Surfacing Ch. 08

The Sun had passed its zenith while I'd been inside and was a fair bit lower in the Sky; we had perhaps three or four hours of daylight left. Had I been in there that long?

My growling stomach said undeniably that, yes, I had.

I was able to avoid the puddles this time, as I could manage well enough with my eyes open. The ward guided me straight back to the rear door of the inn, but unlike when I had gone out, someone stood just inside the solid, windowless door. I paused warily and listened for more beyond the subtle boot scuff that had warned me, deciding after another few moments that it must be one of Brom's men.

I tapped on the door.

After a hesitant pause, a young man's voice asked, "Who is it?"

"Do you jest?" I asked in flat disbelief. Of course the Man knew for whom he was watching; the fact that I had surprised him with the timing did not change that.

The dark-haired Human opened the door readily enough with a half-embarrassed smirk. "Welcome back, milady."

"Thank you." I stepped in out of the thin shade and warm Sun, into the cooler, darker inn once again. I had no better idea of how to leave now than I had went I'd left to eat before, although I did have some fascinating insight into the minds of Men.

Elana was only a bit surprised to see me, again, based on the timing.

"You missed th' midday meal, M'Lady," she said, but immediately started gathering leftovers, some of which was still warm.

"Was I the only to miss?"

The cook hesitated a moment to think about it and shook her head. "Nay, Mathias missed as well, and your servant who refused to exit the cellar, though he accepted a plate handed down by Ian."

"You remember Mathias from before?" I asked as I began to eat.

She swallowed, but nodded. "Never knew much about him 'cept that he spoke as from wealth, unlike most of those here. He came and went here over the six years I've been working here, been here 'fore that, they say."

"Is it unusual for him to show up now?"

Elana shrugged. "I suppose not. Once he stayed on retention fer nearly a year, been gone for 'bout as long. He is a restless one."

"Hm," I acknowledged, focusing on pushing more food into me before I got too distracted by the intrigue inside the inn.

"Th' big Ma'ab asked about you," Elana offered.

Of course he did.

"Did Lord Brom and Amelda eat with everyone?" I asked.

"Amelda, yes, she seems taken with the big man. Of her kind, so it makes sense. Lord Brom, no, he took his lunch in his quarters."

I nodded. None of this was unexpected.

"C'n I tell her what I heard, mama?"

I looked over to see Layne with his golden hair easing into the kitchen, looking to his dam for permission but fairly bursting with the need to speak.

Elana pursed her lips while wiping her hands in a cloth. "I told you not t'spy."

I looked at Layne and felt amused, then looked to his mother. "I would like to hear, since he knows it anyway."

"He doesn't know what he heard," she responded nervously. "He thinks he understan's Ma'ab from Amelda."

"She taught me some!" Layne insisted. "I know they were talkin' of the demoness."

"Shh!" his mother scolded, and in this case I agreed as I focused my hearing on the door to the kitchen.

Nothing I could hear.

I turned on my stool to look at the boy and nodded in agreement. "Best to keep your voice quiet when you offer secrets."

Layne nodded with surprising seriousness and licked his lips. "I'm sorry, mama."

The cook waved her hand nervously and shook her head. "Then tell her, but no more spyin', Layne, d'you understand me? The Ma'ab're cruel people."

Again he nodded and approached me slowly, his warm brown eyes seemed to want to take in every detail he could while close up. Perhaps that was the trade he wanted for the information.

"Amelda will getta red stone that belonged to th' big man and use it 'gainst you, as he did not have the...um..."

*The balls?* I wondered.

"Didn't have knowledge t' use it," the boy finished carefully, as if he was translating in his head.

The ruby. Of course, Brom had been wearing it earlier, and chances were high Kurn may have recognized it, or sensed it. He must be pretty angry; he must think I had given the sorcerer his necklace willingly. In all truth, I had forgotten about it in light of everything else.

"Was the smaller Ma'ab there as well?" I asked.

Layne shook his head. "He took a room upstairs before an' after lunch. He doesn't like Amelda."

Interesting.

"Any more you understood?"

The boy looked regretful. "No. More said, but I...I dint know th' words."

It was more than I'd gotten from spying, aside from the knowledge of an alliance between the two. If Amelda meant to somehow get the ruby from her father, what would be the goal? My life? My will? My health?

