And the bearded elf, the dwarf, and the kender, and an elflord:'

"Right,:' the constable said briskly. ":Vow, where are the others?" At his gesture, his guards leveled their hauberks, pointing there at the companions.

"7 don't understand what all this is about;" Tanis sasid mildly. "We are strangers in Tarsis, simply pa.s.sing through on our way south. Is this how you welcome strangers to your city?"

"We don't welcome strangers to our city," the constable replied. His gaze shifted to Sturm and he sneered. "Especially a Knight of Solanmia. If you're innocent as you say you are, you won't mind answering some questions from the Lord and his council. Where's the rest of your party?"

"My friends are tired and have gone to their rooms to rest. Our journey leas been long and tiring. But we do not want to cause trouble. The four of us will come with you and answer your questions. ('Five; said Ta.s.slehoff indignantly, but everyone ignored him.) There is no need to disturb our companions:'

"Go get the others;' the constable ordered his men.

Two guards headed for the stairs, which suddenly burst into flame! Smoke billowed into the roam, driving the guards back. Everyone ran for the door. Tanis grabbed Ta.s.slehoff, who was staring with wide-eyed interest, and dragged him outside.

The constable was frantically blowing on his whistle, while several of his men prepared to dash off through the streets, raising the alarm. But the flames died as quickly as they had been born.

"Eeep-"The constable choked off his whistle. His face pale, he stepped warily back inside the inn. Tanis, peering aver his shoulder, shook his head in .awe.

There was not a whisper of smoke, not a bit of varnish had so much as peeled.

From the top of the stairs, IIe could hear faintly the sound of Raistlin's voice. As the constable glanced apprehensively up the stairs, the chanting stopped.

Tanis swallowed, then drew a deep breath. He knew he must he as pale as the constable, and he glanced at Sturm and Flint. Raistlin's power was growing . . .

"The magician must be up there," the constable muttered.

"Very goad, Birdwhistle,and haw long'd it take you to figure that one out" Tas began in a tone of voice Tanis knew meant trouble. He trod upon the Kender's foot, and Tas subsided into silence with a reproachful dance.

Fortunately the constable didn't appear to have heard. He glared at Sturm.

"You'll come with us peacefully'."'

"Yes," answered Sturm. "You love my word of honor;" the knight added "and no matter what you may think of the Knights, you know that my honor is my life."

The constable's eyes went to the dark stairway "Very well," he said finally.

"Two of you guards stay here at the stair The rest cover the other exits. Check anyone coming in and out. You all have the descriptions of the strangers?"

The guards nodded, exchanging uneasy glances. The two slated for guard duty inside the inn gave the staircase a frightened look and stood as far from it as possible. Tanis smiled grimly to himself.

The five companions, the kender grinning with excitement, followed the constable out of the building. As they walked into the street, Tanis caught sight of movement at an upstairs window. Looking up, he saw Laurana watching, her face drawn with fear. She raised her hand, he saw her lips form the words, "I"m sorry," in elven. Raistlin's words came to his mind and he felt chilled. His heart ached. The thought that he might never see her again made the world seem suddenly bleak and empty and desolate. He realized what Laurana had come to mean to him in these last few dark months when even hope had died as he saw the evil armies of the Dragon Highlords overrun the land. Her steadfast faith, her courage, her unfailing, undying hope! How different from Kitiara!

The guard poked Tanis in the back. "Face forward! Quit signaling to those friends of yaurn!" he snarled. The half-elf's thoughts returned to Kitiara. No, the warrior woman could never have acted so selflessly. She never could have helped the people as Laurana had helped them. Kit would have grown impatient and angry and left them to live or die as they chose. She detested and despised those weaker than herself.

Tanis thought -of Kitiara and he thought of Laurana, but he was interested to note that the old painful thrill didn't knot his soul anymore when he said Kitiara's name to himself. No, now it was Laurana-the silly little girl who, had been no more than a spoiled and irritating child only months before-who made leis blood .burn and his hands search for excuses to touch her. And now, perhaps, it was too late.

When he reached the end of the street, he glanced back again, hoping to give her same sort of sign. Let her know he understood. Let her know he'd been a fool.

Let her know he

But the curtain was drawn.

Chapter 5.

The riot. Tas disappears. Alhana Starbreeze.

