bit o' business with ye, and old Muzgardt would have me head for it." The brewer thought about things for a moment, and added, "Better make it three or four days, I think. The crown prince's lads are all over the city, and I don't need 'em to see ye coming here every damned day."
The stout dwarf heaved the keg up onto his shoulder and stomped off, leaving the two dark elves standing with Coalhewer in the middle of the sullen crowd of brewers.
"Now what?" Ryld asked Valas.
"Go back to the inn and wait, I'd say," Coalhewer muttered. "Ye'll have no luck standing here. Come back in a couple of days."
"Quenthel won't like that," Ryld said, still addressing the drow scout.
All Valas could do was shrug.
The two drow and their guide left the Muzgardt brewery, wrapped in their own thoughts. They marched along for a short distance, putting the brewery well behind them.
"I'm beginning to wonder whether we shouldn't just write our own letter of passage," Valas said softly. "We wouldn't need it for long, after all."
"That's a bad idea," Coalhewer said. "Ye might forge a letter that looks about right, but ye need Muzgardt's blessing. If ye get stopped, ye'll be held while they check to be sure that ye've got the blessing of the laird. That ye won't have until Muzgardt grants it to ye."
"Damn," Valas muttered.
Ryld examined the situation, trying to figure what to make of it. Either Coalhewer had purposely led them to a dead end, or the difficulty in ob-taining the passes was unfeigned. For the first possibility, Ryld couldn't see any reason why Coalhewer would delay the company in Gracklstugh. Per-haps the dwarf meant to set them up in some way, but if that was the case, wouldn't he have had ample opportunity to spring whatever surprise he might have had in mind? On the other hand, if Coalhewer and Thummud weren't collaborating in some elaborate deception, why would the crown prince happen to choose the occasion of the company's visit to Gracklstugh to crack down on foreigners moving about the realm?
Because he's got something he doesn't want foreigners to see, of course, Ryld decided. What wouldn't he want outsiders to see?
Ryld halted dead in the street. Valas and Coalhewer turned a few steps farther on, looking back at him.
"What is it?" Valas asked.
"You and I have something we need to do," Ryld said to Valas, then he turned to their guide. "Come to the inn tomorrow morning."
Coalhewer frowned.
"Fine," he said. The duergar turned and headed down the street, mut-tering under his breath, "Don't blame me if ye get arrested for doing what-ever it is ye have in mind. I won't speak up for ye. I'll be on me boat if ye need me."
What is it?Valasasked after the dwarf disappeared into the shad-owed street.
The crown prince is limiting freedom of movement for foreign merchants and travelers, Ryld answered. He doesn't want news from the city to get out. 1 think the army of Gracklstugh is going to march.
Valas blinked and signed,You think so?
"It's what I would do," Ryld answered. "The question is, how to make sure of it."
He glanced around the street. As always, any gray dwarf in sight was staring at the two dark elves with undisguised hostility.
Investigating your suspicion makes us exactly the sort of fellows the crown prince's soldiers will be looking for, Valas signed. The wiry scout frowned, thinking. What would you need to see to confirm your fear?
A supply train, Ryld answered at once. Wagons, pack lizards, that sort of thing. You wouldn't gather that together unless you meant to march, and it would take several days to do it. You'd need a lot of space.
Agreed,Valas answered.
Valas thought, frowning as he tugged absently at the odd charms and tokens he carried on his clothing.
Feel like taking a chance? the scout signed.
Ryld glanced around the street. Thummud had pretty much told them outright that things wouldn't change for several more days at a minimum, and that was not going to please Quenthel. If Gracklstugh meant to attack Menzoberranzan, he wanted to know about it before the duergar army marched. They would want to find a way to send a warning back home. The duergar were no slave rabble to be crushed at the leisure of the great Houses. The army of the City of Blades would be large, strong, disciplined, and well armed for an assault on the drow, and Ryld didn't like the thought of what an army of