"I will tell them;" she promised sadly, eyes on Gilthanas,
The elflord was staring at her and at Fizban, his face pale, fear spreading through his soul.
Silvara sighed. "You are right. I broke the oath long ago. I
must finish what I set out to do:' '
"As you think best:' Fizban laid his hand upon Silvara's
head, stroking her silver hair. Then he turned away.
"Will I be punished?" she asked, just as the old man stepped
into the shadows.
Fizban stopped. Shaking his head, he looked back aver his
shoulder. "Same would say you are being punished right now,
Silvara;' he said softly. "But what you do, you do out of love.
As the choice was up to you, so is your punishment:'
The old man stepped into the darkness. Tasslehoff ran after
him, his pouches bouncing behind him. "Good-bye, Laurana!
Good-bye, Theros! Take care of Flint,!" In the silence that fol
lowed, Laurana could hear the old man's voice.
"What was that name again? Fizbut, Furball=
r
"Fizban!" said Tar, shrilly. y
"Fizban . . . Fizban . . :" muttered the old man.
All eyes turned to Silvara.
She was calm now, at peace with herself. Although her face
was filled with sorrow, it was not the tormented, bitter sorrow
they had seen earlier. This was the sorrow of loss, the quiet,
accepting sorrow of one who has nothing to regret. Silvara
walked toward Gilthanas. She took hold of his hands and
looked up into his face with so much love that Gilthanas felt
blessed, even as he knew she was going to tell him good-bye.
"I am losing you, Silvara: he murmured in broken tones. "I .
see it in your eyes.. Hut I don't know why! You lave me-"
"I love you, elflord: Silvara said softly.. "I laved you when I saw you lying injured upon the sand. When you looked up and smiled at me, I knew that the fate which had befallen my sister was to be mine, too." She sighed. "But it is a risk we take when we choose this form. Far though we bring our strength into it., .. the form inflicts its weaknesses upon us. Or is it a weakness? To
love . . .
"Silvara, I don't understand!" Gilthanas cried.
"You will;" she promised, her voice soft. Her head bowed.
Gilthanas took her in his hands, holding her. She buried her face in his chest. He kissed her beautiful silver hair, then clasped her with a sob.
Laurana turned away. This grief seemed too sacred for her eyes to intrude upon. Swallowing her own tears, she looked around and then remembered the dwarf. She took some water from his waterskin and sprinkled it on Flint's face.
His eyes fluttered, then opened. The dwarf stared up at Laurana for a moment and reached out a trembling hand.
"Fizban!" the dwarf whispered hoarsely.
"I know;" Laurana said, wondering how the dwarf would take the news about Tas's leaning.
"Fizban's dead!" Flint gasped. "Tas said so! In a pile of chicken feathers!" The dwarf struggled to sit up. "Where is that rattle-brained kender?"
"He's gone, Flint;" Laurana said. "He went with Fizban:'
"Gone?" The dwarf looked around blankly. "You let him go? With that old man?"
"I'm afraid so-"
"You let him go with a dead old marl?"
"I really didn't have much choice:" Laurana smiled. "It was his decision. He'll be fine-'
"Where'd they go?" Flint stood and shouldered his pack.
"You can't go after them;' Laurana said. "Please, Flint:" She put her arm around the dwarf's shoulders. "I need you. You're Tanis's oldest friend, my advisor-"
"But he's gone without me' ' Flint said plaintively. "How could he leave? I didn't see him go?"
"You fainted
"I did no such thing!' the dwarf roared.
"You-you were out cold;" Laurana stammered.
"I never faint!" stated the dwarf indignantly. "It must have been a recurrence of that deadly disease I caught on board that boat-" Flint dropped his pack and slumped down beside it. "Idiot kender, Running off with a dead old man:'
Theros came aver to Laurana, drawing her to one side. "Who was that old man?" he asked curiously
"It's a long story:" Laurana sighed. "And I'm not certain I cculd answer that. question anyway."
"He seems familiar:' Theros frowned and shook his head. "But I can't remember where I've seen him before, though he puts me in mind of Solace and the Inn of the Last Home. And he knew me. . :" The blacksmith stared at his silver hand. "I felt a shock go through me when he looked at me, like lightning striking a tree:" The big blacksmith shivered, then he glanced over at Silvara and Gilthanas. "And what of this?"
"I think we're finally about to find out," Laurana said.
"You were right;' Theros said. "You didn't trust her-'
"But not for the right reasons;" Laurana admitted guiltily.
With a small sigh, Silvara pushed herself away from Gilthanas's embrace. The elflord let her go reluctantly.
"Gilthanas," she said, drawing a shuddering breath, "take a torch off the wall and hold it up before me."
Gilthanas hesitated. Then, almost angrily, he followed her directions.
"Hold the torch there . . :' she instructed, guiding his hand so that the light blared right before her. "Now-look at my shadow on the wall behind me;' she said in trembling tones.
The tomb was silent, only the sputtering of the flaming torch made any sound. Silvara's shadow sprang into life on the cold stone wall behind lever. The companions stared at it and-for an instant-none of them could say a word.
The shadow Silvara cast upon the wall was not the shadow of a young elfmaid.
It was the shadow of a dragon.
"You're a dragon!"' Laurana said in shocked disbelief. She laid her hand on lever sword, but Theros stopped her.
"No!" he said suddenly. "I remember. That old man-" tie looked at his arm. "Now I remember. He used to come intro the Inn of the Last Home! He was dressed differently. He wasn't a mage, but it was him! I'll swear it! He told stories to the children Stories about good dragons. Gold dragons and="
"Silver dragons;' Silvara said, looking at Theros. "I am a silver dragon. My sister was the Silver Dragon who lowed Huma and fought the final great battle with him-"
',No!,' Gilthanas flung the torch lea the ground. It lag flickering for a moment at his feet, them he stamped an it angrily, putting out its light. Silvara, watching him with sad eyes, reached out her hand to comfort him.
THE DRAGONS OF WINTER NIGHT
Gilthanas shrank from her touch, staring at her in horror.
Silvara lowered her hand slowly. Sighing gently, she nodded. "I understand;" she murmured. "I'm sorry."
Gilthanas began to shake, then doubled over in agony. Putting his strong arms around him, Theros led Gilthanas to a bench and covered him with his cloak.
"I'll be all right;' Gilthanas mumbled. "Just leave me alone, let me think. This is madness! It's all a nightmare. A dragon!" He closed his eyes tightly as if he could blot out their sight forever, "A dragon. . :" he whispered brokenly. Theros patted him gently, then returned to the others.