Hasdel asked, “So we can depart now for the hermitage and they will follow us?”
Kalo nodded again. “Until we are out of danger.”
Lamus, who was now standing on his own, brushed Ty’s arm aside. He nodded to the young man from Riverlok, and Ty released his hold. The old monk slowly turned about, looking at the inner hall of the great tower, oblivious to the sound of the starlings outside.
At almost the same time Lamus was regaining his strength, Kalo was losing his. He reached out to touch Hasdel and then stumbled to the chamber step. He smiled up at the gava. “Remember the sinking feeling after the power of the elf drink left us?” Hasdel nodded. “I feel like that, only much more.”
“You have been through so much more, lad,” said Hasdel. “How many days did it take for you to build the Shimmerstrand with the wild things?”
“Two,” Kalo answered. His lips moved, but there was no sound.
“And you ran all the way here from the Shimmerstrand with the starlings?” asked Hasdel.
Kalo smiled and nodded, his eyes closed, and he tipped slowly over onto the step.
Hasdel shouted, “Hunter! Captain!” and even in the storm of the murmuration, they heard him and rushed to his side. Hasdel stepped aside, and the hunter lifted the exhausted boy onto the back and broad shoulders of the dwarf captain. He tied Kalo’s hands about the dwarf’s neck with the boy’s scarf.
Quillen drew his own scarf up over his nose and mouth, then turned to Hasdel and the dwarf behind him. “Let’s go!” he shouted. Hasdel put his arm about the monk. Ty took the lead, and the new company departed the Ruins of Melda.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Map of the Realm
The Ruins of Melda Page 20