The Jewel of Turmish - Mel Odom [130]
He opened the magical bag of holding at his waist and shoved the mohrg's skeleton into it. At least there-if Borran Kiosk found a way to return to life in the next few minutes-the mohrg would be stuck in the neverwhere that the bag of holding gave access to.
Druz's gaze turned tender, and it was surprising to see how she could pull it off wearing a layer of soot and bloodstains.
T thought you were dead," she said. "Almost," he replied.
A few feet away, Broadfoot woke and gave an angry snuffle. The bear pawed with grave suspicion at the pile of skeletons he was lying on. When none of them moved, he pushed himself to his feet and stood swaying. He bawled, shook his head, and approached Haarn, butting his head into the druid.
Haarn scratched the bear's head, then he gazed up at Alaghфn. Gray smoke stained the black sky.
"Let's go," he said, pushing himself up. "There's still a battle to be won here."
EPILOGUE
The sun came up early in the eastern sky, turning it pink and purple. Haarn sat atop one of the buildings that had survived the night's fires and looked out over the Sea of Fallen Stars.
A growl echoed up the side of the building, but Haarn refused the call. Restless and irritable, Broadfoot padded at the base of the building. The great bear wanted to eat and sleep, but more than anything he wanted to get out of Alaghфn.
The excited yaps and growls of wild dogs and wolves filled the streets. After Borran Kiosk's defeat, the sea zombies had abandoned the battle, withdrawing back to the sea. Whatever magic bound them to the ruins of the Whamite Isles still called them.
Letting out a deep breath to relax tired muscles that hurt all over, Haarn turned his face up to the sun. He took solace in the basking heat, which eased his troubled thoughts.
Ettrian and the Elder Circle had taken the bag of holding containing Borran Kiosk's remains. Shinthala Deepcrest went back to the House of Silvanus in Ilighdn, saying that when she was finished with the mohrg's body, he would never come back again. Even the priests of Eldath remained quiet about her decision.
Priests sang in the streets below, joined by the townspeople. Their voices lifted with hope buoyed with sorrow. Wagons still gathered the dead.
Boats plied the harbor, salvaging what they could of the ships that had gone down.
The experience was different from anything Haarn had ever imagined when he thought about cities and the people who lived in them. He closed his eyes and let the sunrise play on the backs of his eyelids.
Footsteps sounded on the split wooden shingles that covered the rooftop.
Images of Borran Kiosk's skeletons and sea zombies filled Haarn's head. He fisted his scimitar's hilt and came to his feet, taking one small step to the side.
Druz Talimsir stopped. She was dressed in the same smoke- and battle-damaged clothing she'd worn the night before, but her hair showed signs of an attempt to put it back into place. Her face was clean, but scratches showed on one cheek. She carried a small, covered basket in one hand.
"I thought you were asleep," she said.
Haarn put the scimitar away and felt a little foolish. The woman had a way of making him feel that way, and when they'd helped rout the last of the sea zombies and aided in putting out the various fires, that feeling had become even stronger.
"I knew you'd be up here," Druz said. "This was the only building with a bear under it."
Broadfoot growled, bemoaning his hunger and boredom.
Haarn nodded, not sure at all what to say.
Druz raised the basket and said, "I brought you something to eat. It's not much. You have to scramble for food down there."
Haarn waited.
"I mean, if you've already eaten," Druz said, "I'll take it away."
"No," Haarn said. "I haven't eaten."
Druz let out a deep breath. "Good. I'd have hated climbing up here for nothing."
She crossed the rooftop and sat on his side of it, on the side that slanted out toward the Sea of Fallen Stars.
Sitting cross-legged, she whisked the covering off the basket and revealed fresh fruit, salted meat,