"Are you a demoness?" the boy asked me then.

"Layne!"

I felt my mouth tugging into a smile. "No."

"What are you? Where you from?"

Ah. There was the real trade. The boy had not insisted upon a trade of information at the start, which he probably should have...but if he knew some of Kurn's language and had a curious and bold spirit to listen on my behalf due to simple fascination... then now was not the time to teach him that particular lesson.

There also seemed to be much less reason to keep the Surface stories of us vague, now that Cris-ri-phon had caught up. From the Valsharess's perspective, it should have been unavoidable anyway. We had returned to the Surface long ago; that's how the sorcerer knew to come here.

"I am a Drow. From the underground."

"Like...caves?"

"Tunnels. Caverns. Very large ones, very deep."

Layne nodded, his eyes remaining wide and unblinking. "How do you see?"

"I see shapes in the dark. And I hear very well."

"That why you dress in grey an' black? Blends in?"

I smirked and nodded a "yes" for simplicity.

"An'... yer a dark girl with weapons, that don't marry."

"Layne, enough," Elana warned, but I lifted my gloved hand in a signal to wait a moment, and the cook stood up straight in response to that, though she looked no less worried for or protective of her son.

"True," I said. "What do you think of that, Layne?"

He swallowed, tearing eyes from me at last to look at the kitchen table, to think, before looking tentatively back at my belt, my daggers, and finally my face. "I want t'see you fight th' big man."

Elana brought her apron to her mouth, aghast.

I started laughing aloud.

*****

Lingering in the kitchen after eating my fill would only be procrastination; I had a few obvious choices what to do next, things that had to be done, but my hesitation was a bad sign. My choices had no room for doubt.

I could seek the sorcerer again; we could discuss Mathias and the Witch Hunters. I could guess that Mathias had learned some of his techniques from the innkeeper, who in turn had learned from the Drow of his day. Maybe.

Then he would likely want me in his bed again. I was confident I could handle it as long as I gave no reason for him to use powerful spells. But the only true reluctance on my part was my early pregnancy and not knowing just how much stress, physical and magical, that my body could take before it might reject what was undoubtedly a measurable drain on its resources.

I wished more than ever I had been able to talk to a mother who knew about carrying a baby before leaving the Underdark...but it had to remain a secret and D'Shea had barely spoken to me after I'd flatly refused to abort and had essentially had become Rausery's Red Sister, for all intents and purposes.

Back to the sorcerer, with Cris's defenses fully up now, I did not see where I would get very far in learning more than he fed to me on a spoon, though I could always watch for such openings. Sooner or later, the sorcerer would want to ask for or suggest something else.

I only was not sure I had the patience for it; not right now. And if I was not sure, I should not do it.

Next possibility, I could draw Soul Drinker and try to stand before the strongest soul inside, the one who still remembered what she'd been. She had been angry that I had not gone to one knee immediately for her, but even she had said we would talk again. Perhaps my instigating that revisit would be a good thing, if I was ready to face her, unlike the first time.

A great many questions had arisen that I had yet to sort, not the least of which was how she might prove she was indeed who she claimed and not some illusion or a demonic soul using Cris's more persuasive story to misguide me.

If this being had absorbed the knowledge from a time Cris had been handling the blade, but now claimed the sorcerer-general did not know of her presence...it was strange. What was more, she did not want me to tell him, she just wanted us to trick him into thinking he'd impregnated me and to finally leave his inn with blade in hand...perhaps take her back to the Underdark...

By comparison, the blatant enemy of my queen wearing altered forms was the more transparent schemer and straightforward bargainer.

The other options—see about the ruby, maybe try to speak with Amelda, see Gavin again—were less risky, perhaps, but it would not aid or change the major players who sought my attention, and it would give them all—Kurn, Amelda, Brom, Castis, Soul Drinker— more time to plot. The ones I had less care for—Gavin, Rithal, and Mathias—all still had their own plans as well, just not overtly interfering in mine.

This was worse than the Court; there was barely any room to breathe. I could understand why Gavin had refused to leave the cellar and took his lunch down with his work. It may not be generally wise to ignore all that was going on around, but at least one had some quiet and lack of drama when one did not want to play.

