Trip ran for the caves as fast as he could. He splashed into the surf and took them in turn, peering into each one he passed. He turned down the first two-obviously too shallow-and the third because he heard the sounds of water echoing back out.
The fourth looked more promising. It angled up, out of the water, and disappeared into semi-darkness. Trip might have explored further, but the sounds of pursuit made up his mind.
Not daring to look back, he ducked into the cave and ran up the slope. The light grew very dim as the tunnel leveled off, and he found himself squinting.
He hoped that his pursuers might not have spotted which cave he went into. That hope proved short-lived, though, as shouts from the cave entrance told him that Kell and the others were nearly on top of him.
Groping with his hands, he moved down the tunnel as quickly as he dared. The walls around him were wet and slippery. He dashed forward, and then stopped.
It was a dead end.
He’d picked a dead end.
The kender wondered briefly what they’d do when they caught him. Being locked in the cabin again wouldn’t be so bad. On the other hand, maybe they’d decide that he was more trouble than he was worth. Maybe they’d decide not to take him to kendertown, and just get rid of him.
A half dozen interesting ways they might kill him ran through Trip’s mind.
Then he noticed something he hadn’t before. His eyes had finally adjusted to the darkness. There was something odd about the far end of the blocked tunnel-some source of vague, greenish light.
Racing the last few yards, his heart pounding in his throat, Trip gazed at the tunnel floor. He hadn’t noticed the passage descending again, but it must have, because there, on the floor at the end of the tunnel, was a hole filled with sea water.
The opening was about four feet around, plenty big enough for the kender to jump into. The vague green luminescence was reflecting up out of the small pool. Trip looked in and couldn’t see the bottom. Perhaps it was a way out.
The sounds of voices close behind him made up his mind.
Tripleknot Shellcracker took a deep breath and dived in headfirst.
Chapter Twenty-Three
The large moray eel swimming surreptitously through the coral canyons of Darthalla was not an eel at all. It darted from shadow to shadow, peering into windows, following its sensitive nose. The scents of the elven city confused it, but strong purpose burned in its mind: destroy the Veil, pursue those who have pierced it, discover their secrets, find the keys.
The voice of Tempest hissed softly in the eel’s mind; her visage, huge and wrathful, danced before its eyes. The eel who was Mog watched, and waited, and lurked unseen.
Mik swam beside Ula and Shimmer as they trailed Lyssara Drakenvaal through the maze-like passages of the palace in Darthalla.
Now that Mik had a chance to look more closely at him, he could see that Shimanloreth was exceedingly handsome. His features were strong and well-formed. His hair shone like spun copper, complimenting his orangish eyes. His skin was tanned and smooth. There was an elvish cast to his face: the regular features, the arched brows, the slightly pointed ears-though Mik didn’t think he was actually an elf. Not for the first time the sailor wondered about the bronze knight-who he was, how he came to live in the sea, and what was the secret of his amazing armor.
Ula’s sister, Lyssara, talked incessantly as they swam down the gently curving hallway. Her words were eloquent, though Ula seemed unimpressed.
“It’s not just your family,” Lyssara was saying. “This concerns the whole of Darthalla-and even the Isles themselves. Something is wrong with the Veil. Tempest could never have gotten so close otherwise. The weather has been erratic as well. Of course storms don’t affect our people as much as they do the surface dwellers, but it has hindered shipping-which affects everything else.”
“The departed gods forbid that Dargonesti should be self-sufficient,” Ula said sarcastically.
Lyssara frowned. “None of us is alone in this world, Ula,” she said, “no matter how much we might like to he. Ah, here are your chambers. I trust you’ll find them adequate for your brief stay.” She led them all up a short slope, and through a moon pool into a dry foyer.
“I’m sure it will be fine,” Mik said.
Lyssara smiled at him, though Mik didn’t think she liked him at all. “I’ll leave you alone to get settled then,” she said. “It’s late, and I’m sure you’re tired. We’ll talk again during breakfast.”
“Or perhaps we could enjoy our breakfast in silence,” Ula said, imitating her sister’s false smile.
Lyssara grinned back. “See you in the morning.” She dove into the moon pool and swam swiftly away. Two guards emerged from the water and stationed themselves near the door to the chamber.
“We won’t be needing you,” Shimanloreth said.
The guards looked at each other, then bowed to Shimmer, and retreated back into the water and disappeared around a bend in the passage.
“They’re probably lurking right around that corner,” Ula said.
“A respectful distance,” Shimmer noted. A smile tugged at the comers of his mouth, and his brazen eyes flashed.
Their apartment had a main room with five smaller sleeping alcoves arranged symmetrically around the edges. The chamber was composed of shaped coral, worn smooth by the Dargonesti. A large crystal window set into one wall overlooked the city. Comfortable-looking shells set along the walls served as chairs and couches. Several large nets for stowing possessions hung from the ceiling. An opening in one wall led down a short tunnel to a grooming chamber with hot and cold running fresh water. Each bedchamber featured a web of silky seaweed to support the sleeper.
The three guests took a few moments to freshen up before settling into their netting.
“A nicer prison than last time,” Mik noted. He removed his necklace and set it on the hammock beside him.
“I hope your minnow’s faring well,” Ula said, “since he’s got the key to finding this treasure.”
“Trip won’t let us down,” Mik said. “I just hope you’re reading those clues right.”
“We’ll know soon enough if I’m not,” Ula replied.
“That’s small comfort.”
“We must remember that Aurialastican and its secrets belong to dragons,” Shimmer said. “The owners departed along with the gods-but the Dragonheights are still perilous.”
“How hard can it be to wander through a vacant house?” Mik asked.
“Just because the owner is away, doesn’t mean that the house is unguarded,” Shimanloreth said. He yawned.
“We’ll crack that egg in the morning,” Ula said. “Or after we rescue your kender.”
The next morning, Mik woke to find Ula and Lyssara in mid-argument once more. He slitted one brown eye open and gazed at the elf women; even squabbling, they were still amazingly beautiful.
"If the overlords find the Isles, they will destroy us all,” Lyssara said.
"And that should matter to me because… ?” Ula replied.
Lyssara gazed at her sister in disbelief. "Ula Drakenvaal, how can you even think such a thing?”
"Are the Isles any more precious than the mainland?” Ula asked. “I didn’t see our people rushing to help Ansalon when the overlords came.”
"The dragons did what they could,” Lyssara said. "It was all that anyone could do.”
"All save the gods, who turned their backs on the world,” Ula replied. "No wonder the world turns its back on the gods. If the metallic dragons weren’t willing to defend this place, why should I?”
Lyssara glared at both Ula and Shimanloreth, who was lounging on a shell nearby. “Some dragons are willing to fight, as are some people-both human and elf.”