Part 16 (2/2)

”Tell Arclath Delcastle, Belnar murdered. Also, the dancer in the Dragonriders' was listening to all we said.” Halance's handwriting. Freshly written, and smudged in one corner, as if handled before dry.

Belnar murdered? murdered?

He raised his eyes questioningly to Glathra, who snapped, ”Just what was ' was 'all we said,' and why were you you to be so swiftly and urgently told of this killing, Lord Delcastle?” to be so swiftly and urgently told of this killing, Lord Delcastle?”

”If 'Belnar' is Belnar Buckmantle, Lady,” Arclath said stiffly, ”he was my friend. Halance can tell you that.”

”Halance Tarandar's headless body has just been found in an alley.” Her voice was grim. ”He was carrying this note. The Crown desires to know just who 'we' are or were and and what was said. I'm not accustomed to repeating myself, Lord Delcastle.” what was said. I'm not accustomed to repeating myself, Lord Delcastle.”

Arclath stared at her, too shocked to give her the sort of stinging rebuke that most n.o.bles would have greeted such words with. Belnar and Halance-? But only last night, we were...

The war wizard was watching him like a hawk.

Arclath bent to take up another sausage. As its greasy magnificence flooded his mouth, he thought back over what had been said across his table at the club.

His eyes narrowed, and he nodded slowly. Glathra took a step forward but said not a word. She knew control as well as bl.u.s.ter.

”The 'we' were Halance, Belnar, and me,” he told her. ”We're friends. Not conspirators, Lady Glathra, not schemers after profit. Just friends.”

The sausage, somehow, was gone. He plucked up another and bit into it. G.o.ds, they were good.

”They were both,” he added, chewing, ”consumed with the tumult of preparing for the coming council, and I was being sympathetic...merely that, not not rat-hunting details of security. So, yes, there was much talk of the unfolding arrangements, and more about the probable troubles there'd be with this n.o.ble and that, various opportunistic visitors likely to come to town because of the gathering...spies of Sembia, of course...” rat-hunting details of security. So, yes, there was much talk of the unfolding arrangements, and more about the probable troubles there'd be with this n.o.ble and that, various opportunistic visitors likely to come to town because of the gathering...spies of Sembia, of course...”

”And did Tarandar or Buckmantle seem particularly interested in anything? Some matter they shared an interest in, perhaps?”

Arclath grinned weakly. ”The charms of the mask dancer who was performing practically in our laps. I don't think either of them have had much time recently for, ah, dalliance.”

Glathra nodded. ”You,” she told the messenger beside her, as she almost s.n.a.t.c.hed Halance's note from his hands, ”will accompany Lord Delcastle in finding this dancer, identifying her, and bringing her to me. I shall be back at the palace, watching you both from afar.”

Without pause she turned back to Delcastle and added crisply, ”And you shall find her before you do anything else in your life, and bring her safely to me. Not Not dallying with la.s.ses or over drinks, and not taking time to exchange witticisms with your idle friends. Nothing is more important than this, in your life from now on. dallying with la.s.ses or over drinks, and not taking time to exchange witticisms with your idle friends. Nothing is more important than this, in your life from now on. Nothing.” Nothing.”

Delcastle sketched a florid bow. ”Though I must observe that I've been given commands more politely in my time, I cannot find it in myself to disagree with so charming and fiercely Crown-loyal a lady. I shall obey and strive to-”

”Save it. You don't want my old and unlovely bones in your bed anyhail,” the war wizard interrupted curtly and turned away.

Delcastle gave the messenger an almost comical look of injured innocence, shrugged, and announced grandly, ”Come! We have a kingdom to save!”

He scooped a handful of gold coins from his purse and flung them on the table, turned with a swirl of his cloak, and strode for the door, the messenger on his heels.

Glathra watched them go. When they were quite gone, she allowed herself a loud sigh.

”n.o.bles,” she snorted. ”Unruly children, every last one of them.”

She eyed the gold coins on the table. Surely he'd left enough to pay handsomely for a dozen such meals, or more.

And this one would all go to waste...

Her eyes fell on the nearest platter, just as a delicious smell of spicy, juicy, hot sausages wafted up to her.

Her stomach rumbled.

Slowly, hesitantly, she reached out.

That sausage proved to be every bit as good as it smelled, and in two ravenous bites was gone.

There were more.

G.o.ds above, when had she last eaten?

As the serving maids drifted back into view, eyeing her doubtfully, the war wizard firmly sat down in Arclath's still-warm chair and helped herself to the main platter.

Those sausages still beckoned, but she hadn't had eels done properly for an age. They disdained sardragon sauce as ”Ma.r.s.embian glop” in the palace kitchens.

Uhmmm. They didn't in the Eel's kitchen.

The messenger's name was Delnor, and he looked guilty as they sat down at Arclath's usual table in the Dragonriders', hesitantly darting uncertain glances this way and that.

The stages were empty, and there was no sign of even one alluring dancer, masked or otherwise. Nor anyone leering, cheering, or tossing coins. Of early morning hours, the Dragonriders' Club offered members and their guests only tankards of strong broth and baths in scented water.

Aside from Delnor and the n.o.ble lord across from him, who was smilingly signaling that tankards be brought to them, the only patrons were a handful of drunkards and the wealthy and truly lazy, relaxing as servants-some their own and some provided by the club, but looking nothing like the sort of beautiful la.s.ses who might at some other hour preen and pose unclad on a stage for anyone-bathed and shaved them. Delnor also saw was.h.i.+ng, styling, and cutting of hair, and even some cleaning and mending of clothing and boots.

”So,” Arclath asked airily, ”is the Lady Glathra always that much of a dragon? Or was she fond of Belnar? Or Halance?”

Delnor flinched as if he'd been slapped, flushed, then mumbled, ”N-no. I think not, anyway. No. There were other...violent deaths in the palace last night. Uh, rumors abound that, ah, n.o.bles were involved. And And the ghosts that haunt the palace. Oh, and they're saying the Silent Shadow is going to steal things, and old dead wizards-like Vangerdahast-may have been roused to walk the palace and make trouble by someone with an old grudge against Cormyr.” the ghosts that haunt the palace. Oh, and they're saying the Silent Shadow is going to steal things, and old dead wizards-like Vangerdahast-may have been roused to walk the palace and make trouble by someone with an old grudge against Cormyr.”

”'Someone'?”

”Uh, Elminster the Doomed, some are saying. Or crazy old Sembian lords on their deathbeds. You know...someone.” Delnor waved a hand dismissively then dared to really look for the first time into the eyes of the n.o.ble lord sitting with him. ”Just talk. You...you care about any of this?”

”I know not what your general opinion of the n.o.bility is, friend Delnor,” Arclath Delcastle replied, ”but I a.s.sure you I am indeed interested in who killed my friends.”

One of his hands went to the hilt of his sword. ”Very ”Very interested.” interested.”

CHAPTER SIXTEEN.

SOMETHING OF AN U UPROAR.

The broth was good. Not to mention hot enough to burn tongues.

<script>