“Naneth gave a teleportation ring to Glisena,” the baron pointed out. “She may have also given one to the satyr.”
“If she had,” Arvin countered, “surely he would have used it to flee Ormpetarr, instead of trying to scale the walls.”
“Indeed,” the baron said, nodding in agreement. “But even if you are correct in your guess about what part of the forest the satyr came from, how do you propose to find his camp?” He nodded at Karrell. “And why do you need her help? Is your mind magic not up to the search?”
“It is,” Arvin assured him. “But it won’t be able to cover enough ground in the limited time we have left before Glisena… becomes more unwell. Karrell knows a spell that can help find the camp quickly. One that gives her the ability to communicate with animals.”
The baron frowned. “Asking questions of a handful of animals in one tiny corner of the forest will accomplish nothing.” He shook his head. “And I thought you were an expert tracker.”
“We won’t ask just any animals,” Arvin countered. “We’ll ask wolves. They’re swift runners, capable of traveling a distance as far as that between Ormpetarr and Mimph in a single day. Their territories span even greater distances than that. And their sense of smell is keen enough to pick out the scent of a human from an entire camp of satyrs. If anyone can locate the satyr camp Glisena is staying in, it’s wolves.”
The baron nodded, grudgingly impressed.
“The only problem,” Arvin continued, “will be in getting to the Chondalwood quickly enough.”
The baron picked up his helmet, which had been sitting on the floor next to him. “You’ll be in the Chondalwood tonight,” he said, pulling it on. The purple plume bobbed as he spoke. “Naneth isn’t the only one with a teleportation device:’
“Can yours teleport two people at once?” Arvin asked.
“It can,” the baron answered. “But that brings up an important question.” He gestured at Karrell. “If it’s her spell that will find my daughter, what further use are you?”
Arvin had anticipated that question. “In order for Karrell to use her spell, the wolves need to be close enough for her to speak with them,” he said.
“Any hunter can find a wolf,” the baron countered. “I’m not just going to find wolves,” Arvin said. “I’m going to call them to me. With this.” He pulled the lapis lazuli from his pocket and displayed it on his palm. “This is what I used to send you the message about the satyr. With it, I can contact anyone. Human… or wolf. It has magic that only a psion can use.”
Though he spoke with confidence, Arvin wasn’t actually certain what he was proposing would work. He could definitely send a message that would catch a wolf’s attention—the whine of an injured pup, for example—but a sending wasn’t like a shout; it sounded inside the recipient’s head. Arvin might be able to say “come here,” but only by putting the sending to the test would he find out if he could convey where “here” was. But it was worth a try.
“The stone will also allow me to report to you—‘at once’—the moment we find Glisena,” Arvin added, deliberately using one of the baron’s favorite phrases.
The baron nodded, satisfied. “You’re a man who uses his head,” he said. “I like that.” He reached into a pouch that hung from his belt and pulled from it a shield-shaped brooch. It was made of polished steel and no larger than a coin, with Helm’s blue eye on the front of it. Foesmasher handed it to Arvin.
“Pin this somewhere it won’t be seen,” he instructed.
“What is it?”
“Something that will assist me in locating you, once that message is sent,” Foesmasher explained.
Arvin pinned the brooch to the inside of his shirt. “You’ll come to the Chondalwood in person?” he asked, surprised.
“Yes.” The baron stared at Arvin. “My teleportation magic is limited, so be certain that you are with Glisena—at her side—before you summon me.”
“I will.”
Foesmasher turned to the soldiers in the hall then paused, as if remembering something. “Oh yes, that yuan-ti you mentioned: Zelia.”
Arvin tensed.
“She’s in Ormpetarr. She arrived by riverboat last night.”
Arvin gave a tight nod. Zelia in Ormpetarr was bad news. But he’d soon be out of the city. Tymora willing, Zelia would be gone by the time he got back. Or she’d do something that would give Foesmasher an excuse to arrest her.
Foesmasher gestured to the soldiers, indicating they should bring Karrell into the room.
Arvin caught her eye as she entered. “Lord Foesmasher has agreed,” he told her. “You’ll be joining the search.”
Foesmasher waved his guards away then clapped one hand on Arvin’s shoulder, the other on Karrell’s. “Shall we go?”
“This teleportation device,” Arvin asked “Is it a portal, or—”
