Dragons of Spring Dawning by Weis, Margaret

But not complete. His twin was missing.

No! Waking was agony. Let him float in that dark dream forever. Better than the sharp, bitter pain.

But the hands tugged at him. The voice called to him.

“Caramon, I need you…”

Tika.

“I’m no cleric, but I believe he’ll be all right now. Let him sleep awhile.”

Tika brushed away her tears quickly, trying to appear strong and in control.

“What… what was wrong?” she made herself ask calmly, though she was unable to restrain a shudder. “Was he hurt when the ship . . . went into th-the whirlpool. He’s been like this for days! Ever since you found us.”

“No, I don’t think so. If he had been injured, the sea elves would have healed him. This was something within himself. Who is this ‘Raist’ he talks about?”

“His twin brother,” Tika said hesitantly.

“What happened? Did he die?”

“No-no. I-I’m not quite sure what happened. Caramon loved his brother very much and he … Raistlin betrayed him.”

“I see.” The man nodded solemnly. “It happens, up there. And you wonder why I choose to live down here.”

“You saved his life!” Tika said. “And I don’t know you . . . your name.”

“Zebulah,” the man answered, smiling. “And I didn’t save his life. He came back for love of you.”

Tika lowered her head, her red curls hid her face. “I hope so,” she whispered. “I love him so much. I would die myself, if it would save him.”

Now that she was certain Caramon would be all right, Tika focused her attention on this strange man. She saw he was middle-aged, clean-shaven, his eyes as wide and frank as his smile. Human, he was dressed in red robes. Pouches dangled from his belt.

“You’re a magic-user,” Tika said suddenly. “Like Raistlin!”

“Ah, that explains it.” Zebulah smiled. “Seeing me, in his semi-conscious state, made this young man think of his brother.”

“But what are you doing here?” Tika glanced around at her strange surroundings, seeing them for the first time.

She had seen them, of course, when the man brought her here, but she hadn’t noticed them in her worry. Now she realized she was in a chamber of a ruined, crumbling building. The air was warm and stifling. Plants grew lustily in the moist air.

There was some furniture, but it was as ancient and ruined as the room in which it was haphazardly placed. Caramon lay on a three-legged bed-the fourth corner being held up by a stack of old, moss-covered books. Thin rivulets of water, like small, glistening snakes, trickled down a stone wall that gleamed with moisture. Everything gleamed with moisture, in fact, reflecting the pale, eerie, green light that glowed from the moss growing on the wall. The moss was everywhere, of every different color and variety. Deep green, golden yellow, coral red-it climbed the walls and crawled across the domed ceiling.

“What am I doing here?” she murmured. “And where is here?”

“Here is- Well, I suppose you could say here” Zebulah answered pleasantly. “The sea elves saved you from drowning and I brought you here.”

“Sea elves? I never heard of sea elves,” Tika said, glancing around curiously, as if she might see one hiding in a closet. “And I don’t remember elves saving me. All I remember is some sort of huge, gentle fish…”

“Oh, you needn’t look around for the sea elves. You won’t see them. They fear and distrust KreeaQUEKH- ‘air-breathers’ in their language. And those fish were the sea elves, in the only shape they let KreeaQUEKH see them. Dolphins, you call them.”

Caramon stirred and moaned in his sleep. Laying her hand upon his forehead, Tika brushed back his damp hair, soothing him.

“Why did they save our lives, then?” she asked.

“Do you know any elves, land elves?” Zebulah asked.

“Yes,” Tika answered softly, thinking of Laurana.

“Then you know that to all elves, life is sacred.”

“I understand.” Tika nodded. “And like the land elves, they renounce the world rather than help it.”

“They are doing what they can to help,” Zebulah rebuked her severely. “Do not criticize what you do not understand, young woman.”