The girl's eyes widened even more.
"Oh, show me!" she pleaded, handing the gemstone to her brother.
Vambran took the pendant and held it up.
"Once per day, when you are holding it in your hand, you concentrate on the person you want to send the message to, and speak the message."
"Oh, I want to try it, right now!"
"No, wait a minute. Listen to me. I said once per day. If you try it any more often than that, it won't work. You have to hold it and concentrate on the idea of speaking a message to them. If you do that, it will work, no matter how far away from you that person is."
Emriana just smiled and slipped the chain around her neck.
"It's wonderful," she said, feeling her eyes welling up with tears of happiness. "Thank you, Vambran."
"The person on the other end of the message can talk back to you, if they want. But remember to keep the message short. You can't ramble on and on, because only the first handful of words will go through."
Emriana nodded and said, "I'll remember."
"If you ever get in a bind and need my help, use it to get my attention. I'll get to you as quickly as I can."
"All right," the girl replied, smiling and wiping her eyes with her hands. She considered it the best birthday present she had ever received.
Finally, after Emriana had regained her composure, she returned to the topic at hand.
"So, what's our next step?" she asked, feeling conspiratorial.
"Nothing, for the moment," Vambran replied. "I need to spend some time with the company. There's payroll to be distributed, plus I promised Adyan and Horial I would meet them tonight for drinks."
"Oh, you're no fun," Emriana said, pouting. "I was hoping for some real spying tonight."
"Not a chance," Vambran replied. "If nothing else, you're still under Uncle Dregaul's eagle eye at the moment. So you're not going anywhere." When she started to protest, Vambran wagged a finger at his sister. "Ah, ah, ah! You just got through saying we needed to keep a low profile. That goes for you, too."
"Fine," Emriana harrumphed. "You take all the fun out of this."
"I'm sure that there will be plenty of chances for you to play spy tomorrow," her brother said. "Your birthday party that Hetta is throwing for you is tomorrow night."
Emriana smacked herself in the forehead and groaned, "Oh, Waukeen, that's right. I completely forgot. And I'm supposed to be escorted by Denrick!"
The girl made a disparaging sound in her throat and rolled her eyes in misery. The thought of spending any more time with that self-inflated buffoon, especially once she knew his true character, was repulsive.
"You have to act like nothing is wrong," Vambran warned. "You can't give him or anyone in his family a reason to be suspicious."
"I know," Emriana sighed, "but I don't have to like it."
The Crying Claw got its name from the sound of its sign-depicting a single bird's claw-squeaking as it swung in the wind that blew in off the bay to the west. The front doors of the place actually faced northeast, away from the harbor, and it maintained a sizable taproom just inside the entrance. That was only a small portion of the whole, though, for the bulk of the property rested on the side of a rather steep hill that sloped its way down toward the docks. It was there, off the back of the establishment, where the majority of the patrons gathered whenever the weather permitted. The entire hillside had been terraced, carved into wide, tiled patios connected by sets of ramps and stairs and filled with tables, most of them open to the sky but a few protected by wooden scaffolding draped with brightly colored awnings. Of course, there were the prerequisite planter boxes, trellises, and wooden railings generously placed to divide the space up, all overgrown with the tropical plants and vines that were so common in the Reach. The architecture created the effect of a hillside vineyard in the middle of the city.
The Crying Claw was hopping when Vambran got there, which was typical. It was one of the most popular taverns near the waterfront of Arrabar, and every ship's officer, mercenary captain, middling merchant, and sword-for-hire frequented it whenever they were in the city. Even the inside was busy, and it took the lieutenant a few minutes to squeeze through the morass of patrons and get to the wide arched doorways that led out into the back. The bar had been set up to face two directions, one side open to the interior of the establishment and the other at the top of the terraced patios. Jenis Glowarm, the half-elf proprietor with the ever-present smile, was behind the bar, just as she was every night, along with three assistants. A full complement of servers moved endlessly between the tables and the bar, making their way up and down the stairs and ramps to serve drinks. Anyone wanting a job working for Jenis had to be physically fit.
