Tika stood a moment, watching after him. Then, sighing, she tried to comb her damp hair into place.
"Whale is it?" Cararnon burst into the wagon. "Raist?"
Tanis nodded, his face grave.
"I found him like this." The half-elf drew back the curtain to the mages small apartment. Caramon shoved him aside.
Raistlin lay on the floor, his skin white, his breathing shallow. Blood trickled from his mouth. Kneeling dawn, Caramon lifted him in his arms.
"Raistlin?" he whispered. "What happened?"
That's what happened;' Tanis said grimly, pointing.
Caramon glanced up, his gaze coming to rest on the dragon orb -now grown to the size Caramon had seen in Silvanesti. It stand an the stand Raistlin had made for it, its swirling colors shifting endlessly as he watched. Caramon sucked in his breath. in horror. Terrible visions of Lorac flooded his mind. Lorac insane, dying …
.
"Twist!" he moaned, clutching his brother tightly.
Raistlin's head mowed feebly. His eyelids fluttered, and he. opened his mouth.
"What?" Caramon bent law, his brother's breath cold upon his skin. "'What?"
"Mule . . . ."Raistlin whispered. "Spells . . . of the ancients mine . . . .Mine. . . :"
The mage's head lolled his wards died. But his face calm, placid, relaxed, His breathing drew regular.
Raistlin's thin lips parted in a smile.
Yuletide guests.
.t took Lord Gunthar several W.. Name in time for Yule (allowing
days of hard riding to reach
+++++ for Palanthas. The reads were se foundered mare than once, .and se nearly as -well as his sans, walked he time he returned to his castle, therefore, he was exhausted, drenched, and shivering. The sta
arge of the horse personally.
"Rub him do-wn well:' Gunther said, dismounting stiffly proceeded with his instructions, the sta
DRAGONLANCE CHRONICLES
bleman nodding patiently, as if he'd never cared for a horse before in his life. Gunthar was, in fact, on the point of walking his horse to the stables himself when his ancient retainer came out in search of him.
"My lord:" Wills drew Gunthar to one side in the entryway. "You have visitors. They arrived just a few hours ago:"
'Who?" Gunthar asked without much interest, visitors being nothing new, especially during Yule. "Lord Michael? He could not travel with us, but I asked him to stop on his way home-"
"An old man, my lord;' Wills interrupted, "and a kender"
"A kender?" Gunthar repeated in some alarm.
"I'm afraid so, my lord. But don't worry;" the retainer added hastily. "I've locked the silver in a drawer, and your ladywife has taken her jewelry to the cellar:'
"You'd think we were under siege!" Gunthar snorted. He did, however, go through the courtyard faster than usual.
"You can't be too careful around those critters, my lord;' Wills mumbled, trotting along behind.
"What are these two, then? Beggars? Why did you let them in?" Gunthar demanded, beginning to get irritated. All he wanted was his mulled wine, warm clothes, and one of his wife's backrubs. "Give them some food and money, and send them on their way. Search the kender first, of course:'
"I was going to, my lord;" Wills said stubbornly. "But there's something about them-the old man in particular. He's crackers, if you ask me, but he's a smart crackers, for all that. Knows something, and it may be more than's good far him-or us either:'
"What do you mean?"
The two had just opened the huge, wooden doors leading into the living quarters of the castle proper. Gunthar slopped and stared at Wills, knowing and respecting his retainer's keen power of observation. Will= glanced around, then leaned close.
"The old man said I was to tell you he had urgent news regarding the dragon orb, my lard!"
"The dragon orb!" Gunthar murmured. The orb was secret,
or he presumed it was. The Knights knew of it, of course. Had Derek told anyone else? Was this one of has maneuvers?
"You acted wisely, Wills, as always:' Gunthar said finally.
"Where are they?"
THE DRAGONS OF WINTER NIGHT
"I put them in your war room, my lord, figuring they could cause little mischief there:'
"I'll change clothes before I catch my death, then see them directly. Have you made them comfortable?"
"Yes, my lard;' Wills replied, hurrying after Gunthar, who was on the move again. "Hot wine, a bit of bread and meat. Though I mistrust the kender's lifted the plates by now-'
Gunthar and Wills stood outside the door of the war room for a moment, eavesdropping on the visitors" conversation.
"Put that back!" ordered a stern voice.
"I won't! It's mine! Look, it was in my pouch:'
"Bah! I saw you put it there not five minutes ago!"
"Well, you're wrong;" protested the other voice in wounded tones. "It's mine! See, there's my name engraved-"
"'Ta Gunthar, my beloved husband an the Day of Life-Gift,"' said the first voice.