Crown of Fire

Crown of Fire is the second book in Shandril's Saga by Ed Greenwood. It was originally published as the ninth installment of The Harpers series.

"Adventurer on the Run!

Once Shandril was a humble kitchen maid.

Now she's one of the most powerful magic-users in the land.

And a lot of people want her dead.

The evil Zhentarim, the powerful Cult of the Dragon—all of them want her spellfire, and they'll kill whoever they must to get it. There's only one thing for Shandril to do: run. With the aid of Elminster of Shadowdale, the Knights of Myth Drannor, her lover, and a determined dwarf, she'll wield her magic for the cause of good. But if her magic becomes too powerful, her friends won't have a choice.

They'll kill her themselves."

Summary
Shandril Shessair, accompanied by Delg Ironstar and Narm Tamaraith stumbles into Thundarlun near the Thunder Gap, where she is harbored by the Purple Dragon knight watch of the town. A Zhentarim force follows her, and slays the garrison; she slays them in turn, using the spellfire for which they pursue her. Back in Zhentil Keep, Sarhthor and Manshoon send several magelings to try and collect Shandril by force, and then meet with beholders, who send the lich lord Iliph Thraun after Shandril to capture her spellfire. Manshoon is given a trinket to control the lich. As Shandril makes camp, she is scried on by Gathlarue, another Zhentarim sorceress. In Shadowdale, after being attacked by a Malaugrym, Elminster sends two of the Knights of Myth Drannor after Shandril, with orders to shadow her to guard against the other Malaugrym.

Shandril later repels an attack by several swordsmen; shortly after another camp, a Zhentarim mageling, Fimril, catches up with her, as does Iliph Thraun. Shandril is joined by Mirt and camps at Tethgard, where Fimril attacks her; Mirt saves her, and summons a ghost to slay all of the Zhentarim. From there, they continue to the Wanton Wyvern, where she is ambushed again by more Zhentarim agents, who poison Narm; after he's treated by a Harper, Mirt leads them to Irondrake Rock, where a hidden portal leads to Eveningstar. At Irondrake Rock they are ambushed by Gathlarue; Shandril slays her, bringing down the rock formation in the process. Delg is slain in the battle. Manshoon finally sets out to attack her personally, but is cut off by Storm Silverhand and Elminster Aumar, who manage to thwart him; he teleports away to stay safe, but comes into range of Shandril, and she fries him with her spellfire.

At Eveningstar, Tessaril agrees to keep her safe, but two more Zhentarim ambushes, one by Illiph Thraun and one by another mage, Beliarge, force her to hide in the Hidden House; there, she is chased again by Magusta, who finally catches up with her, only to be rescued by Torm and Rathan Thentraver. They allow her to flee, but learning that Iliph Thraun's attacks caused her pregnancy to fail hardens her resolve in striking back at the Zhentarim. She convinces Tessaril to teleport her to Zhentil Keep, where she destroys scores of beholders in a rampage, before being rescued by Mirt. When she next wakes up, Mirt and two more Harpers, Belarla and Oelaerone, sneak her to Myrintara, a sorceress, who cloaks her from observation, and teleports her back to Eveningstar. At Eveningstar, she and Tessaril resolve to make one more strike on Zhentil Keep, to deter Fzoul Chembryl from pursuing her again.

Shandril makes one more assault on Zhentil Keep, but Fzoul lures her to the underground of the Wizards' Tower, where a spell engine cast by Manshoon thwarts her spellfire handily. Mirt manages to break the spell engine, allowing Shandril to slay Fzoul Chembryl, demolish the tower with her spellfire, and decimate the Zhent forces before leaving.

She receives a speaking stone afterwards, ostensibly from Manshoon, which carries a message pledging the brotherhood will not send any more people after her. The stone is also booby-trapped with scrying magic, and Oprion Blackstone, new head of the Zhentarim, is listening in on her conversation, learning thus she is with child again. A freshly risen clone of Manshoon appears, and bids Oprion resurrect Fzoul Chembryl. Meanwhile, Shandril manages to slay Magusta after the shapeshifting monster gets close to her by pretending to be a bearskin rug.

Index (2002 Trade Paperback)
