into the kitchen before he could open his mouth.
The sound of Otik’s voice rose once again, accompanied by a
loud banging. His story having been interrupted, Otik was
using his cane – one of the most feared weapons in Solace – to
restore order. The barkeep was crippled in one leg now and he
enjoyed telling that story, too – about how he had been injured
during the fall of Solace, when, by his own account, he single-
handedly fought off the invading armies of draconians.
Grabbing a panful of spiced potatoes and hurrying back to
Riverwind, Tika glared at Otik irritably. She knew the true
story, how he had hurt his leg being dragged out of his hiding
place beneath the floor. But she never told it. Deep within, she
loved the old man like a father. He had taken her in and raised
her, when her own father disappeared, giving her honest work
when she might have turned to thievery. Besides, just remind-
ing him that she knew the truth was useful in keeping Otik’s tall
tales from stretching to new heights.
The crowd was fairly quiet when Tika returned, giving her a
chance to talk to her old friend.
“How is Goldmoon and your son?” she asked brightly, seeing
Riverwind looking at her, studying her intently.
“She is fine and sends her love,” Riverwind answered in his
deep, low baritone. “My son” – his eyes glowed with pride – “is
but two, yet already stands this tall and sits a horse better than
most warriors.”
“I was hoping Goldmoon would come with you,” Tika said
with a sigh she didn’t mean Riverwind to hear. The tall Plains-
man ate his food for a moment in silence before he answered.
“The gods have blessed us with two more children,” he said,
staring at Tika with a strange expression in his dark eyes.
“Two?” Tika looked puzzled, then, “oh, twins!” she cried
joyfully. “Like Caramon and Rais -” She stopped abruptly, bit-
ing her lip.
Riverwind frowned and made the sign that wards off evil.
Tika flushed and looked away. There was a roaring in her ears.
The heat and the noise made her dizzy. Swallowing the bitter
taste in her mouth, she forced herself to ask more about Gold-
moon and, after awhile, could even listen to Riverwind’s
answer.
“… still too few clerics in our land. There are many con-
verts, but the powers of the gods come slowly. She works hard,
too hard to my mind, but she grows more beautiful every day.
And the babies, our daughters, both have silver-golden hair -”
Babies…. Tika smiled sadly. Seeing her face, Riverwind fell
silent, finished eating, and pushed his plate away. “I can think
of nothing I would rather do than continue this visit,” he said
slowly, “but I cannot be gone long from my people. You know
the urgency of my mission. Where is Cara -”
“I must go check on your room,” Tika said, standing up so
quickly she jostled the table, spilling Riverwind’s drink. “That
gully dwarf is supposed to be making the bed. I’ll probably find
him sound asleep -”
She hurried away. But she did not go upstairs to the rooms.
Standing outside by the kitchen door, feeling the night wind
cool her fevered cheeks, she stared out into the darkness. “Let
him go away!” she whispered. “Please….”
CHAPTER 2
Perhaps most of all,
Tanis feared his first sight of the Inn of the Last Home. Here it
had all started, three years ago this autumn. Here he and Flint
and the irrepressible kender, Tasslehoff Burrfoot, had come
that night to meet old friends. Here his world had turned upside
down, never to exactly right itself again.
But, riding toward the Inn, Tanis found his fears eased. It
had changed so much it was like coming to some place strange,
a place that held no memories. It stood on the ground, instead
of in the branches of a great vallenwood. There were new addi-
tions, more rooms had been built to accommodate the influx of
travelers, it had a new roof, much more modern in design. All
the scars of war had been purged, along with the memories.