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she had reached the artery deep in the groin and the mercenary was doomed to death in moments.
The sound of approaching hooves signaled that Miranda also had but a few minutes to live if she did not act quickly. Hurrying into the cave, she knelt before the elven woman. “What is your name?”
The woman, crouching before the two boys, replied, “Ellia.”
“I can save you and the children, but I cannot take you to the Jeshandi. Will you come away with me?”
Hearing the riders entering the glade, she said,
“What choice have I?”
“None,” said Miranda. She leaned across Ellia, as if embracing her, and put her hands upon the boys’
heads, then suddenly everything around them spun into darkness.
A moment later, the air shifted, and it was warm night. The woman gasped, and said, “What . . .?”
Miranda fell backwards awkwardly and sat hard upon damp soil. “We are . . .” she began, and it was clear she was disoriented.
Ellia glanced around as Miranda fought the confusion of the transition. They were in a large clearing surrounded by thick forest, with a broad stream or small river hurrying through it. The merry sound of water splashing over rocks was a startling alternative to the sound of men dying.
Ellia stood and took a step to Miranda’s side, bending to help her to her feet. The dark-haired woman shook her head to clear it.
A sizzling sound in the distance caught their attention, and both looked for its source. A faint glow of green appeared in the night sky; then it turned into a point of light.
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“Quickly, into the water!” commanded Miranda, and without hesitation, Ellia turned and scooped up her two children, carrying one under each arm. The river was shallow but running rapidly, and the elven woman had to struggle to keep her feet on the slippery rocks. “Don’t look back!” shouted Miranda, and Ellia obeyed silently as she waded hip-deep in the stream. The two boys clung tightly to their mother, remaining silent despite the sudden darkness and the cold of the river.
The searing sound grew louder and soon the boys had their faces buried against their mother’s bosom, as if in refuge against the harsh sound. Ellia thought her ears would begin to bleed, and the children finally could endure it no longer and began to wail.
A shattering explosion hurled Ellia forward, and for a panic-stricken moment she thought she would lose the children. Water closed over their heads, but she rolled to her backside and forced herself to her knees, holding her children close the entire time. The boys sputtered and coughed as their heads came out of the icy water, but neither had let go.
The stumble and fall had turned Ellia around and she couldn’t help but look where Miranda stood. A brilliant orange light fired down from the heavens, a long line of energy that engulfed the young woman.
Miranda raised her arms as if warding off the harsh energies. A sudden blast of hot air struck at Ellia, hot enough to dry much of her head and shoulders above water. Miranda moved her hands suddenly, and a lat-ticework of purple-tinged white energy appeared and began to spread along the column of orange light, racing back toward its source. As it passed up the length of orange energy, it burned brilliant white, too 52887_Shadow of a Dark.qxd 9/3/02 3:49 PM Page 166
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brilliant to watch. Ellia turned as rapidly as she could in the water, shielding the boys as much as possible from the heat.
Wading forward, she reached the far bank and half lifted, half pushed the boys up onto the grass.
Then she struggled to get herself out of the waist-deep water. Suddenly strong hands reached down and lifted her easily out of the river.
Three men in green leather watched the fierce display across the water. One leaned upon a longbow and spoke to Ellia in a language alien to her. She placed reassuring hands upon her boys’ shoulders and said, “I don’t understand.”
The man glanced at the other two and raised an eyebrow in surprise, then looked back at Ellia. “You speak Keshian, but not your own tongue?”
His accent sounded odd to Ellia, but she could understand him. “I speak the language taught to me by my parents.”
The harsh light suddenly vanished, leaving the clearing suddenly inky in contrast. Miranda swayed in the darkness, as if drunk, then she steadied herself and turned. Across the river, she saw Ellia and the boys standing with three elven warriors. “May I enter?” she called weakly in the King’s tongue.
“Who seeks Elvandar?” answered one of the warriors.
“One in need of counsel with Lord Tomas.”
“Cross if you are able.”
Dryly Miranda said, “I think I can manage.”
She waded to the far side and the elven woman said, “What magic is this?”
“These are your people, Ellia. These are the eledhel, and this is the boundary of Elvandar.”
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“Elvandar?” She looked confused. “That is a legend, a tale told by old ones to children.”
The leader of the three warriors said, “I judge there are many questions to be answered, but this is not the place, nor is it the time. Come, we have two days of travel to reach the Queen’s court.”
“The little ones are tired,” said Miranda, “and they are frightened.”
The elf looked down and saw the boys. His eyes widened slightly, a gesture that would have been lost on most humans, though Miranda marked his surprise. “Twins?”
Ellia looked at Miranda, who answered, “They are.”
Another elf warrior said, “I shall go now and carry word to the court.” He turned and vanished into the woods.
The first elf made a gesture and the remaining elf nodded once and followed after his companion. To Miranda the first said, “I am called Galain. My companions are Althal, who is returning to our campsite to prepare food for you, and the other is Lalial, who will take word to the Queen and her consort.”
