Dragons of Spring Dawning by Weis, Margaret

“Then why pretend you can’t?” Tanis asked, breathing heavily.

Berem rubbed his neck, his eyes on Tanis. “People don’t ask questions of a man who can’t talk. …”

Tanis forced himself to calm down, to think about this a moment. Glancing at Riverwind and Goldmoon, he saw Riverwind scowl and shake his head. Goldmoon shrugged slightly. Finally Tanis dragged another wooden chair over to sit in front of Berem. Noticing that the back of the chair was split and cracked, he sat down carefully. “Berem,” Tanis spoke slowly, curbing his impatience, “you’re talking to us. Does that mean you’ll answer our questions?”

Berem stared at Tanis, then nodded his head, once.

“Why?” Tanis asked.

Berem licked his lips, glancing around. “I-You must help me-get out of here-I-I can’t stay here-”

Tanis felt chilled, despite the warm stuffiness of the room. “Are you in danger? Are we in danger? What is this place?”

“I don’t know!” Berem looked around helplessly. “I don’t know where we are. I only know I cannot stay here. I must get back!”

“Why? The Dragon Highlords are hunting for you. One of th-the Highlords-” Tanis coughed, then spoke huskily. “One of them told me that you were the key to complete victory for the Dark Queen. Why, Berem? What do you have that they want?”

“I don’t know!” Berem cried, clenching his fist. “I only know that they have been chasing me … I have been fleeing them for-for years! No peace … no rest!”

“How long, Berem?” Tanis asked softly. “How long have they been chasing you?”

“Years!” Berem said in a strangled voice. “Years … I don’t know how long.” Sighing, he seemed to sink back into his calm complacency. “I am three hundred and twenty-two years old. Twenty-three? Twenty-four?” He shrugged. “For most of those years, the Queen has been seeking me.”

“Three hundred and twenty-two!” Goldmoon said in astonishment. “But-but you’re human! That’s not possible!”

“Yes, I am human,” Berem said, his blue eyes focusing on Goldmoon. “I know it is impossible. I have died. Many times.” His gaze switched to Tanis. “You saw me die. It was in Pax Tharkas. I recognized you when you first came on the ship.”

“You did die when the rocks fell on you!” Tanis exclaimed. “But we saw you alive at the wedding feast, Sturm and I-”

“Yes. I saw you, too. That’s why I fled. I knew . . . there would be more questions.” Berem shook his head. “How could I explain my survival to you? I do not know myself how I survive! All I know is that I die and then I’m alive again. Again and again.” His head sank into his hands. “All I want is peace!”

Tanis was completely mystified. Scratching his beard, he stared at the man. That he was lying was almost certain. Oh, not about dying and coming back to life. Tanis had seen that himself. But he knew for a fact that the Queen of Darkness was exerting almost all forces she could spare from the war to search for this man. Surely he must know why!

“Berem, how did the green gemstone get, uh, into your flesh?”

“I don’t know,” Berem answered in such a low voice they could barely hear him. Self-consciously, his hand clutched his breast as if it pained him. “It is part of my body, like my bones and my blood. I-I think it is what brings me back to life.”

“Can you remove it?” Goldmoon asked gently, sinking down onto a cushion next to Berem, her hand on his arm.

Berem shook his head violently, his gray hair falling over his eyes. “I’ve tried!” he muttered, “Many times I’ve tried to rip it out! I might as well try to tear out my own heart!”

Tanis shivered, then sighed in exasperation. This was no help! He still had no idea where they were. He’d hoped Berem could tell them . . . Once more, Tanis looked around their strange surroundings. They were in a room of an obviously ancient building, lit with a soft eerie light that seemed to come from the moss that covered the walls like tapestry. The furniture was as old as the building and in battered, shabby condition, though it must have been rich once. There were no windows. Nothing could be heard outside. They had no idea how long they’d been here. Time had grown confused, broken only by eating some of the strange plants and sleeping fitfully.