The Dream Spheres (single books)

by Elaine Cunningham

  "You could say that. It's possible that she's holding a grudge. There's more." She hesitated a moment, not wanting to give words to what seemed incomprehensible behavior. "You didn't seek her out on the trip to Waterdeep. I don't think she's accustomed to being ignored. Since she's not one to blame herself for much of any shy;thing, I wouldn't be surprised if she has a grudge on that score. Creating trouble for me would balance the scales for your inattention."

  Danilo looked coldly furious. "I am beginning to regret the pledge I took from Elaith for Isabeau's safety. Speaking of whom, we'd better see him at once-provided I can remember which of his properties he cur shy;rently inhabits!"

  He hailed a passing carriage. The crest of the Car shy;riage Guild was painted on the door, marking it as available for hire-as did the presence of its halfling crew. The stout little driver tilted his plumed cap and pulled the horses to a halt. A second halfling scrambled down from the coachman's seat and opened the door, smiling expectantly up at Arilyn.

  Too tired to argue, she climbed in and settled back against the plush seat. With a jerk, the carriage took off toward the south to seek out whatever rock the elven snake happened to be sunning himself on this particu shy;lar morning.

  * * * * *

  Elaith Craulnober was not in good humor. He was never so when going over his account books. The numbers therein would have sent many a merchant lord dancing giddily into the streets, and in truth Elaith was not un shy;happy with the results of his recent ventures in Skullport. It was the ciphering itself that he loathed.

  A pity he could not trust another to tend such mat shy;ters for him. There were scribes, of course, and men who wrote up bills of sale and tallied the day's transaction. There were other men who collected this information and passed it along to their superiors, who in turn passed it along. Groups of men, some small, some num shy;bering in scores, tended Elaith's vast concerns, but each group was like a single room with windows and doors to the outside word-and none at all to the corridors that led to those other rooms. Only Elaith knew the whole of his empire.

  The small brass bell suspended above his door chimed musically. Almost glad for the interruption, Elaith tugged at the embroidered bellpull to grant permission for audience.

  The door opened soundlessly. Just as quiet was the elderly elven servant who glided up to Elaith's desk and offered a small, silver tray.

  Elaith glanced at the engraved card and smiled faintly. Young Lord Thann had come calling, no doubt with a bottle of elven wine and an apology that would be peppered with foolish anecdotes-but no less sincere for all that. Elaith's words to Arilyn the night before had been simple truth: he did not believe that Danilo had issued the invitation in order to lure him into an ambush. He would not, however, hold other members of the Thann family above suspicion. There was no reason for Danilo to know that, of course.

  "Send him in."

  "Them, my lord. The moonfighter is with him," the servant said, showing Arilyn the respect due any elf honored with a moonblade. If the servant had an opin shy;ion about whether a half-elf deserved this honor, he wisely kept it to himself.

  Elaith rose as the unlike pair entered his study. His words of welcome died as he regarded their disheveled appearance. They both looked as damp and road-sore as horses run too long and too hard. A wide variety of sub shy;stances besmudged their clothing, which to all appear shy;ances had been donned hastily and without the aid of servants. Arilyn's black curls fell to her shoulders in wild disarray, and her white, angular face was streaked with grime. Both looked as if they had thrust their hands into a gnome's sausage grinder, so torn were the skin and nails.

  "What in the Nine bloody Hells have you been about?" Elaith demanded.

  Danilo threw himself into a chair, then placed what appeared to be a large, wooden snuffbox on the table beside. "Fighting tren, traversing sewers, climbing walls. Nothing out of the ordinary. How was your morning?"

  Consternation swept through the elf. He looked to Arilyn for a straight answer. "There was another tren attack?"

  "Two." In a few terse words, she described the situa shy;tion.

  Elaith nodded thoughtfully. The pieces fit. Indeed they did.

  "Oth Eltorchul and Isabeau were at The Silken Sylph last night," Arilyn said in a flat, even tone.

  The elf knew what was coming next. "I suppose you stopped there looking for me, and you were informed, though not without some persuasion, that I was seen in conversation with Lord Eltorchul."

