Paul Kemp - Shadowbred

"Netheril?" Tamlin asked, puzzled. "You mean Shade Enclave."

Rivalen shrugged noncommittally and Tamlin let the issue die. In truth, nothing Rivalen had requested surprised Tamlin, nor did anything cause him concern. The Shadovar could have asked for much more and he would have given it. Tamlin was not in a position to haggle. He said, "We would expect a reciprocal arrangement with regard to the embassy. And the port access would be subject to an annual usage fee, of course."

"Of course," Rivalen said.

Tamlin shared a glance with Vees before saying to Rivalen, "Your offer is not unreasonable, but I would need a show of good faith to take to the Old Chauncel."

"I understand," said Rivalen. "I can arrange for significant amounts of food to be transported into the city. Shadovar troops can have it here in a matter of a few days. At the same time, their presence will bolster your defenses. Would that serve?"

Tamlin was not certain how much he liked the idea of Shadovar troops entering Selgaunt, but the city did need the food.

"That is a start," he said.

"Here is an end, then," said Rivalen. "Vees informed me that you have organized an attempted rescue of Endren Corrinthal, the nobleman of Saerb. He is imprisoned in Yhaunn, I believe."

Tamlin eyed Vees with disapproval, but said to Rivalen, "Vees's tongue is loose, but that is correct."

"We can be of assistance with that as well."

"Indeed? How?"

"I have men who…"

Tamlin shook his head. "Out of the question. My agent would not welcome that kind of assistance."

"He is a bit unstable," said Vees.

Rivalen pressed his lips together, thoughtful, and said, "A distraction, then? At the moment of the attack? Surely that would assist your man? And a free Endren helps our cause greatly."

"It would have to be quite a distraction," Tamlin said, half-jesting.

Rivalen smiled and showed his fangs. "As I said, Lord Uskevren, we are a magical people. Yhaunn is allied with Ordulin against you and therefore against Shade Enclave. Consider it the first blow of our new alliance. I will endeavor to make it a memorable one. You need only alert me when the rescue is about to occur. I will see to the rest."

Tamlin nodded and smiled, feeling satisfied. He had made the decision that gave Selgaunt its best chance of survival. He said, "We have reached agreement in principle."

"Excellent," Rivalen said.

"Very good," Vees said.

Rivalen said to Vees, "I understand the temple your family has financed is nearly complete."

Vees nodded. "Indeed. Nearly so. When it is, I would be honored to give you a tour. There are some architectural flourishes that I am sure you will appreciate."

Rivalen nodded in agreement.

"And speaking of a tour," Tamlin said to Rivalen, "I intend to take you up on your offer of a tour of your city, Prince Rivalen."

Rivalen smiled politely. "I shall look forward to it."

Cale awakened at midnight inside Mask's temple. Shirtless, he sat cross-legged on the floor and prayed to the Shadowlord for power. He also offered his gratitude for the opportunity to truly say goodbye to Jak, to bury him. On the Sembian plains, Mask had whispered to Cale that he was almost there. Cale was all the way there now.

Spells filled Cale's mind, sparked in his brain. Cale knew he would not be able to use the spells in the attack on the Hole, but he would use them before they got in and after they got out.

He remained awake the rest of the night, smoking Jak's pipe. When morning arrived he dressed, checked and rechecked his gear, sharpened his blades, and sought out Riven.

He found him outside in the sun, watching the dogs roll in the grass. The wind off the sea was cool. The dogs noticed Cale, ran over and sniffed him. They whined at the stump of his wrist, but he patted them with his other hand and they licked him in greeting.

Riven and Cale discussed final points of strategy while the dogs played. They would enter quickly and quietly, take a guard alive, and force him to take them to Endren. The Hole did not keep many prisoners, so Endren would not be hard to locate. After they had him, they would get the hells out.

Easy. Except that it would be hard.

In the distance, Cale could see the hilltop where they had buried Jak. Riven followed his gaze.

"We could have used Fleet on this job," Riven said.

Cale nodded. "The shadowwalkers?" he asked.

Riven shook his head. "I only see them at night. They'll be along."

They spent the rest of the day preparing themselves. Cale knew they would have to kill guards to get Endren out. He told himself that it was justified, that he was trying to rescue an innocent man for the greater good of Sembia. But he knew that was a lie. He was prepared to rescue Endren and kill guards because he thought and hoped that it would somehow lead him to Magadon. Mask had promised him that Sembia's plight would lead back to Magadon, and Cale believed the Shadowlord. And if Cale had to kill strangers to get to his friend, he would do it. He would not like it, but he would do it.

Late in the day he and Riven took a meal together. Cale found it strange to be doing something so ordinary with Riven, something friends did together. He was not sure if Riven was his friend, but he knew they understood one another as no one else did, save perhaps Mask himself. If that was not friendship, it was still something Cale appreciated.

Before they finished their meal, a familiar buzzing sounded in Cale's ears-a sending. He tensed, shadows swirled. Tamlin's voice spoke in his mind.

The Shadovar offer a distraction at Yhaunn. When will you make the attempt? My spell allows you to respond. Use fewer than two score words.

Cale frowned, still displeased that Tamlin had taken Vees's advice and made common cause with the Shadovar. He debated whether to respond at all. Riven must have read his expression.

"What is it?" the assassin asked across the table.

"Tamlin Uskevren and the Shadovar are offering to provide a distraction to coincide with our move against the Hole."

Riven's eye narrowed. "The Shadovar? What kind of distraction?"

Cale shook his head. They stared at one another across the table. Both knew the attempt on the Hole was dangerous. A distraction could help.

"Take it," Riven said.

Cale considered, nodded, and responded to Tamlin:

After moonset tonight, he sent, and the buzzing in his ears stopped.

"That will have to be something special to be worth our while," Riven said.

Rivalen Tanthul's voice echoed through the corridors of Ssessimyth's mind.

Swim for Yhaunn. After moonset, destroy the harbor and dock ward.

Ssessimyth knew where Yhaunn lay. He knew the location of most every city on the coast of the Inner Sea, at least those that had existed before he had been bonded to the Source.

Thinking of the Source pained him distantly. He still longed for it. He sometimes felt as though the Source were still bonded to him, still one with his flesh. But he knew the sensation to be a phantom created out of his memories, out of his hopes. Rivalen and his shadowy brothers had magically removed the crystal from his flesh, torn it out in a shower of blood and veins and brain matter and pain.

But Ssessimyth knew it was for the best. Rivalen meant him well.

He undulated, propelled a vast amount of water into and out of his body, and cut through the cold depths. Had he been hunting, he would have kept to the deepest water and knifed surfaceward only after spotting prey, only for the kill. But he was not hunting and he made no effort to disguise his bulk or his passage. The cluster of his tentacles trailed behind him, waving rhythmically with each undulation. The sea cleared out before him. Nothing in the water could challenge him. He was supreme in his domain.