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.Surely this unseen woman—ghost, if that's what she was—couldn't know Jaheira, but the song had Khalid in it, the way he looked at her when they'd first met, the words he'd spoken to her on their wedding night, and the sad times too, the affairs and the lies and the subtle humiliations.A tear ran down Jaheira's cheek, then another, and Abdel wiped each away in turn with a big, gentle, callused fingertip.The song evaporated into the nothingness from which it came, and Jaheira sagged in her chair.Conversation started to spatter through the room, and by the time the tavern had returned to as close to normal as it ever would, the bartender stood at their table with a fine silver wineglass.He offered the glass to Jaheira with a knowing smile, glanced pointedly at her ears and said, "A tallglass of elverquisst, on the house."Abdel nodded to the bartender, and Jaheira just reached out and took hold of the glass.She looked at it, letting the tears come as they may."It's a tradition," Abdel said, "when an elf hears the lady sing for the first time.""I'm only—" she said, stopping herself with a loud sniff."It doesn't matter," Abdel told her as she sipped the sweet elven wine.* * * * *Abdel was frankly amazed at how quickly Scar made it to the Elfsong.It was as if his friend had been expecting him.It didn't take a seasoned warrior to see that Scar was just that.Everything about the strong man showed that he had many a battle, and many a command, under his belt.He and Abdel embraced, and though when he entered Jaheira thought Scar was an enormous, imposing man, next to Abdel, he was merely a man.Scar seemed happy to see Abdel, happy and relieved."Abdel, you old pirate," the man said, "where have you been?"Abdel's smile faded quickly, and he said, "I buried Gorion."Scar's own smile faded."I'm sorry to hear that, my friend.Gorion was.well." Jaheira was amazed that a shrug from Scar seemed to make Abdel feel better."Sit," Abdel said, motioning Scar to a chair at their table, now cluttered with empty stew bowls, wineglasses, and pewter flagons."Been travelling long?" Scar asked facetiously, eyeing the mess instead of sitting."A lifetime," Abdel answered."Jaheira, this is my good friend, who goes by the name Scar.If he asks you if you want to see what gave him that name, please refuse, or he won't be my friend anymore." It was Abdel's ham-handed way of telling Scar that Jaheira was more than a travelling companion or fellow soldier."Scar," Jaheira said.She wanted to stand, knew it would be impolite not to, but she just couldn't.She was exhausted."Please join us.""Actually, I thought we might go upstairs," Scar said, turning to Abdel."Will a candle do it?" Abdel asked, referring to the Elf-song's policy of renting their private upstairs rooms by the length of time it took for one candle to burn down."I've made the arrangements," Scar said, motioning them to one of the dark, twisted staircases Jaheira had mistaken for pillars.Abdel helped her stand, and they followed Scar up the tight, treacherous steps.They sat at a small table surrounded by a richly embroidered curtain.A small oil lamp sat in the center of the table, casting a dim red glow that made Jaheira look a bit less pale.Scar grew serious the moment he sat down."Your message said you needed information, and my help."Abdel, sensing it was time for straight, serious talk said, "We need to know about a trading coster that we think is operating out of the Gate.They call themselves the Seven Suns."Scar just stared at his friend, saying nothing for the longest time.When Abdel crinkled his brow to urge his friend on, Scar sighed and asked, "Why?""We think they're involved with some group—maybe a splinter of the Zhentarim," Jaheira broke in, "maybe some merchant cabal from Sembia—that calls itself the Iron Throne.""This Iron Throne," Abdel picked up, "is sabotaging the iron mines at Nashkel and other places, and Jaheira and the Harpers think they mean to start a war."Jaheira looked at him sharply, and he returned her look with a confident smile.He'd been around awhile and knew a Harper when he fell in love with one."By Torm's hairy—" Scar said.He rubbed his face with his hands, his expression at least as worn as Jaheira's."The Seven Suns is not just some merchant troupe that "might" work out of the Gate.They're a serious force in the power structure here.This is the first I've heard of this Iron Throne of yours, but I've been worried about the Seven Suns—very worried—over the last tenday." "What have you heard?" Abdel asked."The Seven Suns are the same as any merchant company either of us has ever been hired to guard, my friend.They're in it—whatever it might be today—for the gold
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