Chapter Seven: Heart and Mind

Katla tried to take reverie, but no matter how she tried to relax her body, her mind would not ease, causing her body to further tense up.

Fear and anger dominated her thoughts.

Katla was angry that Kamiel. She felt certain that Kamiel chose to keep her ignorant of the Vhaerunites' motives towards women in order to use her as bait. She could have easily been captured and enslaved if the drow scouts had been more in number or if Bhintel had chosen to run.

"He is just like everyone else," she thought to herself, "I am nothing but an naive tool to be used."

Her anger grew as her thoughts wandered to Iasa and to Xarlion. She was being used by Xarlion as a scapegoat so he and his brood could make their escape.

Katla was sure that Iasa's honorable duty to her was some sort of excuse to use her as well.

Her frustrations became unbearable, so she prepared to leave the lodge, alone. She carefully donned her leather armor, belted on her sword and strapped daggers to her boots. She picked up her cloak and held her breath to keep from going into a sneezing or coughing fit. Her brown cloak was covered in powder to make it blend in with the snow, which was fine once outside. Indoors however, due to the lack of moisture, the cloak with the powder irritated Katla's nose and throat. She quietly packed the rest of what she felt she might need and quietly made her way down the spiral steps to the great hall.

She crouched down in the shadows near the foot of the stairs and looked to see if there was anyone guarding the entrance. Two men were in the great hall playing some dice game.

Katla prayed that she could slip past, but one of the two men looked up and waved at her. She bit her bottom lip as she walked into the hall. She took a deep breath and decided to go to the kitchen instead of dashing for the front door. The powder on her cloak stirred, causing a short sneezing fit, but quickly covered her nose to stop the sneezing.

Katla had avoided the kitchen so far during her stay. A confrontation between Yuula and Katla would not have been prudent. Since Yuula practically lived there, it was best to avoid going to the kitchen. The kitchen was not actually part of the camphor tree that made up the upper portions of the lodge, but rather was part of the huge stone outcropping that the tree had grown around.

Katla made her way down the stone steps. The steps ended at a hallway leading left to right. She was not sure which way the kitchen was. She did know that the other direction led to the dungeon.

Katla jumped to the sound of Yuula's laughter coming from the right direction of the hall. she took a deep breath and headed towards the laughter.

She pulled back the drape that separated the kitchen from the hall to see Yuula and Bhintel eating wine and cheese and having a lively conversation.

Bhintel looked like he had just finished a bath. His back was to the fire to allow his newly cropped , shoulder length hair to dry. He looked up and motioned for Katla to join them.

Yuula, turned to see Katla in the door and frowned.

"I don't think Yuula wants me here." Katla both said and speech and sign so both in the room could understand.

"So you are the one who taught my Kamiel that."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Well don't use it here." Yuula replied, switching to the common trade language, "Bhintel speaks this tongue quite well. I taught him during my captivity."

Bhintel looked at the heated looks Yuula was giving Katla and let loose with a roaring laugh. "A mother fussing over her son, how quaint."

"She is an elf-bane, Bhintel. The only thing she will bring any of my sons is a horrible death."

Bhintel laughed harder, sending Yuula into a flying rage.

As Yuula physically took out her anger on poor Bhintel, Katla grabbed a loaf of bread, the cheese from the table and an unopened bottle of wine and fled back towards the door. She tried to step aside as the two men from upstairs ran down to see what all the commotion was. One of the men grabbed her by the arm as the other rushed to Bhintel. The guard started beating him soundly as Yuula screamed in protest.

Yuula grabbed the open bottle of wine and prepared to knock the guard over the head, startling the guard holding Katla, allowing Katla to twist her arm free.

Katla quickly fled the room, ran back upstairs, out the front door and into the snow outside. She headed for the snow covered shrubbery, hoping to avoid any more confrontations.

Lysar noticed movement near the front door of the lodge. He normally did not pay that much attention to the door itself, but having a family of known thieves, and a drow (other than his cosseted and spoiled little brother) inside made Lysar a little jumpy.

Lysar was not used to tasking the late shift as guard. He was annoyed at Kamiel making him look after Katla whenever she was inside the lodge during the day. He knew his older brother took on twice the duties of anyone else because he ran the lodge, but he did not have to like escorting Kamiel's latest female conquest around like a dog.

