“They must have passed by us in the night,” Silvara said. “But we dare not stay here any longer. Soon they will discover they have lost the trail and will backtrack. We must be gone.”
“I don’t see that it will make much difference,” Flint grumbled in disgust. He pointed at their own, highly visible tracks. Then he looked up at the clear, blue sky. “We might as well just sit and wait for them. Save them time and save us bother. There’s no way we can hide our trail!”
“Maybe we cannot hide our trail,” said Theros, “but we can gain some miles on them, perhaps.”
“Perhaps.” Derek repeated grimly. Reaching down, he loosened his sword in its scabbard, then he walked back to the cave.
Laurana caught hold of Sturm. “It must not come to bloodshed!” she whispered frantically, alarmed by Derek’s action.
The knight shook his head as they followed the others. “We cannot allow your people to stop us from taking the orb to Sancrist.”
“I know!” Laurana said softly. Bowing her head, she entered the cave in silent misery.
The rest were ready within moments. Then Derek stood, fuming in the doorway, watching Laurana impatiently.
“Go ahead.” she told him, unwilling to let him see her cry. “I’ll be along.”
Derek left immediately. Theros, Sturm, and the others trudged out more slowly, glancing uneasily at Laurana.
“Go ahead.” She gestured. She needed a moment to be by herself. But all she could think of was Derek’s hand on his sword. “No!” she told herself sternly. “I will not fight my people. The day that happens is the day the dragons have won. I will lay down my own sword first-”
She heard movement behind her. Whirling around, her hand going reflexively to her sword, Laurana stopped.
“Silvara?” she said in astonishment, seeing the girl in the shadows. “I thought you had gone. What are you doing?”
Laurana walked swiftly to where Silvara had been kneeling in the darkness, her hands busy with something on the cavern floor. The Wilder elf rose quickly to her feet.
“N-nothing,” Silvara murmured. “Just gathering my things.”
Behind Silvara, on the cold floor of the cave, Laurana thought she saw the dragon orb, its crystal surface shining with a strange swirling light. But before she could look more closely Silvara swiftly dropped her cloak over the orb. As she did so, Laurana noticed she kept standing in front of whatever it was she had been handling on the floor.
“Come, Laurana,” Silvara said, “we must hurry. I am sorry if I was slow-”
“In a moment” Laurana said sternly. She started to walk past the Wilder elf. Silvara’s hand clutched at her.
“We must hurry!” she said, and there was an edge of steel in her low voice. Her grip on Laurana’s arm was painful, even through the thick fur of Laurana’s heavy cloak.
“Let go of me.” Laurana said coldly, staring at the girl, her green eyes showing neither fear nor anger. Silvara let fall her hand, lowering her eyes.
Laurana walked to the back of the shallow cave. Looking down, however, she could see nothing that made any sense. There was a tangle of twigs and bark and charred wood, some stones, but that was all. If it was a sign, it was a clumsy one. Laurana kicked at it with her booted foot, scattering the stones and sticks. Then she turned and took Silvara’s arm.
“There,” Laurana said, speaking in even, quiet tones, “Whatever message you left for your friends will be difficult to read.”
Laurana was prepared for almost any reaction from the girl-anger, shame at being discovered. She even half-expected her to attack. But Silvara began to tremble. Her eyes-as she stared at Laurana-were pleading, almost sorrowful. For a moment, Silvara tried to speak, but she couldn’t. Shaking her head, she jerked away from Laurana’s grasp and ran outside.
“Hurry up, Laurana!” Theros called gruffly.
“I’m coming!” she answered, glancing back at the debris on the cave floor. She thought of taking a moment longer to investigate further, but she knew she dare not take the time.
Perhaps I am being too suspicious of the girl, and for no reason, Laurana thought with a sigh as she hurried out of the cave. Then about half-way up the trail, she stopped so abruptly that Theros, walking rear-guard, slammed into her. He caught her arm, steadying her.
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