Dragons of Winter Night - Margaret Weis [104]
Sunlight flashed on Silvara’s silver hair, mimicking the flash from Sturm’s shield.
“The dragonlance stays with me,” Silvara said. Glancing swiftly around the spellbound group, she added, “As do you.”
7
Dark journey.
Behind them, the snow rumbled and toppled over the side of the mountain. Cascading down in white sheets, blocking and choking the pass, it obliterated their presence. The echoes of Gilthanas’s magical thunder still resounded in the air, or perhaps it was the booming of the rocks as they bounded down the slopes. They could not be certain.
The companions, led by Silvara, traveled the trails east slowly and cautiously, walking where it was rocky, avoiding the snowy patches if at all possible. They walked through each other’s footsteps so that the pursuing elves would never know for certain how many were in their party. They were so careful, in fact, that Laurana grew worried.
“Remember, we want them to find us,” she said to Silvara as they crept across the top of a rocky defile.
“Do not be upset. They will have no trouble finding us,” answered Silvara.
“What makes you so certain?” Laurana started to ask, then she slipped and fell to her hands and knees. Gilthanas helped her stand. Grimacing with pain, she stared at Silvara in silence. None of them, including Theros, trusted the sudden change that had come over the Wilder elf since their parting with the knights. But they had no choice except to follow her.
“Because they know our destination,” Silvara answered. “You were clever to think I left a sign to them in the cave. I did. Fortunately, you did not find it. Below those sticks you so kindly scattered for me I had drawn a crude map. When they find it, they will think I drew it to show you our destination. You made it look most realistic, Laurana.” Her voice was defiant until she met Gilthanas’s eyes.
The elflord turned away from her, his face grave. Silvara faltered. Her voice became pleading. “I did it for a reason, a good reason. I knew then, when I saw the tracks, we would have to split up. You must believe me!”
“What about the dragon orb? What were you doing with it?” Laurana demanded.
“N-nothing,” Silvara stammered. “You must trust me!”
“I don’t see why,” Laurana returned coldly.
“I have done you no harm—” Silvara began.
“Unless you have sent the knights and the dragon orb into a deathtrap!” Laurana cried.
“No!” Silvara wrung her hands. “I haven’t! Believe me. They will be safe. That has been my plan all along. Nothing must happen to the dragon orb. Above all, it must not fall into the hands of the elves. That is why I sent it away. That is why I helped you escape!” She glanced around, seeming to sniff the air like an animal. “Come! We have lingered too long.”
“If we go with you at all!” Gilthanas said harshly. “What do you know about the dragon orb?”
“Don’t ask me!” Silvara’s voice was suddenly deep and filled with sadness. Her blue eyes stared into Gilthanas’s with such love that he could not bear to face her. He shook his head, avoiding her gaze. Silvara caught hold of his arm. “Please, shalori, beloved, trust me! Remember what we talked about, at the pool. You said you had to do these things—defy your people, become an outcast, because of what you believed in your heart. I said that I understood, that I had to do the same. Didn’t you believe me?”
Gilthanas stood a moment, his head bowed. “I believed you,” he said softly. Reaching out, he pulled her to him, kissing her silver hair. “We’ll go with you. Come on, Laurana.” Arms around each other, the two trudged off through the snow.
Laurana looked blankly at the others. They avoided her eyes. Then Theros came up to her.
“I’ve lived in this world nearly fifty years, young woman,” he said gently. “Not long to you elves, I know. But we humans live those years, we don’t just let them drift by. And I’ll tell you this—that girl loves your brother as truly