Part 2 (1/2)
”You were not present at theTempleofLathander?” Storm asked when she turned back to the scribe.
”No,” Lhaeo said softly. ”Elminster had sent me to contact the Knights of Myth Drannor. Magical communication with the East had been blocked. I was armed with Elminster's wards and traveled at night.”
”You left the same day the strangers arrived,” Storm stated sharply.
”That is true.” Lhaeo said.
”Was it possible that Elminster did not trust the strangers and was attempting to protect you from them?” Storm asked.
Lhaeo hesitated for a moment, Storm's words striking him like a blow. ”I don't think so,” the scribe said slowly. ”No, that would not have been like him.”
”Yet you rarely accompanied him on his many ventures throughout the Realms. Why was that?”
Drawing a sharp breath, the scribe looked away from the bard. ”I don't know,” he said softly.
”I have nothing further to ask.” Storm turned away from the glaring green eyes of the scribe. Thurbal gripped the handle of his walking stick, his fingers caressing the dragon skull of the handle. Perspiration trickled down his face as he spoke.
”Why did Elminster allow Midnight and Adon to stay at his tower?” Thurbal said.
”Elminster trusted them and felt they would be of valuable a.s.sistance in the Battle of Shadowdale,” Lhaeo said.
”Elminster told you this?” Thurbal asked.
”Aye, and he allowed Midnight to a.s.sist him in the casting of many spells as the cleric researched mystical tomes.”
”Did he seem frightened or suspicious of Midnight and Adon in any way?” Thurbal inquired.
”No,” Lhaeo said. ”Not at all. Quite the opposite.”
Biting his lip, Thurbal asked his next question. ”Is the G.o.ddess Mystra dead?”
Storm rose up to shout in protest, but Mourngrym silenced her and ordered the scribe to answer the question.
”According to Elminster, a horrible fate befell the G.o.ddess. Whether or not she is dead, I cannot say.” Lhaeo sighed and hung his head.
”When Midnight arrived with her claims of a message from the G.o.ddess, Elminster did not laugh or send her away,” Thurbal stated flatly. ”He was convinced of her integrity and dedication to the Realms.” Both Thurbal and the scribe remained silent for a moment.
”If you have nothing else to ask, Thurbal, I think we've heard enough from this witness,” Mourngrym said.
Lhaeo quietly left the stand and returned to his seat. Storm moved forward and called a burly guardsman with hazel eyes named Irak Dontaele.
”Your patrol was on duty the night of the attack against theTempleofTymora. You were the first to enter the temple and discover the bodies of the wors.h.i.+pers and the desecration of the temple itself,” Storm said.
”No,” Irak growled. ”Not true.” Quickly he rushed past the other guards, grabbed Adon by his robes, and lifted the cleric up off his knees. ”This one was there before any of us!”
”Put him down!” Mourngrym said, and the crossbows of the guards who stood behind the prisoners were suddenly leveled at the witness. Adon's dull eyes swam in their sockets as he was lowered reluctantly to the ground. ”What is the meaning of this, Storm? Are you trying to show some connection between the attacks on the two temples?”
”There's the connection!” Storm cried, pointing at Adon. ”This man was present both times. They say he is a cleric of Sune, the G.o.ddess of Beauty, yet look at his face. Even without the ugliness of his scar, he is hardly what one would expect. I submit that Adon of Sune and Midnight of Deepingdale are allies of the Black Lord, and their true allegiance is to that evil G.o.d and the city ofZhentil Keep. That is why they murdered Elminster!”
A roar erupted from the crowd. ”Kill them!” someone cried.
”Yes!” screamed a woman. ”Death to the servants of Lord Bane!”
Mourngrym struggled to maintain his composure. ”Enough!” he ordered.
”No!” Storm cried, turning to face Lord Mourngrym. ”What names did the adventurers give to the guards when they first arrived in the dale?”
Kelemvor winced. When they had arrived in Shadowdale, they had used a false charter to gain admission to the town. The fighter had been certain that the matter would be forgotten in the chaos caused by Bane's attack.
”They used false names... a stolen charter. If my words are untrue,” Storm shouted, ”why hasn't the cleric said anything in his own defense?” Storm now stood directly over Adon. ”Speak, murderer! Tell us what you've done!”
Adon didn't look up to meet the bard's fiery gaze. He simply looked straight ahead and whimpered. ”Sune,” he said simply, and then he was silent once more.
”Thurbal, have you any witnesses to call?” Mourngrym inquired.
”I call Kelemvor Lyonsbane,” Thurbal said, and the fighter was escorted forward from the crowd. ”You led the eastern defenses near Krag Pool, where Bane's army suffered the greatest number of casualties and the decisive victory against our enemies was won. Yet you entered Shadowdale at the same time as the prisoners, and in their company. Tell us briefly how you know the accused.”
” Midnight and Adon are of stout heart, and their loyalty to the Dales and to the Realms should not be questioned,” Kelemvor said confidently.
”Tell him to answer the question,” Storm snapped, turning to Mourngrym.
Kelemvor examined the striking, silver-haired woman. His gaze locked on her blue-gray eyes as he told the tale of his first meeting with Midnight in Arabel and the quest that eventually led them to the Dales.
”So this was a business arrangement,” Thurbal stated. ”You didn't know her before you met in Arabel.”
”No, I didn't,” Kelemvor said. ”But I've come to know her very well since then.”
”He's a consummate mercenary,” Storm said. ”He does nothing without some form of reward.”
Pa.s.sing his fingers over his mouth, Mourngrym spoke.”If you had not been called, Kelemvor Lyonsbane, if you had been forced to volunteer to testify on Midnight 's behalf, would you have spoken for her?”
The fighter shook, his face growing dark. To lie in Midnight 's favor would be an unselfish act he had not been paid for. And that would trigger the curse.
”Answer the question,” Mourngrym said.
Kelemvor glanced at Midnight , and her eyes were wide with fear. With a heavy heart, Kelemvor turned back to Mourngrym. ”I could not,” he said.
”No further questions,” Thurbal snapped, turning away from the fighter in disgust. Storm simply smiled and dismissed Kelemvor.
The fighter said nothing as he was led back to the crowd. Cyric stared at Kelemvor as he walked past. The thief saw the look of defeat in his friend's eyes. For some reason, it made Cyric feel a little better to know that Kelemvor now realized he was right about the dalesmen.
”This day grows long, Thurbal.” Mourngrym folded his hands upon the lectern. ”Have you any other witnesses?”
”Only you, milord,” Thurbal said softly.
Mourngrym stared at the older man. ”Are you well? Have you taken leave -”
”I call Mourngrym Amcathra,” Thurbal p.r.o.nounced distinctly. ”By the laws of the Dales, you cannot refuse to testify unless you wish to declare this trial at an end and release the prisoners.”