Part 18 (1/2)

”I'll go if you really need me,” Tas told her. ”But if you don't, I'd rather stay here. I don't want to miss out on Sturm being a dwarf. That's something you just don't see every day. I'll wake up Caramon.”

”No, you won't,” Tika said grimly. ”He'll try to stop me.”

She thrust Tas's knife in her belt and slung her pack over shoulder.

”Are you really going by yourself?” Tas asked, impressed.

”Yes,” said Tika, ”and don't you say a word to anyone. Understand? Not until morning. Promise?”

”I promise,” Tas said glibly.

Tika knew Tas, and she also knew that promises were like lint to kender-easily brushed off. She eyed him sternly.

”You must swear to me by every object you have in your pouches,” she said. ”May they all change into roaches and crawl off in the night if you break your vow.”

Tas's eyes went round at this terrible prospect. ”Do I have to?” he asked, squirming. ”I already promised-”

”Swear!” said Tika in a terrible voice.

”I swear.” Tas gulped.

Fairly certain this fearful oath would be good for at least a few hours, long enough for her to get a good start, Tika walked off down the tunnel. She'd gone only a short distance, however, before she remembered something and turned around.

”Tas, give Caramon a message for me, will you?”

Ta.s.slehoff nodded.

”Tell him I do understand. I do.”

”I'll tell him. Bye, Tika,” Tas said, waving.

He had the feeling this wasn't right, her going off by herself like this. He should wake up someone, but then he thought of all the wonderful things he had in his pouches changing into roaches and skittering off, and he didn't know what to do. He sat back down beside Sturm and tried to come up with some way around the promise. The light Tika carried grew smaller and smaller in the distance until he couldn't see it anymore, and he still hadn't thought of any way out of his predicament.

He continued to think, and he thought so hard that hours pa.s.sed without him noticing.

As it turns out, Raistlin was wrong when he stated that the draconians did not know about the tunnel. A baaz draconian, wandering into the library in search of loot, had discovered the secret tunnel. He was inside it when he heard the humans returning. They were on him before he realized it, and he was trapped. The baaz considered attacking them, for there were only five of them, and one was a sniveling runt of a kender and the other a female.

Seeing the female, the baaz had a better idea. He would kill the others, capture her alive, have his fun with her, then drag her back to his comrades and trade her for dwarf spirits. The baaz retreated a safe distance down the dark tunnel and spied on the group.

Two of them were warriors who wore their swords with a.s.surance. One was a loathsome wizard carrying a staff with a light that hurt the baaz's eyes. The baaz hated and distrusted all magic-users, and disappointed, he decided to leave the group alone, at least for the time being. Maybe one would fall asleep on watch, then he could sneak up on them and butcher them in their sleep.

The baaz was doomed to disappointment, it seemed, for the big warrior took first watch and he remained alert the entire time. The draconian was afraid to s.h.i.+ft a claw for fear he'd hear him. The big man then woke up the kender and the draconian's hopes rose, for even a draconian new to Krynn had come to know that kender, while delicious, are not to be trusted. He also knew that kender had sharp ears and sharper eyes, and this one appeared more alert than usual. The kender was also wide awake.

The draconian had settled himself for a long night of boredom when his luck took a sudden change. The human female lit a torch, had a short talk with the kender, then walked off down the tunnel by herself. She pa.s.sed right in front of the draconian, who lurked in the shadows, doing his utmost to keep quiet. If she had turned her head, she would have seen the torch light gleam in his bra.s.s scales and his l.u.s.t-filled eyes. She walked with her head down, her gaze fixed on her feet. She did not notice him.

The baaz waited tensely for the kender or someone to come after her, but no one did.

Moving slowly and quietly to keep his claws from clicking on the stone floor, the baaz crept down the tunnel after the female.

He would have to let her get far enough away from the others before accosting her, so that no one would hear her scream.

Chapter 15.

Caramon's Choice. Tika Misses Her skillet. Raistlin Misses a spell.

She did what?” Caramon towered over Ta.s.slehoff. The big man's face was red, his eyes flashed. The kender had never seen him so angry. ”Why didn't you wake me?”

”She made me promise!” Tas wailed.

”Since when in your life have you ever kept a promise?” Caramon roared. ”Light that torch for me, and be quick about it!”

”She said that if I told you, everything in my pouch would change into roaches,” Tas returned.

Light flared. Raistlin sat up, rubbing his eyes.

”What is the matter with you two? Stop bellowing, Caramon. You're making noise enough to wake the dead!”

”Tika's gone,” said Caramon, buckling on his sword belt. ”She left in the middle of the night. She went back to warn the others.”

”Well... good for her,” Raistlin said. He watched his brother for a few moments in silence, then said, ”Where do you think you're going?”

”After her.”

”Don't be a fool,” Raistlin said coldly. ”She's been gone for hours. You'll never catch up with her.”

”She might have stopped to rest.” Caramon grabbed hold of the torch. ”You wait here. Go back to sleep. I won't be gone long...” He paused then said in altered tones, ”Where's Sturm?”

”Oh for the love of-” Raistlin scrambled to his feet. ”s.h.i.+rak!” he said, and the staff's light began to glow. ”This is what comes of leaving a kender on watch!”

”He went in there.” Tas pointed at the library. ”I thought he was going to go pee.”

”Did he say anything?” Raistlin's eyes glittered feverishly.

”I asked him if I could wear the helm and he said 'no',” Tas reported sulkily.

Raistlin began to gather up his things. ”We have to go after Sturm. He has no idea what he is doing. He could walk straight into the dra-conianarmy!”

”It isn't fair,” Ta.s.slehoff said, gathering up his pouches. ”Sturm got to wear the helm all night. I told him it was my turn.”

”What about Tika?” Caramon demanded. ”She's by herself.”

”She is going back to camp. She is not in any danger. Sturm is.”

Caramon agonized. ”I don't know...”