That's enough!" said Tanis as Sturm's face darkened.

"The mage goes back, or I do," Sturm said coldly.

"Sturm-" Tanis began..

Ta.s.slehoff took this opportunity to leave the table very quietly. Everyone was focused an the argument between the knight, the half-elf, and the magic-user.

Ta.s.slehoff skipped out the front door of the Red Dragon; a name he thought particularly funny. But Tanis had .not laughed.

Tas thought about that as he walked along, looking at the new sights ire delight. Tanis didn't laugh at anything anymore.

The half-elf was certainly carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders, it seemed. Ta.s.slehoff suspected he knew what was wrong with Tanis. The kender took a ring out of one of his pouches and studied it. The ring was golden, of elven make, carved in the form of clinging ivy leaves. He had picked it up in Qualinesti. This time, the ring was not something the kender had "acquired: It had been thrown at his feet by a heartbroken Laurana after Tanis had returned it to her.

The kender considered all this and decided that splitting up and going off after new adventure was just what everyone needed. He, of course, would go with Tanis and Flint-the kender firmly believed neither could get along without him. But first, he'd get a glimpse of this interesting city.

Ta.s.slehoff reached the end of the street. Glancing back, he could see the Red Dragon Inn. Good. No one was out looking for him yet. He was just about to ask a pa.s.sing street peddler how to get to the marketplace when he saw something that promised to make this interesting city a whole lot mare interesting ....

Tanis settled the argument between Sturm and Raistlin, for the time being at least. The mage decided to stay in Tarsis to hunt for the remains of the old library. Caramon and Tika offered to stay with him, while Tanis, Sturm, and Flint (and Tas) would push southward, picking up the brothers on their way back.

The rest of the group would take the disappointing news back to Southgate.

That being settled, Tanis went to the innkeeper to pay far their night's lodging. He was counting out silver coins when he felt a hand touch his arm.

"I want you to ask to have my room changed to one near Elistan's;' Laurana said.

Tanis glanced at her sharply. "Why is that?" he asked, trying to keep the harshness out of his voice.

Laurana sighed. "We're not going to go through this again" are we? "

"I have no idea what you mean;' Tanis said coldly, turning away from the grinning innkeeper.

"For the first time in my life, I'm doing something meaningful and useful;"

Laurana said, catching hold of his arm. "And you want me to quit because of same jealous notion you have about me and Elistan-"

"I am not jealous," Tanis retorted, flushing. "I told you in Qualinesti that what was between us when we were younger is over now. I-" He paused, wandering if that were true. Even as he spoke, his soul trembled at her beauty. Yes, that youthful infatuation was gone, but was it being replaced by something else, something stronger and more enduring? And was he losing it? Had he already lost it" through his own indecisiveness and stubbornness? He was acting typically human, the half-elf thought. Refusing that which was in easy reach, only to cry for it when it was gone. He shook his head in confusion.

"If you're not jealous, then why don't you leave me alone and Let me continue my work for Elistan in peace?" Laurana asked coldly. "You-"

"shush!" Tanis held up his hand. Laurana, annoyed, started to talk, but Tanis glared at her so fiercely she fell silent.

Tanis listened. Yes, he"d been right. He could hear clearly now the shrulc*

high-pitched" screaming whine of the leather sling on the end of Tas.'s hoopak staff. It was a peculiar sound, produced by the kender swinging the sling in a circle over his head" and it raised the hair on the back of the neck. It was also a kender signal for danger.

"Trouble;" Tanis said softly. "Get tire others:' Taking one look at his grim face, Lau-Tana obeyed without question. Tanis turned abruptly to face the innkeeper" who eras sidling around the desk. "Where are you going?" he asked sharply.

"Just Leaving tai check your rooms, sir;' the innkeeper said smoothly; and he vanished precipitously into the kitchen. Just then, Ta.s.slehoff burst through the roar of the inn.

"Guards, Tanis! Guards^. Corning this way!"

"Surely they can't be here because of us;' Tanis said. He stopped; eyeing the light-fingered kender, struck by a sudden thought. "Tas-"

"It wasn't me, honest! " Tas protested" ":I never even reached the marketplace!

