Dagger's Point (Shadow series) (20 page)

Jael jolted awake, almost tumbling out of the bed. Tanis sleepily murmured an apology and pulled back the arm that had dropped across her face. Jael sighed with regret for her lost dream, but there was no calling it back. She rolled over and pillowed her head on Tanis’s shoulder, following him down into quiet, ordinary dreams of familiar places, familiar people. But even in her comfortingly ordinary dreams, a small part of her longed for stone, and fire.

VII

“It’s simple,” Tanis repeated. “It could hardly be easier.” Jael frowned at the diagram Tanis had drawn on the square of leather.

“You’re sure he doesn’t take it into the house?” Jael asked doubtfully. “Why would he leave such a valuable book just sitting openly on a shelf in his shop all the time?”

“Well, he does,” Tanis said, shrugging. “I took the vial of Bluebright in as near sunset as I could, to be certain I was the last customer in the shop. When he closed the shop after me, I was able to look in the window. He went right through the connecting door between the shop and the house, and I heard the lock click. He didn’t set any protections, not that I saw or heard, and the book was still on the shelf.”

“When did he say you should come back?” Jael asked.

“Tomorrow afternoon.” Tanis rolled the piece of hide and slipped it into the sleeve of his tunic. “He said he couldn’t promise that all the ingredients would be available in Zaravelle, but he thought at least he could get a formula for me, and I could have it mixed elsewhere.”

“How much does he want?” Jael asked him. “I mean, we don’t want to spend all our money, even though I’d dearly love

to know what Bluebright’s made of, and to be able to get more if I need it.”

“I talked him down to only two Suns for the formula,” Tanis said with a grin. “Since he’s never seen Bluebright before, if he can mix and sell the stuff, he should be able to make a good profit. If he actually can mix up a batch for us, though, he’ll charge based on the cost of the ingredients.”

“That’s fair.” Jael sighed. “Tanis, this feels all wrong.”

“Oh, Jaellyn,” Tanis protested. “You were the one who argued that we
had
to get this book, remember? I tried to talk you out of it, didn’t I? Why is your conscience bothering you so much now?”

“I don’t know.” Jael shrugged. “I just can’t imagine any mage leaving a book that precious unprotected in a shop in a city as full of thieves as Zaravelle. None of the mages I know would.”

“But Rhadaman’s different,” Tanis said patiently. “There are no other real mages in Zaravelle, remember? There probably weren’t any when Duranar came here, either. So Rhadaman’s not used to dealing with people who know much about magical books. Everyone here in the city is dependent on his magic, so why would anyone steal his books? No one would know how to use them; probably no one would even know they were valuable, and who would they sell such a book to, anyway? So Rhadaman’s never had a need to take such precautions.”

“Yes, but it’s a book about
demons,”
Jael argued. “A book about summoning and binding demons. Magic just doesn’t get much more potent than that. If he’s not using that magic—and apparently he’s not—then he knows it shouldn’t be used. He knows how dangerous that book is.”

“If he’s not using it, and he knows it shouldn’t be used, then why hasn’t he destroyed it?” Tanis countered.

“I don’t know.” Jael shook her head. “Maybe he kept it in case he’d someday need it. Maybe Duranar told him to keep it.”

“Well, either the book isn’t as valuable as you think, or Rhadaman doesn’t
know
how valuable it is,” Tanis said exasper-atedly, “or he’s blasted careless. Or there are
two
books of magic of the same size, with the same silver serpents on the spine. Whatever the reason, have you decided now that it’s worth risking Blade’s anger?”

Jael shivered. That was one argument she couldn’t refute. No, there was nothing to do but try. Even if they were caught, Jael doubted that the mage could—or would—do anything more terrible to them than what Blade could do. “All right,” Jael said quietly. “What should we do?”

“Tomorrow I’ll go back just before sunset again and get the formula,” Tanis told her. “This time go with me, and stay outside the door so Rhadaman won’t see you. When he closes the shop, you’ll be close enough to sense if any additional magical protections go up, and we can look again through the window to make sure he didn’t just forget to take the book with him today. You can get another peek at the inside of the shop, too, while he’s busy with me. Tomorrow night we’ll make the final plan, and we’ll make the grab the night after. If you sense some kind of spell activating when he closes the shop, then we’ll know we have more to deal with than just a lock. In any event, I’ll let you touch everything first, just in case there’s some kind of ward or trap-spell set.”

