Starlight Enclave

by R. A. Salvatore

  The woman looked around for Jarlaxle, but it was impossible. So many faces, so much dancing and singing and feasting and drinking and cheering. The city was alive now, as much as anything she had ever known, and it proved truly infectious.

  She wandered about, not even bothering to ask where Jarlaxle might be. It didn’t matter. She was safe here, they all were. She wished that Zak could be out here, enjoying this, but Galathae had told her in no uncertain terms that it wouldn’t be wise. He was still sick and had to fight through the phage for a few more days. That moment at cazzcalci had brought him great strength and comfort and relief, and had indeed pushed back the onslaught of the phage.

  But that moment was gone. They all knew it, and everyone in Scellobel understood that the one moment of Azzudonna’s victory, of the full-throated voice of Callidae demanding relief from the Merry Dancers, could not be replicated.

  A short while later, back in the inn along with Vessi and many other Biancorso soldiers, Catti-brie heard inquiries about Azzudonna, who had apparently slipped out.

  “She has gone to rest,” one woman insisted, to which a dwarf complained, “She will have the whole of night to rest! She must sing and tell us again of her throw!”

  Catti-brie knew that Azzudonna wasn’t resting. She took her leave of Ibilsitato and made her way along the avenues of Scellobel, casually drifting toward the cold infirmary where the aevendrow had put Zak. She wasn’t surprised when she entered to find Azzudonna sitting across a small candlelit table from her father-in-law, plates and glasses set before them.

  “Persimmons?” she said with a grin when she neared. Both turned to her with a start and Catti-brie nearly laughed aloud at how ridiculous they appeared, as if they had gone through a war and had dragged their battered bodies off to the side for a moment of respite.

  “This cheese!” said Zak.

  He looked better, more like himself, and the swelling had mostly subsided. And he sounded better. Stronger. His mouth was almost its normal size again.

  “You call yourself his friend and you did not share this with him?” Azzudonna said to her, shaking her head with an expression of feigned dismay. “Come, sit,” the drow woman bade her, pulling up a chair. “I brought more than enough.”

  Catti-brie took a seat and Azzudonna pushed a plate of persimmons and kurit cheese and a glass of ice wine before her.

  “To life,” Azzudonna said, lifting her glass, and Catti-brie and Zak did likewise, the three tapping together with a marvelous chime.

  “I’m going to live long enough for you to cure me of this affliction, daughter,” Zak said. “Are you up to the task?”

  “Our hosts have many who are.”

  “That’s not what I asked.”

  “I am,” Catti-brie assured him. “When my spells return, you will feel the full warmth of them.”

  “Soon,” Azzudonna promised.

  “What of you?” Catti-brie asked. “That must hurt.” She reached gently for the woman’s broken nose.

  “What? You don’t think I’m pretty anymore?” the woman said, leaning away from her reach and striking a playful pose.

  “I think you’re quite beautiful,” Catti-brie told her. “I think everything up here is quite beautiful.”

  Azzudonna smiled and tipped her glass.

  “Should I leave you two alone?” Catti-brie asked a few moments later, after she had eaten the two persimmons and the cheese and finished her wine.

  “Please stay,” Azzudonna answered before Zak could. “We will have plenty of time to be alone later,” she added with a wink at Zak. “When kissing you doesn’t hurt so much, nor leave me in fear that your slaad mouth will swallow my head.”

  The laughter was cut short as the door to the small room opened, and they turned to see Galathae enter, carrying a small pack.

  “I hope that is more food,” Azzudonna said.

  “It is.”

  “Then sit, join us,” said Zak, motioning to a chair across the way. But the paladin shook her head.

  “No, I actually came to find you,” she answered, indicating Catti-brie. “I wish to speak with you.”

  “Now?” Azzudonna protested. “It is Quista Canzay! Biancorso are the victors!”

  “It will not take long,” Galathae replied, and motioned for Catti-brie to follow. Curious, the priestess did.

