9

Tanis captured.

‘So, Tanis! An officer, and in my own command. I should review my troops more often!’ Kitiara laughed, sliding her arm through his. ‘You’re shaking. You took a nasty fall. Come on. My rooms aren’t far from here. We’ll have a drink, patch up that wound, then . . . talk.’

Dazed—but not from the head wound—Tanis let Kit lead him out of the alley onto the sidewalk. Too much had happened too fast. One minute he had been buying supplies now he was walking arm in arm with a Dragon Highlord who had just saved his life and who was also the woman he had loved for so many years. He could not help but stare at her, and Kitiara—knowing his eyes were on her—returned his gaze from beneath her long, sooty-black eyelashes.

The gleaming, night-blue dragon-scale armor of the Highlords suited her well, Tanis caught himself thinking. It was tight-fitting, emphasizing the curves of her long legs.

Draconians swarmed around them, hoping for even a brief nod from the Highlord. But Kitiara ignored them, chatting breezily with Tanis as if it were only an afternoon since they had parted, instead of five years. He could not absorb her words, his brain was still fumbling to make sense of this, while his body was reacting—once again—to her nearness.

The mask had left her hair somewhat damp, the curls clung to heir face and forehead. Casually she ran her gloved hand through her hair, shaking it out. It was an old habit of hers and that small gesture brought back memories—

Tanis shook his head, struggling desperately to pull his shattered world together and attend to her words. The lives of his friends depended on what he did now.

‘It’s hot beneath that dragonhelm!’ she was saying. ‘I don’t need the frightful thing to keep my men in line. Do I?’ she asked, winking.

‘N-no,’ Tanis stammered, feeling himself flush.

‘Same old Tanis,’ she murmured, pressing her body against his. ‘You still blush like a schoolboy. But you warn never like the others, never. . she added softly. Pulling him close, she put her arms around him. Closing her eyes, her moist lips brushed his ....

‘Kit—’ Tanis said in a strangled voice, wrenching backwards. ‘Not here! Not in the street,’ he added lamely.

Far a moment Kitiara regarded him angrily, then— shrugging, she dropped her hand down to clasp his arm again. Together they continued along the street, the draconians leering and joking,

‘Same Tanis,’ she said again, this time with a little, breathless sigh. ‘I don’t know why I let you get away with it. Any other man who had refused me like that would have died on my sword. Ah, here we are.’

She entered the best inn in Flotsam, the Saltbreeze. Built high on a cliff, it overlooked the Blood Sea of Istar, whose waves broke on the rocks below. The innkeeper hurried forward.

‘Is my room made up? Kit asked coolly.

‘Yes Highlord, the innkeeper said, bowing again and again. As they ascended the stair, the innkeeper hustled ahead of them to make certain that all was in order.

Kit glanced around. Finding everything satisfactory, she casually tossed the Dragonheim on a table and began pulling off her gloves. Sitting down in a chair, she raised her leg with sensual and deliberate abandon.

‘My boots’ she said to Tanis, smiling.

Swallowing, giving her a week smile in return, Tanis gripped her leg in his hands. This had been an old game of theirs – him taking off her boots. It had always led to—Tanis tried to keep himself from thinking about that!

‘Bring us a bottle of your finest wine,’ Kitiara told the hovering innkeeper, ‘and two glasses.’ She raised her other leg, her brown eyes on Tanis. ‘Then leave us alone.’

‘But—my lord— the innkeeper said hesitantly, ‘there have been messages from Dragon Highlord Ariakus. .

‘If you show your face in this room—after you bring the wine—I’ll cut off your ears,’ Kitiara said pleasantly. But, as she spoke, she drew a gleaming dagger from her belt.

The innkeeper turned pale, nodded, and left hurriedly.

Kit laughed. ‘There!’ she said, wiggling her toes in their silken hose. ‘Now. I’ll take off your boots—’

‘I—I really must go,’ Tanis said, sweating beneath his armor, ‘My c-company commander will be missing me . . ‘

‘But I’m commander of your company!’ Kit said gaily. ‘And tomorrow you’ll be commander of your company. Or higher if you like. Now, sit down.’

Tanis could do nothing but obey, knowing, however, that his heart he wanted to do nothing but obey.

‘It’s so good to see you,’ Kit said, kneeling before him tugging at his boot. ‘I m sorry I missed the reunion in Solace. How is everyone? How is Sturm? Probably fighting with Knights, I suppose. I’m not surprised you two separated. That was one friendship I never could understand—’

Kitiara talked on, but Tanis ceased to listen. He couldn’t look at her. He had forgotten how lovely she was, how sensual, inviting. Desperately he concentrated on his own danger. But all he could think of were nights of bliss spent with Kitiara.

