Heirs of Prophecy - Lisa Smedman [77]
slashes of a burly gladiator like Muscle Neck while the crowd laughed and jeered.
"You escaped from the Hillsfar Arena, didn't you?" Larajin said in a grim voice. "That soldier-the one that looked like a half-ore-he was trying to capture you and sell you back."
The woman nodded, a quick bob of the head.
"What's your name?"
The elf hesitated, as if trying to decide whether to trust her. At last she answered. "Kith. You?"
Larajin gave truth for truth, answering with her real name, instead of Thazienne's. "Where are you headed?" she asked.
"To Evermeet."
Larajin frowned. "That's a long way from here. Why Evermeet?"
Kith's eyes brightened. "I be told it is place of all elves, of great magic. I go to… seek a great healing. Then I may follow wind home."
Healing? The woman must have been talking about her deformity.
"Where is home?" Larajin asked.
Kith answered with a sharp, sweet trill. After a moment, Larajin realized that this must have been the name of the place she came from.
"I've never heard of it," she told Kith, then she added, "If you're journeying to Evermeet, shouldn't you be headed west? You must have followed the Moonsea Ride out of Hillsfar. Why didn't you just stay on that road?"
Kith shrugged and immediately winced. Her deformed shoulders must have pained her.
"Red Plumes would follow," she answered. "Instead I come through trees, to Highmoon."
Larajin nodded. Journeying through the great forest made sense. Kith had probably been aided by the wood elves. It also explained how she had come so far with so little. The woman didn't seem to have a pack or provisions. Having reached Highmoon, however, Kith should
have continued west along the road that led through Thunder Gap and into Cormyr.
"You turned south, into Archendale," Larajin prompted. "Why?"
"Giants," Kith answered. She said no more, as if that one word was explanation enough. Then, seeing the blank look in Larajin's eyes, she added, "I am told giants be in mountains through which pierces road. They are enemy to my people. Without my…" She paused, then continued. "I would have no chance against them. I am told of southern road, one that passes south of mountains without piercing. Way of the Manticore. Do you know it?"
Larajin nodded. "That road is a long way from here- at least six days' journey to the south. There's no way to cross the river until you reach Selgaunt, and that means entering Sembia, which isn't exactly welcoming elves at the moment. You wouldn't be safe in the south. You'd do better to take your chances crossing the mountains. Maybe you could join a caravan. That should offer some protection from the-"
Kith balled her fist and all but shook it at Larajin. "They will see the mark!" she trilled. "They will think of Red Plumes' coin, and greed fill their hearts."
"That is a problem, it's true," Larajin acknowledged. "Even so, I would recommend the mountains as a better option. You can't travel any farther south. If you do, you'll be mistaken for a spy and killed."
Slowly, with a defeated look on her face, Kith lowered her hand. "All winds blow against I, it does seem," she said sadly.
"Not all the winds," Larajin said, trying to sound encouraging. "They blew me your way, didn't they? And those soldiers aren't looking for you any more. They'll be back in Archendale before dark and will soon forget all about you."
An idea struck her, and she added, "Why don't you travel with me a while-at least for the rest of today- and camp with me tonight? Here, climb up on the horse behind me."
She leaned over in the saddle and extended a hand down to Kith. After a moment, the elf took it. Placing a foot in the stirrup that Larajin had just removed her foot from, she swung lightly up behind her, and settled into place, her legs tucked against the saddlebags. She clutched