Chapter 71. A Settling of Scores

t was not home, but she would take it.  Uriel was glad to be there with all of her heart.  The Crystal Palm generously gave she and Morisedd a small suite of rooms and a servant to wait upon them at a moment’s notice.  The two of them collapsed almost immediately upon the big feather bed even though it was barely past noon when they had been welcomed through the gates by the full complement of the guild’s members and staff.

“Oh this is bliss,” Uriel sighed, snuggling into Morisedd’s arms as they lay there, still clothed except for their shoes which were strewn somewhere on the polished wooden floor.  He was more reticent than usual, she noticed, and wondered what troubled him.

“It is very nice,” he agreed, his lips tickling her nape.

“What’s wrong?”

“Did you see Pendaran?”

“No.  There were so many people and Zhou wanted to talk to me.”

“He was hiding in the back.  With my sister.”

“Oh.”

Uriel squeezed his hands to soothe him.

“I’m sure Teleri can take care of herself, Murdi.”

There was a rapping at the door and Morisedd groaned in annoyance as Uriel rose to answer it.    She tried not to laugh as Morisedd climbed to his feet stiffly with a pained look on his face.  His lanky strides caught up to her quickly as she opened the door to Pendaran Caradec.

In one fluid movement, Morisedd had Pendaran by the throat and flung him against the wall, pinning him there while he drew back his right arm.  Uriel gasped and moved instinctively to restrain him from slugging the gasping man.  Oddly, the mesmer was not putting up much of a struggle.  The only sign that he was alarmed was a faint squinting as he awaited the impact of Morisedd’s fist.

“Murdi, stop!” she cried, terrified Pendaran would hex him.  In her experience, mesmers were always deadliest when they looked untroubled in the face of danger.

“I ought to kill you for what you put Uriel and Lemony through, you filthy piece of yak dung!”  Morisedd snarled at him, “And you had better keep your hands off of my sister or I’ll break your pretty neck.”

Beyond finding it a little difficult to breathe with Morisedd’s hand clamped over his throat, Pendaran did not seem overly troubled.  He lowered his eyes, waiting.  Uriel tugged on Morisedd’s wrist and he released his quarry, cursing.  The mesmer straightened his vest and collar before offering a deep bow.

“I hope we can talk now without resorting to further violence,” the man said calmly.  Uriel smirked.  What new game was this?

“I am in no mood to speak with a lying thief.”

“Understood,” Pendaran replied.  Uriel noted that he would not look at her, but his green eyes held Morisedd’s enraged glare, “and I would not have you speak to a lying thief.  Hear me out, Master Dunvael, for I am no longer that man.”

Morisedd snorted in disdain.

“I know you will not be easily convinced, and deservedly so,” Pendaran continued, undeterred, “but I wish to make an offering to Lady Uriel’s new guild and academy.  I hope she will take it as a sign of my reformation and see that I wish her success in her bold new venture.”

“One more trespass, Pendaran, and I swear you will regret it,” Morisedd growled, “Make your offering and then be gone from my sight.”

“As you wish, Sir.”

Uriel was intrigued.  This was not the Pendaran she had first met in Piken Square.  He turned now to regard her, finding nothing of the scoundrel in him.  His gaze was clear and humble.  Yes, humble. 

“May I have your hand, Lady Uriel?” he asked softly, lowering his face.  Morisedd grumbled but made no move to stop her as she extended her right hand.  Trembling slightly, the mesmer clasped her hand and pressed something cold and hard into her palm.

“This belongs to you,” he said simply, “I no longer have a use for it.”

Bowing then to each of them in turn, he departed.

She knew, without having to look at it, that she held the Jewel of Luitha.  She gazed upon the great stone in wonder for now it was dark and lifeless. Its tiny facets no longer burned with Luitha’s ghostly energies.

“Is that…?”

“Yes.  But she is freed.”

“He could have sold that for a small fortune.”

“Precisely his point, I think,” Uriel laughed, “Looks like we need to enlist Master Bei to help us find a buyer and get that academy built.”

“You’re going to sell it?”

Uriel shrugged.

“Five years I wore it, knowing neither peace nor freedom.  Why would I want to bear that as a token?  No, I am ready to move on, and I think Pendaran is, as well.  You should, too.”

Morisedd smirked and kissed her on the forehead.

“If that is what you wish, my love.”