Vambran slipped into a bit of open space at the bar, and when Jenis spotted him, she gave him a quick wink, for he had been a customer there for a long time.
"Be with you in a minute, hon," Jenis said, scurrying to the far side to serve some customers who were clamoring for more beer.
Vambran gave the proprietor a wave of acknowledgement and kept his coin pouch safely in his hand while he waited.
He turned and let his eyes roam over the length of the terraced hillside, looking to see if any of his companions had beaten him there that night. Of Horial and Adyan, there was no sign. That was not surprising, though, for he was a bit early. He turned back where he could keep half an eye on the front doors and the other half on Jenis, wanting to make sure she remembered that he needed a mug.
The lieutenant considered again his plan for the evening and asked himself for perhaps the tenth time whether or not it was really a good idea. The notion of using his familiarity with Emriana's dagger to magically find the thugs who had impersonated city watchmen felt right, but everything that had happened since the previous evening was giving Vambran a sense of foreboding, as though he were standing on the precipice of something much larger and more sinister than a simple murder. He just couldn't put his finger on it.
Of course, that in and of itself wouldn't be enough to dissuade Vambran from following through with his intentions. Adyan and Horial were good friends, made closer by the unfortunate secret they shared, and the lieutenant knew they would happily aid him. But he knew some might question whether it was proper for him to appropriate his own men to see the task to its end. He certainly had a high level of discretion regarding how he put the resources at his disposal to use, but for what he had in mind, he was completely on his own.
Vambran was still rationalizing his decision when he spotted the two sergeants entering the Crying Claw and peering around uncertainly. The lieutenant put his fingers to his mouth and gave a shrill whistle, which not only caught the soldiers' attention, but just about every other patron within fifteen paces. There was a brief lull in the conversations as several people glared at him and wiggled their fingers in their ears, then the issue was just as quickly forgotten. Vambran waved to the two mercenaries.
Horial and Adyan waved back and pushed through the throngs until they reached him, though there was no more room at the bar.
"Evening, Lieutenant," Horial said, clapping Vambran once on the shoulder. "I see you're planning to buy the first round," he added, nodding as Jenis sidled up to where Vambran stood, his elbows resting on the bar.
Vambran chuckled and waved the other two men toward the terraces.
"Go find us a table," he said. "I'll bring us three tall, frothy ones."
The other two men nodded in hearty agreement and departed, peering through the openings in the lush, green walls in search of an empty spot. Vambran turned back to Jenis and ordered three mugs of her finest dark ale. Soon enough, he had the drinks in his hand and was working his way through the various patios, seeking his companions. He finally spotted them in a corner around a table meant for two. Shrugging, Vambran set the drinks down and grabbed an unused chair from another table and squeezed in beside them.
"Here's to gold weighing my pockets down," Adyan drawled, hoisting his own mu
g up to clink it against the other two before downing a long gulp.
"And to the ladies we spend it all on," Horial added, winking as he slurped from his own mug.
"Hear, hear," Vambran agreed, smiling. After each of them had savored the taste of their ales, Vambran settled back in his chair. "Did the men get their payments?"
"Aye," Horial said, drawing his finger through a wet spot on the surface of the table. "All except Ludini, who had to tend to some family matters in Mimph and caught the ferry there first thing this morning. But I already knew he wouldn't be around for several days. I put his share away for him."
Vambran nodded and replied, "We may have a job in a tenday or so, not sure yet. Will Ludini be back by then?"
"Should be," Horial replied, sketching something with the moisture. "What sort of job?" Vambran rolled his eyes.
"Oh," he said, "some merchants the temple has been using keep complaining that the competition is bullying their caravans whenever they try to use a certain waypoint on the Golden Road. We may tag along on their next run to see to it that it stops."
Adyan snorted into his mug.
"Merchants," he scoffed.
