by Kay L. Ling
Ertz looked at his wildcat sculpture, his brow creased in thought.
Lant said, “Maybe other artists copied his work.”
Ertz shook his head. “Gnome artists pride themselves on creating distinctive pieces. Few would copy someone else’s work, no matter how much you paid them, and woodspirits are even less likely to do so.”
“So Tyla may have seen a real Parnatti sculpture?” Lant asked.
“It’s possible,” Ertz said, but his tone suggested he found it hard to believe.
“Who would sell such a valuable item at a roadside sleepstay?” Lant asked.
“It does seem odd,” Tyla admitted.
“I suppose the buyer might not want his family or business associates to know he was buying it,” Ertz speculated, “and a location like that, where no one is likely to recognize a valuable object, might be ideal.”
Tyla said with a wry smile, “Lant, Ben, and Tina Ann never noticed it, so I guess that proves your point.”
Mag came over and laid a hand on Ertz’s arm. “It’s a remarkable coincidence that Tyla was there at the right time to see it.”
“Yes, it certainly is.” He was silent a moment, then said to Tyla, “Mag and I have discovered over the years that remarkable coincidences are often providential events.”
Tyla felt a shiver of excitement.
“If you hadn’t seen Ertz’s sculpture, would you have thought to mention the one you saw?” Lant asked her.
“Probably. It made quite an impression.”
“After we have our refreshments, I’ll do a little research,” Ertz said. “I have a book that shows all the known Parnatti sculptures, but there are a few, passed down in families for generations, that aren’t in the book.”
“How many are there, as far as anyone knows?” Lant asked.
“Around seventy, including the ones with Dark gems.”
“But there aren’t many of those,” Mag said.
Ertz ran a hand over the wildcat sculpture. “Sculptures with benign gems were all carved from white or colored gem rough. Sculptures with dangerous gems were always black.”
Tyla said slowly, “Then the sculpture I saw . . .”
“Has dark powers. Yes, I believe so. But that doesn’t mean the buyer intends to use the gem. As I said, the ones with Dark gems are the most collectible.”
“Still, it would be interesting to know who bought it,” Lant said.
“If I ever see him again, I’m sure I’d recognize him.”
“Can you picture his face clearly now?” Ertz asked her.
“Yes.”
“And the sculpture, too?”
“Definitely.”
“Winty, you should let her use the leebstone book,” Mag said.
“Just what I was thinking.”
Ertz got out a large book with a dark red cover and set it on a table along with a gemstone the same color as the book. “I don’t suppose you’re familiar with leebstone.”
“I’ve never heard of it,” Tyla said, as she and Lant joined him at the table.
Ertz opened the book at a bookmark. The pages were blank, and the paper was cream colored with a subtle sheen, like the paper in a spell book. He handed Tyla the gem. “Close your eyes and picture the gnome and the sculpture. Then, draw the leebstone’s power, and it will reproduce your mental image.”
Tyla’s mouth fell open. “It can do that?” She knew spell books could reproduce memories, but she hadn’t thought other books could.
“Leebstone books are made of the same gem-reactive paper as spell books,” Ertz explained.
Tyla closed her eyes. She wanted to watch the book produce the image, but she had to concentrate. She drew the gem’s power, and she knew when the sketch began to appear because Lant gasped.
After a while, Ertz said, “It’s finished!”
Tyla opened her eyes and stared in wonder. The leebstone had faithfully reproduced the image of the gnome and the bird sculpture.
Ertz said, “This will help me identify the piece when I go through the reference book.”
“It’s a real Parnatti?” Lant asked.
“Yes, without question.”
“Are leebstone books rare?” Tyla asked, studying the sketch.
“Yes. Their pages are made from an extremely slow-growing tree called a nar. Most were cut down long ago, but on my way to Elantoth I saw some.”
“Really?” Lant said. “What do they look like?”
“They’re very unusual trees, covered with knots that are constantly moving.”
“We saw those!” Lant said. “I found them disturbing.”
Ertz laughed. “Yes, they’re unnerving until you get used to them.”