And to think I used to live for those Court games, when it was all I had. Now I could not stop thinking of how all this only interfered with my finding Gaelan and Jael, or threatened my baby and my own missions.

Missions I had wanted to fulfill in order to be able to return and be welcomed back by my Elders. Now...how could I look at anything below the same ever again? Yet what would I do with such knowledge in my current, questionable position? It was a trap of the mind, to pretend only long enough until another realized what I knew and the queen either sent the Sisters or the Drider mistress after me, or dealt with me Herself...

I huffed a quiet breath that was supposed to be a laugh at myself. I had to survive the Surface first. Bringing down Manalar still had its appeal, especially after meeting Jacob; something tilting that far out of balance should be given that last shove it needed to come toppling down.

I knew, even from my own circumstances, that only select opportunities ever arose to make it happen among certain players on the board. If a player passed and took no action, that player would eventually have no further bearing and the world would wait for new players to take the stage.

The destruction of Manalar was not true my purpose, though; I was not the sentencer and executioner of Human cities; in most cases, I would not care...but Sarilis, Gavin, and several Humans more intimately involved had given me reason to help with this one.

Especially if the zealous mage-Priests hurt Jael in any way.

What about the half-breed linked to the Guild? I would drop that mission if I could...it was too unrelated to everything else and would only delay me...but I noticed my head begin to ache as I sat at Elana's table and contemplated giving up on that one.

The Valsharess's compulsion wouldn't allow it. It would haunt me until I fulfilled that one; another reason I may have to return to the Underdark regardless. Damn her.

Sarilis, though...but for Gavin's sake and his mysterious purpose with his mistress in wanting to take over that Tower, I wondered about the risk versus reward on that one. Especially if it would not guarantee my return to the Sisterhood.

I glanced away from my now-empty plate at my pack on the floor, next to the kitchen table, and at Soul Drinker strapped to it. That was the closest, more immediate challenge now, the one less easily ignored or contemplated with more knowledge.

I did have to speak with her again.

"My thanks for the food, Elana," I said, shifting off the stool and collecting my pack.

"Ah...yer welcome, M'Lady. There will be an' evening meal as well."

I nodded, and she and Layne did not move in their spots as they watched me leave. My purpose was to sneak to the upper floor and take one of the rooms for a short time; I did not want to run into anyone else, nor did I want to have to ask.

As soon as I eased into the great room and peered up the stairs, listening, I realized that would not quite work, as Brom's men were largely impossible to avoid. They stood in twos at various points in both hallways. I could guess that Rithal and Castis were likely up there, possibly Kurn and Amelda as well although I would not know unless I did more spying. Being unable to do so without observation from Brom's watchmen in plain sight seemed pointless.

*Very well,* I thought, and moved quietly up the stairs, aiming for the first guest room in the second hallway, closest to the balcony. I would only have to pass two Men and I would be closer to sounds of any gathering at the inn. If I could not do this in absolute secret somewhere in the far back, then I might as well keep a finger on the pulse of any up front.

One of the Men I approached was Lief, and he stared hard at me with those vibrant green eyes, even as his hair was as earth-brown as Mathias's. I took his expression merely that he remembered feeling true fear the last time he blocked my path; I had been able to smell it.

Would he block me now?

No, he bowed slightly instead. "Can we assist, Lady?"

Some kind of word had certainly spread among them.

"I would like one of the guest rooms to rest," I said, and indicated the one closest to him and the balcony. "That one."

"As you wish."

I barred the door from the inside as I had upon first arriving here, though I now knew that a heavy male body or two could break in if they wanted. At most it would give me warning, but that was all.

The room was identical to the one I'd shared briefly with Gavin; I set my pack upon one of the beds—that one farthest from the door and next to the warded, shuttered window—and sat straight up on the edge of the bed with my feet on the floor. I kept everything on me as I normally carried it, although my fighting daggers at my hips needed adjusting—and then I checked to make sure everything was present and familiar. I released my three famished pets from their pouch, giving them the opportunity to hunt for a meal as well as protect me from outside threats.

Then I contemplated my next move. It was simple, really.

I breathed in and out a few times, trying to center myself as I might when preparing to break a ward, snipe someone, or disable a trap. Focus, strengthen the will, choose the moment.

I reached for Soul Drinker, felt the magic seem to liven up as my left hand clutched the scabbard and my right wrapped around the hilt.

