Spellfire - Ed Greenwood [143]
"I'll see to that, sister," came a soft voice from above, as a black falcon swooped out of the mists and then climbed away from them, heading east.
Elminster growled. "Now I suppose I'll have to keep eyes alight for whatever she might do to get spellfire, too!" he said, and became an eagle, and was gone into the sky.
Those who still stood where Sylune's Hut had been looked at each other, and then at the dalefolk hastening back toward the tower as swords flashed and sang amid the trees. Harpers and guards of the dale were battling men in a motley of leathers-mercenaries, by their look.
Jhessail sighed. "Well, back to the battle again," she said.
"Aye," Storm agreed. "As always." They drew blades, a wand, and two maces, and charged into the fray. As always.
14: Talk Truth, Not Danger
Open the door, little fools: we wait outside.
The green dragon Naurglaur
Sayings of A Wyrm
Year of the Spitting Cat
"We should go down," Shandril whispered into the wind. Narm's arms tightened about her, and he and Shandril flew for a time in silence. The great green expanse of the Elven woods lay below them.
"Aye," he reluctantly agreed at last. "I shall not soon forget this."
"Nor shall I," she whispered. "As I should hope not!"
Narm chuckled at her mild indignation. Bending his will to turn northwest again over the seemingly endless trees of the Elven Court, they headed back to Shadowdale.
"I can't help but feel," he said, looking about them,
"that we're being watched." It was an odd feeling to have while soaring naked high above the land.
"I'm sure we are, and we have been since we first rode with the knights," his lady replied. "How else could they protect us?" '"Well, yes… but now?"
"I'm sure they've seen such things before" she said.
"Elminster's live hundred winters old, remember?"
"Aye." Narm sighed, looking all about them. They were gliding low over the trees, the sky clear but for a line of clouds to the north. They could see no other creatures in the air or below. Narm shrugged. "
Would that none of this were necessary," he said,
"and we could walk unafraid together."
Shandril fixed him with very serious eyes. "I agree with you," she replied softly. "But without spellfire, you and I would be bones by now." They passed over the bare top of Harpers' Hill and left it behind them again. "Besides, it is the will of the gods. Rage as we might, it is so, and shall be."
Narm nodded. "Aye… Your spellfire can be handy enough, I'll admit. But does it harm you?"
Shandril shrugged. "I know not. I do not feel amiss or in pain, most times. But I couldn't stop it or give it up, even if I wanted to. It is part of me, now." She turned in his grasp to look back, and as she did so something circular and silver drifted out of the empty sky into her hands. Shandril caught it before thinking of danger. It was cold and solid, and the touch of its smooth weight sent her fingertips tingling.
"It is Rathan's holy symbol!" Narm said, astonished.
"How came it here?"
"By the will of Tymora," Shandril said quietly. "To answer your doubts." Narm nodded slowly and almost sternly. The fine hairs upon his arms stood out stiff with fear. But he held her as gently and firmly as before.
"Where now?" he asked, as they saw The Old Skull Inn below. "The Twisted lower?"
"No," Shandril said, pointing at chain mail flashing upon the backs of men below. "In all the alarm, the archers might well have us both down before they knew us."
"Or even," Narm muttered, "because they knew us."
Shandril slapped him lightly. "Think not such darkness!" she hissed. "Have any who are truly of the dale shown us anything but kindness and aid since we came here? We must be suspicious, aye, or perish-but ungrateful? But as I was about to say, I have little liking for the idea of greeting all the folk of the tower clad as we are."
Narm chuckled. "Ah, the real reason," he said, halting their flight over Elminster's tower. "My apologies, for such black thoughts. Still, it is better to look over one's shoulder than to die swiftly