“We should get back to our other guests,” Mag said.
“I hope they aren’t too bored.”
Mag put the pitcher of sap and some cups on a tray, and everyone returned to the annex.
Ben and Tina Ann, still on the green cubes, were laughing in delight. They were playing with vine-like plants that had apparently traveled across the floor and climbed onto their laps. The root end of the vines remained in the clay pots along the wall.
“I see you’re getting acquainted with our cyrilla plants,” Mag said, setting the tray on a table.
“What are they,” Tyla breathed. “We don’t have anything like them in the Amulet.”
“They’re very intelligent and keep me company when Winty’s away.”
“They be almos’ as good as a filkin,” Tina Ann said.
A green-and-yellow striped pod was nipping playfully at Tina Ann’s fingers, and when she tried to move her hand away, the vine pursued it, the pod opening and closing.
“Now stop that,” she ordered, tapping the pod. It stopped nipping at her but remained upraised, and Tyla got the impression it was looking at Tina Ann and waiting to see what she’d do next. Tina Ann ran a finger along the top of the pod, and it swayed gently as if enjoying the attention.
“Watch this,” Ben said. A small wooden ball lay near his chair. He picked it up and rolled it across the floor. The vine darted from his lap, pod snapping eagerly, and pursued the ball. It returned a moment later, climbed back onto Ben’s lap, and deposited the ball in his outstretched hand.
“I wants one of these plants,” Tina Ann said.
Her cyrilla was bouncing, angling its pod toward Ben, as if hinting it wanted to play with the ball. Ben laughed and handed Tina Ann the ball.
“They don’t never tire of this game,” Tina Ann said as she rolled the ball. Her plant took off, grabbed the ball, but it didn’t bring it directly back. Instead, it slithered over to Tyla and Lant, rose up level with their faces, and seemed to be examining them. Apparently satisfied with its inspection, it finally dropped to the floor and returned to Tina Ann’s lap.
Tyla and Lant sat on a couch, Ertz claimed a nearby chair, and Mag served the tree sap before sitting down near Ertz. The cyrilla plants were apparently fond of sap. Ben and Tina Ann kept shooing the pods away from their cups. When Tina Ann turned her attention away for a moment, the pod dove into her cup and took a drink.
Tyla heard a noise outside. She turned to look just as a roll of paper came through a hinged flap on the front door and dropped to the floor.
“That will be the Aberell City News,” Ertz said and went to get it.
He sat down and unrolled it. “More headlines about Sheamathan’s transfer to The Emanicus. Representatives from various news services have already begun submitting visitation requests to Commander Finnack who is recording the requests and passing them on to a representative at The Emanicus.” He finished skimming the article and turned the page. “This is interesting. Rumor has it that Kaff is no longer with the woodspirit group, the Seekers. He hasn’t made any public appearances for days, and a shopkeeper in the Outcast District claims she sold him a secondhand cloak a few days ago.”
Lant said, “Must be Kaff had an argument with his new friends and moved out.”
“So it would app
ear,” Ertz said, “But I’m surprised they let him go so easily. They paid his bail and gave him a place to live, and in exchange he spread their propaganda. It was a mutually beneficial arrangement. I’m curious to know what happened.”
Ertz turned to the next page, and after reading a moment made a disgusted noise. “Perhaps I shouldn’t tell you this, but there’s an article describing Kitana Windan’s visit to Elantoth. They probably copied the story from her newssheet, Woodspirit News and Views.”
“What does it say?” Tyla asked.
“Elantoth, the sixth gnome fortress, is currently run by the head of the Anen clan, Raenihel Bartium-Anen, a well-meaning but incompetent gnome, uncle of the infamous Kaff Bartium-Anen who has been so much in the news these days.
“Elantoth gnomes, and indeed all Amulet gnomes, are a dim-witted lot with no formal education. Few can read and write. Those who are literate hold leadership positions but seem unequal to the task. They are far more intelligent, however, than breghlin, who resemble Outcast District gnomes only more deformed. Breghlin do menial labor at Elantoth, and outlying breghlin clans, reportedly far more savage, work in mines, or raise crops and animals—if they work at all.
