“They tell them often around here. My favorite story is that she was a jilted lover who threw herself from a cliff,” the ship’s mage said. “When she died, she became an undead thing that was drawn to the hearts of ships’ captains that cheated on their lovers.” She smiled again. “There’s nothing like mixing a little romance in with tales of death to make them more palatable.”
Shang-Li grimaced. “I fail to see the enjoyment in a tale like that.”
Her smile vanished. “You would. You’re a man.”
“The Blue Lady has destroyed several ships over the years,” Shang-Li pointed out. “Not all of her victims could have been guilty of cheating on their lovers.”
Amree frowned. “You don’t know much about sailors, do you?”
Shang-Li was still trying to find a way to answer that when she walked away.
“You’re distracted.”
Walking through the shadows of the alley, Shang-Li glanced at his companion. Iados wore a dark cloak that only blunted recognition of his heritage.
“Why do you say that?” Shang-Li asked.
“You haven’t said anything about us being tailed?”
“By the two Nine Golden Swords behind us?” Shang-Li frowned and shook his head. “I figured even you had noticed them.”
“Even me?” Iados heaved a sigh. “Never mind. Thava asked me to talk to you about another matter.”
“What?”
“The ship’s mage.” “What about her?”
“Thava has noticed that Amree is very pretty.” Shang-Li had too. “So?”
“So Thava was wondering if you had noticed.”
Sighing, Shang-Li shook his head. “Please don’t tell me she’s matchmaking again.”
“Perhaps a little.” Iados held his thumb and forefinger an inch apart. “It is a predilection with her.”
“It’s irritating, is what it is.”
“One of her little joys.”
Shang-Li looked at him. “Do you remember the last time Thava tried matchmaking?”
Iados scratched his chin, then frowned. “Ah, the were-thing.”
Thing was as close as they’d come to identifying the horrible creature. They’d gone on an excavation in Chessenta looking for a cursed tomb. “You got us hunting that tomb,” Shang-Li said. “And Thava invited the were-thing along.”
“You have to admit, the were-thing made a very beautiful woman.”
“And a murderous… thing"
Iados nodded and touched a scar along his neck. “True.”
“I don’t know which of you came closer to getting me killed on that little venture.”
Iados clapped him good-naturedly on the back and grinned. “Well, now you have your chance to pay us both back. Aren’t you happy?”
Shang-Li growled in displeasure.
Thankfully the shop they were looking for was only a short distance ahead and Shang-Li didn’t have to continue the argument. That didn’t, however, prevent him from continuing to think about Amree. He was disappointed in himself, but he couldn’t help thinking Thava would have been quietly pleased.
“These potions will get you to the bottom of the Sea of Fallen Stars,” Vahgren said. “And they will allow you to move freely while you’re at that depth.”
Shang-Li surveyed the slotted crate that held the magical elixirs. The fluid inside the slender glass vials burned bright sapphire and felt cool to the touch even through the glass.
Vahgren was a gnarled old man with fingers so thin they looked like talons. His skin was permanently stained by different magical ingredients and scarred by acids and other toxic materials. His gray hair stuck out in wild disarray around his prominent nose and gave him the look of a crazed person. But Shang-Li knew of no one better when it came to making magical potions.
Despite the piles, boxes, and sacks of ingredients that filled the shelves, no burglar had ever managed to successfully penetrate the shop and steal anything. Vahgren’s magical wards kept the security tight and were equipped with foul means of death that were legendary.
Tm glad to hear that,” Shang-Li said.
“Bah,” Vahgren said. “I’m ashamed that I even had to tell you that. But you were looking doubtful.”
“I wasn’t looking doubtful.”
“He’s distracted,” Iados explained.
Vahgren’s bushy eyebrows shot up as he regarded the tiefling. “Really?”
“A young woman.”
Vahgren looked back at Shang-Li, who felt his face grow hot. He should have known Iados would make sport of Thava’s machinations.
“A young woman?” the alchemist asked.
“How much for the potions?” Shang-Li asked, ignoring the conversation.
“Oh, they’re very expensive. You should know that.”
Shang-Li did.
“So,” Vahgren said to Iados, “is this infatuation new? Or is it something that’s been brewing?” “New. They only just met.”
Vahgren nodded. “Ah. New love. The kind that makes men stupid and women forget about caution. A very dangerous state of mind. You know, that kind of attraction is impossible to brew. I know, because I’ve tried for any number of years. Always failed. But if I ever get it right, I could be a rich man and retire.”
“You’re already rich,” Iados said. “And you’ll never retire because you like pedaling your little potions.”
“Not so little.” Vahgren pointed to the sapphire liquid in the glass vials. “Without me, you couldn’t venture to the bottom of the Sea of Fallen Stars.”
“It wouldn’t be as easy.”
“Bah. You couldn’t get there any other way.” Vahgren waved the thought away as he might a bothersome fly. “I’m more interested in this new love. That can be the most dangerous of magic.”
“Could I please just have the potions?” Shang-Li asked.
“Of course.” Vahgren bent to tally the figures.
Shang-Li turned to vent his ire on Iados over the whole conversation about Amree, but the tiefling had turned and wandered off.
‹S› ‹§›S
Despite Amree’s displeasure, Swallow set sail from Westgate while storm clouds darkened the sky and hid the moon. The canvas sails stood full-bellied in the wind and hardly stood out against the black sky because they were so stained.
Shang-Li stood in the prow and felt Swallow rise from the ocean slightly as she gathered speed and crashed through the outgoing tide. A little farther forward, Amree hung onto one of the ratlines and eyed the sails. The glow of the lanterns hung as running lights poured molten gold over her face.
“She is quite beautiful, isn’t she?” Thava asked.
Glaring up at the dragonborn paladin, Shang-Li said, “You have managed to incite Iados.”
“About what?” Thava’s voice was all innocence. Shang-Li crossed his arms and refused to answer.
“Oh,” Thava said, “that.” She smiled, and anyone that didn’t know her would have been terrified by the expression. “It’s not my fault you’re attracted to her.”
As Shang-Li watched, Amree moved lithely along the ratlines and called out orders to the crew. At her commands, they adjusted the sails. Within a short time, Swallow ran more smoothly as she headed out into the open sea. Her gait steadied and she gained more speed.
“Shang-Li,” Iados bellowed from the stern. The tiefling waved for attention.
Quickly, thankful to escape Thava’s well-intentioned attention, Shang-Li abandoned the prow, crossed the midships, and climbed the sterncastle.
Iados pointed to their wake, which gleamed whitely in the darkness and stood in rows like a freshly-turned field. Shang-Li stared into the darkness. In the far distance, the lights of Westgate and Tidetown gleamed whenever Swallow rode the crest of a wave. At first Shang-Li saw nothing that could have raised Iados’s interest.
Then he spotted the small flurry of weak flames glimmering against the dark water. They were roped or contained at equal distances.
“A ship?” Shang-Li asked.
Iados nodded. “I believe so.”
Shang-Li took a deep breath of the salt air and turned the possibilities over in his mind. None of them were pleasant.