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."His comment surprised an exasperated hiss from Arilyn."I don't doubt it.Your expertise means little to me.I am not a woman, but an elf.""A half-elven woman.That's close enough.""Really.Do you care to share any of your profound insights?" Her sarcasm was as sharp as a dagger's edge."If you'd like," Danilo said casually, and he pointed to the moonblade."Take that sword, for example.You're a little afraid of it, aren't you?"Arilyn drew herself up, as outraged as Danilo had intended her to be."Of course not! Why would you say such a thing?""I've been thinking about some of the things Elaith Craulnobur said.It seems unusual that you know so little about your sword.By all accounts, it should be capable of a great deal of magic, and you barely tap the keg.""Trust you to use an expression involving ale," Arilyn said with derision."Don't change the subject, my dear.Magic—including magic fire—is a fact of life, a reliable and powerful tool.""Reliable? Ha!" Arilyn's face was tight with fury."If you'd seen your friends die by fire during the Time of Troubles, you'd change your thinking.""Waterdeep did not go unscathed during that unfortunate period," Danilo reminded her mildly."From all accounts, it was quite nasty.Waterdeep suffered street battles with denizens of the underworld, the destruction of a god or two, and the resultant flattening of a good chunk of the city.""From all accounts?" she repeated."Where were you when all this happened?"His eyebrows rose in surprise."In the basement of the family estate, drinking." She glared at him, and he added defensively, "It seemed the only sane thing to do at the time."Arilyn sniffed and fell silent.After several moments, she glanced at her annoying companion.He lounged indolently by the fire, watching her.His face was sympathetic, but in the firelight his gray eyes looked uncommonly shrewd."Since you don't agree with my observations, allow me to prove that my instincts are correct.""Go ahead," she said."Remove the spit and walk through the fire."The half-elf gasped."Have you completely lost your mind?""No," he said thoughtfully."I don't think so.I'm quite certain you can do it without injury or I wouldn't suggest it.I'm so certain, in fact, that I'm prepared to make you an offer.You've been trying to rid yourself of me for some time now, haven't you?""How perceptive."Danilo held up his hands."If I'm wrong about this, I'll leave.Tonight."Arilyn stared at him.He looked serious.Nodding, she abruptly rose to her feet.Scorched boots would be a small price to pay to rid herself of Danilo Thann.She removed the spit and handed their sizzling meal to the nobleman, then stepped directly into the middle of the campfire and out the other side.The burning sticks crunched under her boot, sending sparks flying around her.A few bits of burning wood and ash landed on the sleeve of her shirt.Arilyn quickly moved to brush them off, but other sparks clung to the legs of her trousers like tiny glowing lanterns.She noted that the fabric did not even blacken.The half-elf dropped to her knees beside the campfire.She thrust her hand into the flames and kept it there.There was a sensation of heat, but no pain.She sat back on her heels and glared at Danilo."You enspelled the fire."In response, the dandy reached into his magic sack and pulled out a pair of gloves.He slipped one on and stuck his hand into the fire.The smell of burned kidskin filled the air.Danilo stripped off the scorched glove and tossed it into her lap."You owe me a new pair," he said lightly.Arilyn stared down at the ruined glove."Do you mind telling me what this is about?""Isn't is obvious? You are magically protected from fire.The tragedy of the Hammerfell Seven, not to mention your little stroll through the campfire, proves that.Really, my dear, it's not like you to be so dense."Her laughter held little amusement."Oh, that's rich, coming from you.""Let me put this another way: would you care to repeat the exercise, this time without the moonblade?" He crossed his arms and cocked an eyebrow.After a moment of silence, Arilyn raised her hand in the gesture of a fencer acknowledging a hit.Danilo pressed his point."Your aversion to magic fire gives you a blind spot.The sword obviously has one ability you didn't consider.Isn't it possible that there are others?""I suppose.""Well, let's find out what they are, shall we?"Arilyn replaced the spitted birds over the fire with the air of one determined to attend to practicalities."I have more pressing duties.""Such as finding the assassin.""Yes."Danilo pointedly swept a gaze around their wilderness campsite."Why are we out here?"Arilyn's shoulders slumped."No matter what I do, the assassin keeps following me.Not to kill me—he probably could have done that a dozen times—but as the pawn in some grisly game.I don't understand his motive, but until I figure it out I don't want to be responsible for any more Harper deaths." She hurled another stick at the fire."There are no Harpers out here to kill.""Is it possible," Danilo suggested tentatively, "that the assassin wants you for the powers of your sword?"Bitterness flooded the half-elf's face."Of course it's possible.The sword and I are inseparable.""All the more reason for investigating your sword's magic.Once you know what the moonblade can do, you'll be able to figure out the assassin's ultimate motive.Once you know the motive, you have a chance of discerning the villain's identity."Arilyn stared at the dandy in amazement.There was truth in his words, and more than a little wisdom."How did you figure all this out?'"Quite easily.After all," he said grandly, "magic is my specialty." Danilo drew back with a melodramatic flourish."Really, my dear.If you were to advise me as an assassin, I would take your word as that of an expert.I expect you to extend me the same courtesy."He rose to his feet and flounced off, settling down on a log on the other side of the fire, the very picture of offended dignity.Arilyn grinned despite herself.Generally she didn't find foolishness endearing, but Danilo made it an art form and raised it to a level that commanded a certain respect.Danilo caught sight of her smile."What's so funny?" he demanded in a sullen voice.The half-elf blinked.His insight had momentarily led her to assume that his foolishness was an act.Looking at him now, she wasn't so sure.Arilyn wiped her face clear."I can't imagine.All right, Danilo, you win.I'll find out everything I can about the sword." She rose to her feet."Let's go.""Now?" Danilo protested, with a longing glance at the sizzling partridges."I like to keep busy."They were very busy indeed for the next hour.After they kicked the fire into ash, Danilo placed simple magical wards around the campsite to protect the horses from night-stalking predators.He and Arilyn carefully climbed down the rocky incline that led to the sea, then they headed northward along the coastline of the Waterbreak peninsula
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