[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.He should heal fast but not quite that fast.She wiped the blood from her lips and chin with the palm of her hand, then licked the blood off her hand hungrily, her naked back turned to Abdel, so he couldn't see her in this feral moment.He started breathing deeply and regularly, and she knew he would be up and looking at her soon, if he wasn't already.She scrambled for her dress, found it, and with hands trembling like a schoolgirl's, she slipped it over her head and did her best to smooth it around her hips without having to stand.She didn't think she'd be able to stand.* * *Abdel's neck tickled and when he scratched it, it hurt just a little, but he didn't pay it any mind.He propped himself up on one elbow, and though he was sure he would see Bodhi next to him, he didn't see her at all.From behind him came the rustle of cloth and he turned slowly, his head heavy and his body sluggish.She was there, smoothing her wrinkled red linen dress over her soft round hips.Abdel couldn't help but smile, though he knew he must look like a love-struck fool.He didn't know what to say, so he just stared at her until she turned one cheek to him to sneak a glance.Abdel wasn't sure how to feel about her obvious reluctance to face him.He suddenly felt very naked and grabbed for the trousers slumped on the floor next to him."I didn't hurt you," he said quietly, hopefully."No," she said quickly, part of a long, sibilant breath.He pulled on the trousers, cursing under his breath at the trouble he had pulling them on.His hands were strangely weak, shook a little, and the pants were just so tight on him."Where will you go?" she asked him, her voice—louder now—echoing in the empty stone chamber, the cellar of the Copper Coronet.Abdel didn't answer for what seemed like too long.He had to figure out what she meant.He'd done a lot of thinking on his way back from killing Aran Linvail and had come to some conclusions."You know where I need to go," he told her, "don't you?""You killed him in his house?" she asked, her voice tight.He stood slowly, his knees stiff, and went to the stairs.He looked back at her once, his eyes heavy, clouded, somehow dull, then he went up the stairs and reached around for a burlap sack soaked in blood.From the top of the stairs he threw the sack at Bodhi's feet.When Aran Linvail's severed head rolled out of it, Bodhi took a deep breath and tried not to smile."I don't need to kill someone else for the other twenty thousand, do I?" he asked."Do you know the madhouse?" she asked him.Abdel tipped his head to one side like a dog.It was an odd question."Madhouse?" he asked, coming down the stairs to face her, avoiding the blood as he walked.She turned to look at him, and in the dwindling lamplight, he thought she might have blushed."She's being held there," she said."They're both being held at Spellhold.It's a madhouse … an asylum for the insane."Abdel sighed.His head was beginning to clear, and he was just so tired.His mind was a confusion of a million emotions and thoughts that made no sense to him.He knew he was being manipulated by this woman and her friend Gaelan Bayle.He knew he was being targeted by the Shadow Thieves for something Sarevok did—ridiculous enough.He knew somehow a young girl from his past—a past that seemed so distant it was like another life all together—was caught up in all of it.He didn't care anymore whom he had to kill, who wanted how much gold, or what had to happen.The only thing that made sense to him was finding Jaheira and Imoen and making them safe again.So they were in a madhouse, a prison, a dungeon, wherever.He knew there would be more strings attached to anything else Bodhi told him, but those were strings he'd have to cut once Jaheira and Imoen were safe."Where is this place?" he asked Bodhi."One of my brothers is there," she said."What does that have to do with me?" he asked."Should I kill him too?""No," answered Bodhi, "he's on our side.His name is Jon Irenicus.""He's mad?" Abdel asked, not bothering to point out that he wasn't sure he and Bodhi could ever be on the same "side."She looked at him sharply this time and turned away just as fast, but Abdel could see the unmistakable flash of anger in her eyes."I'm sorry," he said quickly.He needed to know what she knew.Bodhi's shoulders slumped, and she said, "He was falsely accused—manipulated by the Shadow Thieves, who control the asylum.They took him there to get him out of the way, to torture him, to make him witness the great evil they're going to make."Abdel swallowed in a throat suddenly dry."They've got Jaheira and Imoen there too," Bodhi said."I can get you there and get you in." Bodhi looked up at the ceiling, not looking at him."It must be near dawn up there."Abdel glanced up at the ceiling himself and found no answers there."I have to go," she said."If Jaheira and Imoen are being kept at this madhouse as you say," Abdel told her, "nothing could keep me from going there.""And will you help my brother?" she asked.Abdel sighed.He'd been manipulated into all of this but."Of course," he promised."I have to go," she whispered, tracing something into a scatter of sawdust on the floor."You will see this mark on a wall at the base of the tallest tower on the island.As quickly as you can, say the word 'nchasme' or you will be burned to cinders.A way in will be opened for you.""Wait," he said, an edge he didn't like still playing havoc with his voice."Stay with me—I mean … go with me."She moved slowly to the stairs and put one foot on the bottom step.He took a step toward her but knew he couldn't go any closer."I can't," she said simply."It's almost.»"Bodhi," he said."The captain can get you there," she said, her voice loud and clear."There's only one madhouse.It's on an island.You'll need a boat.I beg you … I beg you to go there.And remember the word—""Nchasme," he repeated, glancing down at the sawdust [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]