Vambran raised a single eyebrow at the sergeant who, realizing he had just insulted all three of their families, raised a hand in placation.
"Oh, not our Houses, sir," he said quickly. "I just meant the foolish, no-sense kind."
Vambran couldn't maintain the glare though and broke into a grin.
"That's all right, Sergeant Mercatio, you just keep right on insulting my family. You'll make captain in no time."
Horial guffawed as he was drinking and nearly choked.
"Adyan never met a man he couldn't insult sooner or later," the man said, wiping foam from his nose.
The three of them chuckled a moment longer before Vambran grew serious.
"Listen, you two," said the lieutenant. "I have something weighing on me that I need some help with."
"Name it," Adyan said, setting his empty mug down. "I'm there."
"Absolutely," Horial added. "Whatever you need. We've been friends a long time, Vambran."
Vambran nodded, having known to expect the two men's willingness. "Yes, we have. And we've been through some rough scrapes along the way," he said, looking at each of them intently. "Some things we don't even talk about anymore." The lieutenant raised his eyebrows to emphasize his point. "This may be one of those times before the night's through."
Both men's faces turned solemn.
Good, Vambran thought. They understand.
"We're your friends," Horial said. "Whatever's going on, nothing's changed in all these years. Not even that."
"We'll help you any way we can," Adyan drawled, frowning. "Just tell us what you need."
"Are you both sure?" Vambran asked. The two sergeants nodded. "All right, then," the lieutenant continued. "Last night, Emriana and I ran up against some fellows who I think were pretending to be city watchmen. These thugs killed two people, supposedly in the line of duty, but I think there's something else going on. Today, I got jumped by three vermin who definitely weren't after my coin. Someone is hiding something and is awfully intent on keeping me from finding out what it is. But that's exactly what I intend to do, and I need someone to watch my back."
"Sounds like a mighty good time to me," Adyan drawled, popping his knuckles and grinning, emphasizing the diagonal scar on his chin. "What's the full story?"
After flagging down a barmaid and ordering another round of drinks, Vambran proceeded to explain his tale to his two friends. When he was finished, they nodded.
"Hey," Horial said, "I already told you I was your man, but after hearing that, you know we have to set things right."
Adyan nodded in agreement. "If nothing else, you'll be wanting that dagger back," he joked. "When do you want to kick their door in?"
"Tonight," Vambran said. "As soon as you two are ready to go."
Adyan looked forlornly at the half-finished ale sitting in front of him. "Might want to finish my drink, first," he said hopefully.
Vambran rolled his eyes and laughed.
"I think we have time for that," he said.
The trio sat and conversed for a little while longer, finishing their drinks, and set out to begin their night's work. As they departed, Vambran glanced skyward and noted that clouds had rolled in off the Reach, obscuring the waxing moon and bringing the smell of rain with them.
It would be a good night for hunting, the lieutenant decided as he withdrew his sacred medallion with Waukeen's profile graven on it. Closing his eyes briefly, Vambran drew upon the divine blessings of his goddess, visualizing his sister's dagger in his mind and concentrating on discerning its location. He felt an urge to travel west, toward the docks. Nodding, he set out, leading the way.
None of the three noticed a single figure lurking among the deeper shadows of a doorway across the street from the Crying Claw. As the three friends made their way down the street, the figure cautiously stepped out of those shadows and began to follow them.
"Yes, I was the one who sent the two Halanthi priests down to the city watch station house with instructions to burn the bodies," Grand Trabbar Lavant said. "How is this a concern of the Sapphire Crescent?" he asked Kovrim, who stood in the Waukeenar high priest's offices, staring at the rotund man with the pudgy fingers, each of which sported a gold ring, heavy with diamonds, sapphires, rubies, and emeralds.
"Then you interfered with an investigation of murder!" Kovrim replied angrily, ignoring for the moment how unbecoming it was for him, a mere Syndo priest in the temple's hierarchy, to speak to the Grand Trabbar that way. "Why would you do that?"
