a tomb guard, Galaeron could hardly contend that crypt breaking was not a crime. 'There is much to consider here.'
Lord Duirsar studied those around him. Though no human could have read the indecision in their expressions, it was plain enough to Galaeron. Elves were neither cruel nor hasty, and they would not sentence even a human to death without all due consideration.
At length, Duirsar turned to Galaeron. 'Until the Hill Elders come to a decision, we will leave our guests in the care of your family.' He turned to Kiinyon Colbathin and added, 'Unless the Tomb Guard has more pressing duties for him?'
'Nothing that will interfere.' The tomb master glared at Galaeron and tipped his slender chin toward the Hall of the High Hunt. 'See to Takari and Ehamond. We'll talk about the lost ones when I return.'
Kiinyon turned and the other Hill Elders left without another word, leaving the humans to look after them in puzzlement. The captives' expressions grew even more bewildered when Galaeron began to undo their bindings. They have freed us?' Melegaunt asked. Galaeron shook his head. 'You are my guests.' 'But the phaerimm…'
'Are Evereska's concern,' said Galaeron. 'You have warned the Hill Elders, and now you must await their decision on the matter of the crypt breaking.'
The humans looked at their unbound hands and seemed more confused than ever.
'My family does not treat its guests as prisoners,' Galaeron clarified. 'And if we leave?' asked Melegaunt.
'You must not,' Galaeron said. 'My family has guaranteed your conduct.' 'It has?' Vala asked. 'When did you do that?'
'7 didn't.' Galaeron returned her sword. 'You did, when you reacted to the Taunting with both honor and restraint. Those are virtues held in much esteem by the Hill Elders.'
Vala's eyes lit with sudden understanding. 'But you spoke for us.' She gave him a rugged smile. 'You surprise me, elf. 1 take back half the bad things I've ever said about you.'
CHAPTER FOUR
21 Nightal, the Year of the Unstrung Harp
By the time Galaeron slipped into the leaf-shadowed Hall of the High Hunt, Takari lay naked in the Singing Spring, her complexion returned to its normal bronze and her eyes lucid for the first time since being wounded. Behind her stood an aged moon elf wearing no more clothes than she, his arms hooked beneath hers to hold her above the shimmering surface. The air smelled of moss and sweet water, and the song of the silver fountain trilled through the woody pavilion in gay melodies. Ehamond sat beneath the lilting spray as naked as the others, his cuts and bruises already fading. Dynod stood on the bank with two minor priests, describing the destruction of the patrol-As Galaeron entered the grove, one of the priests nodded in his direction. There was no hint of embarrassment as Dynod turned toward him. Elves seldom relished the failures of others and therefore had few misgivings about discussing them. Having suffered more than his share of pitying looks and sympathetic encouragement, it was one of the few traits Galaeron wished he could change about the Fair Folk.
Dynod's eyes slid past Galaeron toward the edge of the pavilion, where the humans stood waiting, Melegaunt looking tentative and the others even more awestruck than usual. Knowing the glade of Solonor Thelandira to be the one temple in Evereska where humans would not be an intrusion, Galaeron motioned them forward and turned back to Dynod. 'Then the humans were absolved?' asked Dynod. 'Closer to it than I,' answered Galaeron.
Dynod and the priests exchanged knowing looks, then one of the priests offered one of those compassionate little comments Galaeron had learned to loathe early in his studies at the Academy of Magic. 'You mustn't worry. Tomb Master Colbathin is a stern commander, but a fair one.'
Dynod rolled his eyes and looked away, and Galaeron said, 'Had we spent the last two decades in the Greycloaks instead of the Desert Border South, I'd be more inclined to believe that.' Ignoring the surprise on the faces of the two priests, he kneeled beside the water and called to Takari. 'How do you feel?'
'Like a moth with a fang hole in its back.' Her voice was cheerful, if rather weak. 'Sick, but happy to be alive.'
