Into the Void

because he'd come this far. He took his hands from her shoulders. She must be able to run away if she wants to, he thought. 'And,' he started again, forcing firmness into his voice, 'there's more.' He closed his eyes and allowed the false face to fade away. He heard Rianna's sharply indrawn breath and opened his eyes.

Rianna still stood before him. She hadn't backed away, but her eyes were wide and both her hands were at her mouth. He could hear her rapid breathing.

He stood before her, arms at his side, waiting. He wasn't sure exactly what reaction he'd expected: fear, maybe, or more likely anger, but Rianna surprised him.

Tentatively, she reached out a hand toward his face. Her fingers touched his cheek, the line of his jaw. 'This is… you?' she asked, a catch in her voice. He nodded. Rianna smiled, a strained, wan smile. 'Much more handsome,' she murmured, almost too low for Teldin to hear.

'I'm sorry, Rianna,' he said softly. 'As the gods are my witnesses, I'm sorry.'

She shook her head. Her strained smile was still in place. 'I knew some of it,' she said. 'I knew you'd taken a false name. I knew you didn't come from Waypoint, but… this!'

'I'm sorry,' he repeated miserably. He knew he should say something else, but he couldn't figure out what.

Rianna shook her head again. She closed her eyes and took a deep, cleansing breath. When she opened her eyes again, they were clear. She smiled, and this time it was the strong, warm smile that Teldin knew. 'No,' she said, her voice steady, too. 'No, I'm sorry. You just… shocked me, that was all. I knew you wouldn't have taken a false identity without a good reason.' She chuckled.

'In my business, I deal with more false identities than real ones, and I've gotten to the point that I can usually pick out even the best.' She prodded him in the ribs with a forefinger. 'Yours was far from the best, little chum, but I wasn't going to queer your pitch. If it was necessary for you to be Aldyn Brewer, then I'd spend time with Aldyn Brewer. Did you really think it was your name I enjoyed spending time with? Your shaky stories about coming from Waypoint? Even your face? Were those the only things I was interested in? Rather superficial, wouldn't you say?' Teldin nodded in dumb amazement. 'You're none of those things,' she went on, 'and it's you-what's underneath all the make-believe-that I'm interested in. Do you understand what I'm saying?' 'I understand,' he muttered.

She reached up and grasped his shoulders. For an instant, her smile faltered. 'By the gods, you even feel different.'

'Sorry,' he started to say, but she hushed him peremptorily to silence.

Her grip on his shoulders was firm. 'Remember what I told you aboard ship?' she asked. Her voice was low, but it almost crackled with intensity. 'About how your secrets are your most valuable, most personal, possessions?'

'I remember.'

She released one shoulder and reached down to take his hand. 'I thank you for the valuable gift you've given me, Teldin Moore,' she said softly. She kissed his palm.

Teldin stepped forward and wrapped her in his arms. Her body was warm and strong-steel under velvet-against him. He tilted his head, and her mouth was soft and welcoming. When she flung her own arms around him, the grip was almost fierce enough to squeeze the air from his body.

When the kiss finally ended-minutes or maybe centuries later-Teldin's body felt alive, as if he'd slept for twelve hours, doused himself in frigid rainwater, then swallowed two quick shots of ice-cold sagecoarse on an empty stomach. Rianna nestled close against his chest.

'They won't miss us if we don't go back to the ship tonight, will they?' she whispered.

Teldin smiled. 'They won't miss us.'

As one, they turned back toward the welcoming door of the Pig and Whistle.

*****

Teldin felt wonderful. For perhaps the first time since he'd left his farmhouse on that fateful day-how long ago was it now?-he felt relaxed and full of energy. The gods are in their heavens and all's right with the world, he told himself. The salt smell of the sea was sharp in his nostrils, and the morning breeze was brisk and bracing in his- rather, Aldyn's-and Rianna's faces. The rocking of the small tender as it breasted through the low waves, taking them back to the Probe, just added to his pleasure. He felt like singing.

He looked at Rianna, sitting on the thwart next to him. The wind had brought even more color to her tanned cheeks. The soft skin around the bottomless sea of her eyes crinkled as she smiled at him.

The tender bumped gently against the hammership's hull, and Teldin veritably bounded up the rope ladder, over the gunwale rail, and onto the deck. Aelfred and 'Bale Estriss' were on the forecastle. The big warrior was grinning broadly. If he smiles any wider, he'll swallow his ears, Teldin thought. He snapped a jaunty salute. Aelfred's response was to give an even broader, knowing grin, and to shake his head in feigned despair. Estriss, on the other hand, beckoned to him to come up onto the forecastle.

Teldin leaned over the rail to give Rianna a hand up. 'Pay a toll to come aboard,' he told her as she swung a long leg over the rail. She chuckled deep in her throat as he bent down to collect a kiss.

'I'm going below for a while,' she told him, then slipped an arm around his waist and gave him a quick squeeze. 'I'll see you later… Aldyn.'

He watched her until she disappeared belowdecks, then he crossed to the port ladder and climbed to the forecastle, where Aelfred was waiting for him.

'You look like the canary that ate the cat,' the big warrior joked. He glanced over the rail to where Rianna had disappeared. 'And I can't say as I blame you.'

We were concerned about you. The illithid's mental voice was as sharp as Teldin had ever heard it.

'… Until I told him the company you were keeping,' Aelfred elaborated. He leaned forward to speak in a stage whisper: 'I seem to recall a certain conversation in the officers' saloon. Estriss might not try to steal your girl, but he might not understand why you want to spend a night ashore with her either. A serious disadvantage to being sexless, eh?'

Teldin smiled but said nothing. Even though he knew Aelfred intended no harm, he didn't feel comfortable joking about someone who he'd suddenly realized meant a lot to him. 'Any word from Barrab?' he asked.

Aelfred's expression sobered. 'Not yet,' he replied, 'but I hear tell that our fat friend spent his night away from home, too. Meeting with his boss, I'll wager.'

'Is there anything we can do to hurry things along?'

The warrior shook his head firmly. 'Nothing. We wait.'

As it turned out, they didn't have to wait long at all. Teldin had been back on board for perhaps an houri which he'd spent in the officers' saloon, gazing out at the busy harbor, when a knock sounded and Aelfred entered. The big man was grinning like a bandit. 'Message for milord Brewer,' he announced, 'just delivered by tender.' He waited, obviously enjoying himself.

'It worked?'

'It worked,' Aelfred confirmed. 'You and two assistants are invited aboard the Nebulon-that's the arcane's ship.'

Teldin grinned. He was almost there. 'Did he say where the ship was?' he asked. 'Are we taking the Probe up?'

'He didn't say where the ship was,' Aelfred told him, 'but it doesn't matter. Barrab's arranged a boat to take you up. Security, I suppose.' The first mate grew serious. 'The invitation says you may bring two people with you if you want,' he said quietly. 'And I suggest you do it, Teldin. I don't know why an arcane might want to set a trap for you, but if he planned to, this would be an excellent opportunity.'

Teldin nodded slowly. As Aelfred had passed on the message, similar thoughts had been running through his mind. 'I agree,' he said. 'Aelfred, do you want to come?'

The warrior smiled. 'Just try to keep me away.' He paused, then went on, 'Estriss was there when I got the message and wants to come, too. I'd rather have one of my people come- Bubbo, maybe, as an intimidation factor-but…'

Teldin paused in thought. Aelfred was leaving the decision up to him. That was probably as it should be, but he wasn't comfortable with it. He considered. He'd feel a lot happier with the reassuring bulk of Bubbo at his back, but