  The paladin led her to a second chamber cut into the glacial wall, one very similar to Zak’s infirmary.

  “This seems serious,” Catti-brie said when Galathae shut the door behind them and pulled out a chair for Catti-brie.

  The aevendrow woman nodded. “Nothing you didn’t expect, I am sure.”

  “I honestly didn’t expect anything serious now.”

  “Yes, but the magic will begin returning soon. For some, perhaps when we next awaken. My business with you must be concluded before that time.”

  Catti-brie held out her hands, inviting her to continue.

  “You were brought to this land because of your magic, so you told us,” Galathae said. “You are priestess and wizard, correct?”

  “Priestess mostly, but yes.”

  “And you were asked to come because of your magic?” Galathae asked again.

  “The others have their tricks and magical items,” Catti-brie told her. “But you have it correct. I am here because I can, or could, heal them if we found battle.”

  “You came through a magical gate. You don’t even really know where you are or how to get home.”

  “That is true.”

  “So you are here to take them home when your business is done. A word of recall or dweomer of teleportation, perhaps?”

  “Recall,” Catti-brie confirmed. “I am not powerful enough in the arcane acts to teleport in that manner.”

  “But you are the one assigned that task, and without you, the others would have to try to walk their way out of here?”

  Catti-brie nodded.

  “You are aware of the obligation of geas?” Galathae asked.

  The question caught Catti-brie off guard. She had heard of geas, a magical spell placed to restrict or impose some conditions upon another person.

  “A bit,” she replied warily.

  “We cannot have you leave until our magic is fully returned. When Twilight Autunn is at its end, we must go and finish what you and your friends started in that cave on the first day of your arrival. We cannot allow the slaadi and the giants such a hatchery.”

  “We’ll lead you there of course,” Catti-brie said with full confidence. “Return to us our weapons and gear and we’ll gladly fight beside you.”

  Galathae nodded. “We will accept at least the first offer, but still, we cannot have you leave until . . . well, you will see. It is hard to explain.”

  “We still want to find Doum’wielle.”

  “You should forget her. She is lost to this world forevermore.”

  “We have to know if that is true. We came here because she offers great hope to the drow among us. It is a long and complicated tale.”

  “We will point you in the direction where your friend was lost, then,” Galathae told her. “But most of all, we will point you away from Callidae.”

  Her somber tone as much as the words began to clue Catti-brie in here.

  “I will ask you to accept a geas from me,” Galathae explained. “One to prevent you from your magical recall home, or from sending messages to the southland, until the Temporal Convocation of Callidae have agreed that you may leave. The obligation of the geas will be removed if you then still wish to depart Callidae, I promise.”

  Catti-brie’s thoughts swirled in a thousand different directions. She was sure that at that point, they would use new and different magic on her and her friends before they were sent on their way. She thought of Freewindle and his “dreams.” She knew of spells that could make a person forget something, and others, more powerful, that could even modify a person’s memory—the Harpells used those quite frequently at the Ivy Mansion when one of thei
r more eccentric wizards was stubbornly researching and experimenting along what was surely a disastrous road. Never had she heard about any spells powerful enough to do what she was now fearing, though, in terms of the memories she and her friends had of Callidae. But then, never had she witnessed spells to create food as intricate and tasty as she had seen here. It made sense to her that the aevendrow would perfect such spells if they didn’t want to imprison or execute people who stumbled upon Callidae.

  Still, the thought depressed her completely—she didn’t want to abandon this place forever! The very idea that she might not be able to bring Drizzt or Brie here broke her heart.

  She hoped her suspicion would prove wrong, but in any case, she certainly understood the reasoning.

  “So when you say that you cannot have us leave until your magic returns, it is not only because of the fight you will wage against those in the cave.”

  “That is part of it,” Galathae said. “The slaadi are much more formidable when their claws inject their eggs or the chaos phage and our healers cannot easily counter it.”

