Silver Shadows by Elaine Cunningham Read Free Book Online Page A

to be heard above the ringing in her ears.
    “Most of them,” the alchemist agreed in kind. He bustled over to the far side of the cavern and took a large, paper-wrapped bundle from a pile of similar packages. This one is yours. I added a few new devices for you to test. Do tell me how they turn out.”
    Arilyn noted the insignia of Balik—the family name of Zazesspur’s ruling pasha—adorning several of the packages. “Hasheth has been here, I see.”
    Tes, indeed. Fine lad,” the alchemist commented.
    The Harper was not so sure she agreed with that assessment. Granted, the young Prince Hasheth had proven to be a valuable contact. Through him Danilo had gained access to the palace, and she herself had received much useful information about Zazesspur. It
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The Harpers
    was Hasheth who had helped her set up Tinkersdam in a wondrous workshop hidden in the mountains overlooking the city, and who continued to supply the alchemist with needed ingredients, often at his own expense. Yet Arilyn could not forget the particulars of their first meeting: Hasheth had been a student assassin, and she had been his assigned prey. Although the young prince had opened a door for her into the closely held assassins’ guild and had since moved on to sample several other professional endeavors, the half-elf did not’ miss the predatory gleam in his black eyes whenever he regarded her.
    Or perhaps she was simply becoming too accustomed to expecting the worst wherever she looked. “Soon 111 be seeing ogres under every bed and drow in every shadow,” she muttered.
    “That happened to me once,” Tinkersdam commiserated. Apparently, his hearing slipped back into the normal range with amazing speed. “Fumes, you know. I was swatting at invisible stirges for days.”
    Arilyn sighed and shouldered her package. “I was offered another assignment. I might be going away for a while.”
    “Oh? We’re moving again?”
    It was not an unreasonable question. An explosion in Suzail a few years back had destroyed a hefty portion of a castle belonging to an influential nobleman and forced Tinkersdam into hiding. Rather than hunt him down whenever she needed him, Arilyn found it worth her while to locate the alchemist near her current base of operations. She paid most of his expenses through the fees she earned adventuring for the Harpers and considered every copper well spent.
    Tou can stay here until I return. If you need anything, contact Hasheth.”
    “Fine lad,” Tinkersdam repeated. “Although I do hope he stays close to Zazesspur. I’m not precisely welcome in Saradush, Ithmong, or Myratma,” he confided, naming

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    the rest of Tethyr’s major cities.
    Arilyn sighed again. “Tell me, Tinkersdam, is there any city on Toril that you haven’t blown up at least a portion of?”
    “Zhentil Keep,” the alchemist responded without a moment’s hesitation. “But of course, that would take a far braver man than I.”
    The comment surprised a chuckle from the Harper. “Almost sorry to hear it,” she said with a wry grin. “If any city needs a bit of forceful housecleaning, it’s that one.”
    “Well, someone will get around to it sooner or later,” Tinkersdam said absently, his large green eyes roving to the glowing substance popping and bubbling in a large caldron. “Now, if you will excuse me …”
    Taking the hint, Arilyn left the cavern and began the ride back to the city. She pressed her mare hard, for she wished to be in the School of Stealth’s council hall before moonrise. With the coming of night, new commissions were posted, and assassins came to bid on choice jobs. At no other time did Arilyn receive so much useful information on the underside of Zazesspurian politics.
    She rode through the main gate of the complex at dusk. Tossing her reins to the stableboy who ran to greet her, she hurried to the council hall and scanned the bits of parchment nailed to the door. There was nothing of great interest: some