Conundrum looked quite fierce. “The repairs to Indestructible are going to cost a bundle. I think it was insured for liability only and not collision—”
Tas had a feeling the subject was veering off into a boring area, so he interrupted. “By the way, where are we going?”
“Something to do with Knights,” Conundrum replied. “Live knights, I hope, although I wouldn’t bet on it. You can’t believe how sick I am of hearing about dead people all the time.”
“Knights!” Tasslehoff cried joyfully. “I’m here for the sai thing!”
At this juncture, Goldmoon halted. She looked up one street and down another and appeared to be lost. Tasslehoff left the gnome, who was still muttering to himself about insurance, and hastened over to see if Goldmoon required help.
Goldmoon ignored Tas and instead stopped a woman who, to judge by her tabard marked with a red rose, was a Solamnic Knight. The woman gave her directions and then asked what brought Goldmoon to Solanthus.
“I am Goldmoon, a Mystic of the Citadel of Light,” she said, introducing herself. “I hope to be able to speak before the Knights’ Council.”
“I am Lady Odila, Knight of the Rose,” the woman replied and bowed respectfully. “We have heard of Goldmoon of the Citadel of Light. A most highly revered woman. You must be her daughter.”
Goldmoon looked suddenly very worn and weary, as if she had heard this many times before now.
“Yes,” she said with a sigh. “I am her daughter.”
Lady Odila bowed low again. “Welcome to Solanthus, Daughter of Goldmoon. The Knights’ Council has many urgent matters before it, but they are always glad to hear from one of the Mystics of the Citadel of Light, particularly after the terrible news we received of the attack on the citadel.”
“What attack?” Goldmoon went exceedingly pale, so pale that Tasslehoff took hold of her hand and gave a sympathetic squeeze.
“I can tell you—” Tas began.
“Merciful goodness, it’s a kender,” said Lady Odila in the same tone as she might have said, “Merciful goodness, it’s a bugbear.” The Knight detached Tasslehoff’s hand, placed herself in between Tas and Goldmoon.
“Don’t worry, Healer. I’ll deal with it. Guard! Another of the little beasts has broken in. Remove it—”
“I am not a little beast!” Tasslehoff stated indignantly. “I’m with Goldmoon . . . her daughter, that is. I’m a friend of her mother’s.”
“And I’m her business manager,” said Conundrum, bustling up importantly. “If you’d care to contribute money—”
“What attack?” Goldmoon demanded desperately. “Is this true, Tas? When did it happen?”
“It all started when— Excuse me, but I’m talking to Goldmoon!” Tas said, wriggling in the grip of the City Guard.
“Please, leave him alone. He is with me,” Goldmoon pleaded. “I take full responsibility.”
The guard looked dubious, but he could not very well go against the express wishes of one of the revered Mystics of the citadel. He looked to Lady Odila, who shrugged and said in an undertone, “Don’t worry. I will see to it that he is removed before nightfall.”
Tas, meanwhile, was telling his tale.
“It all started when I went to Palin’s room because I had decided that I would be noble and go back in time and let the giant squish me, only I’ve changed my mind about that now, Goldmoon. You see, I thought about it and—”
“Tas!” Goldmoon said sharply, giving him a little shake. “The attack!”
“Oh, right. Well, Palin and I were talking this over and I looked out the window and saw a big dragon flying toward the citadel.”
“What dragon?” Goldmoon pressed her hand against her heart.
“Beryl. The same dragon who put the curse on me,” Tasslehoff stated.
“I know because I went squirmy and shivery all over, even my stomach. So did Palin. We tried to use the Device of Time Journeying to escape, but Palin broke it. By that time Beryl was there, and a lot of other dragons and draconians were jumping out of the skies, and people were running around screaming. Like that time in Tarsis. Do you remember that? When the red dragons attacked us, and the building fell on top of me, and we lost Tanis and Raistlin?”
“My people!” Goldmoon whispered, half-suffocated. She swayed unsteadily on her feet. “What about my people?”
“Healer, please, sit down,” Lady Odila said gently. Putting her arms around Goldmoon, she led her to a low wall that encircled a splashing fountain.
“Can this be true?” Goldmoon asked the Knight.
“I am sorry to say that, strange as it may seem, the kender’s tale is a true one. We received reports from our garrison stationed on Sancrist Isle that the citadel was attacked by Beryl and her dragons. They did an immense amount of destruction, but most of the people were able to escape safely into the hills.”
“Thank the One God,” Goldmoon murmured.
“What, Healer?” Lady Odila asked, perplexed. “What did you say?”
“I’m not certain,” Goldmoon faltered. “What did I say?”
“You said, ‘Thank the One God.’ We have heard of no god coming to Krynn.” Lady Odila looked intrigued. “What do you mean?”
“I wish I knew,” said Goldmoon softly. Her gaze grew abstracted. “I don’t know why I said that. . . .”
“I escaped, too,” Tas exclaimed loudly. “Along with Palin. It was quite exciting. Palin threw the pieces of the device at the draconians, and it made some truly spectacular magic, and we ran up the Silver Stair in the smoke of the burning Hedge Maze—”
At this further reminder of his life quest going up in smoke, Conundrum began to wheeze and sat down heavily beside Goldmoon.
“—and Dalamar saved us!” Tas announced. “One minute we were on the very edge of the Silver Stair, and then whoosh! we were in the Tower of High Sorcery in Palanthas, only it isn’t anymore. In Palanthas. It’s still a Tower of High Sorcery—”
“What a little liar you are,” said Lady Odila. She sounded almost respectful, so Tas chose to take this as a compliment.
“Thank you,” he said modestly, “but I’m not making this up. I really did find Dalamar and the Tower. I understand it’s been lost for quite a while.”
“I left them to face the danger alone,” Goldmoon was saying distractedly, paying no attention to Tas. “I left my people to face the dragons alone, and yet what could I do? The voices of the dead called to me. . . . I had to follow!”
“Do you hear her?” asked Conundrum, prodding the Knight with his finger. “Ghosts. Ghouls. That’s who she’s talking to, you know. Mad. Quite mad.” He rattled the money pouch. “If you’d like to make a donation . . . it’s tax-deductible—”
Lady Odila regarded them as if they were all suitable candidates for a donation, but seeing Goldmoon’s fatigue and distress, the Knight’s expression softened. She put her arm around Goldmoon’s thin shoulders.
“You have had a shock, Healer. You have traveled far, by the sounds of it, and in strange company. Come with me. I will take you to Starmaster Mikelis.”
“Yes, I know him! Although,” Goldmoon added, sighing deeply, “he will not know me.”
Lady Odila rose to lead Goldmoon away. Tas and Conundrum rose, too, following right behind. Hearing their footsteps, the Knight turned around. She had that look on her face that Knights get when they are about to summon the City Guard and have someone dragged off to jail. Guessing that the someone might be him, Tasslehoff thought fast.