He shouldered his bow, then, without asking leave, knelt and picked up the two boys as easily as he might have picked up two kittens. The boys looked at their mother, but neither child voiced protest. Miranda touched Ellia’s shoulder, then motioned with her head that they should follow their guide.
Miranda used her natural sight to keep the others in view. Her arts were depleted by the battle on the riverbank. It had been a short struggle, but no less vicious for its brevity. Through her exhaustion, 52887_Shadow of a Dark.qxd 9/3/02 3:49 PM Page 168
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Miranda felt the satisfaction of knowing that on the other side of the world the Pantathian magician who had thrown that tracking energy after her had not expected her counterspell. With grim pleasure, she knew he was now a smoldering corpse.
They reached camp without having spoken a word.
The fire was burning brightly as Althal placed more wood on it, and rich smells of smoke and crisping game reached Miranda’s nose.
The boys were now asleep and Galain gently set them down upon the ground. Softly he said, “It will be light in a few hours. They can eat when they awake.”
The elven woman sat heavily upon the ground, and Miranda knew she was exhausted, emotionally as well as physically. Her home had been destroyed and certainly her husband was dead, and suddenly she was in a strange place with people she didn’t know, without even the most basic personal possessions to call her own. In the language of her homeland, she said, “Who are you?”
Switching into Yabonese, the language of the neighboring Kingdom province, and related to the ancient language of Kesh, the common ancestor of the language spoken by Ellia, Galain said, “I am named Galain. We are of the eledhel—as are you.”
“I do not know this word eledhel,” said Ellia,
outwardly calm, though Miranda knew she must be terribly frightened.
“It means ‘the light people,’ in our own language.
There is much you will need to know. But to begin, ages ago our race was divided into four tribes, for want of a better term. Those who are eldest among 52887_Shadow of a Dark.qxd 9/3/02 3:49 PM Page 169
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us, the eldar, are the keepers of wisdom. Those who live here in Elvandar and serve Queen Aglaranna are called eledhel. There are others: glamredhel, the wild ones, and moredhel, the dark ones. Some years ago we learned of your people, whom we call oced-hel, ‘people from across the sea.’ We are not sure if you are properly glamredhel or eledhel who have lost knowledge of their own race. But either way, you are welcome to Elvandar. We live here.” He smiled. “We are like you. Here you will be safe.”
Ellia looked pointedly at his face, studying his eyes. As if reading her thoughts, he pushed back his long hair to show her the upswept, lobeless ears that marked elvenkind. She sighed in relief. “Safe . . .”
she repeated. Her tone showed she scarcely believed.
Miranda said, “You will learn that you are as safe here as anyplace on this world.”
Ellia nodded, hugging her knees to her chin as she closed her eyes. After a moment, a tear appeared upon her cheek and she sighed.
Galain left her to her memories, and spoke to Miranda. “You make an impressive entrance.”
Spitting the word, Miranda said, “Snakes.”
Galain’s eyes narrowed. “The serpent men?”
Miranda nodded.
Galain said, “We will leave as soon as the boys awake and eat. Sleep now if you can.”
Miranda didn’t need convincing. She lay upon the damp ground where she sat, and within moments was fast asleep.
The boys rode upon the shoulders of Galain and Althal, while Ellia and Miranda hurried along.
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they would have been able to unburdened, but she had to struggle to keep pace. Only Ellia’s awkwardness gave her some small comfort, for it was a lifetime living in the woodlands that gave these elves their surefooted passage in the undergrowth, not their race.
The boys had awakened and eaten, and without discussion the party had left the campsite near the river. They had moved for the better part of the day, and had paused only long enough to eat some dried meat and fruit at midday. Then they had moved steadily through the trees until an hour before dusk.
Galain had gone hunting while Althal made a fire. Within the hour, Galain had returned with a brace of rabbits. While not sumptuous fare for four adults and two children, there was enough so that no one slept with hunger pangs.
Morning came too quickly for exhausted children and two tired women, but they were again on the trail as the sun rose in the east. By noon they encountered a patrol of hunters who quickly exchanged information with Galain and Althal. The conversation was lost upon Ellia, who was ignorant of the subtleties of elven communications, and Miranda missed a great deal.
Near midafternoon, they came to an enormous clearing. Ellia stumbled, her mouth opening in awe, and even Miranda was impressed.
Across the clearing rose a mighty city of trees.
Boles to dwarf the mightiest oak rose high above them, blotting out the sky. A canopy of leaves formed a massive roof above the trunks that stretched away beyond sight. Dark green, the awning of treetops was punctuated by an occasional tree of a different color, some golden, others white, a few sparkling with 52887_Shadow of a Dark.qxd 9/3/02 3:49 PM Page 171
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emerald or azure lights. A soft glow seemed to tease the limits of vision, as if a magic haze enveloped the entire area.
Galain said, “Elvandar.”
They crossed the clearing, and as they approached the nearest trees, Miranda could see figures moving. Workmen labored, curing hides, fashioning weapons in forges, and carving wooden implements. Others fletched arrows, worked stones, or prepared food. But the common nature of these tasks took nothing from the impact of the city itself; Elvandar was perhaps the most magical place upon the world. Soothing sounds, rather than the loud noise of workers, filled the air, and voices were musical rather than harsh.
