Silver Shadows - Elaine Cunningham [86]
Since Arilyn was still on one knee, she was roughly at eye level with the wolflike being. She turned to gaze into Ganamede's eyes. "Speaker Rhothomir, listen to your sister's counsel. I have asked the lythari of the Greycloak tribe to come to your assistance," she said, her eyes pleading with her friend to play along. The noble Ganamede will leave now to hold council with his people as to what might best be done."
The lythari gave her a searching look. She responded with a faint smile and nod that suggested all would be well.
After a moment, Ganamede inclined his head. "I will ask them," he said softly, but his eyes were deeply puzzled. He turned and loped silently off into the forest.
Arilyn released her breath on a long, silent sigh of relief She hated deceiving her friend. Fortunately, Ganamede seemed to have taken her request at face value. He was disappointed in her, that she apparently did not understand the nature of the lythari folk. Even so, he would do as she asked, though he knew what his people's response would be. Better that than letting him know how tenuous her own position was.
As soon as Ganamede was beyond reach, Arilyn reached for her sword and stood. She met Ferret's steady gaze. If there was yet any hope of forging a link with the green elves, it would be here.
"I can offer more than a possible alliance with the lythari. Most of you have not fought humans. I have. I know their ways, their world, their tactics."
"There is something in what you say," Rhothomir admitted. He turned to his sister. "You are the lore-keeper; you have more knowledge of the humans than any of us, as well as the elves who live beyond the forest. What do you say?"
"I would speak with this one alone," Ferret said. "There are things we should know about her and about the sword she carries. We all have heard tales of such swords. It may be that this moonblade was forged for just such a task."
There is great risk in accepting outsiders," the Speaker said.
"And we will weigh the risks along with the benefits. Let me speak with this… moon elf, and judge whether what she offers is worthwhile."
After a moment's deliberation, Rhothomir agreed. Ferret strode over to a stout oak and tugged one of the vines that entwined its trunk. A long ladder unrolled, spilling down from one of the dwellings overhead. The elf woman indicated with a deft, impatient gesture that Arilyn should ascend the ladder.
With Ferret close behind her, the half-elf made the dizzying climb into trees. The dwelling was small and sparsely furnished: a bearskin served as a bed; some large clay pots held personal effects; a few garments hung from pegs on the wall. The elf motioned for Arilyn to take a seat on the bearskin and then seated herself on the floor, as far away as the small room permitted.
"How is it that you know a silver shadow?" Ferret demanded.
"We are friends from childhood. I freed him from a snare."
"In Tethir?"
"No. In the Greycloak Hills, a place many days' travel to the north of here. Ganamede's tribe takes its name from those hills-or perhaps it is the other way around. Lythari can travel far distances in ways that seem magical, even to an elf," Arilyn added, anticipating the elf woman's next question.
Ferret's gaze slipped to the sword at Arilyn's side. "How is it that you carry one of these swords? It is alive-I saw it glow with magic when we fought in the Harper's room!"
"Yes. That was a very convincing death scene," Arilyn added dryly. "As for the sword, it came to me as such a blade comes to any who wields it. It was passed down to me from my mother, Z'beryl."
"But how is that so? No moonblade has ever before been turned to evil!"
"Nor has this one," Arilyn said softly. "It cannot shed innocent blood. If you would like to test this in combat, I would be happy to oblige