
'Yes.' Baylee started out from the tree, aiming straight for the table where Cordyan and her companion sat. Heads turned as he passed by, and he knew that most of the rangers at the forgathering knew what was going on.
'Then what are you going to do?' Serellia demanded, rushing up to walk with him.
'I'm going to introduce myself and ask her what she wants.'
'And what if she grabs you and teleports you out of here?' Aymric demanded, coming up on the other side of Baylee.
'That's why I'm here,' a voice spoke out of thin air.
'Carceus?' Aymric asked. 'Is that you, you old god-seller?'
'And whom else would it be?'
Looking in the direction of the voice, Baylee thought he saw a shadow ripple through the darkness at his side. Carceus Ravnei was a traveling cleric in the service of Gond Wonderbringer. He enjoyed friendships with a number of rangers due to his wandering travels trying to increase the number of followers of Gond in the Dalelands. His invisibility was due to some enchanted item that no one had quite nailed down over the years. The cleric had his secrets.
'Thank you for coming,' Baylee said.
'After Xuxa's impassioned plea but a moment or two ago, how could I not come?'
Baylee watched as Cordyan's head came up. Her eyes held the color of newly worked copper still drawing some of the red of a fire into them. He stopped at the head of the table.
Cordyan stood up, her left hand drifting down to her sword hilt.
Baylee spread his hands, showing he was unarmed. 'You were looking for me.'
Xuxa fluttered through the night overhead, then settled onto a branch over the table. Her thoughts are closed to me, the azmyth bat announced. She has a very disciplined mind, though. And her intentions are definite.
Whatever they are? Baylee asked sarcastically.
Xuxa chirped in disapproval, almost drawing the lieutenant's gaze.
The man sitting at the table remained on the bench, looking up with no expression. He ate neatly from a small clay plate.
He is a watch wizard, Xuxa announced, though more than that I cannot fathom.
'Baylee Arnvold?' Cordyan asked.
'And you are Lieutenant Cordyan Tsald, though I don't know why you would be looking for me.' Baylee watched the way the woman moved, noting the symmetry of power and grace. Though young in years, she carried experience wrapped around her. And for one so young, she had gone far in a very challenging arena to make lieutenant.
'First I must inform you I am here in an official capacity.'
Baylee inclined his head. 'Of course. I hope you've enjoyed the festivities despite that capacity. I hear you're quite good with an axe.'
The woman let the compliment roll past her without acknowledgment. 'I need to know when the last time was that you spoke with Fannt Golsway.'
'I would have to refer to my journal to give you the exact date,' Baylee said. Without warning, a leaden feeling filled his stomach.
'An approximation at this point would be adequate.'
'Months,' Baylee replied.
'What was the nature of that discussion?'
'I'm sure it had something to do with an antiquity or a point of history,' Baylee assured the watch lieutenant. 'Golsway has little time to talk to anyone about anything other than that.'
'Would that be in your journal as well?'
'If it was something I was interested in.'
The woman shifted, taking a step closer to Baylee. 'I've been told you and your mentor weren't on the best of speaking terms the last time you saw him.'
'We had a disagreement,' Baylee agreed. 'One which I fully intend to redress when I see him at the end of the second tenday from now.'
'You have intentions of traveling to Waterdeep?'
Baylee glanced around at the forgathering. The questioning had drawn more than a few spectators. 'Yes.'
'Why?' Cordyan asked.
'You ask a number of questions without giving me an explanation,' Baylee said.
'I'm afraid that is the nature of my business.' Cordyan's face remained unreadable even to Baylee's trained eye.
'I'm returning to Waterdeep to see Fannt Golsway,' Baylee answered.
Cordyan regarded him silently for a moment. Then she said, 'I'm afraid I have some bad news for you. Fannt Golsway is dead.'
'Malla, we are ready.'
Turning her attention from the staff she held, Krystarn looked over the three men standing in the hallway with her. Only minutes had passed as the men readied themselves for the coming battle. 'That is satisfactory, Captain Vnk'itn.' She handed him one of the golden bands Shallowsoul had given her. 'You understand my instructions on how to use this?'
'Yes, Malla.'
Krystarn gave the two remaining bands to the other drow males. 'To flinch or lose your focus will get you killed more surely than a blade in the back.'
All three males nodded. None of them appeared happy about being in possession of the bands.
'Those of you who fail to use the bands will die by my hand,' she promised. Then she took up the staff the lich had given her. She spoke the activation phrase and tapped the staff against the floor.