He studied the way the lone figure skirted around the bushes. Whomever it was, was not very skilled at moving without anyone seeing. He had caught Luella Amaquissar sneaking out earlier that week, but that catch was sheer luck. A small gust of wind whipped up the snow, shielding the person from Lysar's vision for a moment. The person was gone once he could see in that direction again.

"Hansa, can you handle this watch post for a few moments?"

"What is it?"

"I saw someone sneaking around. I need to see who it is, so I can catch him, or at least report who it is to Kamiel in the morning."

"Go on. I will be fine."

Lysar carefully climbed down from the tree and tried to follow the person he had seen. He got close enough to determine that the person was a female. He was unable to determine much more than that, because the weather started to get worse. He sighed and returned to his post. "If someone is that determined to freeze to death, who am I to argue?" He said to himself, as he debated whether to go wake Kamiel from his reverie.

It did not take Katla long to get lost. The snow was coming down hard enough that even in the trees, it was hard to see very far ahead. She only hoped she was not moving in circles. Instead of paying attention to her immediate surroundings, she was debating whether to go to Evereska or to Straankeep. She was not quite sure where Straankeep was exactly, only that it was on a small island in the middle of a huge river west of Silverymoon. She decided that her best bet was to go to Silverymoon and ask for directions.

She tripped over a stone and fell face first into the snow. As she slowly rose, she saw a small thicket where she could take shelter. After crawling around and looking over the thicket a couple of times, she determined that whatever animal had made the shelter, it was long gone. She shivered from the cold seeping into her clothing, but was afraid to make a fire. She did not want anyone she knew to see it and drag her back to the lodge, or an enemy to see her and capture her as a slave. The fear of being discovered made her shiver worse than the cold did.

"Well, you always wanted others to just leave you alone, now you have your wish." She said to herself to bolster her courage.

She pulled the cloak around her tighter and took a few deep breaths. The powder caused her to cough a couple of times, but she licked her lips and spit in order to stop.

Her mind thought of spells and chants that might make her less susceptible to the bitter cold, but her teeth were chattering too much to make anything she could think of work properly. She relaxed and slowly let herself fall into reverie as she thought of her own demise.

"What do you think you are doing?" A male voice came from outside the thicket.

Katla slowly shook her head to bring herself out of her meditation. She pulled her sword and prepared to hack anyone who tried to drag her out.

"Stubborn female. Come out of there right now."

Katla refused to answer whomever was outside.

"That is an order, not a request. You do not want me to split your shelter in half. I am in a foul disposition as it is."

Katla became angry. She did not like to be ordered around, especially by a male who was most likely just going to use her again. She used her anger to fuel her determination, and poised herself to parry any attack that came her way.

"You have always been too stubborn for your own good, Kalyaluhta. "

Above Katla, the thicket was split and parted cleanly in two by a longsword. Katla sprang up to combat the one who had found her hiding place, only to have the intruder deftly disarm her. Her sword landed tip first in the snow. She threw a dagger at the intruder, hoping to distract him. She knew her aim would be off because of the snow flurries swirling with the gusting wind. She felt any distraction that would allow her to reach her sword was better than none.

A strong, gauntleted hand grabbed her by the arm drug her a few feet away from her sword and threw her face first into a small snow drift.

Katla quickly turned over and prepared to fight. She would not be drug off placidly. She gasped as soon as she righted herself.

Corellon Larethian stood there in full armor, his leg akimbo, his arms crossed and his face furrowed with anger. "You lost something." He made a slight movement with his hand, discharging Katla's dagger.

The dagger nearly pierced Katla's foot as it planted itself in the frozen ground.

Katla blinked for a moment before falling to Corellon's feet and begging for forgiveness. "What Have I done?"

"What you always do, what you did when you gave away most of your power and shattered your soul. You ran away from your responsibilities."

"What?" Katla was confused, but knew better than to nay say her god.

"Listen, and listen well. " He said as he forced Katla to stand and look him in the face. "I gave you a way off the island so you would not die. I gave you a way to a place you would not be tormented. I even gave you a male who resembles me to see to your mortal comforts until you are ready for your destiny. And what do you do? You run from my gifts. I did so much for you, and you run. I had though you had better sense. "

"I am sorry, I did not understand."

Corellon ran his hands through his hair and let out a few deep breaths to calm himself. "Sehanine warned me that this would be difficult. You are too young to understand, but you will."

"I am your bride, but I know it does not give me the right to question you will. I am still mortal."

