The ranger’s hard features softened somewhat. “I agree,” he said, taking Gideon aback. “But our efforts should be focused on defeating Malliath, not saving Alijah.”
Gideon couldn’t hide his frustration. “I’m aware that most of the people in this field, perhaps the entire realm, would prefer to just kill them both and be done with it. They might even be right,” the old master considered. “But there is another way to look at this.”
“Would that other way be the scenario you suggested to Inara?” Asher replied. “I saw her reaction after you spoke to her.”
“She has hardened herself to all matters concerning her brother,” Gideon lamented.
Asher nodded his understanding, reminding Gideon that the ranger had spent a lot of time with Inara while searching for him in Erador.
“As to your perspective,” Asher pointed out, “you suggest that saving Alijah rids us of a powerful foe and unbalances Malliath at the same time. It’s a good twist on saving him, but everyone will see it for what it is and, like you said, they want Alijah dead, not redeemed.”
“They don’t get to decide that,” Gideon argued. “I cannot be commanded by king, queen or ranger. And I know this is the right thing to do. I thought you would too.”
Asher looked away, his thoughts always his own. “We all deserve a second chance,” he said reflectively. “Some of us are on our third or fourth. And no one should have to endure the mind of that monster.” The ranger turned back to Gideon. “I’m only asking you to consider the timing of this. We need you here, now.”
“The timing is why we must leave now,” Gideon countered. “Even Adan couldn’t say for certain that his people would be able to save the tree, if they agree to try at all. We need to do something while we still can and, for that, I need Ilargo.”
It was clear to see that, no matter how pragmatic the ranger was, Asher found it hard to accept that they could lose magic and all the dragons with it. “And how exactly are you going to save Alijah?”
“Yes,” came a voice that startled them both. “How will you save him?” Reyna echoed, rounding the council tent to meet them.
Gideon made to speak but he retracted the words before they could leave his mouth. This was a sensitive topic to discuss with anyone, but Alijah’s mother made it so much harder to articulate.
“Are you asking as the queen of elves?” Asher posed. “Or Alijah’s mother?”
Reyna held the ranger’s gaze for a moment before looking at Gideon. “Perhaps we should take this inside,” she suggested, her eyes directing them to a pair of curious dwarves within earshot.
With some reluctance, Gideon followed Reyna and Asher into the council tent. The absence of Sir Borin immediately informed the old master that the king was elsewhere. In fact, with Reyna’s guard commanded to stay outside, they were the only occupants.
“Where are Vighon and Nathaniel?” Gideon enquired, wondering if he could ever get used to calling them kings.
“They are both dispatching scouts to widen our perimeter,” Reyna replied. “Alijah knows where we are and that we have suffered heavy casualties. He could still have Reavers as close as Galosha, Whistle Town, and Tregaran.”
Gideon nodded along while casting his eyes over the maps on the table. When he finally looked up, Asher and Reyna were watching him closely.
“Can you really save him?” Reyna pressed, her emotions bubbling just under the surface. “Can you save him from Malliath?”
“There might be a way,” he said with some reticence. “And when Ilargo tells me that - I listen. But I would caution against hope. Though I’m confident this will separate Alijah from Malliath, I cannot guarantee it will bring back the man we all knew. The best case scenario is that it unbalances Malliath and disrupts their command over the Reavers.”
Asher gave a quiet sigh and leaned over the table, his blue eyes piercing the old master.
Gideon bit his lip, buying just an extra second of time to collect his thoughts. His attention ran over the maps and landed on the coastal city of Velia, a place of memories for them all. “Do you recall the events immediately after the battle of Velia, at the end of The War for the Realm?”
“This is already sounding too long-winded,” Asher complained, folding his arms.
Gideon held up a hand, requesting patience, but it was Reyna who answered his question. “Which event are you referring to? We took the fight to Valanis after the battle.”
The old master shook his head. “Before that, when we were all together for the first time. I had come from Mount Garganafan, having claimed The Veil.”
Asher gestured at him. “You had killed someone…” The ranger’s eyes shifted to a distant gaze, though the ranger possessed more memories than just his own these days.
“Lord Krayt,” Gideon informed. “He was Atilan’s Minister of War.”
“He fancied himself a god,” Reyna said. “Like his master.”
“Next to most, he was,” Gideon stated. “Like Atilan, he always kept Crissalith on his person. It lined his staff.”
“Crissalith?” Asher repeated. “Let’s pretend I’m not an elf; you’re talking about something that happened nearly fifty years ago.”
“That’s your plan?” Reyna interrupted, doubt and curiosity fighting for her tone. “I thought it was all gone.”
The old master shook his head. “The mine was destroyed,” he specified. “The Crissalith and Atilan’s private lab should still be down there.”
“For those of us who died after you explained this the first time,” Asher cut in, “what is Crissalith?”
Gideon
