“What was that name again? Fizbut, Furball?”
“Fizban!” said Tas, shrilly.
“Fizban… Fizban…” muttered the old man.
All eyes turned to Silvara.
She was calm now, at peace with herself. Although her face was filled with sorrow, it was not the tormented, bitter sorrow they had seen earlier. This was the sorrow of loss, the quiet, accepting sorrow of one who has nothing to regret.
Silvara walked toward Gilthanas. She took hold of his hands and looked up into his face with so much love that Gilthanas felt blessed, even as he knew she was going to tell him good-bye.
“I am losing you, Silvara.” He murmured in broken tones. “I see it in your eyes.. But I don’t know why! You love me-”
“I love you, elflord. Silvara said softly.. “I loved you when I saw you lying injured upon the sand. When you looked up and smiled at me, I knew that the fate which had befallen my sister was to be mine, too.” She sighed. “But it is a risk we take when we choose this form. Far though we bring our strength into it, .. the form inflicts its weaknesses upon us. Or is it a weakness? To love . . .”
“Silvara, I don’t understand!” Gilthanas cried.
“You will.” she promised, her voice soft. Her head bowed.
Gilthanas took her in his hands, holding her. She buried her face in his chest. He kissed her beautiful silver hair, then clasped her with a sob.
Laurana turned away. This grief seemed too sacred for her eyes to intrude upon. Swallowing her own tears, she looked around and then remembered the dwarf. She took some water from his waterskin and sprinkled it on Flint’s face.
His eyes fluttered, then opened. The dwarf stared up at Laurana for a moment and reached out a trembling hand.
“Fizban!” the dwarf whispered hoarsely.
“I know.” Laurana said, wondering how the dwarf would take the news about Tas’s leaving.
“Fizban’s dead!” Flint gasped. “Tas said so! In a pile of chicken feathers!” The dwarf struggled to sit up. “Where is that rattle-brained kender?”
“He’s gone, Flint.” Laurana said. “He went with Fizban.”
“Gone?” The dwarf looked around blankly. “You let him go? With that old man?”
“I’m afraid so-”
“You let him go with a dead old man?”
“I really didn’t have much choice.” Laurana smiled. “It was his decision. He’ll be fine-‘
“Where’d they go?” Flint stood and shouldered his pack.
“You can’t go after them,” Laurana said. “Please, Flint.” She put her arm around the dwarf’s shoulders. “I need you. You’re Tanis’s oldest friend, my advisor-”
“But he’s gone without me’ ‘ Flint said plaintively. “How could he leave? I didn’t see him go?”
“You fainted.”
“I did no such thing!” the dwarf roared.
“You-you were out cold.” Laurana stammered.
“I never faint!” stated the dwarf indignantly. “It must have been a recurrence of that deadly disease I caught on board that boat-” Flint dropped his pack and slumped down beside it. “Idiot kender, Running off with a dead old man.”
Theros came aver to Laurana, drawing her to one side. “Who was that old man?” he asked curiously.
“It’s a long story.” Laurana sighed. “And I’m not certain I could answer that question anyway.”
“He seems familiar.” Theros frowned and shook his head. “But I can’t remember where I’ve seen him before, though he puts me in mind of Solace and the Inn of the Last Home. And he knew me. . .” The blacksmith stared at his silver hand. “I felt a shock go through me when he looked at me, like lightning striking a tree.” The big blacksmith shivered, then he glanced over at Silvara and Gilthanas. “And what of this?”
“I think we’re finally about to find out,” Laurana said.
“You were right,” Theros said. “You didn’t trust her-”
“But not for the right reasons.” Laurana admitted guiltily.
With a small sigh, Silvara pushed herself away from Gilthanas’s embrace. The elflord let her go reluctantly.
“Gilthanas,” she said, drawing a shuddering breath, “take a torch off the wall and hold it up before me.”
Gilthanas hesitated. Then, almost angrily, he followed her directions.
“Hold the torch there . . .” she instructed, guiding his hand so that the light blared right before her. “Now-look at my shadow on the wall behind me,” she said in trembling tones.
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