It will, as well as several of those in the upper dungeon. But a House cannot consider individual lives when its entire populace is threatened from without.
“May I suggest an alternative?”
You’re free to speak.
“Let my friends and myself drive these attackers from your lower galleries.” It was the only idea that came to mind. But he had to do something.
The steaming stopped briefly, and a puff of laughter whistled down the hallways outside.
That appears a ludicrous suggestion. “Not so ludicrous if you recognize that we will need your help to do it.”
This House needs no power shaper assistance to rid itself of robbers and blackguards. It shall do to this Admon Faye what it should have done the first time what it would have done, had these lower galleries been under control!
“Very well.” Pelmen nodded, feigning disinterest. “But the House does seem to need my help in ridding itself of a certain magic splinter of crystal.” He folded his arms upon his chest, and shrugged. “If the woman in the dungeon is unnecessariiy boiled, I see no reason why I should rid you of the pyramid.”
Pelmen waited through the cascade of curses that tumbled upon him, following his threat. When the House was finally calm again, it asked:
What do you plan to do?
“Is that an agreement to help me do this my way?”
Get on with it! A hundred and twenty now wait in the lower galleries.
“Fine. I’ll need a detailed plan of those corridors in your belly.”
Belly? huffed the castle. Rather, foundations.
“You call it what you like. Just give it to me.” Pelmen bolted out the door of his cell and raced toward Yona Par-mi’s room. To his surprise, Parmi met him in the hall.
“Yona! What are you doing up!”
“The whole castle is up, it seems. First there was a general alarm to the palace guard some kind of sneak attack on the north of the city then this strange steam. I was on my way to wake you. Were you coming to wake me?”
“I was.”
“Are you finally going to ask for some help?” the round-faced player asked with a touch of amused pride.
Pelmen thought for a moment. Was he being fair? Was it Just for him to ask his friends to risk their lives to save a Lady they didn’t know?
“I… wonder if it’s fair to involve you ”
“Would you let me be the judge of that?” Yona snapped.
“This is a dangerous task ”
“Wonderful.” Parmi nodded. “You want me to circulate the signal to gather?”
Pelmen sighed. There was more involved here than just the salvation of Serphimefa. Admon Faye could well have brought Broiiwynn in with him.
If the rightful Queen was boiled as well… “Yes,” he grunted suddenly, and once . again Parmi saw in Pelmen’s eyes that strange fire that had illumined them backstage in Pleclypsa. Without another word from Pelmen, Yona Parmi scampered away.
“Now,” Pelmen mumbled, “to get myself into the infirmary without being seen…”
“Ohh!” Danyilyn moaned, rolling and tossing on her thick mattress.
“Ohh!” she wailed louder, hearing the approach of sandals flapping on the stone floor beyond her open door.
“I’m coming, I’m coming,” snarled the Lord of Herbs impatiently as he turned the corner and entered the room. The man looked terrible deep, dark bags sagged under his eyes, and his gray hairs pointed in every direction but down. The stubble that lined his bony chin added to his generally unkempt appearance. “I suppose you think you’re sick as well,” he growled, and he ran a hand through his unruly mane as Danyilyn groaned again. “You’re the third one in this past hour, Everytime I get back to my infirmary door, there’s someone else standing there, ready to tell me of another case. What’s the problem with you actors. You eat something rotten?”
Danyilyn shook her head, then rolled her eyes dramatically and grabbed her stomach. “Ohhh!” she moaned.
“Trouble is, not a thing I can do about it, and it’s the fault of one of your fellows!” The old man stretched his lengthy neck and scratched behind his ears. “After I got back from my first call this morning, I found someone had swiped all my balder berry juicel How can I treat a sick stomach without balderbeny juice!”
Danyilyn shrugged and rolled her eyes again quite thankful that Parmi had successfully made off with that particular concoction. Balderberry juice was an extremely potent purgative that tasted horrible. “I’ll… I’ll be… all right…” the actress gagged.
“Very well.” The herbalist nodded, suddenly becoming aware of the young woman’s curves. His bedside manner abruptly improved, and he sat next to her and felt her forehead. “You don’t seem fevered,” he murmured, growing a little fevered himself. “Perhaps it’s just a mild case, but one can never be sure. I’d suggest a thorough examination, in order to ”
“Maybe we could do that… tomorrow?” Danyilyn asked coyly, and the old man’s heart palpitated. She was far and away more lovely than the merchant’s daughter he usually dated.
“Right. Certainly. Tomorrow. Try to rest, and come and See me in the morning. That is ” He interrupted himself.
“I’m come and see you. Night-night!” he called, and he floated out of the room, now fully awake and already planning the morning’s activities.
Danyilyn groaned again as he left the room. She waited until she could no longer hear his footsteps, then hopped off her bed and danced to the doorway. “Parmi’s surely found Gerrig by this time,” she muttered sourly, then she tiptoed into the hallway to follow him. She kept well out of
sight until he had reached the infirmary door again. She heard his groan, then sighed with relief as she heard Gerrig direct him to the room of yet another “sick” actor. Gerrig had arrived they were all finally gathered. She hugged the wall as the grumbling Lord of Herbs shuffled past her. She smiled with satisfaction as she imagined the old roue’s reactions when he found her room empty in the morning.
Served him right. He would find his present trip up the stairs frustrating, too Gerrig had sent him to Yona’s empty room. Danyilyn darted into the infirmary, shot a dirty look at Gerrig, and slipped swiftly through the trapdoor.
“We’re all clear,” she murmured waspishly. “Finally!”
“Any trouble getting here?” Pelmen asked Gerrig as the bulky actor lowered himself through the infirmary floor into the presence of the others.
“I told you,” Danyilyn snapped, “the only trouble was finding where he was sleeping tonight.”
“Silence!” Pelmen ordered, and the actors and actresses clustered around him obeyed without a question.
“No trouble,” Gerrig whispered after a moment.
“Good. We’re all here then, safely.”
“And you’re going to get us out now?” Gerrig grinned.
“Not exactly. Jamnard, Magrol close off the doorway.”
A-pair of younger players moved quickly to seal off the portal, hiding once more this nether stairway from the infirmary, Pelmen waited until the task was done, then explained: “I have information that somewhere down with us in this maze of passageways is a small army preparing to take control of this castle.”
“And we’re going to join them?” Gerrig asked incredulously.
“No. We’re going to drive them out,”
There was a long, high-tension pause. Pelmen could hear several of the troupe gasping. Then Gerrig made a move for the door.
“Gerrig. We all agreed to do this together ” Yona murmured.
“And now I’ve decided to leave, alone!” the big man replied, trying to free his shoulders from Parmi’s surprisingly strong grip.
“Do you want out of this castle alive?” Pelmen snapped fiercely, and Gerrig stopped struggling,
“Of course I do. But is what you’re suggesting any way to do that?”