Corellon took another breath to completely calm himself and nodded. "I will not hurt you, precious jewel. I came from a long argument with Mystra because I dallied in the goings on of her followers. I should not have taken out my anger on you. Are you injured? I do not want you hurt."

"No, I am just very cold."

He put his hands around Katla and brought her close to him in order to shelter her from the weather. "I often forget that you are still mortal, and still a child in your form. Still, will you go to Nyärith? You will be safer there."

"I wish I could say yes, but I can not. I would be safer, but there is more to life than being safe. I only cause misery to those who wish to keep me safe. I would not wish that misery on you as well."

Corellon took another deep breath and gave her a slight smile. "You do have a mind and strength of your own. Very well, you do not have to go, but be warned, if you stay your heart and your mind will be tested to its very limits. You will have harsh trials on Nyärith, but none as harsh as those here. Do you still wish to stay?"

"Yes. I choose the difficult path."

"Very well, stay here." He unfolded his arms and the wind slowed.

Katla could only blink as Corellon stepped back and disappeared into the gently falling snowflakes.

Kamiel, and most everyone else inside the Ranger's Rest woke to Yuula's screeching in the main hall. He reluctantly rose from his meditation, put on his breeches and went downstairs to calm his mother's tirade.

"There you are! Will you tell these stupid guards of yours to let Bhintel out of the dungeon?"

"Calm down mother. Tell me what happened."

Yuula grabbed Kamiel's hair and gave it a good yank. "I want him released, right now!"

"Alright, alright, but tell me why he is there in the first place."

"That stupid elf-bane had the gall to start a fight in the kitchens and they are blaming Bhintel for it."

"Katla started a fight?"

Yuula started beating on Kamiel's bare chest, "You wicked son of mine! You don't believe me either! I should turn you over my knee and whip you with a switch! You are not too old for me to do so! You damn bastard! You are just like your father! You never take responsibility for your own actions. All you care about is where your next bed partner is coming from."

Kamiel grabbed his mother by the shoulders to keep her from injuring herself as much as she was trying to injure him. "My father has nothing to do with this. It took both of you to create this bastard son of yours. It does not matter if my father refuses to acknowledge my existence. I want to know about Katla."

"She showed up in the kitchen, interrupted a nice conversation, started a fight, then fled."

"Guards, go let Bhintel go." Kamiel said as he released his mother, "None of us will get reverie otherwise. Bring him here. Mother you stay to translate."

"He speaks the trade language." Yuula said in a huff.

"Fine, then go to your room before I put you in the dungeon, mother. You are quickly causing me to reach the end of my patience." He nodded to the guards and ordered them to retrieve Bhintel.

A few of those who had risen and gathered to see what the commotion was about applauded Kamiel as Yuula started to stomp up the stairs.

Iasa bounded down the stairs, nearly knocking Yuula over. Xarlion, still in his nightshirt, was not far behind Iasa.

Yuula started to berate the two for running inside the lodge, but thought better of it. She continued up the tree to her room.

"What is all of the noise about, Kamiel?"

"Mother has stirred up trouble again." Kamiel said as he turned to his two guests.

"What is the matter with Lady Katla?"

"I don't know yet, Iasa. "

Iasa put his hands on hips, one hand fingering the pommel of his sword. "If that drow has lain a finger on her..."

"Watch your temper. Why don't you go to her room and check on her?"

Iasa frowned and nodded before he slowly made his way back up the steps.

"He is a child, Kamiel. Pay him no mind." Xarlion said in a sympathetic tone, "Having him and Katla with me has frayed my nerves as well."

Kamiel ran a hand over his face and slowly massaged his temple with his index finger and middle finger. He had hoped to meditate a little longer, or perhaps sleep. He felt weary enough that sleep would have done him some good. He walked to the slightly raised platform at the head of the hall. A simple, hollowed out stump that was covered in cushions served as his seat of authority. It was the only outward representation that indicated Kamiel as owner of the Ranger's Rest. It was evenings like this one that made Kamiel loathe his position.

Bhintel did not look the worse for wear when the guards brought him up from the dungeon.

Bhintel was in good spirits. He laughed as soon as he saw Kamiel, and asked for permission to take a pillow that sat on the edge of the platform to sit on.

Kamiel nodded, but frowned when Bhintel burst into laughter again.

"What is so funny?"

