46. It's Her, Imoen!

The rest of the group's journey to Nashkel was uneventful. Once or twice a couple of hobgoblins tried to ambush them, but Edwin let out a few magic missiles, laughing, and the monsters retreated with astounding speed.
"We are really getting stronger," Ala said thoughtfully.
"Ha! You doubted that? You truly doubted the greatness of Edwin Odesseiron?" Edwin seemed drunk with his newfound powers. Ala thought she was secretly afraid of him in these moments, just a little. "Nothing can stand in my way! Hobgoblins? Ha! Gibberlings? Fear me!"
"What about bandits?"
Edwin looked at her as if he doubted her sanity.
"I didn't tell you we were going to stop the Chill and Black Talon bands, did I?" Ala asked.
"What, all of them?"
"Well..."
"Every single one in seventeen hundred?"
"Seventeen hundred? I don't believe you," Ala said flatly. "There can't be that many of them."
"All right. Two hundred. Happier?"
The girl sighed.
"We need to reach Nashkel and make sure Dynaheir gets better," she said eventually. "Then we'll see."
Dynaheir remained unconscious nearly all the time. Minsc did not leave her side, carrying the stretchers with Khalid, Jaheira, Ala and Imoen in turns. Edwin refused even to approach the sick woman. Jaheira, who was limping herself, was getting more and more worried.
"We do not have enough gold to heal her in the temple," she said to Ala in a low voice, as Nashkel appeared on the horizon. "And I fear she may never recover on her own."
Ala sighed.
"Maybe we shall sell some of our things. Or perhaps Edwin has some money. I do not know, Jae... I just don't know..."
Dynaheir groaned and opened her eyes.
"Bhaalspawn..." she whispered.
Ala and Jaheira exchanged looks.
"What do you know, witch?" Edwin demanded sharply. "Who are you talking about?"
Dynaheir looked at him and smiled. A slender hand rose from the stretchers--and pointed at Imoen.
"She is hallucinating," Edwin muttered with disgust. "The girl is no more a Bhaalspawn than her deranged sidekick, or a squeaky hamster of his."
"I knew her mother," Dynaheir whispered.
Imoen was looking at Dynaheir with huge eyes.
"Stop," Ala said and did not recognize her own voice. "Dynaheir, do you hear me? I am Ala, Gorion's ward. Bhaal is my father."
Dynaheir looked into her eyes. And smiled.
"So there's two of you," she croaked. "How fitting."
"What is she talking about?" Imoen whispered. "What is she talking about?"
"Ala, Imoen, we have to talk," Jaheira said with a sudden tremor. "Now."
Ala raised her head in disbelief.
"You knew. You knew Imoen was one, as well. You knew, damn you!"
Jaheira slowly nodded.
Khalid stepped forward.
"Ala, understand that we tried to p-protect you. You already knew, but did it make you any happier? Would you like to lay this b-burden on your sister?"
"No," Ala kept blinking. "No..."
"I knew," suddenly said Imoen. "I knew. Gorion would never... he would have never taken in a normal girl... he needed special. And he took me, because I was special--only I was not special enough, just one of the Children, not a favored Child..."
Jaheira stared at her.
"Imoen, do not say these things..."
"I'm sorry," Imoen started to cry. "I-I don't know what's happening to me."
"Thou art a Child of Bhaal," Dynaheir whispered. "Thine mark will not fade."
Ala put her face into her hands. It can't be, it just can't be... Not Imoen, too!
Xan knew, too, she realized. Or did he? No, he only talked to Ala, paid attention to Ala, comforted Ala, tried to become Ala's friend. He taught Imoen, but she never saw that wary, concerned look in his eyes: they were indifferent at best.
And they sent Xan off to die... For what? To be able to ambush hundreds of bandits? They, who were captured by xvarts, nearly killed by gnolls?
"We will head to Baldur's Gate," Ala said and marvelled at how calm her voice sounded. "I want answers, and bandits do not know them. We must go to the city. We will find the men behind the iron shortage. Gorion's murderer, too--birds of a feather flock together. And Xan. We should have never let him go."
Jaheira and Khalid exchanged looks.
"This is likely the best c-course of action," Khalid nodded. "Other Harpers will help us in the city."
"Come, then. There is a long way ahead."
They left Minsc and Dynaheir at the temple. Dynaheir tried to protest, but stopped when she tried to stand up on her own and fell. Imoen collected the party's jewelry(even Edwin grudgingly took off one of his rings), and it was just enough for the payment.
"We saved your witch, Minsc," Ala said at the parting. "Perhaps we will meet again. But maybe it's best that we don't."
"Minsc remembers little Ala's kindness. If little Ala calls, Minsc and Boo will come and KICK THE BOOT TO THE BLACK HEART OF EVIL!"
Ala smiled, blinking away a tear.
"All right, Minsc. All right."
Nobody talked much during the dinner in the Nashkel tavern. Khalid and Jaheira retired early. Imoen muttered something and went outside without even finishing the salad.
"So the pink one is your sister," Edwin drawled. "Now that there is two of you, I would expect to find your dead bodies before the spring is out. Without powerful friends you will not last."
"What do you suggest?" Ala asked.
"It is high time you were somewhere else. Thay, like I said before, offers great opportunities. Your sister is pretty, and wealthy Red Mages value exotic beauty."
"Do you expect Imoen to become somebody's toy?"
Edwin looked at her coolly.
"Calling things by their names is childish," he shrugged. "Your sister will become a powerful mage under a powerful patron. And you..."
"What--me? I am not pretty?"
Edwin smiled a little.
"You want to find the answers. Thay will provide them. My superiors only want to talk to you."
"Superiors? Who? A Tharchion?"
"For example," Edwin stretched out a hand with long white fingers and touched Ala's jaw. The girl shuddered at the caress. "You will like it."
Ala got up.
"No. Excuse me, I need to talk to my sister."
Imoen was sitting near the river. The sunset painted her hair dusk red, and her face seemed to be shining, until Ala noticed traces of tears on her sister's cheeks.
"What is it, Im?" Ala asked. "You think we'll love you less now that we know the truth?"
"No," Imoen sniffed. "But I feel Gorion betrayed me. And he didn't, did he? He didn't. He only wanted to protect me, and you. But it does not work this way, I guess."
"No, it doesn't," Ala sat next to her. "But we are still friends?"
Imoen nodded.
"Gorion loved us," Ala said in a low voice. "And died. We are Bhaalspawn, Children of Murder... we must kill. I don't want to, not really. But that man, that horrible beast who killed Gorion--I have no qualms about killing him. You?"
"If-if it's really him..." Imoen paused.
"Yes?"
Imoen was silent. Finally she raised her head, and Ala gulped when she saw a weak golden light in her sister's eyes.
Then Imoen smiled.
"Yeah."