  Danilo quickly entered the conversation. "We came here to learn what you know of the matter, not to make accusations. Three tren attacks, in the space of a single day, all of them threatening Arilyn's safety or reputa shy;tion. There are other common threads: all those attacked were at the Gemstone Ball, all had dealings with Isabeau Thione. Can you see something I might have missed?"

  "Nothing more than I said last night," Elaith said. "This was not the first time someone took steps to hasten my departure from this world. Nor, all things consid shy;ered, will it be the last. I do not know what occasioned this particular attack, nor have I any knowledge of the other two."

  "We will be looking into this matter," Arilyn stated.

  Obviously she suspected him, whatever Danilo might say to the contrary. That knowledge stung the elf more than it should.

  Elaith gave her a faint smile and a courtly bow. "I will consider myself warned. Lord Thann, what is that box?" he asked, more to distract the conversation than from any real interest.

  Danilo shifted uneasily. "It's all that remains of Oth."

  "Ah. Turning evidence over to the Watch. Very com shy;mendable," the elf murmured without much interest.

  "Actually, I thought I'd turn this over to the Eltorchul clan for possible resurrection."

  Outrage, quick and sharp and utterly elven, surged through Elaith. He noted that Arilyn's expression mir shy;rored his thoughts. In this, at least, they were of like mind.

  Resurrection, was it? Typical human arrogance! The elf could think of nothing more self-centered or more repug shy;nant than disturbing the afterlife of friend or kindred.

  "Why do you humans persist in doing this thing?" he demanded.

  "Because we can, most likely," Danilo responded wearily. "It is hard to accept that a loved one is lost when magic exists that will call him back."

  "You could have mentioned this earlier," Arilyn snapped.

  Danilo shrugged and glanced from one angry elf to the other. "I always like to break bad news when I'm grossly outnumbered. It keeps me in good trim."

  Elaith stepped between them before the argument could escalate. "Although I regret to hear of your troubles, I can offer you nothing that would assist you. Have you considered the possibility that I have no real part in this drama? That the tren in the Thann tunnels were tracking Arilyn, not lying in wait for me?"

  "I have," admitted Arilyn. A wary look entered her eyes. "Lying in wait. They had reason to expect you?"

  The elf cursed himself for the misstep. If the persist shy;ent half-elf learned that he had been lured to the tunnel, she would not rest until she found out who had sent the note. In the process, she would no doubt come across the connection between him and the dream spheres. That, he could not permit.

  "I was speaking from your vantage point," he said smoothly. "Of course you could not know that I caught a glimpse of you in the halls and followed you into the tunnels. You appeared to be lost. I merely wished to offer assistance."

  Arilyn shot a quick, almost guilty glance in Danilo's direction, then returned a level gaze to Elaith. "If you think of anything that might help, you will contact Dan?"

  It did not escape the elf that Arilyn removed herself from the chain of information. Elaith inclined his head in another bow. "Always at your service, Princess."

  His visitors left soon after. As soon as the study door closed behind them, Elaith paced over to the hearth and stared at the fire with unseeing eyes.

  What was he to do now? The dream spheres he would
and must have; that need had not changed with Oth's death. Now, however, he would have to sidestep, if not actively contend with, the efforts of these two people. Under any circumstances, he would rather count them as allies than adversaries. He had made pledges to them both, evoking the deepest bonds known to elves and stirring the very core of his forgotten honor.

  To Danilo he owed the pledge of Elf-friend. No elf Elaith knew in fact or in legend had ever set aside that pledge. Arilyn, half-elven though she was, Elaith regarded as both kin and liege lady. The Craulnober clan was a sept-a minor branch-of the royal elven house. Elaith's first sword had been sworn in service to the Moonflower family, and Arilyn was the daughter of the disgraced and exiled Princess Amnestria. She should have been his daughter, but for his own private disgrace.

  The elf firmly set aside these thoughts. Despair lay at the end of that path. He had not thrived all these many years away from Evermeet by ruing what was past.

  It was easier to ponder the death of Oth Eltorchul. There were few who deserved the fate more and many who might have ordered it. Several powerful wizards had cause to hate the mage. Rumor spoke of several women angered by his treatment of them. Elaith knew of at least four noble families who had reason to squelch the proposed trade in dream spheres-for much the same reason that opposition to his own enterprises in Skullport was growing. Legal trade in Waterdeep was strictly regulated. Illegal trade was even more sternly enforced.

