DW01 Dragonspawn Read Online Free PDF Page B

drinking in every detail. Only when she was satisfied that no weapons were visible and that therefore her only danger came from Bagsby himself, did she make her next move.
    First, with a gesture and a touch to her cloak, she removed the chameleon spell from it. She did not want Bagsby to awaken, only to see what looked like a disembodied elven face looming over him! Then, once again her hand went to the pouch on her belt, and once again she removed a tiny vial. In the vial was pure melted snow. She opened the stopper, stuck in her little finger, and obtained one drop of the fluid. Then, softly whispering a magical incantation, she walked swiftly but silently to Bagsby’s bed, drew back the curtains, and touched the drop to his lips.
    Bagsby sat bolt upright, his mouth wide open. His left arm raised the covers as he sat up; by the time he was fully up his right arm was already swinging, attempting to slash the figure leaning over him with the dagger in his hand. Shulana had expected this move—she had watched Bagsby for months—and the dagger slash slid harmlessly off her magical cloak.
    “Be still, Bagsby,” she said in her most commanding voice, standing erect and glaring at him from beneath her cowl.
    Bagsby’s lips moved and his mouth opened wide and shut several times, but no sound emerged from him.
    “Call out all you want; it will do you no good. You are magically silenced. You can make no sound no matter what you do,” Shulana said sternly.
    Bagsby scowled, glanced about wildly, and then hurled his dagger with all his might at the glass window of his room. The glass shattered noiselessly, and the dagger sailed out into the night. Bagsby watched in amazement as the shards of glass fell silently to the floor. He turned his head and looked at Shulana, his brow furrowed, his dark brown eyes wide, his mouth formed into a small “O.”
    “You see that what I say is true,” Shulana said severely. “Now know this, Bagsby, thief, con man, and scoundrel. I mean you no harm. If you will not betray my presence, I will release you from silence so that we may talk. But you must guarantee that you will take no action against me. If you do, the penalties will be severe. You can see that I am a mage of some power. Do not think I come to this interview unprotected. What is your answer?”
    Bagsby thought quickly even as the voice was speaking. His eyes were still adjusting to the dark; he had no idea who or even what this assailant might be. His immediate fear was an assassin sent by Nebuchar; he quickly dismissed that idea. If the intruder were an assassin, he would already be dead. In any event, his word was virtually meaningless, and his word to an intruder was certainly not binding. He had nothing to lose by agreeing and everything to gain. Bagsby nodded his assent to the intruder’s terms.
    Shulana made a subtle gesture with one hand, and Bagsby found his power of speech returned.
    “Who are you, and what do you want of me?” he asked. His eyes squinted, straining against the darkness to see the face that confronted him.
    “My name is of no concern to you, thief. What is of concern is what I want,” Shulana said simply.
    “Fine,” Bagsby said, shrugging. “Mind if I get up?” Without waiting for a reply he threw the blankets off his legs and swung his feet to the floor. He leaned over and dug through the pile of clothes by the side of the bed.
    “No, I don’t mind if you rise. But if you’re searching for another dagger, it will be the last thing you ever find.”
    Bagsby’s hand froze. He looked up at the face which was now becoming more clear as his eyes adjusted, and grinned broadly.
    “Do you blame me for trying?” he asked, chuckling.
    “No. I expected it. I hope you understand that it is pointless to resist me.”
    “I understand for the moment. Now, about what you wanted.”
    “Just this. To make you rich,” Shulana said. A cold shudder ran through her body as she spoke the words; it was totally