Heirs of Prophecy - Lisa Smedman [126]
Larajin blinked in surprise. Drakkar already knew about Leifander's parentage? The spell compelled her to answer.
"Yes. He's my brother too."
The wizard merely grunted.
"Drakkar," she continued. "You know I can't he to you. If I promise to prevent either of my brothers from harming you, will you reverse the spells you cast on them? Please… for my sake?"
Drakkar glanced briefly at Tal, then stared at Larajin, a look of intense longing on his face. "Answer one question for me, first."
Larajin braced herself.
"Do you love me?"
"No."
He winced.
Larajin had to speak quickly, or all would be lost. "Can't you understand how it pains me to see my brothers like this?" she asked Drakkar. "Imagine how you felt, just now, when I admitted I didn't love you. My anguish
is equal to what you just felt, but at least you have hope, that one day, if you redeem yourself..
She let her voice trail off, wary about saying too much. She wanted to give Drakkar the illusion that she might love him, one day. If she continued speaking, however, the truth would come out. She didn't even trust herself to look at Drakkar, lest the thorn compel her expression to show what she truly felt. Fear. Disgust. Hatred.
"Very well!" Drakkar cried.
He made a quick hand gesture and spoke a word in the drow tongue. With a faint hissing sound, the magical coils vanished. Tal groaned and rolled over onto his back, staring at the sky. Dark singe lines crisscrossed his flesh, but at least he was alive.
"And Leifander?" Larajin asked.
Drakkar beckoned for Leifander to approach him. Leifander blinked in confusion a moment, then at last grasped what the wizard wanted. He walked to Drakkar, obedient and docile, and gave the wizard an innocent, trusting look as Drakkar's questing fingers moved across his scalp.
"Ah!" Drakkar grunted after a moment or two. "There."
He plucked something out of Leifander's scalp, and held it up for Larajin to see. It was another thorn. Drakkar flicked it away into the forest.
Leifander's eyes cleared instantly. With a harsh caw, he leaped for the wizard's throat. Larajin, however, had anticipated this, and shouted a single command: "Stop!"
Once again, the fragrance of Hanali's Heart filled the air as the locket at Larajin's wrist pulsed red. Suddenly rigid, Leifander strained against Larajin's spell a moment or two, then, finding himself unable to attack Drakkar, he whirled on her.
"Why?" he asked in a strangled voice.
"I made a promise to Drakkar," Larajin said, "that if he restored your mind, I wouldn't let you harm him."
"My… mind?" Leifander rubbed a temple and looked
around like a sleeper who had suddenly awakened. He saw Tal groaning on the ground, and added, "What happened here?"
Drakkar continued to eye Leifander warily. His fingers hovered over on his staff, ready to pluck a thorn at the first sign of trouble.
"I'm having a talk with Drakkar," Larajin answered. "Just like Doriantha is talking to Maalthiir."
Understanding bloomed instantly in Leifander's eyes.
"I see." He glanced at Drakkar, then feigned disgust. "Fine. Talk to him, then." Deliberately, he turned his back on her.
Larajin turned her attention back to Drakkar, whose posture was still tense and ready. Infatuated with her he might be, but he was still cautious.
"Drakkar, like you, I'm half human and half elf," Larajin continued. "I've faced a lack of acceptance because of it, but I'm not a traitor to my people."
"Nor am I!" Drakkar wheezed. "My people-"
"You've turned your back on your human side," Larajin said, "and that saddens me." She let the words hang in the air a moment, then added, "Do you know what would make me very happy?"
Drakkar's face brightened. "What?"
"If this war had never begun."
Drakkar shook his head. "But it has. It can't be stopped."
Larajin looked him square in the eye. "Yes it can. You can stop it by returning to Selgaunt and using your