Maera stepped in front of him, Florimund’s hand in hers.“Paladin, your sort preach kindness. You cannot leave my cousin in this state!You saw his condition when we found him, and I know well that he fears to sleep because his dreams put him back in that cell or the torturer’s-” She closed hereyes and swallowed hard. “He has done nothing wrong! Weak as he is, he has donehis best to help you, and for that, our fine mage has forced him to sleep.”
“A dreamless sleep,” Nemis began.
But Maera waved him off. “So he says, Paladin, but I havebeen with my cousin this hour, and your mage has not. I can keep him quiet and I swear to you I will, if you but lift the spell.”
Malowan glanced at Nemis, then fixed his eyes on Maera, who met his gaze steadily. Her voice was hoarse, as if she fought tears. “How canyou allow an innocent to be so cruelly used, Malowan?” she whispered.
Lhors glanced at Rowan. The ranger’s eyes were fixed on thedistant throne, her lips set.
Malowan looked at Vlandar, who gazed back at him without any sign Lhors could make out. “The innocent must not suffer,” Malowan said, verysoftly. “And so, what dare I, except to grant your plea?” He laid his hands uponthe half-elf’s face, and at his touch, Florimund awoke.
If he cries out, Lhors thought, we’re all doomed. But thepaladin had done something to soothe the fellow, or perhaps Nemis’ earliersleep spell had. The half-elf merely gazed around, then allowed Maera to draw him aside so they could speak.
“You know why I cast that spell,” Nemis said. He lookedangry.
Malowan shook his head. “Yes, and I agreed with what you did.But would it not be better not to distance Maera from us-or her sister? We knowto watch him, after all. And you and I have ways of watching that use more than eyes.”
18
As the party gathered for a brief rest, Nemis went off withRowan to guard his back. He was sure that he could get close enough to cast a spell on the two guards beneath the dais. They were gone no more than a few moments.
“Sleeping like little lambs,” the mage announced with asmile.
“Well done,” Vlandar said. “Take a few moments to rest, thenwe’re off again.”
Maera drew the injured half-elf back into the kitchens with her, talking to him the whole time. She looked tense, Lhors thought. Florimund gave Nemis and Malowan a baffled look but finally shrugged listlessly, as though nothing mattered much. He still seemed unsteady on his feet and winced as the ranger laid a hand on his arm.
“Odd,” Nemis remarked softly to Vlandar after the half-elfwas out of earshot. “When I heal someone no worse hurt than he was, the healingtakes. He was in pain, yes, but mostly cut and bruised-nowhere nearly as bad assome I’ve helped.”
“I agree it seems odd,” Vlandar said. “You didn’t take hismemories away, did you?”
The mage shrugged. “I did what I could to ease his mind, youknow. But whatever aid I’ve offered him since, Maera refuses for him. And hedoes not seem eager for that healing.”
“I’ll tell you that ’e’s fakin,” Agya murmured. She had comesilently up behind them. “Not my business, listenin’ to wizard-talk, but yonFlorimund? I don’t trust ’im so far’s I could spit ’im.”
Malowan came up behind her. He sighed. “Agya, I know, but notall are used to violence. Merely being taken prisoner would be enough to terrify a gentle fellow. But I had to waken him. Maera will not listen to any word against Florimund and besides, I have no proof against him. He is not evil, that I can tell.”
Agya merely cast up her eyes.
“Let us be done with this,” Vlandar urged. “Mal, Florimund isyour watch-and Maera as well.”
The paladin nodded.
“We’re ready to go, then?” Vlandar added. “I know most of usneeded a short rest here, but we have little time to spare. We don’t know whenthe guard change occurs, but we do know what the incoming guards will find-atrail of bodies.”
“I agree,” Malowan said. “And we have yet to find the Jarl’sprivate chambers.”