Reaching a giant tree, Miranda saw stairs had been cut from the living wood of the huge trunk.
“If you have a fear of heights, say now, Miranda.”
Miranda came out of her revery and saw Galain studying her and Ellia. She said nothing, shaking her head, and Galain led them upward.
As they climbed, Miranda saw that some of the larger branches were flat on top, forming narrow roadways upon which elves walked, moving from tree to tree. Many of the trees were hollow, and what seemed to be small dwellings were fashioned inside.
The elves who passed smiled in greeting, and several were openly delighted upon seeing the twin boys. Most wore leather, brown or green in color, but others wore soft robes, decorated with gems or beads. All were uniformly tall; some were fair, but others were as dark of hair as was Miranda.
A few wore furs and carried weapons, with metal-studded armbands and necklaces of gold set with 52887_Shadow of a Dark.qxd 9/3/02 3:49 PM Page 172
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precious stones. These looked openly at the women in curiosity, and their expressions were less friendly when turned upon Galain.
As they passed, Althal spoke. “The glamredhel are still not completely at ease here. But then they’ve been with us but a short time.”
“How long?” asked Miranda.
“Those two who passed, not yet thirty years.”
Miranda had to suppress a laugh. “Barely a long visit.”
Galain turned and smiled, showing he understood her humor. She wasn’t sure if Althal shared his understanding.
To the back of a large branch a platform was anchored, and from it rose a stairway of wood and rope. Mounting it, the two elves escorted Miranda and Ellia to another, larger platform, and along a broad thoroughfare. This led to a maze of platforms, small markets, and meeting areas, and at last they reached a gigantic platform, dominating the very heart of Elvandar.
Entering, Galain led them to the center, where he faced two figures sitting upon a dais. He and Althal gently put the boys down and bowed. “My Queen,”
Galain said, “and Tomas.”
The woman was impressive, a regal-looking elf with golden-red hair and eyes the color of ice-blue glaciers. Hundreds of years old, she looked much as a human would in the prime of youth, her face unlined and her body still straight and limber. Her features were chiseled and delicate, but there was strength in her bearing.
The man at her side was even more striking, for he was not quite human or elven in appearance. Six 52887_Shadow of a Dark.qxd 9/3/02 3:49 PM Page 173
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inches over six feet in height, he was broad of shoulder and deep in the chest without looking bulky. His eyes were an even paler blue than his companion’s, and his hair was sun-streaked yellow. His features were human: even brow with straight nose, full but not soft mouth. Yet somehow an agency had molded those features, casting an alien image over them. He was too regal to be handsome, yet when he smiled, a boy’s charm appeared.
The woman rose and Miranda bowed, and Ellia looked confused. At last she curtsied clumsily, while the boys clung to her.
Ignoring formalities, the Elf Queen came up to Ellia and gently took her in her arms and embraced her. Then she knelt before the boys and touched each upon the cheek. She said something softly, and Ellia said, “I don’t understand.”
Galain said, “Our Queen speaks to your companion.”
In the Keshian dialect most like Ellia’s, Aglaranna said, “I said, ‘You bring us treasure.’ Your sons are beautiful. We
are so much the richer for their joining us.”
Ellia’s eyes welled with tears as she said, “They look like their father.”
Tomas rose, and as he crossed to stand before Ellia, he said, “It is not the way of my wife’s people to speak the name of those who have traveled to the Blessed Isles. In his sons he lives on. You are more than welcome here.” To Althal he said, “Take these newly come to us and find them a home. See to their needs.” Then he addressed Ellia. “You are safe here, and under my protection. No harm will come to you or your sons in Elvandar. At first our ways will seem strange to you, 52887_Shadow of a Dark.qxd 9/3/02 3:49 PM Page 174
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but you will come to know that they are your ways, truly, and that your fathers’ fathers had been apart from us too long. Welcome to your true home.”
Weak with relief, Ellia allowed herself to be led away, one child holding fast to each of her hands.
When they had left, Tomas said, “And who are you?”
“A friend of your son’s,” answered Miranda.
Galain leaned upon his bow and said, “I thought your name familiar.”
Tomas’s expression remained neutral. He motioned for Miranda to come away from the dais and led her over to a table, where several elves had placed refreshments. Motioning for a few members of the Queen’s court to attend, he said, “How is Calis?”
“Disturbed,” answered Miranda. “Has he told you his mad plan?”
By the fearful expression on Aglaranna’s face, she could see he had. Tomas nodded.
“Well, for better or worse, I’m helping him.” Then she shook her head. “Though how much good I’m doing is . .
.” She picked up a pear and bit into it, chewed, and swallowed. “Now, the snakes know someone with some talent was snooping around their army.” She explained what had happened: her scouting the advancing army across the sea, the encounter with Ellia and the boys, her escape, and the final attack at the bank of the river.
After she was finished, Aglaranna said, “It was unlikely they’d think their mad campaign would escape the notice of those with power for long. It may be they think you one of any number of magicians or priests.”
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