“The sixth fortress is finally under gnome control again, but it will be difficult to find suitable leaders, and it may take decades to civilize this backward region.” He stopped reading and looked up. “I’m surprised a gnome newssheet would print such drivel.”
“Dim-witted!” Tyla sputtered.
“Said worse ‘bout us,” Ben said.
“It may work in our favor, though.” Ertz looked at Ben and Tina Ann with a thoughtful frown. “I plan to send you to the Outcast District to see what you can learn about illegal mining operations and other criminal activity in the Amulet. I imagine folks in the O.D. watch what they say around newcomers, but I think they will be quite open around you.”
“’Cause they thinks we be stupid,” Tina Ann said.
“Yes, and understanding that proves you aren’t stupid. After we’ve all had a good night’s sleep, we’ll make plans. The Amulet is currently an unregulated region, so it’s easy for Outcasts to steal valuable resources, but who would be unscrupulous enough to buy from them?”
“If decent gnomes won’t deal with them, it must be woodspirits,” Lant said.
“That’s a distinct possibility,” Ertz agreed.
“I be ready for some sneakin’ and spyin’,” Tina Ann said, rubbing her hands together. Ben nodded, grinning.
Chapter 37
Tyla was nervous about Ben and Tina Ann going to the O.D. without her. When the three of them went there, Ben and Tina Ann had attacked an Outcast—the thief who had stolen her IGs. Hopefully, the breghlin would stay out of trouble, and anyone who had seen the fight should know enough to leave them alone.
Ertz had developed a cover story. Ben, Tina Ann, and a few other breghlin were thinking of moving out of the Amulet, and knowing they wouldn’t be accepted in regular gnome society, Ben and Tina Ann had volunteered to live in the O.D. and see what it was like.
“Take this pouch of IGs,” Ertz told them. “Mingle with the residents, and buy items at various shops so you get to know the shopkeepers.”
Ben pocketed the pouch and Tina Ann said, “I wanna go to the gem shop. There be somethin’ not right ‘bout that place.”
“I’ll give you a couple gems to sell so you have an excuse to go back, but be careful. Remember, two Outcast gem masters disappeared after saying they planned to sell their client’s gems there. The shopkeeper probably had nothing to do with their disappearances, but he deals with undesirable sorts.”
Ertz put gems in a pouch. “The red one is worth seven elantoths and the black one is five ominems. The shopkeeper may not expect you to know that, so play along and take whatever he gives you.”
Tina Ann put the pouch in her tunic pocket. “Yer got our pink powder?”
“Oh, that’s right! Thank you for reminding me.” He retrieved two tins, small enough to fit in the center of his palm, and handed them to Ben and Tina Ann. “When you press the button on top, the lid springs open. Few gnomes eat ground feridium. It gives them headaches. Don’t use this unless you really need it, and then only take a pinch.”
“Tried it with Franklin, an’ it didn’t bother us none,” Ben assured him.
“Good. It’s harmless when dissolved in fialazza but volatile in its powdered state. It affects plants and animals, too. I gave some to my cyrilla plants. They chased each other around the room, climbing on the furniture and knocking things over. I never did that again.”
“Wonder what it do to a filkin?” Tina Ann mused.
Tyla didn’t want to find out. Like most gnomes, she hated the big fuzzy worms. She wouldn’t want one with amplified hearing pursuing her through the fortress.
“We’ll drop you off at the commercial dock and come back at sunset. If you haven’t found a room to rent or decide not to stay, you can come home with us. How does that sound?”
“Good,” Ben said, and Tina Ann nodded.
Ertz let Ben and Tina out at the commercial dock with last minute cautions and advice, and then took Tyla and Lant to the public docks near the Aberell City Museum. Lant and Tyla were both looking forward to seeing the museum.
After the museum, they went shopping, and spent a couple hours browsing through shops and art galleries. Woodspirits owned many of the galleries. There were also several woodspirit clothing shops. Lant was surprised to see so many woodspirits.
