Heirs of Prophecy - Lisa Smedman [72]
Larajin ran to the balcony and watched Leifander go. He headed northwest, toward the city walls and the River Arkhen. From there, she assumed, he would wing his way north toward the ancient woods, leaving her back where she'd started, in Selgaunt.
On the street below, she heard one of the city guard call out the All's Well. Hurriedly, she drew back from the balcony and retreated into Kremlar's rooms.
After a glance down at the guard in the street, Tal followed her inside.
"What will you do now?" he asked. "I'd advise that you not go home. The streets around Stormweather Towers have been thick with the guard, and Drakkar has come calling twice. He's still looking for you."
Kremlar walked nervously to the balcony doors and shut them, turning the key in the deadbolt. Lifting the tip of his neatly braided beard to his lips, he absently chewed on it-a habit that surfaced only when he was extremely nervous. ' "You could… stay here with me," Kremlar said hesitantly.
Larajin was touched by the offer. Kremlar was desperately afraid of wizards. Years before, one had turned him to stone, after an exotic herb Kremlar had provided him proved stale. He'd stood in the wizard's garden for three long, desperate years, sentient but unable to move, before friends found him and prevailed upon a cleric to reverse the spell.
"Thank you, Kremlar," she said, then attempted a joke, "but your guest bed is far too small. My feet would hang out the end."
Kremlar merely nodded.
"Wherever Leifander's gone," Larajin continued, "I have to try to follow him. It's a matter of life or death."
She stared intently at a painting on the wall without really seeing it, not wanting to even glance in Tal's direction. If she did, the prickling in her eyes would almost certainly turn into a flood of tears.
"Master Ferrick says our company will be riding tomorrow," Tal said. "That's why I was in your room when you… reappeared. I was hoping to carry some token of yours with me into battle."
"You're leaving tomorrow?" Larajin rounded on him. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"You were concerned with rescuing your twin brother," he said in a voice bordering on annoyance. "I didn't want to… distract you from what seemed to be your primary concern."
Larajin bit back her reply: that Tal was her primary concern. And tomorrow he would be riding to war. On fast horses, his company could reach the edge of the elven wood in as little as a tenday. Having witnessed the swift and silent attack by the elves on the Foxmantle caravan, Larajin knew what kind of reception awaited Master Fer-rick's troops, once they reached the forest. Even if the rest of the company survived the attack, Tal would not.
"I didn't have a chance to tell you before now," Tal continued. "Especially with…" He shrugged. "Master Fer-rick ordered us not to tell anyone when we'd ride-A careless word is oft o'erheard' is his motto."
Larajin was only half listening. Her mind was entirely on the immediate problem. Leifander was gone, and she was trapped, once again, in Selgaunt. She could guess where Leifander was headed-back home to the Tangled Trees-but in order for her to follow him, she'd somehow have to get out of the city. –
Suddenly, she realized the answer. "Tal-how large is Master Ferrick's company?"
Tal frowned. "Nearly two hundred riders. Why?"
"Do you think one more would be noticed?"
Tal was quick to guess her plan. He thought a moment, then answered, "You'd need armor and a surcoat and a horse."
"Could you get them for me? Would you?"
He nodded. "You can ride with us to Ordulin and take refuge there until Drakkar has at last given up his search for you. Ordulin should be a safe place to wait this war out."
"Thanks, Tal." Larajin gave her half-brother a grateful hug, then she turned to Kremlar and said, "I will take you up on that offer of a guest bed, after all, Kremlar, but just for one night."
Kremlar nodded.
The scratching of claws against glass drew Larajin's eyes to the