All Shadows Fled - Ed Greenwood [55]
"Such a victory," one man muttered to his companion. "Thousands we sent to their graves. 'Twas the favor of the gods, to be sure, that we weren't all sent to the Deathrealms in their first charge, and Mistledale laid waste before highsun!"
"Aye, we place much store in the favor of the gods," his comrade replied, "or we'd not be riding straight into another battle!" He pointed ahead. Plumes of smoke rose into the sky to the north.
Shadowdale was burning.
The Knights and Riders pressed on up the Mistle Trail, urging their mounts to greater haste.
Torm waved a hand at the smoke and said loudly and bitterly, "Look! Well get there in time to join the Zhents at their fires, with the dale pillaged and burned and not a man or maid left to fight for!"
"Say not so!" Merith told him, but Kuthe and Nelyssa nodded slowly.
"We've taken this way in haste before," the captain of the Riders said, her eyes very dark, "and spent more than a day in the forest… and that was a few riders on fresh, swift mounts-not a force this large that fought yesterday."
Belkram was frowning and holding his head to one side, as if listening to something. He straightened in his saddle and said, "There is a way to take us there more swiftly."
Florin Falconhand, who rode at the head of the column, turned his head. "You mean magic," he said grimly. tfls that wise, given the chaos ruling sorcery?"
Belkram listened for a breath longer, and then shrugged. "Sylune says teleportation seems unaffected-it served her even on the battlefield yester-morn, passing wild magic shields to do so."
"Without a body, she can't cast any spells," Kuthe pointed out. "What good is it if the Lady Jhessail here hurls one of us on ahead? A lone rider makes a better target than a relief force!"
"There is a way to take us all," Belkram replied slowly, passing on the words from the stone that held the Witch of Shadowdale. "Elminster taught it to m- her."
The ranger nodded. "There is a risk," Florin said; it was a statement, not a query. He looked around at the others, holding up his hand for a halt. "Are you willing to take on that danger? All of you?"
The Knights nodded without hesitation. Among the Riders were some swift glances back and forth, and shrugs. One.leaned forward and asked Florin, "Are you?"
The Shield of Shadowdale shrugged. "Of course."
"He's a Knight of Myth Drannor," Rathan explained as if to a child.
"Which is to say, he's a reckless idiot," Torm elaborated in a stage whisper.
The men of Mistledale were still chuckling when Captain Nelyssa said crisply, "I will undergo this magic. Let us be about it."
"We'll need some space," Belkram said, and pointed into the trees. "That glade there."
Nelyssa nodded. "Let all who are unwilling to chance this spell stay here on the trail." She turned her horse's head and guided it into the trees.
As they followed, Belkram looked at Jhessail. "You must do the casting."
She wrinkled her nose at him. "So I'd gathered."
No one stayed on the road. When everyone was arrayed around Belkram, he took off the chain and gave it to Jhessail. She held up the stone, and grew still for a moment as she listened. Merith, who'd been in such castings before, slid deftly from his saddle and lay on the ground, taking hold of one hoof of his horse and one of his lady's ankles. Florin edged his mount over to take a firm hold on Merith's horse, and Sharantyr, Itharr, Belkram, Captain Nelyssa, and Kuthe followed, creating a human chain.
Jhessail smiled her thanks, and said, "Draw in close, everyone-to touch at least one other person or their mount. Remain that way, and don't pull free until we're elsewhere."
She drew a deep breath and put the stone into her mouth. Closing her eyes in concentration, Jhessail followed Sylune's guidance in the casting. The loop of chain dangling from her chin rattled as she moved. After a brief series of gestures, she threw both hands high into the