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.And I know thatGenerated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.htmlthis night will be expensive because all who have stayed in the Inn havereported that they could afford, if just barely, Sulluren's fees."And I know that we'll meet somebody sent here by Vair the Uncertain becausewhile I don't see the flames of a wizard, I feel the presence of a humanholding an amulet whose crystal I once made for Vair the Uncertain," the dwarfsaid, turning."He lurks right there." A thick hand gestured toward a darkarchway."Quite so." A shape moved out of the far corridor and into the firelight: amedium-tall man, moving easily across the carpet, his face lit by the gentlegreen glow of the gem that dangled from a silver chain looped elegantly aroundthe fingers of his right hand.He moved into the light, his hands held out, palms first.The white sleeves ofhis shirt and the darker ones of his overshirt had been rolled up almost tothe elbow; there was nothing strapped to them, and his palms were well awayfrom the wire-wound hilt of the sword at his waist.He was perhaps a year or two older than Jason, but built slimly, almosteffeminately so, slim not quite to the point of skinniness, his close-croppedbeard carefully sculpted to maximize the pointiness of his chin."Good evening," he said, his voice too smooth."I am Toryn, at your service."Jason's hand was resting on the hilt of his sword."Jason, Baron Cullinane,greets you," he said, formally.A smile played across the other's lips."Ah.You will have it formal? Verywell: Toryn, JourneymanSlaver, greets you."A slaver? Ahira's thick fingers were on the wrist of Jason's sword hand."Youare here under an oath of truce?" the dwarf asked."Sworn to and bound by Vair the Uncertain," Toryn said."It was he and theGuildmaster who sent me in this direction." His smile revealed too-whiteteeth."He said it wasn't utterly impossible that I might find you out thisway."That sounded like Vair.Ahira looked up at Jason."You ask him the next question," he said, suddenlyPage 220 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlthe teacher."What did you swear to and how do we know you mean it?""A good question.An obvious one, perhaps, but a good one." Moving only hisright hand, Toryn raised the amulet to his forehead.His form seemed to waverin the flickering firelight, and then to stretch and lengthen, his thicklycurled and heavily oiled ringlets of hair lightening and straightening whilehis beard thinned and shortened until it was gone, leaving behind only smoothskin over the sharp, pointed jaw.The image wavered until it was Vair the Uncertain who seemed to stand beforehim, and it was the elf's voice that was pitched as a tenor but somehow had afeel of baritone in it that answered, "And, with your will, Toryn, I bind youto neither threaten nor permit damage to Jason Cullinane or his companions,this binding to last until your return to the city of Pandathaway or until youare attacked by Jason Cullinane or any of his companions.I give you my voiceand my image to repeat my words, but only so long as you hold my amulet andare bound by this geas."Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.htmlThe hand dropped, and Toryn's form melted back into his own."We have aproblem in common," he said."Guildmaster Yryn has sent me hunting you, hopingthat I might be of aid." He raised a hand to his forehead."As I said, I am atyour service." He gestured to a table."Will you sit? We have, I wouldsuspect, much to discuss."Jason didn't like his smile.* * *Jason, his arms folded across his chest, sat back as Toryn nibbled at achicken leg crusted over with sage and garlic.He hadn't intended to breakbread with the slaver, but hunger had changed his mind.When the platter ofchicken had arrived at the table, the smell had been absolutely maddening.Thefood still smelled wonderful, even with his stomach full and his brain ever soslightly humming from the wine he'd downed.Ahira had long since finished eating, as had Nareen.The dwarf wizard sat backin his chair, his sausagelike fingers folded comfortably about his middle, hiseyes closed as though asleep, although Jason didn't believe for a moment thatNareen really was asleep."It's really rather simple," Toryn said from around a mouthful."There's acommonality of interest between the Guild and the Cullinanes, at least for themoment.You have the equivalent of a rogue brother out there, and we have adefinite nuisance to deal with.There are two schools of thought inPandathaway one is that it is your father, and the other is that it is anotherone of your accursed raiders being," he considered the next word for a moment,"naughty." He raised a slim eyebrow."Unless you have changed yourlongstanding policy against property owners?""Slave owners," Jason said.Ahira's body language and his whispers told himnot to pick a fight, but this was a slaver sitting opposite from him
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