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.""Why?" Jherek asked."You must stem the tide." Cadiual held the half-pearl out for him to take."No," Jherek said hoarsely when he realized the priest meant to give him the gem."I'm not who you think I am.I can't be.""Take the gem.""I can't." But Jherek wanted to so badly he could barely restrain himself from plucking it up.Such a destiny must lie before the person that gem was truly meant for.He'd no longer have to be known as Jherek Wolf's-get, son of the bloodiest pirate of the Nelanther Isles.But to stem the tide of sahuagin that ravaged the Sword Coast? How was that going to be possible?"It's yours," Cadiual said."I felt it when I closed my hands over yours.You are the one." He grabbed Jherek's hand and placed the pearl in it.Immediately, the young sailor thought the gemstone glowed soft pink but that could have been only a trick of the light.Still, it felt natural for him to hold it.He gazed into the pink-stained depths, trying to make sense of the trident and the conch shell emblazoned on the face of the pearl.If he were the one, wouldn't the secrets be unlocked for him? In the novels Malorrie had given him to read, things like that always happened to the heroes.But he knew in his heart he couldn't take it.The gem-stone was obviously meant for someone other than him.Someone better.The old man had gotten unbalanced with his age and the responsibility given him."What am I supposed to do with it?" Jherek asked, thinking that his lack of knowledge would be a clear indication that the wrong person had been entrusted with it."I don't know," Cadiual admitted."Nor do I know for sure where it came from.The man who arrived here came from the east.I had a gemologist look at it once, and he said perhaps it came from as far away as the Inner Sea.There was something about the way the pearl was constructed, about the layering.""Then why bring it here?" Jherek asked."Because this was where you were going to be, of course," the old man snapped."You have so little faith.Why is that?"For a moment, Jherek was almost moved to tell the priest everything, from his childhood to the tattoo revealed on Finaren's Butterfly that had cost him the only good life he'd known, but he couldn't.He offered the gemstone back to the man."No," Cadiual replied."I've not made the mistake here.It's you and your lack of faith, and that's something between you and your god.I can only offer guidance.""You've made a mistake," Jherek said in a level voice."No," the priest said confidently."I've made no mistake."He put his thin hand on Jherek's shoulder."Go and find your destiny, young sailor.For though I don't know it, I feel it will be something truly grand.But the way will not be easy." The rheumy eyes locked with Jherek's."Find your faith, boy, find your faith and cling to it so that it will make you whole." He turned and walked away.Desperate, Jherek looked at the other priest, then offered the pearl to him."Ghauryn," Cadiual called without bothering to turn around, "I've carried that gemstone since before you were born and I've grown weary of its burden.I thought death was going to steal my life away before I had the chance to finish what I was given to do.Don't you dare touch it."The other priest shook his head at Jherek.Reluctantly, Jherek closed his hand over the gemstone.It felt warm and sure, and he was surprised at the confidence that seemed to radiate from it.He had no doubt that they'd given it to the wrong man.Perhaps, though, he could return in the morning and the old priest would have had time to rethink what he'd done.He thanked the priest for the bandages and salves and walked outside.He belted the healer's items in a bag at his side, but he kept the pearl out, not wanting to release it.* * * * *"Are you his woman?"Startled by the question but wanting to buy herself some time, Laaqueel stood in Bunyip's stern and gazed at the western sky.The fires that had burned Baldur's Gate had dimmed somewhat, but an angry yellow glow like fresh broken seagull eggs still carved a pocket from the dark sky in the distance.The malenti priestess kept her hands on the ship's railing, holding fast.The dark waters of the River Chionthar slid back from where she stood, cleaved by Bunyip's prow.Behind her, Bloody Falkane came closer, till he stood right behind her.He kept his voice soft and low."I asked you a question." His tone held command.Immediately, Laaqueel rebelled against that authority.She turned to face him, a prayer to Sekolah on her lips and her hand resting on the long dagger at her hip.Her trident was only an arm's reach away, but she knew he could move quickly and intercept her
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