  “We could draw you a map to the cave, but that would not suffice, would it?” Catti-brie asked, trying not to sound too accusatory here.

  “Yes, that would suffice.”

  “But we still could not leave—not until your magic fully returns.”

  “No,” Galathae admitted.

  “We would not be the first who have come to Callidae and left, and you have magic to make sure that we are not the first to leave with the ability to come back.”

  The paladin didn’t reply. She didn’t have to.

  “What would you have us do?” Galathae asked at length. “What would you do?”

  Catti-brie rubbed her face. She saw their dilemma and truly sympathized, but that didn’t make it hurt any less.

  “When do you wish to enact this geas?” she asked.

  “As soon as my powers return. I will need your word that if your own powers return before that time, you will not recall to your homeland, nor magically send any messages beyond Callidae.”

  Catti-brie considered it for just a brief moment. “I agree. I will not prepare spells of that manner at all until I have your blessing.”

  “I believe you, Catti-brie,” Galathae said. “And as we know the relative power of the spells involved, it is likely that my geas will precede your ability to recall. Still, until it is done, we will not allow the four of you to be together at the same time. If you somehow manage to leave us, you will leave one of your friends behind.”

  Catti-brie sucked in her breath and tried to remind herself how much the aevendrow had at stake here.

  “If someone finds a key to your safe, you change the lock,” Galathae said.

  “And the key to Callidae is?”

  Galathae just stared.

  “The memory of Callidae,” Catti-brie finished for her.

  She stood and went to the door. “And I am glad—we are all glad, that your friend has found his strength. Perte miye Zaknafein was real and true. The chaos phage will not take him.”

  She stepped out of the room, then turned back suddenly with a smile.

  “But Azzudonna might.”

  Catti-brie remained alone in that room for a long while, mulling it all over. For the simple joy and elation here, this was becoming very complicated emotionally. She would be true to her word and would allow the geas to be placed upon her—she and her friends owed the aevendrow that and more, clearly.

  But she desperately hoped that she was wrong in the rest of it. She didn’t want her memories of Callidae turned into dreams, just out of reach, or erased altogether.

  She hoped she was wrong, or, if not, that she, or maybe the ever-persuasive Jarlaxle, could effect a different course.

  Chapter 22

  When It Matters More

  Catti-brie took a deep breath and rubbed her fingers together.

  “Twilight Autunn has passed,” Azzudonna assured her.

  “And I am still alive,” said Zak, who seemed perhaps a little worse off than he had been after the miracle of Quista Canzay, but still so much better and stronger than he had been before that startling event. “I told you that you would not be rid of me so easily.”

  “I shouldn’t be nervous, but . . .” Catti-brie told him.

  “Your spells will be followed by my own, and by Galathae’s,” said Ilina. “We two alone could cure Zaknafein of the chaos phage and restore his full health. We brought you here as a courtesy, and thought that you would prefer to begin Zaknafein’s healing.”

  “I do, and I appreciate the opportunity,” Catti-brie replied. She unfastened the pouch the paladin had given her, dumping a small bit of diamond dust into her hand. She closed her eyes and took another deep breath, then began to quietly chant to her goddess. She felt the magic growing within her, felt its beautiful release, and heard the profound sigh of comfort from Zak as the waves of restorative healing washed over him, attacking the chaos phage and bringing almost instantaneous relief.

  As soon as the last wave left her, she began anew, using a spell dedicated to healing wounds more than diseases. She placed both of her hands on Zak’s still-swollen shoulder and chanted, closing her eyes, feeling and freeing the warmth.

  She fell back when she was done, taking a moment to steady her balance and slowly opening her eyes.

  A smiling Zak stood before her, the swelling gone, his face back to normal. Catti-brie heard Ilina and Galathae whispering behind her, but she didn’t turn around, instead accepting a great hug from the weapon master.

  “You scared us so badly,” she whispered into his ear.