“All right,” Jael said reluctantly. There was no argument she could make. Despite Tanis’s seeming overconfidence, he was being reasonably cautious.

Unlike the night before, tonight Tanis was annoyed when Jael again declined to take any Bluebright, and her excuse, that they had no way to be certain Rhadaman would be able to replenish their supply, sounded thin even to her. She reassured Tanis that if they were able to get a further supply of Bluebright from Rhadaman, she could afford to be less miserly with the potent stuff, and that was true enough. Jael thought to herself, however, that knowing what ingredients formed the mysterious liquid and what effects the Bluebright might have on her would be far more reassuring than even an endless supply.

Tanis was still sulking when they went to bed, but he was not too angry to let Jael curl up beside him, her head on his shoulder and his arm around her. His heart was beating rather more rapidly than usual, and Jael could well imagine why he was annoyed with her refusal. Gods, desire was an unhandy sort of thing that turned people’s lives as awry as her incomplete soul did hers, and seemed to cause every bit as many disasters. Maybe she wasn’t entirely unfortunate after all. How did people like Aunt Shadow, who always seemed to be looking for her next tumble, ever manage to get anything done?

Jael grimaced.

That sounds like the elf whose arrow missed the stag, and who
told his clan the beast would’ve been thin and tough anyway,
she thought.
Aunt Shadow would say that if you don’t enjoy today, what’s the use in tomorrow? Mother would disagree, but Mother’s always worried or angry, and Aunt Shadow’s always laughing. No wonder Tanis is annoyed. I worry as much as the High Lady of Allanmere, and he certainly isn’t as patient as Father
—
as Argent.

But sometimes it’s hard to laugh with the dagger’s point stabbing through my feet.

Tanis’s anger, Jael reflected, was like a summer rain in the Heartwood—quick to blow up, but equally quick to sail away on the wind. Almost as soon as they’d awakened, Tanis had apologized sheepishly for his anger the night before.

“I don’t know what’s the matter with me,” he said humbly, squeezing Jael’s hands. “It’s just harder than I thought it would be, being around you all the time and remembering the two times we’ve really been together. I don’t know. Maybe we shouldn’t have used the Bluebright at all, but I can’t be sorry we did.”

“I’m not sorry we did, either,” Jael admitted. “I’m just sorry it bothers you.” She hesitated. “You know, there’s plenty of brothels in Zaravelle, and we have enough money.”

Tanis’s face turned crimson, and he looked away.

“I couldn’t do that,” he said quickly. “Not now that we’ve— well, it just wouldn’t feel right. I can’t explain it.”

“Oh.” Jael sighed, but in a strange way she was almost glad. Immediately guilt drowned the happiness—what right did she have to become possessive of Tanis when she couldn’t promise him anything but continued frustration?

“Anyway, let’s not talk about it now,” Tanis said hurriedly. “We’ll go to the market and buy the rest of our supplies, and then there’s nothing to do but enjoy the city until sunset.”

Jael was relieved to abandon the uncomfortable subject, and she eagerly walked with Tanis to the market. It was wonderful to have all the money they needed again. Tanis had set aside money for horses, for passage to Tilwich, and a good purse against future needs, but that still left plenty to spend for supplies, with enough left for luxuries they hadn’t enjoyed in a long time— sweets for Jael, wine for Tanis, another set of clothing for each. Near midday, Tanis suggested that they separate for a short time, and Jael eagerly agreed. She’d kept back enough money for a handsome set of daggers she’d seen the day before, and hoped to surprise Tanis with them to replace the ones he’d lost to Letha and her companions. Fortunately the daggers hadn’t been sold, and they were of as fine quality as they’d looked before.

When they met at midday for dinner, Tanis had apparently had the same idea as Jael, for he had two gifts for her—a pair of wonderfully soft leather gloves that almost perfectly matched the black boots he’d stolen for her in Allanmere, and a set of silver combs set with red stones for her hair.

“The gloves I commissioned my first day in the market,” Tanis admitted. “I’m glad they fit so well. There was a girl at the Guild whose hands looked about the size of yours, so I had the gloves fitted from her. But you’d better not wear the combs in the city. I know I said I wouldn’t steal anything more, but when I saw them at the jeweler’s stall, I just thought they’d look pretty against your hair.”

“I bought you something, too,” Jael said, handing him the daggers and matching sheaths. “I wish I’d had enough for a sword.”

