Lies of Light

48

11 Alturiak, the Yearofthe Shield (1367DR) Third Quarter, Innarlith

Phyrea ran up the stairs to her flat, making for the door as though she were being chased. And in a way, she was.

Don’t go in there, the man with the scar on his face insisted. She could feel his anger building. He’ll destroy you.

She stumbled and had to stop to keep from falling. She leaned against the wall and did her best to dry her eyes with the palm of her hand.

Please, please listen to us, Phyrea, the woman with the quiver in her voice begged. I don’t understand what you’re doing. Why would you go to this man, who hates you? He will kill you, and if he killsyou here in this stinking hovel, you’ll be destroyed. He really will destroy you. Don’t lose yourself. Don’t make me lose you. J can’t lose you, Phyrea. Not you too.

“Shut up,” she said. “Just shut up.”

Take us back, and stay with us, the little girl moaned. want to go home. p›

Phyrea climbed the last few stairs and all but fell through the door into her dismal flat.

Run! the little boy screamed into her mind so loudly she couldn’t help but clasp her hands over her ears.

“What’s wrong?” Devorast asked.

She took her hands away from her ears and closed the door behind her.

We’re trying to help you, the man with the scar said. Phyrea could feel his searing disappointment.

“Phyrea?”

She leaned against the wall and tried to wipe the tears away again, but couldn’t. She blinked at Devorast, who stood on the other side of the room. Knowing she wasn’t going to need it, that at least for a short time she would have to stay with Willem, she’d told him he could stay there. With the canal site deserted, the workers gone home, he had nowhere to go.

“Touch me,” she whispered. Then louder: “Hold me.”

He walked to her, and she met him in the middle of the room, collapsing into his arms. He started out holding her, but within a few heartbeats, he was holding her up.

“What’s happened?” he asked.

“I gave myself to Willem Korvan,” she sobbed.

“Why?” he asked, and in only that one word she could detect no trace of how he actually felt about what she’d said.

“Because you wouldn’t let me give myself to you,” she said. He stepped away from her, and she almost fell to the floor. “I love you.”

“And I love you,” he said.

She couldn’t tell what he was thinking, but she could tell he was thinking. “Tell me,” she pleaded.

He can’t, the old woman told her. He can’t tell you, because he doesn’t know.

He can’t give you what you want, the sad woman added.

“There’s nothing more to tell,” he said. “I’m happier when you are with me than when you aren’t. I don’t know what else you want me to say.”

She went to him, and he took her in his arms again. She kissed his neck.

“What do you want from me, Lady Korvan?” he said.

She stepped back and slapped him across the face so hard it stung her fingers and left her numb up to her elbow. A welt raised on his cheek, and a brief flash of rage crossed his face, but in an instant he was back to his normal emotionless mask.

You see? the old woman’s voiced echoed in her head. All you’ll ever get from him is a passing rage, then nothing. He’ll give you nothing.

And we can offer you eternity, the man with the scar said.

“What’s keeping you in Innarlith now?” she asked Devorast. He shrugged and shook his head. “Can’t we go away, then? Can we just get on a ship and go? The Shou woman, your friend, if she’s in port can she take us to Shou Lung? Can we go to Calimport or Marsember? Raven’s Bluff, maybe, or even Waterdeep?”

She went to the door and threw it open.

Go, the man in her head told her, but not with him.

“Walk through this door with me,” she said. “Come away with me, and we’ll never smell this rotten city again.”

He shook his head and replied, “I’ve started something here.”

“And they won’t let you finish it.”

Can we go home reou›? the little girl asked.

“You know I’ll finish it anyway,” he said, “eventually.”

“Eventually?” Phyrea almost screamed. “What does that mean? I have no idea what that means. Eventually?”

“What of your husband?” he asked.

She had to look away from him for a moment and she said, “To the Nine Hells with him. To the Abyss with him.”

Damn itjustgo.’the little boy screamed in her head.

“If we could just go, we could be happy,” she said.

Devorast shook his head, and the gesture made Phyrea feel as though she was going to pass out.

“I’m exhausted,” she whispered. “I’m just so tired.”

Go back to Berrywilde, the sad woman whimpered. Go back there and rest, with us. We’ll let you rest.

“Stay here,” Devorast said. “Sleep here tonight, and in the morning, do whatever you want to do, and go wherever you want to go.”

“But not with you.”

He didn’t answer, but she shut the door anyway. He can never give you what you want, Phyrea, the old woman told her.

“I know,” she whispered, and still she stayed the night.