‘For his brutality, Cir was rewarded with an untimely but well-deserved death, at the hands of his own soldiers. The King, not being in his right mind, then did the unthinkable. He ordered his Loremasters to resurrect his son.’

‘Cir was dead?’ Doc said incredulously. Once past his initial surprise, a though occurred to him, and he said, ‘I seem to recall something Malina told me, that the Elves were known to have done such things, and that the result was so frightening she wouldn’t speak of it.’

The Thane raised his eyebrows in surprise. ‘So, it has been done before! I was not aware of that.’ Noting Doc’s dubious expression, he said, ‘I have no doubt that the Pixie spoke the truth. The only way she could have known about it, is if it had been done. She may even have been witness to it.

‘Well, if the King saw fit to resurrect his son, why would he stop there? But those brought back from the Dead are an enigma, for they are not truly alive. They walk in both worlds-’

‘Malina told me as much,’ Doc said.

‘Did she?’ the Thane said, surprised. ‘I had always suspected that young woman to be of greater character than she appeared. To have endured Cir’s malice for so long takes a stout heart! While it is true that she had some little aid from Pran, Birin, myself and a few Pixie friends like Finli, still I find it a thing of wonder to remember how often she risked her life to help others.’




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