Silver Shadows

Silver Shadows by Elaine Cunningham is the third book in the Songs & Swords series and the thirteenth book in The Harpers series.
==Summary==
Bunlap, a mercenary, begins attacking human caravans in the forest of Tethyr and blaming the attacks on the wood elves, while also attacking the wood elves and blaming the attacks on humans and other elf tribes. Foxfire, the lead warrior of an elven tribe, fights back. Bunlap was merely hired to protect illegal logging by Inselm Hhune meant to build illegal warships to defend his trade vessels, but chose to attack the elves and developed a grudge against Foxfire when Foxfire scarred his face. 
Laeral Silverhand and Amlaruil Moonflower discuss it, and agree to send Arilyn Moonblade as an envoy to help the forest elves, posing as a full elf. Khelben Arunsun contacts her, instructing her to negotiate a compromise if possible and encourage the Retreat if not. Arilyn is still undercover in Zazesspur with Danilo Thann. 
Hasheth Balik, son of Pasha Balik who became obsessed with Arilyn after she and Danilo made him an informant, sells out Danilo as a Harper, and he is forced to flee the city. Hasheth forms an alliance with Lord Hhune and becomes a double agent for the Knights of the Shield. 
Arilyn flees as well, after discovering that elves bond with their moonblades, and a past wielder is kept in the grounds of a wealthy retired assassin’s home in a trancelike state. Ferret, a wild elf posing as a fellow assassin, follows her after first trying to find Danilo. 
Arilyn makes contact with the tribe and discovers the sleeping wielder, Zoastria, is a former hero who once led the wood elves in battle. She mounts a rescue along with Ferret, a priest of Gond named Tinkersdam, a dwarf named Jill she freed from the palace, and an elf name Kendel Leafbower that Jill befriended. 
The Lythari, elven shapeshifters, discover logging and the destruction of an elven tribe, and agree to battle the humans, alongside centaurs, fauns, and a revived Zoastria, who reclaims the blade from Arilyn. In the final battle, Zoastria dies and Arilyn chooses to reclaim the blade, killing Bunlap and winning the battle by calling the spirits of the elves. She claims a tract of land west of the forest to replant it as her reward from Amlaruil and reunites with Danilo, while Hhune, Lucia Thione, and Hasheth continue plotting.
==Appendix==
===Gallery===
Silver Shadows map tethyr.png|The map of Tethyr from the novel.
===Further Reading===
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===References===
Category:Novels
Category:Books
Category:Works by Elaine Cunningham
Category:Published in 1996
Category:Published in 2001