02 Storm of the Dead by Forgotten Realms

Author:Forgotten Realms [Realms, Forgotten]
Format: epub
Published: 2010-04-10T15:25:22.727000+00:00

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Leliana set a brisk pace through the abandoned mine. Q'arlynd hurried along beside her, glad to be moving again. The sooner he had Eldrinn back in his sight again, the better. The boy might be talented, but he was little more than a novice. There were all sorts of things down there that could kill him. Gigantic undead heads, demonic drow-things... why, even something so mundane as a cave-in, Q'arlynd thought as he ducked under a fungus-dotted shoring timber that stank of rot. If Q'arlynd were ever going to unlock Kraanfhaor's Door and plunder the riches that lay behind it, he'd need the secrets locked away in Eldrinn's mind. In the meantime, he thought, glancing at the bluish glow that infused the tunnel, there was a job to be done: discovering what had augmented the Faerzress, and negating it before the College of Divination collapsed. They walked in silence for some time. Then Leliana spoke. "Aren't you going to ask how Rowaan is, Q'arlynd?" Q'arlynd took a deep breath. Here it comes, he thought. "I intended to, Lady, once there was time." She halted abruptly. "No time like the present." Q'arlynd slowly turned. "Lady, they enslaved me with magic that proved even stronger than Qilu geas. I was forced to speak the words that-" "What are you talking about?" "The... the gate," Q'arlynd faltered. "Didn't Qiluell you...?" Belatedly, he realized he'd just said too much. "She did. She said you were the one who opened the gate that allowed Eilistraee to enter Vhaeraun's domain." Q'arlynd raised his hands. "Not by choice, I assure you." Then he realized what she'd just said. "Vhaeraun's domain?" "Of course. That was a clever ruse you pulled." She didn't look angry, so Q'arlynd did his best to recover. "Qilu. told you about... that?" Leliana smiled. "She also swore me to secrecy. But now that we're alone..." She glanced back the way they'd just come. "I can thank you. For saving Rowaan." To Q'arlynd's utter surprise, she stepped forward and clasped his arms. She was strong; her hands pinched as they squeezed. Then she stepped abruptly back, as if embarrassed by the show of emotion. That figured; she'd been raised in the Underdark, after all. "I'm surprised Qiluonfided in you," Q'arlynd said, relaxing at last. "But I welcome the opportunity to boast. That switch I pulled was rather clever, wasn't it?" Leliana's eyes glittered. "How did you ever trick them into reversing the spell? They were Nightshadows-didn't they see it coming?" "Apparently not," said Q'arlynd. Nor had he seen this coming. "I still can't quite believe they're part of our faith now, that they chose redemption," Leliana continued. "I thought them too steeped in lies and deceit to stick with it. But some did, amazingly enough." She paused. "I'm glad to see you still serve Eilistraee, as well." "Of course." Q'arlynd waved a hand. "That's why I'm here." It was a conversation he didn't want to get any deeper into than he had to.

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