“But last night-” Tanis faltered, astonished, putting his hand to his burning cheek.
“Last night never happened;” Alhana said. “I was weak, tired, frightened. As I was when . . . when I met Sturm-the knight. I regret speaking of him to you. I regret telling you of the Starjewel.”
“Do you regret giving it to him?” Tanis asked.
“I regret the day I set foot in Tarsis,” Alhana said in a low, passionate voice. “I wish I had never gone there! Never!” She turned away abruptly, leaving Tanis to dark thoughts.
The companions had just reached the river, within sight of the tall Tower of the Stars, shining like a strand of pearls twisting into the sun, when the griffons suddenly halted their flight. Tanis, glancing ahead, could see no sign of danger. But their griffons continued to descend rapidly.
Indeed. it seemed hard to believe that Silvanesti had been under attack. There were no thin columns of campfire smoke rising into the air, as there would be if the draconians occupied the county. The land was not blackened and ruined. He could see, below him, the green of the aspens gleaming in the sunlight. Here and there, the marble buildings dotted the forest with their white splendor.
“No!’ Alhana spoke to the griffons in elven. “I command you! Keep going! I must reach the Tower!”
But the griffons circled lower and lower, ignoring her.
“What is it?” Tanis asked. “Why are we stopping? We’re in sight of the Tower. What’s the matter?” He looked all around. “I see nothing to be concerned over.”
“They refuse to go an,” Alhana said, her face drawn with worry. “They won’t tell me why, only that we must travel on our own from here. I don’t understand this.”
Tanis didn’t like it. Griffons were known as fierce, independent creatures. but once their loyalty was gained, they served their maulers with undying devotion. The elven royalty of Silvanesti has always tamed griffons for their use. Though smaller than dragons, the griffons’ lightning speed, sharp talons, tearing beak, and lion-clawed hind feet made them enemies to be respected. There was little they feared on Krynn, so Tanis had heard. These griffons, he remembered, had flown into Tarsis through swarms of dragons without apparent fear.
Yet now the griffons were obviously afraid. They landed on the banks of the river, refusing all of Alhana’s angry, imperious commands to fly farther. Instead, they moodily preened themselves and steadfastedly refused to obey.
Finally there was nothing for the companions to do but climb off the griffons’ backs and unload their supplies. Then the birdlion creatures, with fierce, apologetic dignity, spread their wings and soared away.
“Well, that is that.” said Alhana sharply, ignoring the angry glances she felt cast at her. “We shall simply have to walk, that’s all. The way is not far.”
The companions stood stranded upon the riverbank, staring across the sparkling water into the forest beyond. None of them spoke. All of them were tense, alert, searching for trouble. But all they saw were the aspen trees glistening in the last, lingering rays of sunset. The river murmured as it lapped on the shore. Though the aspens were green still, the silence of winter blanketed the land.
“I thought you said your people fled because they were under siege?” Tanis said to Alhana finally.
“If this land is under control of dragons, I’m a gully dwarf!” Caramon snorked.
“We were!” Alhana answered, leer eyes scanning the sunlit forest. “Dragons filled the skies-as in Tarsis! The dragonmen entered our beloved woods, burning, destroying-” Her voice died.
Caramon leaned near Riverwind and muttered, “Wild goose chase!”
The Plainsman scowled. “If it’s nothing more than that, we’ll be fortunate,” he sail, his eyes on the elfmaid. “Why did she bring us here? Perhaps it’s a trap.”
Caramon considered this a moment, then glanced uneasily at his brother, who had not spoken or moved or taken his strange eyes from the forest since the griffons left . The big warrior loosened his sword in its scabbard and moved a step nearer Tika. Almost accidentally, it seemed, their two hands clasped. Tika cast a fearful look at Raistlin but held onto Caramon tightly.
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