“Or his treasuries, though I would like it better if we foundanother scroll like the last one you and Agya found.” Vlandar beckoned the restof his company close. “All right, people,” he began, “we’ve crossed much of theRift, but there is still danger. Nemis has neutralized the two guards behind the dais, but there may be others, or servants wandering the halls. None of us know what we will find once we get to the Jarl’s chambers, but we must be utterlyquiet. You four”-he looked at the rescued prisoners-“stay in our midst. We’vegiven you what weapons we can, and if things come to a fight, we’ll welcome yourhelp. But we have a goal that lies beyond this place, and our best way to get there-and to get you free of the Rift-is to use stealth. We are spies, not anarmy.”
“We’re no army, either,” Jebis said quietly. “And we’ll dowhat you ask, so long’s we’ve a chance to escape alive.” He glanced at hiscompanions. Two of the hunters nodded cautiously. The third stared at the dagger he now held, his lips moving soundlessly. He looked a bit touched to Lhors, who couldn’t blame the man.
“Good,” Vlandar said. “Watch our two magic-users”-heindicated Malowan and Nemis-“They are testing our path and our backtrail forenemy, traps, pitfalls and other dangers. If either signs for you to stop or to be still, do so.”
“We shall,” the hunter said. “Not many orders I won’t followto get out of here.”
“Sensible,” Malowan murmured. “Now, if you must speak for anyreason, get my attention or Nemis’ or Vlandar’s and do this”-he held up a hand,first finger extended. “If it is safe to talk, the response is this”-he held upan open hand, all fingers pressed together-“and if not, this”-he drew a slashinghand across his throat.
“Simple enough,” Jebis said. He rapidly ran through all threesigns, tersely naming each.
Vlandar nodded. “Good. Now, you can make out the throne downthere? There are two guards behind it, but Nemis has bespelled them. All the same, be swift and quiet.”
They crossed the great cave and passed the dais without challenge. Vlandar gestured urgently, and they covered the distance eastward quickly, entered a narrowing passage blocked at its inner end with one of the slabs of rock used as doors. Nemis spelled it to one side while Malowan tested the passages beyond for immediate danger. The paladin shook his head, then he and Nemis led the way in, leaving Khlened, Vlandar, and Bleryn to shift the stone back into place.
The chamber beyond was cool but not unbearably so after the drafty great cave. This room might have been a private audience hall for the Jarl’s important guests. Tables and chairs dotted the area, and on one Lhorscould see scrolls. A few weapons hung from the wall. Pelts covered the floor and the icy stone walls. Another passage went north into darkness, and the east end of this long, skinny room was blocked by hides from ceiling to floor.
Vlandar set Maera to watch north and west, Rowan to keep an eye on the east curtains, then let Malowan perform a reveal danger spell on the chamber itself while Nemis did something similar over near the east wall. Everyone else waited close to the doorway they’d just come through until the twomagicians nodded and gestured that the chamber was free of traps.
Vlandar divided the party and set them to various tasks, leaving the rangers where they were and getting Khlened, Bleryn, and Gerikh to search the chamber for anything useful.
Agya and Lhors were left with Florimund.
The thief’s nose wrinkled, and she touched Lhors’ hand. Animal smell. She pointed toward the leather-draped east wall. The youth shrugged, but when Rowan glanced his way, he caught her attention and signed. Rowan nodded, slacked her bowstring long enough to sign, Yes. Beasts in there, then turned back to keep watch.
Lhors glanced at his companions. Agya swallowed hard as she interpreted the rangers sign, then turned as Florimund began to sway, his eyes half closed. Thief and villager caught the half-elf before he could fall over. The pile of ivory tusks he would have landed on would have made a hellish clatter. Lhors and Agya eased the fellow down, exchanging exasperated looks over him. Nemis, who must have been watching the half-elf, padded quickly across the chamber and clamped a hand over Florimund’s mouth as he and hauled the half-elfup and off his feet. Florimund struggled feebly, but Nemis was already at Maera’s side, where he set the fellow down with some remark to the ranger thatLhors couldn’t hear. She scowled at the mage but patted her kinsman’s hand andlet him crouch next to her.