Mistress of the Night p-2

by Dave Gross

  "No!" Strasus exclaimed.

  "Magic didn't protect Roderio, did it?"

  Keph shoved his chair back and stood up. The words of the orison that Variance had taught him rose to his lips. The smallest, most insignificant of spellsbut it would show Strasus wouldn't it? Show him that while he might not see the potential in his youngest son, Shar did.

  Except that Variance had told him not to reveal his faith to anyone.

  For a moment, Keph struggled between his anger and the dark priestess's warning. One orison. Just one

  He swallowed the prayer and glared at his parents. "Is magic the only thing anyone in this family cares about?"

  He turned and stalked out of the dining room and back to the entrance hall. His hangover had returned with a vengeance, and breakfast wasn't sitting well.

  He'd just started climbing the big main stair when a shout rippled down from above: "Hey, Uncle Keph!"

  Keph looked up.

  Adrey stood at the head of the stairs, dressed against the heat in a simple white dress.

  Just as she had looked laid out on Shar's altar.

  His foot missed the next step and he stumbled, almost falling before catching himself on the banister. Adrey came leaping down the stairs to meet him.

  "Are you all right?" she asked.

  "I'm fine, Adrey. Thanks."

  There was sweat on his forehead. Keph wiped it away with a trembling hand. No, he reminded himself, it hadn't been Adrey on the altar but an illusion. Just an illusion.

  An illusion that he shoved a knife through.

  Adrey's forehead creased. "You don't look fine." Her nose wrinkled. "Beshaba's ivory arms, you stink!"

  "Adrey!" He gulped back the nausea that churned in his stomach. "Language!"

  "I'm not Adrey today," she replied. "Guess who I am."

  The girl jumped back and waved a stick at him. He squinted at it.

  "That's not one of your father's wands, is it?"

  "It's not a wand." She lunged forward and poked at him.

  Keph reacted instinctively, turning so that the blow slid past him, then stepping clear and reaching for Quick's hilt. Adrey spun around to face him.

  "You have Tymora's own luck," she crowed, "but I'll change that!"

  She flicked the stick menacingly back and forth through the air like a rapier.

  Dark, gasped Keph in silent shock, then said, "Adrey, what are you doing?"

  "What?" Adrey looked down at her feet. "Am I standing wrong?"

  Keph's hand was still on Quick's hilt. He forced it away and said, "You should be practicing your magic. If you don't practice, you won't become a wizard. You don't want that."

  He stretched out his hand to take the stick, but she twitched it out of reach and made a face.

  "Everyone around here is a wizard," she whined. "I don't want to do that anymore. I want to learn to fight like you do!"

  Keph clenched his teeth and said, "No, you don't."

  She looked puzzled.

  "I've watched you practicing," Adrey replied. "It looks more fun than learning cantrips."

  "Well, I think cantrips are more interesting."

  Adrey made another face and said, "Well, they aren't. There's only one way to do them and if you don't get it right, they don't work." She swiped her stick through the air again. "Come on, Uncle Keph! Show me something."

  Sweat trickled cold over Keph's flushed face. His head throbbed.

  "Maybe later, Adrey," Keph said. "I… need to go to my room."

  He turned away back up the stairs. Adrey looked disappointed, but stepped out of his way.

  "Do you want me to tell Gran that you're not feeling good?" she called.

  "No, thank you."

  "All right." Keph heard her start to trot on down the stairs. "I hope you're feeling better soon. I love you, Uncle Keph!"

  Keph twisted around to look at her, but she was already bounding across the entry hall, maybe looking for her grandparents in the dining room.

  CHAPTER 10

  "I've heard back from the various followers of Selune who help us keep watch for Sharran activity around Yhaunn," Julith said.

  Feena glanced at her as they paced through the corridors of Moonshadow Hall. "And?" she asked.

  "Nothingnot around the Stiltways, not anywhere. If there are Sharrans in the city, they're keeping very, very quiet."

  Feena gave the younger priestess a faint smile and said, "I notice that you're not ruling out their presence all together."

