Read Online Dragonlance 04 - Time of the Twins by Margaret Weis - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Margaret Weis
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personal relationships with Laurana's brother, but would affect the treaty of alliance being negotiated between Qualinesti and Solamnia.
And then, his eyes going to Crysania, Tanis realized he had another problem. He groaned inwardly. He couldn't take her to Qualinost. Porthios had no use for human clerics.
"Look," Tanis said, suddenly getting an idea, "I'll come back, after the funeral." Tika's eyes brightened. He turned to Lady Crysania. "I'll leave you here, Revered Daughter. You'll be safe in this town, in the Inn, Then I can escort you back to Palanthas since your journey has failed—”
"My journey has not failed," Crysania said resolutely. "I will continue as I began. I intend to go to the Tower of High Sorcery at Wayreth, there to council with Par-Salian of the White Robes."
Tanis shook his head. "I cannot take you there," he said. "And Caramon obviously is incapable. Therefore I suggest—”
"Yes," Crysania interrupted complacently. "Caramon is clearly incapacitated. Therefore I will wait for the kender friend of yours to meet me here with the person he was sent to find, then I will continue on my own."
"Absolutely not!" Tanis shouted. Riverwind raised his eyebrows, reminding Tanis who he was addressing.With an effort, the half-elf regained control. "My lady, you have no idea of the danger! Besides those dark things that pursued us— and I think we all know who sent them—I've heard Caramon's stories about the Forest of Wayreth. It's darker still! We'll go back to Palanthas, I’ll find some Knights—”
For the first time, Tanis saw a pale stain of color touch Crysania's marble cheeks. Her dark brows contracted as she seemed to be thinking. Then her face cleared. Looking up at Tanis, she smiled.
"There is no danger," she said. "I am in Paladine's hands. The dark creatures may have been sent by Raistlin, but they have no power to harm me! They have merely strengthened my resolve." Seeing Tanis's face grow even grimmer, she sighed. "I promise this much. I will think about it. Perhaps you are right. Perhaps the journey is too dangerous—”
"And a waste of time!" Tanis muttered, sorrow and exhaustion making him speak bluntly what he had felt all along about this woman’s crazy scheme."If Par-Salian could have destroyed Raistlin, he would have done it long before—”
"Destroy!" Crysania regarded Tanis in shock, her gray eyes cold. "I do not seek his destruction."
Tanis stared at her in amazement.
"I seek to reclaim him," Crysania continued. "I will go to my rooms now, if someone will be so kind as to guide me to them."
Dezra hurried forward. Crysania calmly bade them all goodnight, then followed Dezra from the room. Tanis gazed after her, totally at a loss for words. He heard Riverwind mutter something in Que-shu. Then Caramon groaned again. Riverwind nudged Tanis. Together they bent over the slumbering Caramon and—with an effort—hauled the big man to his feet.
"Name of the Abyss, he's heavy!" Tanis gasped, staggering under the man's dead weight as Caramon's flacid arms flopped over his shoulders. The putrid smell of the dwarf spirit made him gag.
"How can he drink that stuff?" Tanis said to Riverwind as the two dragged the drunken man to the door, Tika following along anxiously behind.
"I saw a warrior fall victim to that curse once," Riverwind grunted. "He perished leaping over a cliff, being chased by creatures that were there only in his mind."
"I should stay—” Tanis murmured.
"You cannot fight another's battle, my friend," Riverwind said firmly. "Especially when it is between a man and his own soul."
It was past midnight when Tanis and Riverwind had Caramon safely at home and dumped—unceremoniously—into his bed. Tanis had never been so tired in his life. His shoulders ached from carrying the dead weight of the giant warrior. He was worn out and felt drained, his memories of the past—once pleasant—were now like old wounds, open and bleeding. And he still
And then, his eyes going to Crysania, Tanis realized he had another problem. He groaned inwardly. He couldn't take her to Qualinost. Porthios had no use for human clerics.
"Look," Tanis said, suddenly getting an idea, "I'll come back, after the funeral." Tika's eyes brightened. He turned to Lady Crysania. "I'll leave you here, Revered Daughter. You'll be safe in this town, in the Inn, Then I can escort you back to Palanthas since your journey has failed—”
"My journey has not failed," Crysania said resolutely. "I will continue as I began. I intend to go to the Tower of High Sorcery at Wayreth, there to council with Par-Salian of the White Robes."
Tanis shook his head. "I cannot take you there," he said. "And Caramon obviously is incapable. Therefore I suggest—”
"Yes," Crysania interrupted complacently. "Caramon is clearly incapacitated. Therefore I will wait for the kender friend of yours to meet me here with the person he was sent to find, then I will continue on my own."
"Absolutely not!" Tanis shouted. Riverwind raised his eyebrows, reminding Tanis who he was addressing.With an effort, the half-elf regained control. "My lady, you have no idea of the danger! Besides those dark things that pursued us— and I think we all know who sent them—I've heard Caramon's stories about the Forest of Wayreth. It's darker still! We'll go back to Palanthas, I’ll find some Knights—”
For the first time, Tanis saw a pale stain of color touch Crysania's marble cheeks. Her dark brows contracted as she seemed to be thinking. Then her face cleared. Looking up at Tanis, she smiled.
"There is no danger," she said. "I am in Paladine's hands. The dark creatures may have been sent by Raistlin, but they have no power to harm me! They have merely strengthened my resolve." Seeing Tanis's face grow even grimmer, she sighed. "I promise this much. I will think about it. Perhaps you are right. Perhaps the journey is too dangerous—”
"And a waste of time!" Tanis muttered, sorrow and exhaustion making him speak bluntly what he had felt all along about this woman’s crazy scheme."If Par-Salian could have destroyed Raistlin, he would have done it long before—”
"Destroy!" Crysania regarded Tanis in shock, her gray eyes cold. "I do not seek his destruction."
Tanis stared at her in amazement.
"I seek to reclaim him," Crysania continued. "I will go to my rooms now, if someone will be so kind as to guide me to them."
Dezra hurried forward. Crysania calmly bade them all goodnight, then followed Dezra from the room. Tanis gazed after her, totally at a loss for words. He heard Riverwind mutter something in Que-shu. Then Caramon groaned again. Riverwind nudged Tanis. Together they bent over the slumbering Caramon and—with an effort—hauled the big man to his feet.
"Name of the Abyss, he's heavy!" Tanis gasped, staggering under the man's dead weight as Caramon's flacid arms flopped over his shoulders. The putrid smell of the dwarf spirit made him gag.
"How can he drink that stuff?" Tanis said to Riverwind as the two dragged the drunken man to the door, Tika following along anxiously behind.
"I saw a warrior fall victim to that curse once," Riverwind grunted. "He perished leaping over a cliff, being chased by creatures that were there only in his mind."
"I should stay—” Tanis murmured.
"You cannot fight another's battle, my friend," Riverwind said firmly. "Especially when it is between a man and his own soul."
It was past midnight when Tanis and Riverwind had Caramon safely at home and dumped—unceremoniously—into his bed. Tanis had never been so tired in his life. His shoulders ached from carrying the dead weight of the giant warrior. He was worn out and felt drained, his memories of the past—once pleasant—were now like old wounds, open and bleeding. And he still
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