  All in all, Elaith's fancy settled upon the crystal mer shy;chant, Mizzen Doar. Mizzen had already offered a drunken confession of sorts. Elaith had reason to con shy;nect the man's boast of the "elf gem" to Oth Eltorchul's magical toys. If the gem was what Elaith suspected it to be and if the crystal merchant was truly in possession of it, Mizzen was the most likely suspect to murder that Elaith could conceive.

  It occurred to him, briefly, to reconsider the wisdom of seeking out the gem. Not long ago, Mizzen had pos shy;sessed a sterling reputation. Recently Elaith had heard rumors of shady dealings that ranged from counterfeit shy;ing to outright fraud. Murder was not out of the ques shy;tion for one under the thrall of the elven stone.

  "I am sufficient to the challenge," he muttered.

  Was he? A few years ago, he would have undergone this venture in confidence. After all, had he not removed himself from all things elven? The gem would have been to him a rare and legendary treasure, no more. Posses shy;sion would have been enough.

  That was before he had remembered the value of honor, before he had looked into the face of his tiny daughter and dreamed for her things he had long for shy;gotten. It was before he had undergone a quest to re shy;awaken the Craulnober moonblade and hold it in trust for his heir, before he saw and honored the royalty in a rough-edged half-elf. Before he had forged the sacred bonds of Elf-friend.

  In doing these things, Elaith had torn pieces from his carefully constructed armor. Ironically, in allowing pockets of virtue into his life, he had opened himself up to the very real danger posed by the twisted magic of the elven gem. If there was yet good in him, the gem would seek to win him. If he were truly a creature of evil, the gem would submit to his will, for that would be the best way of creating mischief. Either way, it would change his life immeasurably, but at least, at last, he would know.

  "Better to embrace evil without reservation than to be overcome by it," Elaith mused.

  Even as he spoke, the spiral of his thoughts turned again. If he were to deny the only honor remaining him, would he not be overcome indeed?

  The elf's mind whirled with the confusion of it. This was not the sort of puzzle that normally occupied him. In his world, a thing was, or it was not. He was an hon shy;orable elven warrior of Evermeet, or he was utterly dis shy;graced and dissolute. He could not be both.

  Yet he was.

  Elaith stalked over to his desk and hurled the ledgers into the open chest beside it. The books disappeared and would not return except to his call.

  "Thasilier!" he bellowed.

  The elven steward came to his call. "Send word to my captains," snapped Elaith. "I would have them meet me at highsun at Greenglade Tower. Those who lodge there have until that hour to make other arrangements."

  Astonishment overcame the steward's inscrutable calm. "My lord?"

  "Do it," Elaith said in a cold, dangerous voice.

  The elf bowed and turned away, obedient even in this, the dissolution of one of the last elven havens in the city. Elaith owned the enclosed garden and tower, and he would use it however he saw fit.

  He was no longer a Guardian, captain of the royal elven guard. Let the elves of Waterdeep fend for them shy;selves, as best they could.

  As Elaith intended to do.

  * * * * *

  Isabeau Thione swept down the street toward the elegant stone building housing Diloontier's Fine Per shy;fumes. She had never had occasion to visit this shop or, for that matter, the coins to finance a purchase. Thanks to Oth Eltorchul, she now possessed both.

  She tried not to look impressed as she entered the shop, despite the rows of glittering bottles that lined the walls and the rare, costly spices and tinctures that scented the air. The front room was furnished as well as any noblewoman's parlor. A large, arched door led into the back room, where stood tables heaped with rare, fresh flowers. Two young apprentices were busy with mortar and pestle, crushing blossoms and herbs into paste. Another lad carefully placed herbs or bits of citrus peel into vials of strong spirits, in order to draw off tinctures.

  The proprietor bustled up to greet her. Diloontier was a small man, not much taller than Isabeau. He was exceedingly thin of limb and face but wore his belt low under a small, tightly rounded belly. His dark hair had been oiled back, and his thin-lipped smile was exceed shy;ingly broad. On the whole, he rather resembled a frog. Isabeau gave him a cool nod, then tugged off her gloves and presented her wrist to him.

