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.The doppelganger continued on its way—actually paused twice to sell flowers to passersby—then slipped into another alley without ever looking behind it.Abdel and Jaheira circled around quickly and were at the other end of the alley before the doppelganger emerged, this time in the form of a burly laborer in mud-stained coveralls.Abdel and Jaheira hid behind an apple cart and watched the doppelganger disappear down another side street.They moved quickly along the next block, hoping to cut the doppelganger off, but when they cut through an alley, back to the street they’d seen the creature turn down, there was no sign of the laborer.The street was all but empty.The sun had barely peeked over the city wall.“Damn them all,” Abdel whispered.“I hate those damned doppelgangers,” Jaheira said.“As do I,” replied a voice from behind them.They turned and saw what could only be the slight eastern woman from the night before.She was dressed in shimmering black silk that Abdel thought must have cost her a king’s ransom.The sword that hung loosely from a cord around her neck was thin and curved gracefully.The hand guard was a simple oval with a cloth-of-gold-wrapped pommel long enough for two hands.Abdel had never seen a sword like it.“It is a katana,”Tamoko said, noticing Abdel noticing her weapon.Abdel nodded once and said, “And you’re a doppelganger.”Tamoko smiled sadly.“I understand that that possibility would exist,” she said, “but I am not.”“Who are you?” Jaheira asked, her brow furrowed.Tamoko nodded in the direction of an alley and stepped in, this time making no attempt to hide herself.Abdel and Jaheira reluctantly followed.Jaheira drew the silver dagger, and this elicited a tiny, knowing smile from Tamoko.Abdel almost returned the smile.This strange woman’s face was not unlike Jaheira’s.Her ears showed no trace of elf blood, but her features were strangely sylvan.“I can take you to the Iron Throne,” Tamoko said simply.Jaheira laughed in response and said, “Can you really? And will they wait to kill us there or pounce on us in the street?”“They will not expect anyone to be coming in from this entrance.You will be able to kill them all and—”“This is ludicrous,” Jaheira interrupted.“Abdel…”The sellsword held up a hand, and Jaheira’s look all but burned into his flesh.“My friend is right,” Abdel said to Tamoko.“We have no reason to trust you… or anyone in this pit of shapeshifters.”“I am your brother’s lover,” she said, locking her eyes onto his.Abdel felt the truth radiate from them.She was speaking so simply, so plainly, and never wavering.He had no real reason to, but he believed her.“Sarevok?” Abdel asked, the name almost tripping on his tongue.Tamoko nodded once.“I can help you, but you must not kill him.”“This is madness,” Jaheira scoffed.“This lover of yours is going to start a war.Thousands of people are going to die.He’s already killed two of the most powerful men in Baldur’s Gate, and others…” Jaheira stepped forward and bent the elbow of her sword arm just slightly.Tamoko fixed her gaze on the tip of Jaheira’s blade.Abdel could feel what was about to happen and didn’t like the feeling one bit.“No one believes us,” Abdel said then, just letting the words pour out.“They’ve accused us of murder, of being Shadow Thieves, of being Amnian spies, of the gods only know what else.They’ve killed all of our friends, all of our contacts.We’re alone against this man—my brother if that’s what he is—who by nightfall will be the next grand duke.There might be people left who can help us, but they will need proof.” Abdel spared a long, telling glance at Jaheira and added, “They will need written proof.”Jaheira looked at him and sighed.He wasn’t sure if she was angry at him for dealing with this strange woman who might be a doppelganger or worse, or if she realized that he meant to return to Candlekeep with some evidence, some way to garner Tethtoril’s forgiveness [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]