"Do you think we've thrown off the pursuit?" Laurana asked Theros wearily.

"Does that answer your question?" He pointed downstream.

In the deepening dusk, Laurana could barely make out several dark shapes upon the water. They were still far down river, but it was clear to Laurana that there would be little rest for the companions tonight. One of the Kaganesti, however, spoke to Theros, gesturing downstream. The big smith nodded.

"Do not worry. We are safe until morning. He says they will have to make landfall as well. None dare travel the river at night. Not even the Kaganesti, and they know every bend and every snag. He says he will make camp here, near the river. Strange creatures walk the forest at night-men with the heads of lizards. Tomorrow we will travel by water as far as we can, but soon we will have to leave the river and take to land:'

"Ask him if his people will stop the Qualinesti from pursuing us if we enter his land;' Sturm told Theros.

Theros turned to the Kaganesti elf, speaking the elven tongue clumsily but well enough to be understood. The Kaganesti elf shook his head. He was a wild, savage-looking creature. Laurana could see how her people thought them only one step removed from animals. His face revealed traces of distant human ancestry. Though he had no beard-the elven blood ran too purely in the veins of the Kaganesti to allow that-the elf reminded Laurana vividly of Tanis with his quick, decisive way of speaking, his strong, muscular build, and his emphatic gestures. Overcome with memories, she turned away.

Theros translated. "He says that the Qualinesti must follow protocol and ask permission from the elders to enter Kaganesti lands in search of you. The elders will likely grant permission, maybe even offer to help. They don't want humans in Southern Ergoth any more than their cousins. In fact;' Theros added slowly, "he's made it plain that the only reason he and his friends are helping us now is to return favors I've done in the

past and to help Silvara:"

Laurana's gaze went to the girl. Silvara stood on the river

THE DRAGONS OF WINTER NIGHT

bank, talking to Gilthanas.

Theros saw Laurana's face harden. Looking at the Wilder elf and the elflord, he guessed her thoughts.

"Odd to see jealousy in the face of one who-according to rumor-ran away to become the lover of my friend, Tanis, the half-elf;' Theros remarked. "I thought you were different from

your people Laurana."

"It's not that!" she said sharply, feeling her skin burn. "I'm not Tanis's lover. Not that it makes any difference. I simply

don't trust the girl. She's-well-too eager to help us, if that makes any sense:"

"Your brother might have something to do with that:'

"He's an elflord-" Laurana began angrily. Then, realizing what she had been about to say, she broke off. "What do you know of Silvara?" she asked instead.

"Little;" Theros answered, regarding Laurana with a disappointed look that made her unreasonably angry. "I know she is highly respected and much loved by her people, especially for

her healing skills:"

"And her spying skills?" Laurana asked coolly.

"These people are fighting for their own survival. They do

what they must " Theros said sternly. "That was a fine talk you made back on the beach, Laurana. I almost believed it:'

The blacksmith went to help the Kaganesti hide the boats.

Laurana, angry and ashamed, bit leer lip in frustration. Was Theros right? Was she jealous of Gilthanas's attention? Did she

consider Silvara unworthy of him? It was how Gilthanas lead always considered Tanis, certainly. Was this different?

Listen to your feelings, Raistlin had told her. That was all very well but first she had to understand her feelings! Hadn't her love for Tanis taught her anything?

Yes, Laurana decided finally, her mind clearing. She'd meant what she'd said to Theros.. If there was something, about Silvara she didn't trust, it had nothing to do with the fact that Gilthanas was attracted to the girl. It was something indefinable. Laurana was sorry Theros had misunderstood her, but she would take Raistlin's advice and trust her instincts.

She would keep an eye on Silvara.

Silvara

Although every muscle in Gilthanas's body cried for rest and he thought he couldn't crawl into his bedroll soon enough, the elflord found himself wide awake, staring into the sky. Storm clouds still hung thickly overhead, but a breeze tinged with salt air was blowing from the west, breaking them up. Occasionally he caught a glimpse of stars, and once the red moon flickered in the sky like a candleflame, then was snuffed out by the clouds.

The elf tried to get comfortable, turning and twisting until his bedroll was a shambles, then he had to sit up and untangle himself. Finally he gave up, deciding it was impossible to sleep on the hard, frozen ground.

None of the rest of his companions seemed to be having any problems, he noticed bitterly. Laurana lay sleeping soundly,, her cheek resting on her hand as was her habit from childhood. How strangely she'd been acting lately, Gilthanas thought. But then, he supposed he could hardly blame her. She had given up everything to do what she believed right and take the orb to Sancrist. Their father might have accepted her back into the family once, but now she was an outcast forever.

Gilthanas sighed. What about himself? He'd wanted to keep the orb in Qualin-Mori. He believed his father was right …. Or did he?

Apparently not, since I'm here, Gilthanas told himself. By the gods, his values were getting as muddled as Laurana's! First, his hatred for Tanis-a hatred he'd nurtured righteously for years-was starting to dwindle away, replaced by admiration, even affection. Next, he'd felt his hatred of other races beginning to die. He'd known few elves as noble or selfsacrificing as the human, Sturm Brightblade. And, though he didn't like Raistlin, he envied the young mage's skill. It was something Gilthanas, a dabbler in magic, had never had the patience or the courage to acquire. Finally, he had to admit he even liked the kender and the grumpy old dwarf. But he had never thought he would fall in love with a Wilder elf.

"There!" Gilthanas said aloud. "I've admitted it. I love her!" But was it love, he wondered, or simply physical attraction. At that, he grinned, thinking of Silvara with her dirt-streaked face, her filthy hair, her tattered clothes. My soul's eye must be seeing more clearly than my head, he thought, glancing fondly over at her bedroll.

To his astonishment, he saw it was empty! Startled, Gilthanas looked quickly around the camp. They had not dared light a fire-not only were the Qualinesti after them, but Theros had talked of groups of draconians roaming the land.

Thinking of this, Gilthanas rose to his feet quickly and began to search for Silvara. He moved silently, hoping to avoid the questions of Sturm and Derek, who were standing watch. A sudden chilling thought crossed his mind. Hurriedly, he looked for the dragon orb. But it was still where Silvara had put it.

Beside it lay the broken shaft of the dragonlance.

Gilthanas breathed more easily. Then his quick ears caught the sound of water splashing. Listening carefully, he determined it wasn't a fish or a nightbird diving for its catch in the river. The elflord glanced at Derek and Sturm. The two stood apart from one another on a rock outcropping overlooking the camp. Gilthanas could hear them arguing with each other in fierce whispers. The elflord crept away from camp, heading toward the sound of softly splashing water.

Gilthanas walked through the dark forest with no more noise than the shadows of night itself would make. Occasionally he caught a glimpse of the river glistening faintly through the trees. Then he came to a place where the water, flowing among the rocks, had become trapped in a small pool. Here Gilthanas stopped, and here his heart almost stopped beating. He had found Silvara.