  "You saw what you saw," Julith said, "and caution never hurts." She returned Feena's glance. "I discovered something else, though. After your encounter, Mifano never even bothered to check with the watchers."

  Feena pressed her lips together. "Too sure of his own assessment of the situation, I suspect. Did the watchers have anything to say about…" She grimaced. "Anything else?"

  "The Stiltways are humming with stories of werewolves," Julith replied. "The tales have spread a little bit into the city at large, but seem to be mostly dismissed as drunken ravings. No one except High Luck Shoondeep seems to have made any connection to you, though."

  "I hope it stays that way," Feena said bitterly.

  After her experience at the Cutter's Dip three nights before, she had hastened back to Moonshadow Hall, sticking to Yhaunn's more brightly lit streets. A quick leap over the kitchen wall had brought her back to safety once morebut it hadn't been until she'd collapsed into a chair in Julith's room that the harrowing danger had really hit her. She'd tracked the servants of Malar in Arch Wood, even fought vampires in Selgaunt, but a mob of unarmed drunks had almost brought her down. Feena had given fervent thanks to Selune for her deliveranceeven if it had been at the arrogant hands of Keph Thingoleirand paid serious attention to Julith when she suggested that maybe another approach was needed.

  Even if that approach failed to yield results, it was better than risking her furry skin chasing Sharrans that might or might not exist. Besides, with Julith to support her, there was more than enough to keep her busy around Moonshadow Hall.

  They approached a door that opened onto the cloisters.

  "Ready?" asked Julith.

  Feena smoothed the simple pale blue gown that the seamstress had prepared for her and checked the silver web in her hair.

  "Ready," she said.

  Julith pulled open the door. Feena walked through, passed across the shaded walkway, and stepped out into the golden light of afternoon that flooded the courtyard.

  Around Selune's sacred pool, a group of about a dozen people were gathered: representatives of the city's merchants, craft guilds, the Nessarch's office, and the high priests and priestesses of the council of templeseven Colle Shoondeep. Velsinore and Mifano were there as well, Mifano making restrained conversation with various people while Velsinore kept a critical eye on the acolytes who moved among the group, offering chilled wine.

  "Thank you all for coming," Feena called.

  Conversation stilled and faces turned toward her as she walked across the grass. The acolytes made a silent, graceful exit, except for one who quickly brought wine to Feena and Julith before departing. Feena inclined her head to her guests. They returned the gesturesome more enthusiastically and graciously than others. Colle barely nodded. Mifano's bow was deep but cold and stiff. Velsinore didn't move at all.

  Feena ignored the three of them.

  "As some of you may know," she said, pronouncing each word as clearly as she had practiced with Julith, "it has become a tradition at Moonshadow Hall to open our doors to the poor of Yhaunn on the night of the new moon in what we call the New Moon Beneficence."

  "And a wonderful tradition it is, too!" said Endress Halatar.

  Feena nodded in acknowledgement of her praise and said, "It is always popular, and it has won Moonshadow Hall much favor in the less wealthy parts of the city. The New Moon Beneficence was never intended to bring worshipers to Selune, however, only to provide some relief to the poor. We can't help all of them, though. Eac
h new moon, we find ourselves turning people away. That's why I would like to invite you allother temples, the city, merchants, and guildsto share in this act of charity. All of us are wealthy. If we work together one night a month; we would be able to provide for many, many people."

  The group reacted in startled silence, glancing among themselves, some with an expression of immediate skepticism, some with cautious interest. Velsinore and Mifano, of course, looked ready to spit fire, but they didn't dare say anythingchallenging their Moonmistress-Designate in front of outsiders would only highlight the division within Moonshadow Hall.. Feena held her breath. The reaction was exactly what Julith had predicted, and if only the guests would react in accordance with the rest of the young priestess's expectations

  Colle rose to the occasion. "Preposterous!" he blustered. "The poor will certainly benefit, but once word came out that this was all Moonshadow Hall's idea, how would that make the rest of us look?"

  Feena let out her breath. "As you yourself said in our last council, Colle, it's a great shame when temple competes with temple. If the announcement is phrased properly, all Yhauntans will see is the group of us working together for the common good. It will benefit all of us" she nodded to the representatives of the city's civil authorities" Temples, merchants, and guilds."