They were all having such a good time they didn’t think about eating until late afternoon. Ertz suggested a casual outdoor restaurant on the river, a favorite place for off-duty Aberell officers. He said gem masters had created a shielding ward so customers wouldn’t get wet if it rained. Water ran off the invisible barrier into the river.
As they went into the restaurant, Ertz stopped to talk to a couple officers who were just leaving. Tyla didn’t remember them, but they remembered her from her visit to the fortress.
Finally seated, at a round table in the rear with a good view of the river, Tyla saw a familiar face a few tables away.
“Isn’t that Commander Finnack?” she asked.
Ertz turned to look. “Yes, and if I’m not mistaken, his companion is a gem master from the Emanicus. I recognize the medallion.”
The gnome with Finnack wore a black robe, and a large silver medallion hung from a chain around his neck. Finnack handed him a stack of papers. He looked at them briefly and his eye began to twitch.
“He looks like a nervous sort,” Tyla observed. “But I suppose I’d be nervous too if I were responsible for S.”
A few minutes later, Finnack’s companion looked at his pocket watch, rolled up the papers, and put them in his pocket. He and Finnack exchanged a few words, and then he left.
Ertz caught Finnack’s eye and motioned him over. The group crowded close to make room for one more at the table.
“Thanks for asking me to join you,” Finnack said, pulling up a chair. “I was going to have dinner with Havinth, but he was in a hurry and said he couldn’t stay, so we just had drinks.”
“The last time I saw you, you were leaving Elantoth with Sheamathan in a canvas sack,” Ertz said with a chuckle. “Did the trip go without mishap?”
“Yes. No one expected her to go by erum. We made it to The Emanicus safely and the gem masters took her straight to the confinement and put her in a cell. The decoy confinement wagon with her cage and the two Outcasts reached town the next day. The cage is on display at the Fortress, but it will probably end up at the Mierek City Museum.”
“Why isn’t she still in her cage?” Tyla asked.
“There’s no need for it. She’s in a cell.”
Cell or not, Tyla found it unsettling to think of S out of the cage.
“What’s the confinement like?” Lant asked.
“It’s a stone building with two floors, one door, and a handful of barred windows. S is on the first floor in a modified cel
l. The bars are covered with wire mesh, and the holes are so small she’d be lucky to fit a feeler through.”
“I suppose that’s safe enough,” Tyla said. S would appreciate having more space, but there still wouldn’t be enough room to fly.
“What about wards?” Ertz asked.
“They wouldn’t say, for security reasons, and I suppose that’s wise. I can tell you this, when they shut the cell door, I felt energy in the air just like the high security cellblocks at the Aberell City Confinement, designed for gnomes with gem powers. Emanicus gem masters are second to none, so their wards are as good as you’ll find anywhere.”
“If the wards around their complex are any indication, you’re right. You need an appointment to get in. Otherwise, you can’t even make it to the door. I knew a gem master who tried. No, it wasn’t me,” Ertz added when Finnack gave him a sly smile.
“It sounds like the perfect place for her,” Lant said. “I bet the woodspirits are still fuming that the vote went against them.”
“I’m sure they are,” Finnack said. “Especially Kitana Widan and the rest of The Eight. So far, I’ve gotten visitation requests from six of them—all but Corlua and Zeetha.”
“I have trouble remembering who is who,” Tyla said.
“Corlua is the oldest. She doesn’t travel much these days. Zeetha is the one with the mental disability,” Finnack said. “The Emanicus has complete say over who visits. To limit disruptions, they plan to hold visitations twice a month, with no more than twelve visitors per month.”
“That doesn’t sound like many,” Tyla said, “but compared to what she’s used to, it’s a lot.”
“That’s the way we see. She’s lucky to have visitors at all.”
The group ordered dinner, and by the time they finished eating, it was time to meet Ben and Tina Ann.
Knowing their propensity for getting into trouble, Tyla was relieved to pull in at the dock and see Ben and Tina Ann sitting on a bench. As soon as she and the others got out of the boat, the breghlin hurried toward them, and she could tell things had gone well.
“Got a place ter stay,” Ben announced.