At that moment, Kit looked up into his eyes. Caught and held by the passion she saw in them, she let his boot slip from her hands. Involuntarily, Tanis reached out and drew her near Kitiara slid her hand around his neck and pressed her lips against his.

At her touch, the desires and longings that had tormented Tanis for five years surged through his body. Her fragrance— warm and womanly—mingled with the smell of leather and steel. Her kiss was like flame. The pain was unbearable. Tanis knew only one way to end it.

When the innkeeper knocked on the door, he received no answer. Shaking his head in admiration—this was the third man in as many days—he set the wine upon the floor and left.

‘And now,’ Kitiara murmured sleepily, lying in Tanis’s arms ‘Tell me about my little brothers. Are they with you? The last I saw them, you were escaping from Tarsis with that elf woman’

‘That was you!’ Tanis said, remembering the blue dragons.

‘Of course!’ Kit cuddled nearer. ‘I like the beard,’ she said stroking his face. ‘It hides those weak elvish features. How did you get into the army?’

How indeed? thought Tanis frantically.

‘We . . . were captured in Silvanesti. One of the officers convinced me I was a fool to fight the D-Dark Queen.’

‘And my little brothers?’

‘We—we were separated,’ Tanis said weakly.

‘A pity,’ Kit said with a sigh. ‘I’d like to see them again. Caramon must be a giant by now. And Raistlin—I hear he is quite a skilled mage. Still wearing the Red Robes?’

‘I—I guess,’ Tanis muttered. ‘I haven’t seen him’

‘That won’t last long,’ Kit said complacently. ‘He’s like me. Raist always craved power . . .’

‘What about you?’ Tanis interrupted quickly. ‘What are you doing here, so far from the action? The fighting’s north—’

‘Why, I’m here for the same reason you are,’ Kit answered, opening her eyes wide. ‘Searching for the Green Gemstone Man of course.’

‘That’s where I’ve seen him before!’ Tanis said, memories flooding his mind. The man on the Perechon! The man in Pax Tharkas, escaping with poor Eben. The man with the green gemstone embedded in the center of his chest.

‘You’ve found him!’ Kitiara said, sitting up eagerly. ‘Where, Tanis? Where?’ Her brown eyes glittered.

‘I’m not sure,’ Tanis said, faltering. ‘I’m not sure it was him. I—we were just given a rough description . . . .

‘He looks about fifty in human years,’ Kit said in excitement, ‘but he has strange, young eyes, and his hands are young. And in the flesh of his chest is a green gemstone. We had reports he was sighted in Flotsam. That’s why the Dark Queen sent me here. He’s the key, Tanis! Find him—and no force on Krynn can stop us!’

‘Why?’ Tanis made himself ask calmly. ‘What’s he got that’s so essential to—uh—our side winning this war?’

‘Who knows.’ Shrugging her slender shoulders, Kit lay back in Tanis’s arms. ‘You’re shivering. Here, this will warm you.’’ She kissed his neck, running her hands over his body. ‘We were just told the most important thing we could do to end this war in one swift stroke is to find this man.’

Tanis swallowed, feeling himself warming to her touch.

‘Just think,’ Kitiara whispered in his ear, her breath hot and moist against his skin, ‘if we found him—You and I—we would have all of Krynn at our feet! The Dark Queen would reward us beyond anything we ever dreamed! You and I, together always, Tanis. Let’s go now!.’

Her words echoed in his mind. The two of them, together, forever. Ending the war. Ruling Krynn., No, he thought. feeling his throat constrict. This is madness! Insanity ! My people, my friends. . . . Yet, haven’t I done enough? What do I owe any of them, humans or elves? Nothing! They are the ones who have hurt me, derided me! All these years—a cast out. Why think about them? Me! It’s time I thought about me for a change! This is the woman I’ve dreamed of for so long. And she can be mine! Kitiara . . . so beautiful, so desirable....

‘No!’ Tanis said harshly, then, ‘No,’ he said more gently. Reaching out his hand, he pulled her back near him. ‘Tomorrow will do. If it was him, he isn’t going anywhere. I know . . .’

Kitiara smiled and, with a sigh, Lay back down. Tanis bending over her, kissed her passionately. Far away he could hear the waves of the Blood Sea of Istar crashing on the shore.