  “I know. I’m so sorry to put—”

  She pulled back and pressed her fingers over his lips, silencing him. “I’m not letting you go anywhere. Brie needs you. Drizzt needs you. I need you.”

  Zak hugged her again, but then made a curious, questioning sound. Catti-brie looked at him, then followed his gaze back behind her to the two aevendrow women, both standing with their jaws hanging open, their matching expressions showing no small amount of shock.

  “He is fully healed and fully cured,” Galathae said when she found her voice. “This, I did not expect.”

  “Your power is great,” Ilina added.

  “It is given by Mielikki,” Catti-brie replied. “I am but the conduit.”

  “A powerful conduit,” Galathae said.

  Catti-brie accepted the compliment with a humble shrug.

  Galathae pulled her aside, motioning for Ilina to go to Zak and examine him more closely. To distract him, Catti-brie knew, when the paladin whispered to her. “Strong enough to resist my geas?” she asked.

  “I know little about your spell—about that particular spell, I mean,” Catti-brie answered. “But I have no desire to resist it. I accept it, and on my word, will not betray Callidae in any case. I do not like what you believe you must do, both with this spell and the one you soon intend, but I cannot argue the prudence.”

  The paladin nodded.

  “We must go now,” Galathae told Zak. “Your other friends will find you soon. They are on their way to you. Catti-brie will return to you a bit later on.”

  She led Catti-brie and Ilina out of the infirmary and across the city. They passed Entreri and Jarlaxle at one point, and Catti-brie winked at them and smiled, sending the two running in anticipation of finding a healthy Zak.

  Catti-brie kept glancing back at them as they rushed along. She wanted to join them, wanted the travelers all together again.

  “It won’t take long,” Galathae assured her, obviously catching on to her anxiousness.

  Catti-brie didn’t complain, but her jaw clenched.

  “This is on your agreement, yes?” Galathae asked.

  “Have I a choice?”

  The paladin stared at her hard. “Do you want one?”

  Catti-brie considered it, chewing her lip.

  “It is very temporary, and it will merely prevent you from taking yourself and your f
riends back to your homeland for a short while,” Galathae explained once more. “And a geas is about intent, not merely about this spell or that action. You have said to me several times now that you would not betray Callidae. If that is your truth, then the geas does nothing you claim you wouldn’t already do.”

  “That is where I must trust you.”

  “Yes,” Galathae answered.

  Catti-brie didn’t reply.

  “We saved him,” Galathae told her. “I mean, you cured and healed him now, but we would have, and had it not been for the people of Callidae in cazzcalci . . .”

  “I know, I know,” she replied, holding up her hand.

  “Understand something, Catti-brie,” Galathae told her, and locked stares with her. “I could have had you bound and gagged—the hagfish mucus is quite adequate for both—until this time when my magic returned, then forced the geas upon you without your acquiescence. That is not something that I, or any of us, wish to do to you or your friends, who have brought so much of interest to us.”

  Catti-brie couldn’t dispute the truth of Galathae’s words, so, wary as she remained, she nodded her agreement.

  She owed them this.

  Catti-brie rubbed her temples as she exited the inquisitor house, Galathae beside her.

  “You feel it in there, buzzing?” the aevendrow paladin asked.

  “I do. It is very strange.”

  “It will diminish into the background of your thoughts shortly,” Galathae assured her. “I am glad you agreed.”

  “I fear it foolish,” Catti-brie admitted. “The spells you now block are ones that could extract me and my friends from the coming fight if it turns desperate.”

  “All we ask of you and your friends is that you show us the cave,” said Emilian, walking over with Ilina, both clearly overhearing the remark. Both had sacks slung over their shoulders.

  “It could remove you or your friends as well,” Catti-brie said.

  “If you wish to prepare another word of recall, you may,” Galathae told her. “The geas will not stop you. But the place of recall must be here in Callidae. As I told you, the geas is about intent, not a particular action. You might think such a spell prudent, but—”