I Just got to the bottom of the street when I saw a whole troop of guards coming this direction."

"What's this about guards?" Sturm asked as he entered from the common ram. "Is this am of the kender's stories?"

"No. Listen;" Tanis said. Every one hushed. They could hearhe tramp of booted feet coming their direction and glanced at each other in apprehension and concern. "The innkeeper's disappeared. I thought we got into the city a bit too easily. I should have expected trouble." Tanis scratched his beard, well aware that everyone was looking to him for orders.

"Laurana, you and Elistan go upstairs. Sturm, you and Gilthanas remain with me.

The rest of you go to your rooms. Riverwind, you're in command. You, Caramon, and Raistlin protect them. Use your magic, Raistlin, if necessary. Flint-"

"I'm staying with you;' the dwarf stated firmly.

Tanis smiled and put his hand on Flint's shoulder. "Of course, old friend. I didn't even think you needed telling:"

Grinning, Flint pulled his battle-axe out of its holder on his back. "Take this;' he said to Caramon. "Better you have it than any scurvy, lice-ridden city guards:'

"That's a good idea;' Tanis said. Unbuckling his swordbelt, he handed Caramon Wyrmslayer, the magical sword given to him by the skeleton of Kith-Kanan, the Elven King.

Gilthanas silently handed over his sword and his elven bow.

"Yours, too, knight;' Caramon said" holding out his hand.

Sturm frowned. Isis antique, two-handed sword and its scabbard were the only legacy he had left of his father" a great Knight of Solamnia, who had vanished after sending his wife and young ran into exile. Slowly Sturm unbuckled his swordbelt and handed it to Caramon.

The jovial warrior, seeing the knight's obvious concern, grew serious. "I'll guard it carefully, you know that, Sturm.''

"I know;" Sturm said, smiling sadly. He glanced up at Raistlin, who was standing on the stairs. "Besides, there is always the great worm, Catyrpelius, to protect it, isn't there, mage?"

Raistlin started at this unexpected reminder of a time in the burned-out city of Solace when he had tricked some hobgoblins into believing Sturm's sword was cursed. It was the closest to an expression of grat.i.tude that the knight had ever made to the mage. Raistlin smiled. briefly.

"Yes;" he whispered. "There is always the Worm. Do not fear, knight. Your weapon is safe, as are the lives of those you leave in our care . . . if any are safe .

. . . Farewell, my friends," he hissed, his strange" hourgla.s.s eyes gleaming.

"And a long farewell it gill be. Same of us are not destined to meet again in this world"." With that, he bowed and, gathering his red robes around him, began to climb the stairs.

Trust Raistlin to exit with a flourish, Tanis thought irritably, hearing boated feet near the door.

"Go on!" he ordered. "If he's right, there's nothing we can do about it now:'

After a hesitant look at Tans, the others did as he ordered, climbing the stairs quickly. Only Laurana .cast a fearful glance back at Tanis as Elistan took her arm. Caramon, sword drawn, waited behind until the last was past.

"Don't worry," the big warrior said uneasily. "We'll be all right. If you're not back by nightfall-"

I) on't come looking for us!" Tanis said, guessing Caramon's intention. The half-elf was more disturbed than he cared to admit by Raistlin's ominous statement. He had known the wage many years and had seen his power grow, even as the shadows seemed to gather more thickly around him. "If we're not back, get Elistan, Goldmoon, and the others back to Southgate :'

Caramon nodded reluctantly, then he walked ponderously up the stairs, his weapons clanking around him.

"It's probably just a routine check," Sturm said hurriedly in a low voice as the guards could be seen through the window now. "They'll ask us a few questions, then release us. But, they've undoubtedly got a description of ally of us!"

"I have a feeling it isn't routine. Not the way everyone's vanished. .find they're going to have to Settle for some

said softly ' ~ --* or us,' Tanis Softly a5 the guards entered the door, led by the constable and accompanied by the guard from the wall.

"That's them!" the guard cried, pointing. "There's the knight, like I told you.