Dragonlance 02 - Dragons of Winter Night by Margaret Weis Read Free Book Online

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    “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 some 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, wondering if that were true. Even as he spoke, his soul trembled at her beauty. Yes, thatyouthful 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 in-decisiveness 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—”
    “Hush!” 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 shrill, 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 the others.” Taking one look at his grim face, Laurana obeyed without question. Tanis turned abruptly to face the innkeeper, who was sidling around the desk. “Where are you going?” he asked sharply.
    “Just leaving to check your rooms, sir,” the innkeeper said smoothly, and he vanished precipitously into the kitchen. Just then, Tasslehoff burst through the door of the inn.
    “Guards, Tanis! Guards! Coming 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 room. “Is this one of the kender’s stories?”
    “No. Listen,” Tanis said. Everyone hushed. They could hear the 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,”