  "This perfume was blended for me in Zazesspur," she said, speaking not fact, but code. "Can you match it?"

  The little man sniffed delicately. "Patchouli, citrus, and snowflower," he mused, "and perhaps one thing more."

  It was the agreed-upon response. A wave of relief swept through Isabeau. She had gone to great trouble and expense to seek out such a man, and it was gratify shy;ing to know her efforts had been well spent. Diloontier's words indicated that he was available to sell things not offered in the fine shop: poisons, potions, and a variety of services.

  Isabeau cast a glance back toward the door to ensure that they were not observed, then took the sack of dream spheres from her bag. "This is the one thing more," she said. "I believe you can sell them for me."

  The perfumer reached into the bag and drew out one of the gleaming spheres. His eyes widened. "Indeed I can. I have heard tell of these. So have some of the gentry, and I've had enough discreet inquiries to enable me to move these quickly, as well as any more you might happen upon," he said.

  "At what price?"

  Diloontier looked scandalized. "A lady of quality need not concern herself with such details. I will handle all, and report faithfully to your steward."

  Isabeau refused to be flattered or patronized. She strolled over to a shelf glittering with decorative silver vials and took from it a small, plain bottle. Turning to face the perfumer, she slowly, deliberately dropped the vial into her bag.

  "Half," she specified coldly, staring down the sud shy;denly wary man. "I expect to receive half the purchase price of each dream sphere you sell. Do not attempt to cheat me."

  "My lady!" he protested.

  "Do not," she said in a low tone as she patted her bag, "or I will feed you one of your own poisons. Now that we are properly acquainted, let us discuss some other mat shy;ters you can help me with. . "

  * * * * *

  Arilyn and Danilo walked down the long, black marble stairs that led from the front door of Blackstone House, one of Elaith's favorite residences. Unlike most houses in the city, this one had no windows or doors on the first level. Guests were obliged to
climb a steep, narrow stairs to the front door. No rails lined the stairs, which were smooth and slick as a ballroom floor.

  Arilyn had to admit that it was a clever design and extremely defensible. Anyone who wished to storm the elf's abode would be obliged to do so one at a time. No one could stand and fight on so precarious a perch, and she would not be at all surprised if the stone griffons that flanked the stairs on the ground below were mag shy;ical constructs, waiting to pounce upon any who might fall.

  Arilyn all but leaped down the stairs and hastily climbed into the waiting carriage. "He's lying," she said flatly.

  Danilo did not disagree. He climbed into the seat, leaned forward and gave the halfling driver his address, then slid shut the wooden door. "At least he does not hold the Thann family responsible. I would not care to renew that particular enmity."

  "They call him the Serpent, and not without reason," she pointed out. "A snake still strikes whether you name him friend or foe. It's his nature."

  "I am not so certain," Danilo argued. "There are some things even Elaith holds sacred. He did not lightly name me Elf-friend. I believe he will honor that pledge."

  "As long as it's convenient." Arilyn slumped down in the seat and stretched her booted feet out before her. The look she sent in Danilo's direction bordered on pleading. "At least consider the possibility that I'm right."

  "This much I will do." Danilo reached up and tapped on the wooden door. "Change of plan," he informed the beaming halfling driver. "Take us to The Curious Past, on the Street of Silks."

  The half-elf sat upright, surprised to hear him name the posh shopping district. "What is this?"

  "The dream spheres hold part of the answer to this puzzle," Danilo explained. "Of that much, I am fairly certain. Perhaps Elaith has more involvement in this matter than he is willing to admit. I will have someone follow him, and we will see."

  Arilyn nodded. That was more of a concession than she had expected to get. "A Harper?"

  "One of the agents assigned to my direction," he agreed, "and recently released to tend her own affairs. You have not met Bronwyn. She is a finder of lost things, a scholar of sorts but ready for just about anything that comes her way. She is most knowledgeable concerning treasures both ancient and modern and deals frequently with the gem and crystal merchants. These dream spheres had to be mined and cut and polished. She would be able to find out who did these things-as would Elaith, if indeed he plans to follow this path."