Dragons of Spring Dawning - Margaret Weis [32]
Tas’s thoughts were rudely interrupted by a poke in the back from Flint.
“What is the matter with you?” the kender demanded, facing the dwarf.
“Where are we?” Flint asked surlily, hands on his hips.
“Well, we’re …” Tas looked around. “Uh … that is, I think we’re … then again, perhaps we’re not.” He fixed Flint with a cold stare. “How did you get us lost?”
“ME!” The dwarf exploded. “You’re the guide! You’re the map reader. You’re the kender who knows this city like he knows his own house!”
“But I was thinking,” Tas said loftily.
“What with?” Flint roared.
“I was thinking deep thoughts,” Tas said in wounded tones.
“I—oh, never mind,” Flint grumbled and began to peer up and down the street. He didn’t quite like the looks of things.
“This certainly does seem strange,” Tas said cheerfully, echoing the dwarf’s thoughts. “It’s so empty, not at all like the other streets of Palanthas.” He stared longingly down the rows of silent empty buildings. “I wonder—”
“No,” said Flint.
“Absolutely not. We’re going back the way we came—”
“Oh, come on!” Tas said, heading down the deserted street. “Just a little way, to see what’s down here. You know Laurana told us to look around, inspect the forti—forta—the whatch-ma-call-its.”
“Fortifications,” muttered Flint, stumping reluctantly along after the kender. “And there aren’t any around here, you doorknob. This is the center of the city! She meant the walls around the outside of the city.”
“There aren’t any walls around the outside of the city,” Tas said triumphantly. “Not around New City, anyway. And if it’s the center, why is it deserted? I think we should find out.”
Flint snorted. The kender was beginning to make sense, a fact that caused the dwarf to shake his head and wonder if maybe he shouldn’t lie down somewhere out of the sun.
The two walked for several minutes in silence, traveling deeper and deeper into the heart of the city. To one side, only a few blocks away, rose the palatial mansion of the Lord of Palanthas. They could see its towering spires from here. But ahead of them, nothing was visible. It was all lost in shadow.…
Tas glanced into windows and stuck his nose into doorways of the buildings they passed. He and Flint proceeded clear to the end of the block before the kender spoke.
“You know, Flint,” Tas said uneasily, “these buildings are all empty.”
“Abandoned,” said Flint in hushed tones. The dwarf laid his hand on his battle-axe, starting nervously at the sound of Tas’s shrill voice.
“There’s a queer feeling about this place,” Tas said, edging closer to the dwarf. “I’m not afraid, mind you—”
“I am,” said Flint emphatically. “Let’s get out of here!”
Tas looked up at the tall buildings on either side of them. They were well-kept. Apparently the Palanthians were so proud of their city that they even spent money keeping up vacant buildings. There were shops and dwellings of all kinds, obviously structurally sound. The streets were clean and free from litter and garbage. But it was all deserted. This had once been a prosperous area, the kender thought. Right in the heart of the city. Why wasn’t it now? Why had everyone left? It gave him an “eerie” feeling and there were not many things in Krynn that gave kender “eerie” feelings.
“There aren’t even any rats!” Flint muttered. Taking hold of Tas’s arm, he tugged at the kender. “We’ve seen enough.”
“Oh, come on,” Tas said. Pulling his arm away, he fought down the strange