Lavant smiled. "Please, Syndo Lazelle, calm yourself. If you will hear my explanation and give this matter a moment's thought, I think you will come to understand the importance of seeing the events play to this conclusion. But I will not abide you raising your voice to me."
Kovrim bowed his head in acquiescence.
"Of course, Grand Trabbar," he said. "I was out of line. My apologies."
"Not at all, my brother. It is often a narrow and treacherous line we must walk in order to ensure a bountiful return on our spiritual investments. The Merchant's Friend would have everyone enjoy the windfalls of shrewd trade, taking us ever closer to the golden age that lies ahead, but there are many poor investments that beckon to us during our dealings. We all struggle from time to time, allowing anxieties over whether or not our coin has been spent wisely to cloud our judgment. You speak from the heart, and that is good, but you must remember that only cool heads can prevail at the bargaining table."
"Of course, Grand Trabbar. Thank you for helping to guide me in my spiritual commerce. May you have many returns on your investments in me."
Lavant smiled, nodded, and said, "Now, to the issue of the two unfortunate victims of last night's crime. What occurred was a result of some very delicate business negotiations that had hit a snag along their course to completion. Those deaths were an inelegant and short-sighted solution, and if I had been privy to the plans from the beginning, I would have counseled strenuously against it. But what was done was done and, by the time I found out about it, could not be reversed. Rest assured that those responsible have been harshly dealt with.
"But there was no sense in throwing the baby out with the bath water. It serves no purpose to publicize the events, or to expose those who are tied to, but not guilty of, the crimes. A strategic business alliance hangs in the balance, and destroying potential commerce for the sake of disclosing the details does far more harm than good. The truly guilty have been punished, and the profits to be earned from staying the course can still be realized."
Kovrim nodded, not satisfied, but understanding the situation. He respected Grand Trabbar Lavant, not just as a spiritual leader, but as a man who could prioritize the needs of various individuals or groups in the scope of Waukeen's greater plan for a golden age, when all would find the bounty of wealth. Still, it was sometimes a little too
easy for the man to turn a blind eye toward injustices in the name of wealth. Particularly when the temple itself stood to benefit from the endeavor. Kovrim had no doubt in his mind that that was the case with those particular circumstances. Otherwise, he knew, Grand Trabbar Lavant would not be rationalizing his actions in such a way. Kovrim decided he would need more time to contemplate his position on the matter. Alone, where he could really think and pray.
"Well, sir, you have certainly cleared that up for me," Kovrim said finally, rising to go. "I wish that it had not come to such, but I will take comfort in the fact that you believe this was the right course of action, even if I do not completely understand its importance myself."
"Indeed I do, Syndo Lazelle. If there's anything else I can do to assuage your concerns, please don't hesitate to speak up."
"Not at all, Grand Trabbar. You've calmed my fears and concerns admirably."
Kovrim turned to depart.
"Oh, uh, Syndo?"
Kovrim stopped and asked, "Yes, Grand Trabbar?"
"I realize your nephew is also trying to determine what truly went on," the high priest said. Kovrim nodded fervently, working hard to mask his surprise. Lavant continued, "As he is serving under you in one of our esteemed companies, it would behoove you to speak with him and get his attention on something else. It really doesn't sit well with the Overgold of the temple to have one of their own working against them, however inadvertent and well meaning it may seem."
"I understand, Grand Trabbar. I will see to it immediately," Kovrim replied, his mind racing. How had they discerned Vambran's involvement so quickly? Was Grand Trabbar Lavant responsible for the suspected eavesdropping? Perhaps even the attack at Dark She Looks Upon Me? One thing was for certain; they were keeping closer tabs on the situation than Kovrim had previously thought.
"Yes. Perhaps something to occupy his time with? Say, a new assignment?" Lavant suggested.
Kovrim frowned slightly and said, "It would be difficult at this late juncture to shuffle the schedule of services for the Crescent, but I can look into it."
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