'I have healed the wound,' said Pleufan Trueshot, the aged huntsman holding her. He rolled the scout over to display a inflamed lump where the hole once was. 'But I can't rid her of the pestilence.'
'It may not be an infection,' said Melegaunt, stepping to the bank beside Galaeron. 'May I have a look?' Pleufan nodded. 'You are welcome in the Singing Spring.'
Much to Galaeron's astonishment, Melegaunt stepped into the water without removing so much as his boots. Dynod and Ehamond also raised their brows, but the high huntsman and his two assistants, who often numbered humans among their worshipers during the monthly Ceremonies, showed no surprise.
Galaeron glanced over at Vala to see if she found the behavior odd, but her expression was one of such total astonishment he could not tell what she was thinking. Her men, however, were staring at Takari with such a look of feral hunger that he began to worry the Hill Elders had misread the humans' reaction during the Taunting. This puzzled him even more than Melegaunt's odd behavior, since the humans had known Takari only as an incoherent battle casualty. Under the circumstances, they could hardly have developed any feelings of love for her, so it was hard for an elf to understand why the mere sight of her naked body should inflame their passions.
Trailing a murky cloud of mud from his trail-worn clothes, Melegaunt waded to the center of the pool and stopped beside Takari. He prodded the sore then looked back to Galaeron.
'The phaerimm did this with its tail, did it not?' Without waiting for a reply, he continued, 'Did you see it inject anything?'
'The tail pulsed,' said Galaeron. 'Later, I saw something small and hot at the bottom of the wound.'
Pleufan looked up. 'I've tried every poison antidote I know'
Melegaunt shook his head. 'Phaerimm don't inject poison,' he said. 'They inject eggs.'
'Eggs?' Takari craned her head around so hard she twisted free of Pleufan's grasp. 'What do you mean 'eggs'?'
'Only one at a time,' said Melegaunt. He looked to the high hunter. 'This is how they reproduce.'
'Like caterpillar wasps?' Takari paled to a sickly saffron. 'Kill me now! I want nothing eating me from the inside.' 'It won't come to that.' Melegaunt turned to the high hunter. 'Cut out the egg and treat her as for an ague. If she rests, she'll be fine in a tenday.' Takari did not look convinced. 'Easy for you to say-'
'Yes, it is. I've cut out six-and no healer to see me through the fever.' Melegaunt patted the scout on the cheek, then nodded to the high hunter and waded back to shore.
'Dynod, you'll see that she does as instructed.' Galaeron looked to Takari and added, 'Then you are to return to your own people for a year.'
'Thank you,' Takari said, her eyes turning sad, 'but IT! wait until after Kiinyon-'
'No, go as soon as you are able,' said Galaeron. 'Even if he has not spoken it, Kiinyon has already made his decision. 1 want you gone while the order is mine to give. It has been too long since you walked the High Forest.' Takari's eyes grew liquid. 'I will-'
Galaeron raised his hand. 'We'll talk before you go,' he said. 'See me when you're able.'
Takari nodded then allowed herself to sink back into Pleufan's arms. 'Till next.' 'Till next.'
Galaeron told the priests to thank the high hunter for him and gave them a gold lion for their goddess, then waited as Melegaunt climbed out of the water. The human rubbed his fingers together, running through the gestures of a minor drying spell, but nothing happened. He frowned and tried it again. His clothes remained as wet as before.
'Allow me,' said Galaeron, more than a little puzzled by the wizard's failure. The mythal would turn back the spell of any non-elf attempting harmful magic within Evereska. But a drying spell was hardly harmful, and Melegaunt would have suffered some adverse effect, had he meant to cause injury. Instead, the enchantment had simply failed. 'Is there an incantation?' Melegaunt raised his bushy brow but shook his head. Galaeron ran his fingers through the same gestures as the wizard then felt the Weave's magic course through him. There was a sizzle and a small flash, then Melegaunt's clothes were dry and smoking.