"Your mother. She told me such wonderful stories about your childhood. I hope I can be a friend to you and Lysar as well as a father, of sorts. My Ormin is your brother, and since your father never wanted you and Lysar's father died before he was born, I am willing to have you look on me fondly."

"What on Toril are you talking about? You mean you have no idea why you were thrown in the dungeon?"

"I assumed it was because I was a drow. Yuula got so angry at the nice girl who helped to rescue me. Katla simply walked into the kitchens and Yuula began yelling at her. Katla is a very troubled child. I have spent many a night not being able to meditate due to frustrations and fear. Yuula became angry with me because I saw humor in hers and Katla's actions."

"Well at least that answers the reasons behind the fight that woke the entire household. "

"Kamiel," Iasa burst into the hall "she is not in her room and I have searched the rooms near hers. Her belongings are gone!"

Kamiel rose from his seat.

Bhintel, whom had not understood all of the elven words spoken, asked, "What is wrong?"

"Katla has disappeared. She may have run away." Kamiel said as he translated what Iasa had said into the common language. "Get a search party of at least six together, ten preferably. There is a storm outside. Cadden, go see if any of the watch saw her leave."

"I will go too." Iasa said.

"No you won't. You don't know the area well enough. Xarlion, go get dressed. I need you to watch after the lodge while I am gone."

Xarlion nodded and rushed up to his room.

Bhintel, and the rest whom had volunteered to search went to dress for the bad weather outside. "It is my chance to repay the girl for bringing me home to my wife and son."

"Wife? You married my mother, Bhintel?"

"Yes, Kamiel, but now is not the time to discuss that. Katla is out in the weather."

"True, but I want to know the full story when we get back."

Lysar came inside the lodge and gave the report of what he saw to Kamiel. Lysar regretted shirking his duties at the watch. He understood his mistake in not immediately reporting the person he saw earlier. He knew better than to allow any guest to come to harm. This time the one in harm's way was the girl Kamiel wanted for his lover. Katla, as well as those going off looking for her were in danger because of his lack of attention. He was willing to take any punishment to pay for that mistake.

Kamiel did not bother with his younger brother, he would do that once they were all safely back in the lodge. "Go back to your post, Lysar"

Iasa paced angrily back and forth. "I don't see why I can no go."

Kamiel put his hand on Iasa's shoulder. "I need you to stay here in case she makes it back. She will feel better if you are here if she does make it back without us."

"I suppose you're right."

"Let Xarlion handle any other problem that may come up while we are gone. Your duty is to make sure everything is ready in case she is hurt badly. I presume you know first aid?"

"Yes sir."

"Good, Iasa. You can get things organized to treat the wounded and frostbitten."

Katla was glad the wind was no longer blowing the snow in swirls, but it did not help her situation. She kept trudging on deeper in to the forest. The trees were dense enough that not as much snow fell to the floor. She reminded herself to watch her step. Crumpled leaves and pine needles made noise, and could cause her to slip.

Katla hoped that the drow who inhabited these forests holed themselves up for the winter.

As she made her way on the overgrown path, she managed to find a lean-to that smelled like it had once been a place to house a horse or two. It was not much, but would provide shelter enough until she could get her bearings. "There is no use going much further until I can be sure which direction is east." She muttered to herself as she managed to make a small fire.

Katla wished she had asked Corellon to point her in the right direction. She could pray and ask , but there was no guarantee he would come and help her again. "I chose the difficult path, now I must live with that, and move on."

Katla heard rustling in the trees near her. At first the believed it was just the wind picking up again, until she heard the rhythmic sound of footsteps. She quickly doused the fire with snow and hid herself among the fallen branches. She listened as footsteps came closer, praying she could keep quiet enough not to be noticed.

Three women, followed by several men passed near enough to the lean-to to see the structure clearly if they were looking for it. Although she could only make out a few of the hushed words spoken, they were enough to allow her to determine that those on the trail were drow.

Katla began to shake as the enormity of her decision to leave the lodge flooded her thoughts. After a few minutes, the group passed by and Katla breathed a sigh of relief, but it was short lived as a hand snaked around her and covered her mouth.

"Shh. Spider kissers." the voice of the man behind her said in the common language. "They are here to destroy a small group of Vhaeraun worshippers who are encamped out of their village. Stay quiet."

Katla wanted to bite into the man's hand, but she was too afraid the noise would alert the others. Even with her sword skills, she was outnumbered.

