The elflord shook his head. “No, Quindiniar. It’s best you don’t. I’d rather she didn’t know.”
“My Lord, I think I should come-”
“Good-bye, Quindiniar,” Lord Durndrun said firmly, cutting off the young man’s words. “I’m counting on you.” Gathering his weary troops around him with a gesture, the lord turned and led his small force back into the jungle.
Zifnab, assisted by the toe of Rega’s boot, woke with a snort. “What? Huh? I heard every word! Just resting my eyes. Lids get heavy, you know.” Joints popping and creaking, he rose to his feet, sniffing the air. “Dinnertime. The cook said something about tangfruit. That’s good. We can dry ’em and eat the leftovers on our journey.”
Paithan gave the old man a troubled look, switched his gaze to Haplo. “Are you coming?”
“Go on. I’ve got to take it easy. I’d only slow you down.”
“But the tytans-”
“Go on,” said Haplo, in pain, beginning to lose patience.
Taking hold of Rega’s hand, the elf followed after Roland and his sister, who already had a considerable head start.
“I have to go!” said Drugar and hurried to catch up with Paithan and Rega. Once he was even with them, however, he fell about a pace behind, keeping them constantly in his sight.
“I suppose I’ll be forced to walk all that way!” muttered Zifnab peevishly, tottering off. “Where’s that dratted dragon? Never around when I want him, but the moment I don’t, there he is, leaping up, threatening to eat people or making rude remarks about the state of my digestion.”
Turning, he peered around at Haplo. “Need any help?”
The Labyrinth take me if I see you again! Haplo told the old man’s retreating back. Crazy old bastard.
Beckoning to the dog, the Patryn motioned the animal close and rested his hand on its head. The private conversation, held between Paithan and the elflord, overheard by the dog, came to Haplo clearly.
It wasn’t much-the Patryn was disappointed. The elflord had said simply that the elves didn’t have a chance. They were all going to die.
“You’re a real bitch, aren’t you?” said Roland.
He’d had a difficult time catching up with the elf woman. He didn’t like crossing the narrow, swinging, ropevine bridges that stretched from treetop to treetop. The jungle floor was far beneath him, the bridge swayed alarmingly whenever he moved. Aleatha, accustomed to walking the bridges, moved across them with ease. She could, in fact, have escaped Roland completely, but that would have meant walking the jungle alone.
Hearing him right behind her, she turned and faced him.
“Kitkninit. [28] You are wasting your breath conversing with me. You even talk like a barbarian!” Aleatha’s hair had come completely undone; it billowed around her, swept back by the speed of her movement along the bridge. A flush of exertion stained her cheeks.
“Like hell you kitkninit. You were quick enough to follow my instructions when I told you to hold onto our patient.”
Aleatha ignored him. She was tall, almost as tall as Roland. Her stride-in the leather pants-was long and unencumbered.
They left the bridge, striking a trail through the moss. The path was narrow and difficult to traverse, made no easier by the fact that Aleatha increased Roland’s difficulty whenever possible. Drawing aside branches, she let them go, snapping them in his face. Taking a sharp turn, she left him floundering in a bramble bush. But if Thea was hoping to make Roland angry, she didn’t succeed. The human seemed to take a perverse pleasure in the trouble she was causing him. When they emerged onto the sweeping lawn of the Quindiniar mansion, she discovered Roland strolling along easily by her side.
“I mean,” he said, picking up the conversation where he had left off, “you treated that elf pretty badly. It’s obvious the guy would give his life for you. In fact, he’s going to-give his life, that is-and you treat him like he’s-”
Aleatha whirled, turning on him. Roland caught her wrists, her nails inches from his face. “Listen, lady! I know you’d like to tear my tongue out so you don’t have to hear the truth. Didn’t you see the blood on his uniform? That came from dead elves! Your people! Dead! Just like mine! Dead!”