  Colle blinked, his bluster countered, and Feena turned to Endress. Julith had suggested that the old priestess would be the most likely to support the idea. Feena was relieved to see interest sparkling in her eyes.

  "High Mistress of Revels?" she asked. "What do you think?"

  "You know I love any excuse for a party." Endress chuckled. "Especially one for a good cause." She tilted her head. "But there would be a tremendous amount of organization involved."

  "With your help, I don't think it would be difficult." She looked to the high priest of Ilmater, the suffering god who was traditionally the patron of the impoverished. "Sir?" she asked humbly.

  He nodded slowly and said, "A burden shared is a burden more easily borne. You have Ilmater's blessing."

  "And Deneir's," added the High Scrivener of the Lord of All Glyphs. Feena held back a grin. Julith had said that the two priests, the most conservative members of the council of temples, would agree with each other. Another prediction fulfilled!

  "And Waukeen's, as well, Moonmistress." The priest of the goddess of wealth bowed toward Feena. "Generosity is the root of success."

  Feena heard Julith let out a little gasp beside her. Waukeen's priest had been among those the priestess had judged would be the most difficult to convince. That he had come around so quickly was almost a miracle! Feena bowed back to him, honoring him with a deeper bow than he had given her.

  "Thank you," she replied.

  The representatives of the Nessarch, the council of merchants, and the craft guilds were still communicating among themselves with whispers and skeptical glances. The merchants' representative finally looked up and cleared his throat.

  "The idea seems to have merit," he said, caution plain in his tone, "but none of us can offer our full approval without consulting our members. And with the new moon only tomorrow night, we couldn't organize meetings in time to give you an answer."

  "Of course," said Feena. She couldn't hold back her smile anymore and it spread across her face just as the warmth of triumph spread through her belly. "I didn't expect that you could. That's why I would like to invite you to attend"

  "Feena!"

  From the window of her sitting room, Dhauna Myri-tar's voice drifted down into the courtyard, piercing and demanding. It didn't sound like the High Moonmistress was frightened or in pain, however. Feena clenched her teeth behind her smile and carried on.

  "I would like to invite all of you," she said, extending her arms to encompass the group, "to attend tomorrow's New Moon Beneficence as my guests. I think you will see-"

  Dhauna's second call was more strident: "Feena!"

  Feena winced and glanced at Julith. The other priestess gave her a sharp nod of encouragement. Feena drew a breath. "I think you'll see how much need there is for this type of cooperation and how much good we would be able to do if we were to work togeth"

  Feena!

  The call was magical, echoing inside her head as loudly as if Dhauna were standing right next to her and shouting in her ear. Feena gasped and actually staggered. Julith caught her.

  "Feena, what is it?" the young priestess whispered.

  "Mother Dhauna doesn't want to be ignored," Feena grunted. She stood and offered her guests a bow. "Please excuse me," she said. "It seems there's something I must see to." She laid a hand on Julith's shoulder. "Julith can tell you anything you need to know. Thank you very much for taking the time to come and speak with me."

  She turnedand Mifano and Velsinore turned as well, moving to intercept her as the rest of the group converged on Julith. She shot the pair a hard glance.

  "Not now," she snapped.

  "Feena!" Velsinore began angrily.

  Feena glared at her. "I said not now!"

  She crossed the courtyard at a swift stride. As soon as she was beyond the cloisters and inside the temple, she broke into a furious run, hastening up to the High Moonmistress's quarters before Dhauna could try calling her again.

  The high priestess stood at the door, waiting for her.

  "Do you ever intend to come when I call you?" the old woman asked.

  "I was busy, Mother Dhauna," Feena snarled. "Did you look out your window? I was in the courtyard meeting with people. Important people!" She stormed past Dhauna and into the sitting room. It was dark. The High Moonmistress had drawn the curtains against the sun. Magic lit the desk in a puddle of light. Dhauna closed the door and waddled over to the desk.

  Feena looked at her and frowned. "Where are your canes?"