"Now stay quiet, I am going to move you to a safer spot. This lean-to is not safe. I have a hidden shelter not far. Once we are clear from the lean-to, I am going to let your mouth loose. If you want to live, follow me and run like hell beasts were on your heels."

The man grabbed her arm as soon as it left her mouth so that Katla would not loose him as they ran. He reached into his white cape and pulled out a wand which he pointed at the side of sheer of rock.

The man nearly pulled Katla's arm from it's socket as he jerked her through the portal he had created with the wand.

The portal quickly closed as soon as they landed in a small, round-shaped room. Tapestries hung on the walls to keep out the cold. Rugs lined the floors. All of the chairs were either upholstered or had pillows and blankets thrown over them. A fire burned in a small fireplace along one side of the room. Candles in holders on the wall provided a bit more light. The room was warm and inviting.

"Sorry about that. Is your arm alright? I suppose I should introduce myself. " He pulled the white fur hood back revealing a mass of dark brown hair framing a human face. " I am Iain Caffel, wizard and scholar, originally from Candlekeep."

Iain held out his hand to help Katla up. He took her cape and shook the snow off of it.

"Not a talker, I see. Well, most elves I meet don't talk much. At least give me a name."

"Katla."

"That will work. Now go warm yourself by the fire while I get the spare room ready. You can tell me what in blazes you were doing out in this weather when you have warmed up." He strode to a tapestry revealing a doorway and a set up stairs leading up.

Katla was not sure what to think of Iain, or his strange little house. There were windows near the fireplace, but she was not sure whether they were real windows or a spell. The snow seemed to cover them over.

Iain came back in the room with a couple of cups and a pot full of some sort of tea. He set the tea down on a small table that was laden with books and carefully arranged the tray so it would not topple into the floor. He poured a cup of tea for himself and for Katla before sitting in the chair closest to her. "Here, this will warm you up." He took a sip of his tea and sighed as Katla gingerly sipped from her own cup. "Now, Katla, will you tell me what you are doing alone in the snow?"

"I was traveling to Silverymoon."

Iain cocked his eyebrow and straightened his brown robes. "Well, where are the rest who are traveling with you?"

"I am alone."

"Not a smart thing to do this time of year. It is good that I found you then, seeing as you were going in the wrong direction."

Katla let out a sigh. "I thought as much."

"You were going north. Silverymoon is to the east. If you had kept going the way you were, you would have run smack dab into the front gates of Myth Drannor. That is not a place a lone girl should be. The masked menace have set up a temple near there. "

"Masked menace? Do you mean Vhaerunites?"

"Just so. They created a huge village in some older ruins near there, but they raid the mythal constantly. So they set up a temple closer to it."

"You do not talk like a scholar."

"I was a street urchin until I was in my teens. I never quite got out of the habit of speaking what's on my mind and speaking in colorful phrases."

Katla simply shrugged and turned her eyes back to the fire.

"So, why are you alone?"

"I could not tolerate the ones I was with."

Iain gave a slight chuckle. "So what did Kamiel do this time?"

Katla turned her angry eyes back to Iain. "Kamiel has nothing to do with it." She covered her mouth as soon as her words were out. She knew there was no way to take back what she had revealed to the wily wizard.

"Thought so. The Ranger's Rest, or the lodge to most anyone who knows where the thing is, is the only safe house within leagues. Kamiel does not have good luck with women, despite his looks. He is always a fool for a pretty face."

"I suppose you think I am just the latest pretty face?"

"Seems so. I sent a message by way of magic bird to tell him you were here. He will send a search party to look for you. If he and his scouts run into those spider kissers, it will not be good."

"I don't see why he would look for me. His mother hates me."

"Yuula hates everybody except her boys. Can't say that I blame her." Iain said as he rose to put his cup back on the tea tray. "It's not easy for someone like her to loose the stigma of once being a high-priced courtesan. Kamiel's father sold Yuula to a brothel when he discovered she was pregnant. Nasty business that, but not uncommon for those sun elves that believe in racial purity, even among other kinds of elves. Kamiel spent some of his early years in the bordello where Yuula lived. Poor woman didn't escape that life until Lysar's father won her in a game of chance. He brought her and Kamiel to the lodge so they could make a better future for themselves."

"She looks down on me, nonetheless. I do not doubt she would try to stop any search party."