I freed the blade in one, smooth pull.

That first time I saw the scarlet runes etched into the shining metal, they seemed to lash across my eyes like Mathias's whip, burning into my head in a way similar to those I had seen in my braces while finding the dissonance to undo a magical ward. My entire arm seemed set afire and my hand clenched so tightly to it, I thought my palm bruised by the wrapped handle.

*Will you?* challenged an unknown voice, both hostile and ecstatic. *Oh... will you?*

*I will,* I responded.

It was the truth, or I would not have drawn.

*You will?!* it shrieked. *So easily?!*

Something hard thumped against my chest and shocked my heart into skipping a beat. I had my eyes open though my vision of the room had darkened before the scarlet runes. After a faded moment, I saw the angle of my wrist—unnatural and painful—and the pommel of the dagger aimed at my chest.

The pommel, not the point. Had I failed some intangible test, I would be gone now.

I did not dare consider this further. I had passed. That was all I needed.

*YES!* I shouted back inside my head as I trembled, turning my wrist back to its normal position by sheer stubbornness. *SO EASILY!*

*Yes...! Yes, yesss, yessss...* the voice hissed and receded away into nothing, seeming to cross a vast distance that I could not see.

Soul Drinker throbbed in my palm, the metal light in mass but the power writhing in my grip, lashing itself about like an Underdark serpent. A bit at a time, it seemed to come more under my control, but I found myself searching the room for someone to use it on, or if not in here, out there? Perhaps Brom's men standing guard by the balcony...

So thirsty...

*No.*

I imagined the blue-light desert and the pyramid, recalled what I could of her classical face.

*I would speak with her.*

The dagger seemed to want to block me; the edges of my mental image started crumbling, dissolving, and I revived it multiple times as my face flushed very hot and Soul Drinker seemed to become heavy to hold up with my arm.

I relaxed, let the image fade and my arm to lower down, but just for a moment. Whatever presence had been pressing on my mind, rather like the Duergar in the Underdark, shifted at my yielding, and I focused a small, tight thought straight forward and through it, as when I'd been mind-linked with D'Shea.

It was amusing to think that one could feint with a thought.

"Desert queen!"

She spun around, still wearing her alluring, white dress, her feet bare on smooth, warm stone set below a clear, star-filled night Sky. Her face showed equal parts surprise and irritation in the Moonlight, and she looked over me carefully as if she'd never seen me before.

I knew why. I was not dressed like her, but as a Red Sister in full, under-City uniform.

"Yes, my warrior, why have you come?"

"To prove that I could."

The Valsharress's sister relaxed her expression then and smiled with elegance. "For certain, you liven up a dull eternity, and add a nice flare of color, too."

"Acknowledged without the flattery, your grace."

The queen chuckled. "Have you changed your mind, Sirana?"

"Have you changed yours?"

She tilted her head slightly. "On what, my child?"

"How you would bargain for my service, and to what extent I offer it."

The older Drow did not respond immediately, but she seemed to contemplate, gazing at the sand dune horizon for a few moments. She did not look at me when she next spoke. "You draw Soul Drinker with success, now you feel empowered to bargain with me."

"For proof of your identity, yes. You have said you can hear the thoughts of the carrier at times. Perhaps you show me only what you learned from Cris-ri-phon, and you are but an illusion using his story to gain my compliance."

Bright, scarlet eyes narrowed at me. "Perhaps. Yet I have no such proof here, Sirana, particularly if you know nothing of times past. Do you not believe my husband?"

"Does he know you are here?" I asked bluntly. "Would you wish me to tell him?"

Her eyes widened slightly and she turned to face me full on, her eyes locking onto mine. "Do not be foolish, Sirana, and do not undo centuries of careful effort on my part with your youthful challenge."

"Why should he not know? He would have helped you get revenge on the Valsharess years ago."

"His time is past!" the queen retorted heatedly. "We are allies no longer, all our children slaughtered; he has moved on, died, and returned again as I have been helpless here to stop him from becoming what he is. Once, his blood was worthy and I trained him well, but he has warped too far from where he began with me. His interference in the affairs of the Drow after so long will only bring about the same fate for us that befell the Noldor. I will not have an immortal king seize control of our race! I would rather my sister remain untouched and wither to dust on her throne!"