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.He turned back to where Sivana and Mallion sat beside Qmckly's body.They had covered her with a gold and white cloak, the one they used for monarchs in the plays.Ennis sat against the foot of the stage, his big body quivering as he wept.Tal went to kneel beside them."It's not your fault," said Sivana."You're thinking it is, but it isn't."Tal started to answer, but Mallion interrupted him."She's right.Maybe they wanted you, but they hurt people wherever they go." He cast a rueful eye toward Darrow."Be careful of that one.""I will," promised Tal."When we get back, we'll take her to the House of Song.Whatever it costs, we'll have High Songmaster Ammhaddan bring her back to us."Sivana lost her composure at his words."No," she said."Qmckly's will.she left it with me.She doesn't want us to.she said she liked the life she had and wouldn't want to bollocks up a second one."Tal's breath caught in his throat.That sounded just like Mistress Quickly."Do you want us to come with you?" asked Mallion.Tal could tell by the tone of his voice that he hoped the answer would be no."Stay with her," he said."And sing her a prayer for me." "We'll sing a few for you, too," said Sivana."Milil and Oghma grant you a great show.Knock 'em dead." "That's what I intend to do."* * * * *"I have a bad feeling about this place," said Feena.The four of them stood within the shadowed courtyard of House Malveen.The weird gargoyles watched them as they made their way toward the central building.Selune had emerged from the eclipse as brilliant as ever, but even her silver light could not penetrate the lowest gloom."What kind of feeling?" asked Chaney."Magic? Evil?""Yes," said Feena."Quiet," warned Darrow.He touched hilt of the long sword he had borrowed from Mallion, grateful that Tal had not insisted he go unarmed."He might have set the spawn to guard the warehouse."Tal willed his eyes to shift to wolf form.It felt as natural as squinting, and it allowed him to see light too faint for his human eyes to perceive.The details were lost, but he spotted the movement of a rat none of the others saw dash across their path."We need light," said Feena.Even if the three werewolves shifted to four legs, Chaney would be left blind."All right," said Tal, "but brace yourselves."Feena chanted a quick orison, and her holy symbol blazed with white radiance.She cupped it in her hands to keep most of it on the ground ahead of them.They spotted the broken door, and Darrow led them through it.Inside, the warehouse was abandoned.Tal could still smell the recent occupation of the werewolf pack, along with something salty, sour, and somehow unnatural."The spawn," observed Darrow, whose own nose was wrinkled in disgust."They smell worse up close.""If you smell them coming," said Feena, "let me cast some wards on you before you fight with them.""Thanks," said Tal, "but once a fight begins, you stay out of the way.""No promises," said Feena.She almost laughed at the shock on Tal's face."I'll be careful.""Good enough."They navigated the crowded warehouse and found the door to the River Hall closed."There's tio ward on it," said Feena quietly, holding her talisman before her."At least none that I can detect."Tal tried the handle.Locked."Stand back," he said, setting Perivel's sword aside."Wait," said Chaney."Let me try something." He slid a flat leather pouch from his sleeve and unfurled it to reveal a selection of lock picks."We're going to have another chat about how you make a living, aren't we?" said Tal."Don't be so judgmental," Chaney said."You're the werewolf.""A law-abiding werewolf," Tal responded.Chaney snorted quietly."Are they always like this?" whispered Darrow amiably to Feena.Her response was a silent, icy glare.Tal still didn't like the man, but he felt a pang of pity for Darrow.The man had done some terrible wrongs, to be sure, but he seemed to crave redemption.Tal wondered how different his life might have been if Feena had not guided him through his harrowing affliction."There," said Chaney."Easier than I thought.Exactly the same as the lock on Thazienne's bedchamber.""You wish," said Tal."You keep it up, and I'll tell her you said that.""I take it back! I take it back!" whispered Chaney.Tal knew they should try to remain silent, but the banter soothed his nerves.The idea effacing vampires was bad enough, but it was Radu Malveen he truly dreaded facing.Not only was the man the finest swordsman in Selgaunt, but Tal was not convinced he was a willing party to his brother's crimes.He hoped it would not come to a fight between them."Lead on, but go slowly," said Feena.She looked through her three extended fingers while clasping the talisman between thumb and little finger."I'm still watching for magic."Barrow walked slowly ahead.Watching the caution with which he set each foot on the floor persuaded Tal that Darrow was either a good actor or a man who truly did not know whether there were wards in place.Darrow halted suddenly, crouching and sniffing."Smell that?""They're coming," said Tal.Feena already had her hands on him, casting a spell that made his skin prickle all over."Wait," she said."One more, for each of us."She intoned another spell, reaching out to touch Tal and Chaney on the face before pressing a hand against her own cheek.Tal felt a cool, slippery sensation.No, it was more like a thought than a physical feeling."What does that do?""If we're lucky," said Feena, "it will hide us from these spawn Darrow described.""What about him?" said Chaney, jerking a thumb toward Darrow."What about him?" said Feena coldly."Hurry," said Darrow, hastening toward the Grand Promenade.Tal followed, with Chaney and Feena trailing behind.The Promenade looked empty at first glance.Tal had never seen a room more beautiful nor more bizarre.The illuminated stream cast rippling shadows on the walls and ceiling, and Tal followed Darrow's example by casting his eyes up there for any sight of Lord Malveen's minions."How many are there?" asked Tal."At least two," said Darrow, running past the inner fountains."Maybe more.Hurry, the gallery is on the other side."Tal waited long enough for Chaney and Feena to catch up with him, then followed.All four had just rounded the grand pool when Tal spotted a black figure running spider-like across the wall."There!" he pointed.The thing scuttled away into the shadows, but then several things happened at once.A dark, wet figure fell onto Tal from above.Even as he heard Chaney's shout of warning, a tremendous thunderclap exploded around Tal's head.All the prickling of his skin turned to hot needles wherever the thing touched his body, and a flash of light blinded him completely for a second.Tal heard his attacker fall to the marble floor nearby and moved in to strike as his vision returned.Blinking away the stars in his eyes, Tal saw the stunned monster writhing on the floor.Once it had been human, but its clawed hands and feet were flat paddles now, with fingers half the length of a man's.Its naked skin was the darkest purple, nearly black, glistening smooth as a slug's body.Beneath round black eyes, its face consisted of nothing but a wide, lipless jaw studded with short, sharp teeth [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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