"She can try, but Kamiel made an oath to protect anyone who chose to reside in the lodge. Feelings have nothing to do with it, duty has everything to do with it. Now let me show you to your room. You need to get some rest."

Katla nodded, rose and followed Iain out of the room and up the stairs.

Kamiel was dismayed when he found the broken thicket. He had often used the spot in recent years as a hiding spot when he was hunting birds. He was not sure who had destroyed the thicket, but he hoped it was not destroyed to get to Katla.

He found Katla's dagger in the nearby snow bank and found some faint footprints heading toward one of the northern trails. "This way, " He shouted to the nine others who volunteered to search.

Kamiel usually did not make a habit of feeling guilty for mistakes he made, but this time, he could not help but feel a little guilty. He knew Katla knew nothing of the world. He did not blame her for being angry at him. He felt lucky that Katla was not very good at covering her tracks, but that luck ran out when he and the other searchers reached the denser spread of trees.

A larger group of persons were following the same trail as the one Katla was following. The group's trail indicated that they covered their tracks enough to hide their numbers.

"Do you think it is a group of Vhaerunite scouts?" one of the searchers asked.

"Not sure, but this trail leads straight to Myth Drannor. Heaven help us if she makes it there."

The sound of sword on sword carried over the snow covered ground. Bhintel went ahead to see who was fighting as Kamiel and the rest prepared for battle. "We have to get out of here." He said as he came back.

"Did you see Katla?"

"No, but I did see worshippers of Lloth. They doubled back to investigate that spot where the crazy wizard used to keep his horse."

"Are you talking about Iain?"

"I am not sure of his name, I only know he left me food from time to time. Strange, those from the underdark rarely come to the surface in the winter."

"They must be hunting for someone in specific." Kamiel said.

"There is still the chance they could run into Katla." one of the scouts added.

"More likely they will run into us, and although the moonlight on the clouds helps illuminate the area, we are too few to handle a raiding party from the underdark." Bhintel added.

"I don't want to leave her alone out here." Kamiel said through clenched teeth.

"You want the ten of us to take on twenty or more drow raiders, three being priestesses of Lloth? It is foolish."

"It is all my fault." Kamiel sank to his knees in the snow, "I used her innocent notions to my advantage."

Bhintel frowned. "Get up and lets go back to the lodge. Getting yourself killed will not help her. Let's hope we can make it there before we are spotted by those from the underdark."

Kamiel started to rise when a small, sharp object hit him square in the shoulder.

Bhintel grabbed the tiny arrow. "Drow poisoned bolt. Luckily for you, I have a remedy for the poison."

Kamiel shouted to the rest of the searchers, "Drow! Hurry to the trees. "

In a matter of moments, the search party was surrounded .

Katla surveyed the room that Iain had provided for her. It was not as plush as the sitting room, but was comfortable and clean. She knew she should rest, but Katla was more curious and nervous than tired. Iain's home was too quiet for her tastes.

Iain seemed nice enough, but Katla had no idea where the door to the tower was. She knew she had to find the way out before she could feel any true sense of comfort.

The sound of a closing door reverberated through the stone. Katla took the too large, but dry cloak that Iain had provided and strode from the bedchamber.

At first, Katla went down the steps past the door that lead to the sitting room. At the bottom she found a room littered with large amounts of stone and rubble. If there had been a door in that room, it was completely covered with debris.

She went back upstairs and quickly found Iain's laboratory. A side alcove was covered in bookcases and stacks of books. Another side alcove contained a desk and a small door. Katla opened the door and found a small set of steps that lead down. At the bottom of the steps, was the a door leading to the outside.

Katla rushed outside and clearly saw the imprint of Iain's footprints. She took a moment to make sure her weapons were ready. She checked her boots and realized that she had left her dagger in the snow bank when she encountered Corellon.

She sighed and shook her head. Her incompetence could have lead her to disaster. "I will make sure I have all of my weapons with me next time." She muttered to herself.

Iain skirted around the trees as he watched the drow search his old horse barn. Once he sold his horse, he used the lean-to to grow winter mushrooms for use in his spells. He hoped Katla had not unwittingly ruined his crop when she took shelter there. He groaned because he felt sure the drow did ruin his mushrooms.

A few of the drow soldiers split from the rest of the drow raiders. Iain followed them to the spot where Kamiel and his search party stood.

The only thing he could think of was to cast as many spell as he could to slow the drow down.

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