IV
Dreams shook him to awareness. Groggily, she sat up beside him. She called his name in question.
"We need to leave."
She stared.
He didn't answer.
"I-it's the middle of the night."
Again, she asked with his name.
"I remember."
"R-remember what?"
His whispered syllable sang, and an image flickered into being; cold, blue eyes harder than stone. Alive, yet dead. A mask of creased flesh, deadened leather.
She bit back a scream.
"Enough." He calmed her. "Enough."
Biting her lip, she nodded slowly and examined the phantom. Her fingers traced its features. "T-this…"
"Yes. The one that did this to me."
Her eyes widened, and hardened.
His own held the still of a frozen lake.
"Wh-where are we going?"
"Athkatla."
She nodded, then slipped her hand into his. His name broke the still. His eyes refocused; the infinite distance evaporated. Lowering back into the bed, she reached and traced his scars. He looked down at her without feeling. Her words intoned a song; the chant broke, and the skin remained marred. Her eyes filled, "I-I'm so sorry."
Leaning down, he kissed her. Her hand lifted to her hair in wonder, and then her smile lit the room.
—
"I – I remember."
He looked at her, not quite quizzically, waiting.
"Y-you… I heard of you. Th-the – from N-Nashkel, the merchants. Th-they spoke of northerners. Th-that was you, wasn't it?"
As so often was his answer, silence greeted her.
"A-and the… there were stories of a merchant house, a cartel. That was y-you?"
She covered her mouth.
He didn't look away.
"Th-then…"
"Candlekeep. My home, for many years."
Slowly, she nodded.
"I had a… she was a friend. The closest to a sister I could have."
"You n-never mentioned her before…"
"I need to find her."
"H-how? Y-you do not even have your s-spell book."
"I am not bound by books. He saw to that."
"I – I don't understand."
"My… potential."
"Y-you don't know w-what he did?"
He reached for his pack.
Her eyes dropped to the floor. He waited for her to dress, then together they broke fast downstairs. A scream, lightning, and a flash interrupted them.
Gaping, she turned to him, "B-Bhaalspawn?" She repeated. "He called y-you…"
He did not answer.