"Foul knight . . "

A rock struck Sturm on the shoulder. The knight flinched, though the stone could have caused him little pain through his armor. Tanis, looking at his pale face and quivering moustaches, knew the pain was deeper than a weapon could inflict.

'The crowds grew as the companions were marched through the street and word of their taming spread. Sturm walked with dignity, his, head held proudly, ignoring the taunts and jeers. Although their guards shoved the crowd back time and again, they did it half-heartedly and the crowd knew it. More rocks were thrown, as were other objects even less pleasant. Soon all of the companions were cut and bleeding and covered with garbage and filth.

Tanis knew Sturm would never stoop to retaliation, not on this rabble, but the half-elf had to keep a firm grip on Flint. Even then, he was in constant fear the angry dwarf would charge past the guards and start breaking heads. But, in watching Flint, Tanis had forgotten Ta.s.slehoff.

Besides being quite casual in respect to other people's property, kenders have another unendearing characteristic known as the "taunt." A,II kenders possess this talent to a greater or lesser degree., It is hoses their diminutive race has managed to thrive and survive in a world of knights and warriors, trolls and hobgoblins. The taunt is the ability to insult an enemy and work him into such .a fever pitch of rage that he loses his head and begins fighting wildly and erratically- Tas was a master at the taunt, though he rarely found a need to use it when traveling with his warrior friends. But Tas derided to take full advantage of this opportunity.

He began to shout insults back.

Too late Tanis realised what was happening. In vain he tried to shut him up.

'Las was at the front off the line, the half-elf at the hack, and there was no way to gag the kender.

Such insults as 'foul knight" and 'elven sc.u.m' lacked imagination, Tas felt. He derided to show these people exactly how much range and scope for variety were available in the Common language. Ta.s.slehoff's insults were masterpieces of creativity and ingenuity: Unfortunately, that,, also tended to be extremely personal and occasionally rather crude, delivered with an .air of charming innocence..

'7s that your nose or a disease? -Can those fleas crawling on your body do tricks? Was your mother a gully dwarf?" were only the beginning Matters went rapidly dawn hill from there.

The guards began eyeing angry crowd in alarm, while the constable gave the order to hurry the prisoners' march. What he had seen as a victory procession exhibit ing trophies of conquest appeared to be disintegrating into a full-scale riot.

'Shut that Kender up!" he yelled furiously.

Tanis tried desperately to reach Ta.s.slehoff, but the struggling guards acid the surging crowd made it impossible. Gilthanas was knocked off his feet. Sturm bent over the elf, trying to protect him. Flint was kicking and flailing about in a rage. Tanis had just neared Ta.s.slehoff when he was. .h.i.t in the face with a tomato and momentarily blinded.

"Hey, constable, you know what you could do with that whistle? You could-"

Ta.s.slehoff never got a chance to tell the constable what he might do with the whistle, because at that instant a large hand plucked him up out of the center of the melee. A hand clapped itself over Tas's mouth, while two more pairs of hands gripped the Kender's wildly kicking feet. A sack was popped over his head, and all Tas saw or smelled from that point on was burlap as he felt himself being carried away,

Tanis, wiping tomato from hisstinging eyes, heard the sound of boated feet and mare shouts and yells. The crowd hooted and jeered, them brake and ran. When he could finally see again, the half-elf glanced around quickly to make certain

everyone was all right. Sturm was helping Gilthanas rise, wiping blood from a cut on the elf's forehead. Flint, swearing fluently, plucked cabbage from his beard.

"Where's that blasted ken de r!" the dwarf roared. "I'll-" He stopped and stared, fuming this way and that. "Where is that blasted Kender? Tas? So help me-"

"Hush!" Tanis ordered, realizing Tas had managed to escape.

Flint turned purple. 'Why that little b.a.s.t.a.r.d)" he swore. "He was the one got us into this and he left us to-"

"Shhhl" Tamil said, glaring at the dwarf.

Flint ducked and fell silent.

The constable hustled his prisoners into the Hall of Justice. It was only when they were safely inside the ugly brick building chat he realized one of them was missing.

"Shall we go after him, sari" asked a guard.

The constable thought a moment, then shook his head in anger. "Don't waste your time," he said bitterly. 'Do you know what it's like trying t0 fin) a kender who doesn't want to be found? CST. let him go We've still got the important ores.