Cold Steel and Secrets by Rosemary Jones

Author:Rosemary Jones [Jones, Rosemary]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-7869-6236-5
Publisher: Wizards of the Coast Publishing
Published: 2012-01-16T16:00:00+00:00

Lord Neverember emerged from the cabin looking flushed and angry. He shook off the restraining hands of his bodyguards and stepped over the body of Dhafiyand. One of his boot heels skidded on the bloody deck, but he righted himself, snapping out an order in passing to the men clustered around him. One dropped to his knees to search Dhafiyand’s corpse as Lord Neverember strode to the gangplank.

“I am more than pleased to congratulate the brave sons and daughters of Neverwinter, who so valiantly defended our person against this insidious plot,” Lord Neverember waved over the ship’s railing at the gathering crowd below. “Their bravery shows that the enemies of the new Neverwinter shall not prevail. Soon our city will rise again as the emblem of all that is good and noble, a center of culture and trade, a shining beacon for others!”

Leaning against the same railing, Rucas Sarfael panted and waited for his heart to stop slamming against his chest. Trust Dagult Neverember to wade through the blood of his former spymaster to make a rousing political speech to the populace gathering on the pier.

Lord Neverember’s bodyguard stood up with something in his hands that glittered briefly in the sunlight. He grabbed a rag from a nearby bucket and wrapped it around his prize, hurrying over to Lord Neverember. The Tarnian whispered in the Open Lord of Waterdeep’s ear. Lord Neverember briefly lifted the rag and stared at whatever the man held in his hands. Then he took the bundle from his bodyguard and passed it to another servant.

“Secure it,” he said, loud enough for Sarfael to hear.

The man bowed and hurried back to the ship’s cabin.

Lord Neverember surveyed the crowd upon the deck. Upon seeing Sarfael, he motioned him closer.

“I owe you my life,” he said to Sarfael with a smile. And then, with a grimmer look: “Do not abuse my favor.”

Warned, and rather charmed by the man’s style, so like his own, Sarfael bowed deeply before Lord Neverember.

“My lord, it is forever my honor to have assisted you in your noble endeavor to build a new Neverwinter. And to give you this evidence of nefarious plots.” He handed Lord Neverember the paper that he’d taken earlier from Dhafiyand’s house, the one inscribed with the order to kill him.

Lord Neverember briefly glanced at it.

“I am sorry to lose Dhafiyand. He was a man of great subtlety and guile,” he said. “It is unfortunate that his loyalty did not match his intellect.”

“Who can know the hearts of Thayans?” Sarfael responded. “The man betrayed you and betrayed us all, but I count myself lucky to have stopped him before any harm befell your lordship. I could not have done it without the assistance of your noble cousin.”

He beckoned to Elyne. Like himself, she had moved to one side, letting Neverember’s bodyguards clear the remaining zombies and other bodies from the ship. Except for Montimort. When they reached for him, she stepped forward and claimed his body. He lay wrapped in her cloak, his thin face covered from view.

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