Reach is, do you? I forget sometimes, you seem so much a
part of things.”
He smiled. “Hard to remember when you didn’t have me to
look after, isn’t it? ”
She gave him a questioning look. “I’m not complaining. Are
you? ”
He moved over to her and held her for a moment. He didn’t
say anything; he simply stood with his arms about her, his
cheek against her auburn hair, and his eyes closed. He thought
about all they had come through,, how many times their lives
had been at risk, and how dangerous their journey had been.
So little distance traveled to come so far, he mused. So little
time to have discovered so much.
Still holding her, he stroked her back in small circles and
said, “I’ll tell you something. It sometimes seems as if I’m
frightened all the time. Ever since Coil and I first left Varfleet,
all those weeks ago, I’ve been afraid. Everything that happens
seems to cost something. I never know what I’m going to lose
next, and I hate it. But what frightens me most. Damson Rhee,
is the possibility that I might lose you.”
He tightened his arms about her, pressing her close. “What
do you think about that? ” he whispered.
Her response was to tighten her arms back.
They walked through the early morning without saying
much after that, leaving behind the city of Tyrsis, moving
north across the plains \to the forested threshold of the Drag-
on’s Teeth. The day warmed quickly, crystals of night’s dew
faded with the sun’s rise, and dampness dried away into stir-
rings of dust. They saw no one for a long time, and then only
peddlers and families coming in from their farms to market in
the city. Par found himself thinking of home again, of his par-
ents and Coil, but it all seemed to be something that had hap-
pened a long time ago. He might wish that things were as they
had been and that all that had happened since his encounter
60 The Talismans of Shannara
with Cogline had not—but he knew he might as well wish the
day become night and the sun the moon. He looked at Damson
walking beside him, at the soft strong lines of her face and the
movement of her body, and let what might have been slide
quickly away.
At midday they crossed the Mermidon into the forests be-
yond and stopped to eat. They foraged for fresh water, berries,
roots, and vegetables, and made do. It was cool and silent
within the trees while the day’s heat suffocated the surrounding
land in an airless, sweltering blanket. After eating, they de-
cided to sleep for a time, weary from their night’s efforts and
anxious to take advantage of their refuge. It was only several
hours further to the Kennon Pass, Damson advised, where they
would cross through the Dragon’s Teeth into the valley that
had once been Paranor’s home. From there they would travel
north and east to the Jannisson Pass and Firerim Reach. In an-
other two days, she promised, they should reach the free-bom.
But they slept longer than they had planned, lulled by the
coolness and the soothing sound of the wind in the trees, and
it was nearing sunset when they came awake again. They rose
and set out at once, anxious to make up as much time as they
could. If the moon was out, they could navigate the pass at
night. Otherwise, they would have to wait until morning. In ei-
ther case, they wanted to reach the Kennon by nightfall.
So they traveled swiftly, unhindered by heavy stands of
scrub or grasses in woods that were well traveled and spacious,
feeling rested and fit after their sleep. The sun drifted west,
edging down into the trees until it was a bright flare of gold
and crimson through the screen of the leaves and branches.
The moon appeared in skies that were clear and blue, and the
day birds began to grow silent in response to the coming of
night. Par felt at ease for the first time in days, at peace with
himself. He was relieved to be out of Tyrsis, clear of her sew-
Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 221 222 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239 240 241