Read Dragonlance 02 - Dragons of Winter Night for Free Online Page B

even spotted some other kenders, too, and he wanted to talk to them. He was worried about his homeland. Flint kicked him under the table. Sighing, Tas turned his attention back to Tanis.
    “We’ll spend the night here, rest, and learn what we can, then send word back to Southgate,” Tanis was saying. “Perhaps there is another port city farther south. Some of us might go on and investigate. What do you think, Elistan?”
    The cleric pushed away a plate of uneaten food. “I suppose it is our only choice,” he said sadly. “But I will return to Southgate. I cannot be away from the people long. You should come with me, too, my dear.” He laid his hand over Laurana’s. “I cannot dispense with your help.”
    Laurana smiled at Elistan. Then, her gaze moving to Tanis, the smile vanished as she saw the half-elf scowl.
    “Riverwind and I have discussed this already. We will return with Elistan,” Goldmoon said. Her silver-gold hair gleamed in the sunlight streaming through the window. “The people need my healing skills.”
    “Besides which, the bridal couple misses the privacy of their tent,” Caramon said in an audible undertone. Goldmoon flushed a dusky rose color as her husband smiled.
    Sturm glanced at Caramon in disgust and turned to Tanis. “I will go with you, my friend,” he offered.
    “Us, too, of course,” said Caramon promptly.
    Sturm frowned, looking at Raistlin, who sat huddled in his red robes near the fire, drinking the strange herbal concoction that eased his cough.
    “I do not think your brother is fit to travel, Caramon—” Sturm began.
    “You are suddenly very solicitous of my health, knight,” Raistlin whispered sarcastically. “But then, it is not my health that concerns you, is it, Sturm Brightblade? It is my growing power. You fear me—”
    “That’s enough!” said Tanis as Sturm’s face darkened.
    “The mage goes back, or I do,” Sturm said coldly.
    “Sturm—” Tanis began.
    Tasslehoff took this opportunity to leave the table very quietly. Everyone was focused on the argument between the knight, the half-elf, and the magic-user. Tasslehoff skipped out the front door of the Red Dragon, a name he thought particularly funny. But Tanis had not laughed.
    Tas thought about that as he walked along, looking at the new sights in delight. Tanis didn’t laugh at anything anymore. The half-elf was certainly carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders, it seemed. Tasslehoff suspected he knew what was wrong with Tanis. The kender took a ring out of one of his pouches and studied it. The ring was golden, of elven make, carved in the form of clinging ivy leaves. He had picked it upin Qualinesti. This time, the ring was not something the kender had “acquired.” It had been thrown at his feet by a heart-broken Laurana after Tanis had returned it to her.
    The kender considered all this and decided that splitting up and going off after new adventure was just what everyone needed. He, of course, would go with Tanis and Flint—the kender firmly believed neither could get along without him. But first, he’d get a glimpse of this interesting city.
    Tasslehoff reached the end of the street. Glancing back, he could see the Red Dragon Inn. Good. No one was out looking for him yet. He was just about to ask a passing street peddler how to get to the marketplace when he saw something that promised to make this interesting city a whole lot more interesting.…
    Tanis settled the argument between Sturm and Raistlin, for the time being at least. The mage decided to stay in Tarsis to hunt for the remains of the old library. Caramon and Tika offered to stay with him, while Tanis, Sturm, and Flint (and Tas) would push southward, picking up the brothers on their way back. The rest of the group would take the disappointing news back to Southgate.
    That being settled, Tanis went to the innkeeper to pay for their night’s lodging. He was counting out silver coins when he felt a hand touch his