Waillan and Dunkin exchanged doubting looks, neither having a clue as to what Deudermont might be talking about.
"It is not important," the captain remarked, rising to his feet and brushing the twigs from his trousers. "What news on the Sea Sprite?"
"The repairs are well underway," replied Waillan. "Many of Carradoon's fishermen have joined in to help. They have even found a tree suitable to replace the mast."
"A friendly lot, these men of Carradoon," Dunkin put in.
Deudermont regarded Dunkin for a while, pleased at the subtle changes he had witnessed in the man. This was not the same surly and conniving emissary who had first come to the Sea Sprite in the name of Lord Tarnheel Embuirhan in search of Drizzt Do'Urden. The man was a fine sailor and a fine companion according to Waillan, and Deudermont planned to offer him a full-time position as a crewman aboard the Sea Sprite as soon as they figured out how to get the ship back in the Sea of Swords where she belonged.
"Robillard is in Carradoon," Waillan said unexpectedly, catching the captain off guard, though Deudermont never doubted that the wizard had survived the storm and would eventually find them. "Or he was. He might have gone back to Waterdeep by now. He says that he can get us back where we belong."
"But it will cost us," added Dunkin. "For the wizard will need help from his brotherhood, an exceptionally greedy lot, by Robillard's own admission."
Deudermont wasn't very concerned about that. The Lords of Waterdeep would likely reimburse any expenses. The captain did note Dunkin's use of the word "us," and that pleased him more than a little.
"Robillard said that it would take him some time to organize it all," Waillan finished. "But we're two weeks from repairing the Sea Sprite in any case, and with the help, it's easier fixing her here than in Waterdeep."
Deudermont only nodded. Pikel came bobbing over then, stealing the attention of Waillan and Dunkin. That was fine with Deudermont. The details of returning the Sea Sprite where she belonged would work themselves out, he did not doubt. Robillard was a competent and loyal wizard. But the captain saw a parting of the ways in his immediate future, for two friends (three, counting Guenhwyvar) wouldn't likely go back with the ship, or if they did, they wouldn't likely remain with her for long.
Chapter 16 THE BAIT
"Icewind Dale," Drizzt said, before the three had even left the room of summoning.
Cadderly looked surprised, but as soon as Catti-brie heard the words, she understood what Drizzt was talking about and agreed with his reasoning. "Ye're thinking that the fiend'll go after the crystal shard," she explained, more for Cadderly's sake than for any need of confirmation.
"If ever Errtu does get back to our world, then he will certainly go for the artifact," Drizzt replied.
Cadderly knew nothing about this crystal shard they referred to, but he realized that the pair believed they were on to something important. "You are sure of this?" he asked Drizzt.
The drow nodded. "When first I met Errtu, it was on a windswept mountain above the Spine of the World, in the place called Kelvin's Cairn in Icewind Dale," he explained. "The fiend had come to the call of the wizard who possessed Crenshinibon-the crystal shard-a most powerful artifact of evil."
"And where is this artifact?" Cadderly asked, suddenly seeming quite concerned. The priest had some experience in dealing
with evil artifacts, had once put his own life and the lives of those he loved in jeopardy for the sake of destroying such an item.
"Buried," Catti-brie replied. "Buried under a mountain o' snow and rock by an avalanche down the side o' Kelvin's Cairn." She looked more at Drizzt than the priest as she spoke, her expression showing that she was beginning to doubt the drow's reasoning.
"The item is sentient," the ranger reminded her. "A malignant tool that will not accept such solitude. If Errtu gets back to our world, he will go to Icewind Dale in search of Crenshinibon, and if he is near to the thing, it will call out to him."
Cadderly agreed. "You must destroy this crystal shard," he said so determinedly that he caught them by surprise. "That is paramount."
Drizzt wasn't sure that he agreed with that priority, not with his father apparently held prisoner by the balor. But he did agree that the world would be a better place without the likes of Crenshinibon.
"How does one destroy so powerful an artifact?" the ranger dared to ask.
"I do not know. Each artifact has specific ways in which it may be undone," Cadderly replied. "A few years ago, when I was young, it was asked by my god to destroy the Ghearufu, a sentient and evil thing. I had to seek … to demand assistance from a great red dragon."
"A few years ago when I was young," Catti-brie repeated under her breath, so that neither of the others could hear.
"Thus I put it upon you now to find and destroy Crenshinibon, this artifact that you call the crystal shard."
"I'm not knownin' any dragons," Catti-brie remarked dryly.
Drizzt actually did know of another red, but he kept that quiet, having no desire to face the great wyrm called Hephaestus again and hoping that Cadderly would offer an alternative.
"When you have the item in your possession and Errtu is dealt with, then bring it back to me," Cadderly said. "Together, with the guidance of Deneir, we will discover how the crystal shard might be destroyed."
"Ye make it sound so easy," Catti-brie added, and again, her tone was ripe with sarcasm.
"Hardly," Cadderly said. "But I hold fast my faith. Would it please you more if I said 'if' instead of 'when'?»
"I'm gettin' yer point," Catti-brie replied.
Cadderly smiled broadly and draped an arm about the young woman's sturdy shoulders. Catti-brie didn't shy away from that embrace in the least, finding that she truly liked the priest. There was nothing about Cadderly that made her uncomfortable, except perhaps the casual way in which Cadderly dealt with such powers as Errtu and the crystal shard. Now that was confidence!
"We can't be gettin' the crystal shard out from under the pile," Catti-brie reasoned to Drizzt.
"Likely, it will find its own way out," Cadderly said. "Likely, it already has."
"Or Errtu will discover it," said Drizzt.
"So we're to go to Icewind Dale and wait?" Catti-brie huffed, suddenly realizing the depth of the task before them. "Ye're wanting to sit and serve as guardians? For how many centuries?"
Drizzt also wasn't pleased by the prospect, but the responsibility seemed clear to him, now that Errtu was apparently freed. The thought of seeing Zaknafein again would hold the drow even if it meant centuries of servitude.
"We will take it as the fates give it to us," Drizzt told Catti-brie. "We have a long road ahead of us, and yes, perhaps a long wait after that."
"There is a temple of Deneir in Luskan," Cadderly interjected. "That is near to this place called Icewind Dale, is it not?"
"The closest city south of the mountains," Drizzt replied.
"I can get you there," Cadderly said. "Together the three of us can walk the wind to Luskan."
Drizzt considered the prospects. It was nearly midsummer and many merchants would be on their way through Luskan, bound for Ten-Towns to trade for the valuable knucklehead trout scrimshaw. If Cadderly could get them to Luskan quickly, they would have little trouble in joining a caravan to Icewind Dale.
Only then did Drizzt realize yet another obstacle. "What of our friends?" he asked.
Catti-brie and Cadderly looked to each other. In the excitement, they had both nearly forgotten about Deudermont and the stranded Sea Sprite.