Page 44 of A Tale of Mirth & Magic

It seemed like something that would take a tremendous amount of her power. Maybe I should bring Maerryl to the inn instead. But I hated the idea of losing the remaining time I had with Elikki. If we left things so unresolved, I’d always wonder what had happened. What I did wrong.

More importantly, there might be more bounty hunters out to capture her. She shouldn’t be alone right now. And she wasn’t asking me to take Maerryl—surely if she wanted to get rid of me, that would have been an easy way to do it.

If she wanted to try trusting her volatile magic, that’s what we were going to do.

After some discussion about the knives, we decided not to give them back to Maerryl. If things worked out at the inn, I could always return them later, on my way back. After a good cleaning and sharpening, I thought privately.

And if things didn’t work out… well, it’s probably best if she doesn’t have weapons on her.

With that in mind, Elikki patted the half-dwarf down quickly. She found a few small daggers, which she pocketed, ignoring Maerryl’s outraged squawk. She also lifted the thin, stretched bangle from around her prisoner’s neck and sized it back down to fit on her own wrist. I caught sight of a runic tattoo tucked along the back of Maerryl’s left ear, a thick scrawl that I didn’t recognize as any standard runes in the realm. Unusual. Ancient runes were potent when etched into the body. There were only a handful that folks commonly used in the realm—those safe enough for a practiced mage to inscribe—protection against illness, warding off pregnancy, solidifying a partner bond, and so on. I’d never seen a runic tattoo so strange, the dark twisting symbols curving ominously along the shape of her ear. What could it mean?

Maerryl flexed her neck back and forth, clearly relieved to have the neck restraint removed. Her thick, bluntly cut hair fell back and covered the tattoo. “Listen, I think we got off on the wrong foot. It’s clear now that I must have been… misinformed.”

Elikki snorted, not deigning to reply, and closed her eyes to focus. The bangle-cuffs still held the other woman fast.

“But if you let me go know, I promise to leave you and His Royal Purpleness alone for good. I swear it,” Maerryl tried, cajoling.

Ignoring her, Elikki stayed very still and intensely focused. Breathing deeply, slowly, she sank into her task of enchanting the bangles.

I found my paper and quill and, using Pebble’s saddle as a writing surface, scratched out a note to Legus explaining our predicament and requesting his help. He was no doubt still going to be confused, but I could clear up the rest of the story when I saw him next. I signed my name neatly and blew on the ink to dry it.

After some time, Elikki came over to me. She scanned the letter and added a couple of lines. Looking over her shoulder, I read:

My bangles are charmed to bring her to you.

They’ll fall off when you say the release phrase—

the name of the sweet dessert you served us last

night. Thanks for your help. I owe you!—E

After a moment’s thought, she added:

Please keep the bangles as a token of my appreciation.

“All right, let’s finish this up,” she said. She folded the letter, and then pinned it to the front of Maerryl’s shirt.

“Look, I think we’re all on the same page now,” the other woman said. “I choked you; you choked me. We’re even.” She tried to shrug, but the bangle-cuffs limited her movements.

“Listen, lady. Be grateful I’m not knocking you out and leaving you tied up in the forest. That was my plan B if this didn’t work,” Elikki snapped.

The half-dwarf looked at me, wide nose wrinkling. “I have information about your boy toy, you know. Someone’s not happy with him either.”

Elikki paused. After a long beat, she said, “Fine. Tell us what you know, and I may release you.”

“Release me first and I’ll tell you everything.”

“Counteroffer—if you don’t tell me right now, I’ll have these bangles make you run the entire way to the inn. It’s what, an hour away?” she asked me lightly.

“More like two,” I said.

“All right, fine, fine. You win.” Maerryl huffed. “Word is Felsith was set on putting a bounty on you too, giant. Lord Renalo wouldn’t let him for some reason. But from what I hear, he might try to go through… less official means to track you down. Better watch your back.”

Elikki and I exchanged a worried glance. I did not like the sound of that.

Maerryl wiggled her arms and legs. “Now come on,” she said, “get these stupid things off me.”

“Sorry!” Elikki chirped. “Can’t do that. But thanks for the warning.”