  "I put them aside," said Dhauna. "Selune gives me strength."

  She'd used magic to bolster herself, just as she had on the night of the Full Moon Blessing. Feena's eyes narrowed.

  "What's going on, Dhauna? Why did you call me?" "I've unlocked the meaning of the dreams." Feena stared at her in surprise for a moment, then asked, "What?"

  Dhauna scowled and said, "Are you deaf? Is that why you don't come when you're called?" She shoved her chair out of the way and bent over a series of books and scrolls laid out on the desk. "I said I've unlocked the meaning of the dreams. I know what Selune has been trying to guide me toward."

  There was only the barest trace of triumph in her voice and no joy at all. Feena hesitated before asking, "You've uncovered the heresy?"

  "Yes and no," Dhauna replied, gesturing. "Come look at this."

  Feena stepped over to the desk and looked down at the collection of records laid out there. Dhauna pointed at the first of them, a book of dark, greasy parchment. The ink on the pages had bled badly over time, but the book was clearly written in the angular Dethek script used in the region of the Moonsea.

  "This is a record of inquests held at the House of the Moon in the city of Thentia," said Dhauna. "It came to Moonshadow Hall about a hundred years ago, but parts of the record are as much as two centuries older. This was written in about 1194." She cleared her throat and read, "'Mirela, Fela, and Iwna Telsk, the three sisters who tended Selune's shrine at the trade moot of Glister until the Year of Sinking Sails, stand accused of the New Moon Heresy. As the sisters perished in that year, we declare that none may judge them save Selune herself and in memory of their long years of true faith, declare them acquitted of these false and heinous charges.'"

  Feena frowned again. "I've never heard of the New Moon Heresy."

  "Neither had I," admitted Dhauna. "I wonder if the Thentians had either. The Year of Sinking Sails was U. 80 Dalereckoning. It's almost as if it took them fourteen years just to assign a name to whatever those three priestesses did. And Glister is only a remote crossroads even father north than Thentia. To have crossed that distance and endured so many years of investigation, the rumor must have been something shocking." She pu
t her finger on the eptry. "But as soon as I found this entry, I knew it was what I was looking for. Then I found this…"

  She moved her finger to a scroll of cracked parchment that was being held flat by a shoe on one side and the moon's road tiara on the other. The scroll had been written in the bold curves of Thorass that Feena could read herself. "'And long be chanted the name of Marrigan, who heard the call of Selune and turned her back on the Gray Wolves to become a hero of the New Moon,'" she read out loud. She looked at Dhauna. "Wait. Here it sounds like the New Moon Heresy is something highly regarded."

  "This scroll is a transcription of legends told by the more civilized of the Uthgardt tribes of the Silver Marches in the northwest beyond the Anauroch desert," said Dhauna. "The scroll is centuries old, but the stories are probably even older."

  Feena's eyebrows rose. "I've heard of the Gray Wolf Uthgardt tribe," she gasped. "They're werewolves!"

  Dhauna nodded and said, "And savages by all accounts, so a Gray Wolf following the call of Selune must have been something. Unfortunately, that's all the scroll has to say about Marrigan. Two clues about the New Moon Heresy, yet still nothing clear. But then…"

  She reached for a folded leaf of fine vellum and carefully opened it.

  The vellum had been used to take a rubbing of some stone inscription. The carved words were in both Dethek and Thorass, in two columns of characters. Feena took the vellum gently and held it up to read the ghostly words.

  To the memory o/Niree Swifthands. In Elmwood, a Hero of the New Moon Pact, in Chancelgaunt, a Heretic. Murdered in treachery and jealousy there at Bright Lady's Tower in the Year of Lost Wayfarers, 757. Selune guide her to rest.

  "Chancelgaunt is the old name for Selgaunt," said Dhauna. "The rubbing was taken in the Temple of the

  Half-Moon in Elmwood, an ancient village on the south side of the Moonsea."

  "I've been there," said Feena. "I don't remember seeing this memorial."

  "It may well be gone or by hidden nowthe rubbing was made almost four hundred years ago, two hundred years after this Niree Swifthands was executed at Selune's temple in Selgaunt."