Maggie Furey: Harp of Winds

Anvar hugged her—gods, it seemed that he couldn’t get enough of touching her. “You’ll be able to use the Harp, if need be,” he promised, “I’ll make it behave—it’s just that it’s new to me yet.”

Aurian nodded gravely. “I know just what you mean. When I think of the struggle I had to master the Staff at first . . ,”

She sighed. “And speaking of struggles, it’s time we were moving. We need to have matters out with Raven, then I must get back to Wolf. And if we can enlist the help of the Xandim ...” She hesitated, her green eyes seeming to look far off into the distance.

“Then what?” Anvar prompted gently.

Aurian’s expression grew hard. “Then we go back north, to Nexis—and deal with Miathan once and for all—and Eliseth.” She shivered. “Gods, I’m so sick and tired of this endless winter of hers.”

Suddenly, Anvar had a wonderful idea. He was so brimful of wonder, and joy, at Aurian having accepted their love at last, that he wanted to give her something—some great, and wonderful, and special gift ... He turned to the Mage and grinned. “Your wish,” he said cheerfully, “is my command.” And lifting the Harp of Winds, he began to play. The wild, unearthly starsong of the Harp swirled forth, as the power of the High Magic pulsed through Anvar and went spiraling out into the world. High on the roof of the world, the snow of Eliseth’s winter began to melt, and the thaw spread out and out, across the territory of the cats and the lands of the Xandim. In the Jeweled Desert, the lethal, raging sandstorms faltered, and gem dust fell to earth like pattering rain. Warm winds alive with shimmering music spread across the ocean, as spring, at Anvar’s behest, came to the north-lands at last.

As Aurian realized what Anvar was doing, a slow smile spread across her face. For an instant, she remembered the filthy, beaten, cowering servant she had rescued so long ago, and she thought her heart would burst with love and pride. And she too wanted to give him a token of her love.

Putting a hand on Anvar’s shoulder as he played, Aurian summoned the powers of the Staff of Earth, and placed its heel upon the ground. And as its emerald radiance blazed forth, the mountains and the lands beyond grew green. Trees burst into leaf and blossom, and flowers sprang up beneath them, cloaking the earth in vibrant hues as chains of sorrowing winter fell away, and the land, like her heart, was reborn.

Aurian’s mind was awhirl with exultation. She grinned, imagining the wrath of the Archmage. Though much remained to be done, at last, at long last, she and Anvar had struck the first real blow against Miathan,

And far away to the north, in a high tower in the city of Nexis, Eliseth trembled.