Tomas turned as she appeared. ‘Miranda! I thought you might not be coming.’
‘I wouldn’t miss it,’ she said with a brave smile. Whatever trepidation she might feel about her husband’s absence, she would never show anyone her concern. Firstly, because she hated showing weakness, and secondly because the Conclave required the confidence of its allies, and these Sun Elves were still too suspicious of humans to be counted allies yet. So she knew her continued participation here was needed to build that necessary trust.
Castdanur nodded to her in greeting, and his manner seemed genuinely warm. She did not have a strong sense of this place prior to her first visit with Tomas, but she could feel that somehow things had changed. The old leader of the Sun Elves was almost aglow with happiness. ‘Lady Miranda—’ he began.
‘Just Miranda, please.’
‘Miranda,’ he started over. ‘My people are in your debt. Lord Tomas told us of your part in destroying the Void beings’ encampment. We have been plagued by them on and off for years and they have cost us dearly.’
Miranda shot a glance at Tomas, whose subtle expression suggested that some things were best left unsaid, such as why the Sun Elves had not petitioned for help from the other elven people when the Dread had first appeared. Debates over independence, stubbornness, and foolhardy choices would be put off for a more relaxed, contemplative time. Right now there was a more pressing concern. ‘It was my pleasure,’ she said. ‘Tomas actually rid us of them, I merely obliterated the residue of their trespass.’
‘It was necessary,’ said Tomas. ‘Had you not, it might have been easier for them to return. Now I think we need only concern ourselves with the original weakness in the fabric of our world that let them slip through in the first place.’
She bit her tongue, trying not to blurt out that the one person best able to discover that leak in the barriers between the real universe and the Void was on another world, in another plane of reality! Instead, she nodded, and said, ‘With Castdanur’s permission, I’ll have some of our most gifted magicians work with your spell-weavers, Tomas, on that problem.’
Tomas nodded. To Castdanur, he said, ‘We are ready’
‘Then follow me, please,’ said the old elf. He motioned for two other elves to accompany them.
Tomas said, ‘I don’t think we need an escort, Castdanur.’
The old elf inclined his head in acquiescence, and waved the two away. As they left the compound, Miranda looked around and saw that the new arrivals were already hard at work rebuilding portions of the community that had been neglected. ‘It looks as if the newcomers are making themselves right at home.’
‘They are our brothers and sisters. They return what was lost to us, and you have rid us of the plague that had weakened us. Before I depart on my journey beyond, I will see Baranor reborn.’
‘That is a good thing,’ Miranda said. Then she realized something was different. ‘Where are Kaspar and his men?’
‘With the return of our brethren, and because of their good works on our behalf, we judged it safe to release them. Kaspar and the one you call Jim Dasher have proven to be elf-friends indeed.’ To Tomas he said, ‘I returned to Jim Dasher the talisman given to him in Elvandar, and to Kaspar of Olasko, I gave another. Both are welcome here whenever they care to return.’
Miranda sighed, ‘Ah, I need to speak with Jim Dasher.’
‘By evening tide, they will be at sea.’
Tomas said, ‘We can search for them when we’re finished here.’
‘No need,’ said Miranda as they began trudging up a long trail that circled around the stronghold and wended its way high into the mountains. ‘I can catch up with Dasher in Roldem.’
They walked quickly up the pathway and Miranda realized after half an hour that she was with two exceptionally good hikers, a elf and a being with the powers of a Dragon Lord. In fact, Tomas despite his heavy armour, appeared to be lingering to allow Castdanur and Miranda to keep up with him. Feeling annoyed at her fatigue, Miranda employed a little magic to make herself light on her feet, a small spell of levitation so that it felt as if she were strolling along rather than trudging uphill.
For the better part of two hours they hiked an unremarkable trail until they came to a large meadow. Castdanur stopped and said, ‘Here we enter the true realm of the Quor.’
Tomas said, ‘I remember.’ Miranda shot him a sidelong glance, and he went on, ‘There are times when Ashen-Shugar’s memories come to me unbidden; things that I did not know until something causes me to remember.’ He stood silently for a long moment, fists on his hips, apparently taking in sensations, identifying feelings. At last he said, ‘I remember…’