The gully dwarf twisted out of Hecar's grip and started down the hallway. After a moment's hesitation, the minotaurs followed.
Galump hurried deeper into the temple. Kaz was amazed and horrified at how many cells there actually were beneath the temple. Finally, Galump pointed at a cell door midway down a corridor. Kaz hurried past him and peered through the grill into the darkened cell. He could neither see nor hear anything within.
Then a chain rattled slightly. Kaz heard a short gasp that did not sound like the kender. In fact, it sounded like a female, but not really like a minotaur.
"Delbin!" He called, trying to keep his voice quiet enough so that it would not echo. "Delbin! It's Kaz!"
The chain rattled more. He heard someone rise.
"Delbin!"
"Kaz?" came the kender's hopeful voice. "Kaz!"
The chain dropped to the floor with a loud clash. Delbin burst out of the darkness from one side of the cell… followed, to Kaz's astonishment, by a human female in her early or mid-teens. The girl paused only when the chains she wore yanked her back.
Kaz snarled, studying the length of chain. More and more, he desired the high priest's neck between his hands. What right did Jopfer think he had to do this to a harmless, innocent child? She could not be any real threat to a minotaur. There was no honor in the cleric's actions, only evil.
He turned away from the door. "Where are those keys?"
Hecar raised the ring of keys, but Delbin was already at the door. Before any of the minotaurs could say anything, there was a click. A moment later, the kender pushed the door open. "The manacles are really hard, Kaz, but the doors are simple. I locked it when I heard someone coming, just in case."
"Amazing," grumbled Ganth. "Minotaur locks are some of the best in the world, and this little one flicks them open without a care."
They followed Delbin inside. The kender took the girl by the hand. She was staring at the minotaurs in open fear. "Don't worry. We're all going to rescue you."
"Who is she, Delbin?" Kaz studied the girl. She looked as if she had some elven blood, but was otherwise unassuming.
"She's-" The kender frowned. "She says she doesn't have a name, Kaz."
"Is that true, girl?"
"I don't think I've ever had a name."
"Why didn't your parents give you one?"
She looked down. "I don't remember them."
"She said she's been on her own as long as she can remember, but she doesn't seem to remember very far back, maybe a couple of years, I think-"
"Shouldn't we be leaving soon, Lad?" interrupted Ganth.
"We have to take her with us, Kaz!"
"A human girl?" Hecar shook his head. "She'll stick out worse than a kender!"
"Nevertheless, we will take her." He looked at the girl. For some reason, she reminded him of someone. "Don't worry-girl-you'll go with us. I wouldn't leave anyone here to wait for the high priest."
"I don't like him. He kept saying I'd be here for centuries."
"Jopfer's truly mad," Hecar retorted. "Becoming high priest has made him crazy."
"Can you get the manacles open, Delbin?" Kaz did not want to have to use the axe. Striking the chains would make more noise than they could afford. It was a wonder no one had heard them so far.
"I think so." The kender was already at work. "I think I almost have this one figured out." To the human he said, "Don't you worry! We'll get you out, and then you can come with us back to Kaz's homeland then we can come up with a name for you-"
"I think I've decided on one," she abruptly announced with much seriousness. "I think I found one I like."
"That's all very nice-" but Kaz got no farther.
"I want to be called Tiberia, or even just Ty." The girl smiled prettily at Kaz. "Delbin mentioned a dragon in a story he told me while he was trying to free me. About a dragon called Tiberion. I like that name."
"Tiberia it is then," snorted Ganth. "We can admire the choice later. If you can't get those manacles open in the next few seconds, Delbin, then we'd better-"
Scurn swung his elbow back, catching a momentarily distracted Fliara in the stomach. She bent over, the air pushed out of her, allowing the scarred minotaur to seize her by the arm and shove her. Fliara collided with Hecar.
The action caught the others off guard. Scurn turned and raced through the open doorway.
"Somebody stop him!" Ganth called, already chasing the scarred minotaur.
"Delbin!" Kaz called over his shoulder as he started after them. "Get that bracelet open and get her out of here without us if you have to! We'll meet where we stayed before this whole mess began, but don't wait long! Get her out of Nethosak!"
"But, Kaz! I haven't told you the biggest thing! You should hear what she's able to do!"
"Later, Delbin! Free her!"
The kender was already back at work on the chain as Kaz and the others rushed out after Scurn. Kaz trusted the kender's skills, at least where sneaking around was concerned. If anyone could get Tiberia out unnoticed, Delbin could.
Scurn and Ganth were out of sight as he turned the corridor, not a good sign. If Scurn made it up to the next level, he would be able to warn some of the temple guards.
Then he heard the sounds of a struggle. Kaz twisted around the corner and discovered Scurn and Ganth fighting hand-to-hand, the older minotaur's sword on the floor between them. It was a credit to the undiminished skills of Kaz's father that he had caught the escaping captain before Scurn could climb the steps.
Scurn saw Kaz coining. A dark glint appeared in the disfigured warrior's eyes. Scurn opened his mouth and shouted loudly, making as much noise as he could. The cry echoed throughout the hall and, no doubt, the floor above.
Ganth finally freed a hand and punched his adversary in the jaw. Scurn stumbled back, falling over the steps. The older warrior reached down to retrieve his sword.
"What's going on down here?" called a voice. Less than a breath later, three temple guards appeared on the steps, weapons drawn.
"He's a traitor!" Ganth quickly replied. "He tried to kill the high priest's prisoner!"
The guards looked at Scurn with surprise, then started down.
"You fools!" Scurn snarled in turn. "That's the fugitive, Kaz, back there! He forced me at sword point to bring them here! I was the one who just shouted!"
The foremost guard looked the trio over. "I think you'd all better come with us. We'll let one of the clerics hear this mess. Now turn your weapons over."
Scurn revealed that he had no weapon. Ganth glanced at his son, then turned the blade so that the hilt pointed at the guards. One of the other warriors reached for it.
The blade slipped from the mariner's hand. As the guard reached to retrieve it, Ganth seized his wrist and pulled him forward hard, knocking the shocked minotaur into Scurn. Both fell roughly to the floor.
As if by magic, Fliara and Hecar appeared behind Kaz. The three wasted no time before charging the remaining sentries. Ganth backed away, seizing his lost sword before rejoining his son and daughter.
Hecar struck the guard who had fallen, knocking him senseless. This gave Scurn the opportunity to grab the unconscious warrior's blade and bring it up against Helati's brother. The attack was weak, but it prevented Hecar from joining Kaz and the others.
For the first time, Kaz saw his youngest sibling in action. Fliara was swift, her smaller stature working for her in ways he would not have expected. Twice she got under the guard of an attacker, bleeding him. Fliara was versatile, using both orthodox and unorthodox moves to confuse her adversary.