Amber and Blood - Margaret Weis [122]
“I never had rheumatism a day in my life! Rheumatism is for old people,” said Flint huffily. “And you can just put the thought of going into the Library out of your rattle-brained mind. Kender aren’t allowed.”
“They’re not?” Tas’s eyes opened wide in wonderment at the idea. “Why not?”
“Because there wouldn’t be a book left on the shelves, that’s why. You’d rob them blind.”
“Kender are very honest. We don’t rob people!” Tasslehoff returned indignantly. “And I think that’s a disgrace, kender not being allowed! I’ll just go give them a piece of my mind—”
He twisted himself out of Flint’s grasp and started to run off across the street. Flint glowered after him, then called out, “Laurana sent me to find you. She said something about you riding a dragon …”
Tasslehoff whipped around so fast that he tripped himself and tumbled over his own feet, spilling half the contents of his pouches.
“Me? Tasslehoff Burrfoot? Ride a dragon? Oh, Flint!” Tasslehoff clasped his hands together. “Isn’t it wonderful?”
“No,” Flint growled. “Because I’ll probably have to go with you.”
“Hurry up!” Tasslehoff began to tug on Flint’s shirt. “We might miss the battle!”
“It’s not happening right this minute!” Flint exclaimed, batting away the kender’s hands. “You go on. I’ll be there in a minute.”
Tas didn’t wait to be told twice. He dashed off down the street, pausing at intervals to tell everyone he met that he, Tasslehoff Burrfoot, was going to be riding a dragon with the Golden General.
Flint stood long moments after the kender had left gazing at the Great Library. The old dwarf’s face grew grave and solemn. He seemed about to cross the street and then he paused. His heavy gray brows came together. He thrust his hands in his pockets.
“Good riddance,” he muttered.
He turned and followed after Tas. The old dwarf passed Raistlin on his bench, passed him quite closely, but he took no notice of him.
Raistlin remained sitting on the bench a long time after they had gone. He sat there until the sun sank down behind the buildings of Palanthas and the air grew cool.
At last Raistlin rose. He did not return to the library. He walked the streets of Palanthas, still crowded with excited people, until he came to a part where the streets were deserted, the buildings dark and abandoned.
No one lived in this part of the great city. No one ever came here. Raistlin had never been here, but he knew the way well. He turned a corner and at the end of the empty street, silhouetted against a blood-red sky, rose a tower of black.
The Tower of High Sorcery of Palanthas. The accursed Tower. None shall enter save the Master of Past and Present.
Raistlin took a step toward it and then stopped.
“Not yet,” he murmured. Or perhaps it was the voice inside his head that spoke. “Not yet. But soon.”
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About the Author
Margaret Weis was born and raised in Independence, Missouri. In 1983, she moved to Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, to take a job as book editor at TSR, Inc., producers of the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS® role playing game.
At TSR, Weis became part of the DRAGONLANCE® design team. In collaboration with Tracy Hickman, she wrote the DRAGONLANCE Chronicles, which has sold over twenty million copies worldwide. Weis is also the author of many best-selling series, including the Death-gate Cycle, the Sovereign Stone series, and her new Dragonvarld series for Tor Books.
Weis is also the owner of Sovereign Press, the publisher of the DRAGONLANCE d20 roleplaying products licensed