Seen in Rock Crystal

SSt. 859, Athk. Fae. Contents: Blank. Status: Sold Buyer: Sand of Neverwinter

I went to the war room as soon as the bell rang. I knew what it was about already, having heard Lila speaking to Aldanon in the library. After that it was only a matter of time until the summons came.

Despite my haste, Jerro was there before me. Lila too. The rest would no doubt not be long in coming.

I took my seat at the table and tried surreptitiously to feel my pulse. It was definitely too fast. Jumping around like a gnome on sprung stilts. Breath, I told myself - take a deep breath – hold – count – then exhale. I wondered if there would be time to drink some chamomile tea before we left. Being a young elf still, I had a much greater potential lifespan than the majority of those who had a place in the war room. Therefore, I had much more to lose.

I hoped the meeting wouldn't go on for too long, and I hoped the meeting would go on forever. Better to get the worst over with quickly, and yet – if only I could stay in one of the warm guest chambers of the castle, barricade the door, and never leave.

Elanee arrived and crossed straight to the oriel window, where she stood silently, not looking at us.

Lila and Jerro were debating something. I forced myself to pay attention, in case it would affect me.

"...so Grobnar is coming. He's the only one that understands the Construct anyway. Zhjaeve, yes. Casavir, yes. What about Qara?"

"Too undisciplined," said Jerro. "And too immature. Leave her here. Kana may find a use for her."

Lila gave a dry chuckle. "Not quite what I was expecting from you. Are you feeling alright Ammon?" He glowered. "Well, then, let me put the other view – she's powerful. You saw what she was like on the walls last night. She did more damage to the shadow host than me and all the Greycloaks put together. Besides, if we fail, what use is Qara here?"

Casavir entered, and went to join Elanee at the window. They stood close together, silently, bathed in the gemstone colours of the stain-glass. He was normally one of the most vocal planners and organisers, and, in truth, one of the most competent; but for several days, he had barely said a word. I would never understand paladins.

"The situation in the Merdelain will be different," Jerro was arguing. "Here, we lie on the most violent edge of the storm. There, we will be in its eye. I do not know what awaits us, but what we cannot expect is a simple battle with a three foot wall between us and the forces of the enemy. The sorceress is too liable to get in the way and endanger us all – and endanger our cause." The words 'much more importantly' didn't need to be added. We had all learned to apply them automatically to whatever he said.

"Points duly noted. Thanks, Ammon. What about you, Sand? You seem to know Qara a bit better than most of us. Can I assume you're coming, by the way?"

Jerro folded his arms and stared at me. Generations of Neverwinter aristocrats lived again in the glare of one scrawny human with the temper of a hippopotamus. It was worse than an audience with Nasher. He didn't even know what I would say yet.

"Of course I'll come with you. For a start, I want to make sure that Garius doesn't come back from his next death. And Ammon Jerro is quite right," I said; he frowned immediately, probably because he correctly anticipated the qualification that was at once forthcoming. "Qara is undisciplined. And reckless. But we've always known that. She also has red hair. It's simply one of those things about her that is immediately obvious. So what's changed? You've put her in life-threatening situations before, Lila"

I met her eyes, and then turned my gaze meaningfully to her warlock associate. By the flicker of her lashes, I knew she had understood. Lila had taken Qara through Jerro's demented labyrinth, where she nearly died. As did I.

"The level of danger is likely to be higher this time. It won't be a brawl against a few companies of skeletons. Retreat won't be an option," said Jerro, to all appearances oblivious to the silent exchange.

"Running away is never an option for Qara, anyway. And since when were you worried about putting young wo – putting people in danger?" I corrected myself. No need to make this spat more drawn out than necessary. Though at least it was serving to distract me from my intense terror of approaching death. "We're all in danger. And as you have repeatedly reminded us, if we fail, safety is a word that can be struck from dictionaries all over the continent."

"She's very young," said Lila, who didn't seem much older than Qara to me.

"And capable of carbonizing a vampire before it can even flash its fangs. Listen, dear girl. If we put Qara in the vanguard, we can use her as a scourge to vanquish our enemies. I don't like the girl, and don't trust her – but she's indispensable. And I fear that if we leave her here, we are merely lowering to nothing our own chances of ever returning from the Mere."

"Thank you, Sand," Lila replied, and smiled brightly – too brightly - at someone behind me. "Qara. We were just talking about you."

"I know." Qara stalked past me. Her face was still covered in smoke from the battle, and her robes were singed and torn at the sleeves. "I'm not deaf. So you want me to torch some more shadows for you? Why not." She shrugged, and tucked herself into her chair with her feet drawn up under her.

"You could stay here. Help Kana defend the Keep. The attackers won't be gone for long."

"Neither will we," Qara replied, her lip curling. "I'll burn everything in the swamp to ashes, then come back and finish off whatever's left over here."

"Are you sure you want to come?" Lila asked. I couldn't tell what answer she was hoping for.

Qara wiped her nose with a trailing sleeve. It left more soot on her face rather than less. "Yes," she said "You can't take someone like Sand with you and leave me behind. And stop pretending you care about me, Farlong. You don't. I know how you think." She wrapped an arm around the back of her chair. Gently, dreamily, she reached out her free hand, palm upwards, and conjured a ball of light, as many-coloured as the stain-glass diamonds that were shadowed on Casavir's breastplate. "I want to come."

Jerro looked up from a map he was scrutinizing for long enough to shake his head in disapproval. I couldn't share his misgivings, and was surprised he had any. The man was obsessed with averting one impending disaster. And here was another for, judging by her abilities and her egotism, it was clear to me that if Qara lived to attain her full powers, it would be so much the worse for everyone else. I thought of the barrel. The smouldering bodies. The rash, beautiful boy dying under my own awnings while the snow fell.

"If you're certain," said Lila.

"Oh yes," Qara breathed, not looking away from her enchantment. "Certain."