Tanis grinned delightedly as he examined the daggers, tossing them experimentally and testing the edges.

“They’re wonderful,” he said warmly, setting the daggers aside and hugging Jael in thanks. “And just the size and weight I use, too. And I’m glad you didn’t get the sword, because I bought one the first day, and it’s nearly finished.”

“But how did you have enough money to—” Jael gasped. “Tanis, you didn’t sell your ring, your temple ring?”

Tanis grinned sheepishly and shrugged.

“The ring won’t keep us safe if we meet more highwaymen,” he said. “And it’s a fine sword. This southern steel is wonderful stuff. But enough of that. Let’s see if we can find something other than fish for dinner, shall we?”

They bought pork pies and took them to a quiet corner at the docks of Zaravelle, where, from a safe distance, they could watch the latest fishing boat being unloaded while they ate. Like in Allanmere, the area around Zaravelle’s docks was no place to wander at night, but during the day it was a wonderful place to sit and watch the ships arrive or depart, or simply stare out at the amazing endlessness of the sea. The coast was rocky hereabouts, none of the sand that Shadow had described, but Jael and Tanis wandered up the coast a bit and managed to scramble down to the water, letting the spray dampen their hair and faces and wonderingat the bitter-salt taste of the water. Jael excitedly pointed outcrinkle-shells anchored to the rocks of a nearby jetty, far too deep in the water to harvest; then nothing would do but that they hurry back to the city and buy a bucket of the steamed seafood and eat it on the docks, speculating about the strange creatures living in the salty depths.

Jael tried to ignore the inexorable progress of the sun across the sky, unwilling for the marvelous day to end. As sunset approached, however, Tanis reluctantly suggested that they wash the salt and juices from their hands and make their way to Rhadaman’s shop, and Jael equally reluctantly agreed.

It was only a short journey from the docks to the western side of the city, and soon they were standing outside Rhadaman’s shop. Tanis peeped briefly through the window and waited until the only customer in the shop had left.

“Give me a few moments before you look in the window,” Tanis told her. “I don’t want Rhadaman to look up and see you outside. I’ll speak loudly before I leave, and you can nip out of sight. All I need you to do is see if you can feel any protections going up when he closes the shop.”

“All right,” Jael said tersely. “But I can feel magic right now, even out here.”

“Well, it’s a mage’s shop,” Tanis said practically. “Think about something else. Think about the Book of Whispering Serpents and how we’re going to get it.”

That was unneeded advice; Jael could, in fact, think of little else at this point. She was terribly frightened. This was no theft for a thief barely out of apprenticeship and a girl who couldn’t do
anything
very well. This was a job for a master thief, at least. But what could they do but try?

Long moments passed, and Jael dared a brief peek in the window. To her amazement, neither Rhadaman nor Tanis was anywhere in sight, but the connecting door between the shop and the house was ajar. Fear loomed sudden and large, and Jael’s heart seemed to flutter in her chest. Cautiously she leaned in the door, trying to find Tanis’s familiar scent among the bewildering chaos of pungent aromas.

Abruptly the connecting door opened wide, and Rhadaman and Tanis stepped back through. Tanis’s shoulders were slumped, and he wore an expression of disgusted resignation. Rhadaman’s hand was on Tanis’s shoulder, and the mage was looking directly at Jael.

“Come in, Lady Jaellyn, and don’t be afraid,” Rhadaman told her, speaking in Olvenic. “And please close the door behind you.”

For a moment time seemed to stretch out into stillness, and Jael could hear the thunder of her heart in her ears, feel with exquisite detail the wood of the door. She took a deep breath and forced her hand to release the door as she stepped into the shop. The sound of the door closing was loud in the sudden silence, as solid and final as the death of hope.

“Please, let’s talk in my house,” Rhadaman said kindly. “I’d rather you didn’t linger here amongst my spells.”

Tanis grimaced but said nothing. There was nothing to say. Jael quietly followed Rhadaman and Tanis through the door and into a comfortably furnished sitting room.

Rhadaman locked the shop door behind them and gestured to Tanis and Jael to sit down. Jael sat down beside Tanis, scooting as close as she could, and Tanis took her hand. Pulling a bell cord in the corner, Rhadaman opened the opposite door and spoke briefly with someone—a servant, perhaps—then turned back to them and sat down himself.

“Please don’t be frightened,” Rhadaman repeated. “I mean no harm to either of you, nor have I revealed to anyone your presence in Zaravelle.”