Miranda said, ‘Where are you moving the library to?’
‘To a location, high in the mountains of Yabon, where it will be safe.’
‘Well, if the Emerald Queen gets her hands on the Lifestone, nothing will be safe,’ Pug observed.
Miranda said, ‘Then let us set about forgetting the reason behind this horror.’
Dominic indicated they should sit in a circle and join hands. The old cleric said, ‘Close your eyes, and open your minds to me. When we have finished you will know nothing of Nalar. You will only know that you have forgotten something, but rather than be curious, you will be relieved. You will know that it is vital that you not remember this thing, for to do so would bring danger beyond any you imagine. You will remember enough of what we have talked about to be aware of your chosen course of action, but of Nalar, the only thing you will recall is that out there, somewhere, a grave danger lurks, one against which you must remain vigilant, but one which you must never seek to know.’
Dominic began his incantation and all of them felt a strange presence enter their minds, which began to order knowledge. For a brief instant each felt a mild discomfort, and a flash of fear, which was instantly replaced by a calm reassurance, and then, suddenly, it was done.
Pug blinked and said, ‘It’s over?’
Dominic said, ‘Yes. You remember what you need to remember, and the rest is safely locked away. It must be so.’
They took what he said at face value. ‘We must go now,’ Dominic said.
‘First I will take you and Nakor to Elvandar,’ said Pug. He glanced at Miranda and her father. ‘Then we go to face the Emerald Queen.’
Tomas awaited in the glade where Tathar and Acaila had overseen their protection. He stood resplendent in his armor of white and gold. Behind him waited the warriors of Elvandar, Calin and Redtree at their head.
‘It is time?’ asked Tomas as soon as they materialized.
‘Not yet,’ said Pug, ‘but soon. Get word to Stone Mountain and the Grey Towers. Call the dwarves to war. You know where to lead them when they gather.’
Tomas nodded, and started issuing instructions to elven runners nearby. Pug had alerted him of their coming, using a mental call agreed upon by the two boyhood friends years before. Nakor and Dominic moved away from the three magicians, and Pug came up to Tomas. ‘We go to challenge the Emerald Queen before she reaches our shore. Should we fail, the war will come to you eventually. You know the stakes. You must convince Dolgan and Half dan down in Dorgin to come to the Kingdom’s aid.’
Tomas nodded. ‘Dolgan will come. He and I have too much between us for him to ignore my call. Halfdan will come because Dolgan comes.’ He smiled and for a moment Pug saw his boyhood friend again, behind the mask of the alien warrior. ‘The dwarves of Dorgin never forgave Dolgan for not inviting them to the last war.’
Pug looked around the glade, as if drinking in the calm beauty, imprinting it on his memory. It was early evening here in Elvandar, so it would be morning where the invading fleet would be found.
Pug gripped Tomas’s hand and said, ‘Good-bye, my friend.’
Tomas squeezed lightly. ‘Be well. I will see you when we celebrate this victory.’
Pug only nodded.
He turned and came to where Macros and Miranda waited, reached out and took their hands. Suddenly they were gone.
Nakor said, ‘We have much to do, and less time to do it in than we might wish for.’
Tomas nodded. ‘I fear you are correct.’
Dominic said, ‘I need to reach our abbey in the Grey Towers. From there our brothers can transport me to anyplace in the Kingdom where we have an abbey or temple.’
Tomas motioned to an elf. ‘Galain, see to horses for the morning.’ To Nakor and Dominic he said, ‘You will dine and rest, and leave in the morning.’
Nakor said, ‘No, Sho Pi and I will stay here. I think we will be needed here, soon.’
Nakor was without his ever-present grin, and Dominic said, ‘You’re fearful?’
‘Yes,’ said the little man. ‘I know why Pug does this thing, and it is unwise, I think. He does it as much to prove his love for Miranda as to defeat the enemy, and while I believe she is right in assessing his power, I think she underestimates the power of the Emerald Queen and the Pantathians.’ Then he added in a low voice to Dominic, ‘And vastly underestimates the third player.’
Dominic’s eyes widened and he pulled Nakor aside as the elves walked on. ‘What do you remember?’
‘All of it,’ said Nakor. Something strange burned in the little man’s eyes. ‘I have my own ways of protecting my mind. Abbot, just as you do. Those three magicians like to think they know a lot about the many paths of magic, but they still think too much along one path. You and I know there are many paths, many ways to proceed. Or no paths, if you look at it another way. You have no need to worry about my falling under the Nameless One’s influence.’