Against the Giants (24 page)

“Hah,” the dwarf retorted as he freed himself from the rough
embrace and gripped Khlened’s forearms. “Much help
you
would have been!
Some surprise to me that you’re alive at all.”

“I’m not the one wi’ silver in m’ beard,” the barbarian
growled then turned to grin at Malowan. “This ’un you can trust beyond all
doubt. I know him, I fought with him, and I’ve reason to owe him.”

“Ah, that,” the dwarf said easily, “was nothing. Happened to
be where I could be of use when I was needed.”

“Saved my mother and sister from certain torture at the hands
of frost giants up in the Griff Mountains,” Khlened said flatly. “Wasn’t for him
and his helping us in battle, well…”

Back near the entry, Agya stirred and mumbled something under
her breath. Lhors eyed her curiously. “What was that?”

Her lips twitched. “Ain’t it a good finding someone he
trusts? Makes
me
want ’im for companion.”

“You don’t think… ?”

“Wager we gained us a dwarf—one at least,” the girl replied
sourly. She suddenly spun partway around, throwing dagger in one hand. Lhors
brought his own spear to the ready, but they both relaxed when a familiar form
emerged from the gloom.

A half-breath later, the mage—who must have slipped back up
the hall after containing his bee spell—came walking into the light.

“How do you
do
that?” Lhors asked the girl. She
shrugged, clearly not understanding, and he continued, “Your reflexes, how can
you be that fast? And how did you know he was there? Did Malowan teach you his
magic or something?”

“Me?” the girl snorted, but she was grinning now. “Learn
paladin magic? There’s a good ’un. Takes all kinds of purity to do what ’e can,
and not just body purity—if it was only that, then p’raps I could.” Her grin
widened as Lhors felt himself blush. “Nah. ’Tis where and how I lived, and how I
kept alive.”

“You mean stealing?”

“Nah, not so much that as…” She frowned at the dagger,
returned it to the sheath in the side of her boot and considered this. “City,
especially th’ poor parts, is a trap like ’ere. You want t’ eat, it means y’
steal food or steal that as lets y’ buy it. And that’s th’ simple bit. Then ya
need th’ right allies to ’elp ya avoid enemies.” She shrugged.

Lhors merely nodded. So far as he could recall, this was the
first time she had actually spoken to him without being rude or sarcastic. His
eyes sought out Vlandar. The warrior leaned back against the wall not far away,
but as the youth took a step that way, Malowan caught his eyes and shook his
head. Lhors swallowed and tried to fight dread.

Agya looked up as Malowan came over. “What’s t’ do?”

“Vlandar will be all right.” The man smiled faintly, turning
to Lhors. “He’s one of those who can’t bear being fussed over when he’s hurt or
ill. But I told him you were worried, and he said for you to come. Both of you
need to come listen, anyway. Khlened’s old ally knows the dungeon level well,
and he’s willing to share the information if we take him with us and give him an
equal chance at battle and at treasure.”

Agya glanced at Lhors. Her eyes seemed mocking again. “Tol’
you, didn’t I?”

Malowan merely gestured for Agya and Lhors to follow him, and
together they went back to Vlandar. The warrior was leaning against Rowan, his
teeth tightly clenched. The back of his hand and his fingernails were bloody.

“All right, everything’s under control, Vlandar,” the paladin
said. “It’s safe for me to take the time to heal that—and no, I will not insist
on removing your armor.”

“It won’t do you any good,” the warrior gritted between his
teeth. “I will not let you, and if you even think of touching that…”

“Lhors is here to help me,” Malowan said evenly.

Vlandar swallowed, then managed a faint smile. “So he is.
Hullo, Lhors.”

“Sir,” the youth managed.

Malowan patted his shoulder. “He’ll be fine. It’s not much
more than a scratch, is it, my friend?” He moved his hands just above the
warrior’s armored shoulder.

“Aye,” Vlandar smiled, but Lhors could tell it was forced.
“But it would have been much worse for me if not for you, Lhors. Rowan told me
what you did. I owe you my life.”

Lhors tried a smile of his own, but he could feel the heat
rising into his cheeks and forehead.

“That was
you?”
Agya gasped incredulously. “I thought
it was Maera!”

“Not Maera,” Rowan answered. “I saw it myself. Lhors felled a
fire giant in one shot.” She gave Lhors a nodding salute.

“Ha!” Agya said as she eyed Lhors up and down. “Well, well.
Seems ya might not be so useless after all, Lhors
Giant Killer.”

“Is someone besides Nemis keeping watch, I hope?” the paladin
added, mercifully drawing attention away from Lhors.

Rowan nodded, and she eased Vlandar into a more comfortable
position against her. She brushed damp hair from his brow. “Maera is. And I’ve
been paying attention to what’s going on here. Khlened is working on his friend
Bleryn’s chains.”

As if on cue, the dwarf’s fetters clattered to the floor. The
other dwarves were still chained and looking restless, but Khlened brought Bleryn
over and squatted next to Malowan.

“Tell ’em,” he ordered the dwarf.

The dwarf’s voice was very deep—not giant-deep, but deeper
than any human voice Lhors had ever heard. “This Fist say I can trust you, you
warrior and yer folk. These others are dwarves like me, but they aren’t family.
I’d not trust ’em, though. All they want’s to flee. They know this underground
better’n me, been here longer. I’d be glad of it if y’could free ’em where they
won’t run into guards and give us away. Selfish, aye, but there it be.”

“Sensible, rather,” Khlened growled. “’E tells me th’ others
are from th’ south, and so far’s ’e can tell, they’ve all been ’ere since they
got caught. Bleryn knows a little more of th’ place. Tell ’em.”

“Wait,” Malowan said and murmured under his breath.

Vlandar drew a deep, shuddering breath and let it out in a
gust as he cautiously moved his arm.

“There,” the paladin said grimly. “Thank me by not doing that
again.”

“I would just as soon,” Vlandar agreed and gripped Lhors’
hand. “There, good as new, my young friend.”

Lhors managed a smile for him, but he felt sick. This was
twice now. Hadn’t his father said three times paid for all?

“Go ahead,” the warrior added with a nod to Bleryn, “finish
your tale, but quickly. We dare not stay here much longer.”

“I speak Common, but thems”—he sent his eyes toward the
still-bound dwarves—“don’t. As this Fist says, most of ’em hasn’t been beyond
this room and th’ far corner where we sleep. Me, I got talent at buildin’, makin’
bridges and such, so when I got took, it seemed only sense to me to act like I’d
cooperate with ’em.”

“Sensible,” Khlened agreed. “You cooperate, they trust you,
you escape. I’d’ve done the same.”

“Worked—all but th’ last part,” the dwarf admitted. “Still, I
know this level. Up there is the torture chamber. There’s a temple back down the
long way and over the barrier, but it’s not a good place. And the caverns beyond
where stone is piled—forget ’em.”

“We know about the barrier and the orcs beyond it,” Malowan
said. “What about the prisoners kept across the main passage?”

The dwarf pursed his lips. “Spent time there myself and wished I hadn’t.
Nasty place, lots o’ little reeking chambers with bugbear guards. Hate ’em.”

“Y’ speak for me,” Khlened growled. “What about th’ other
dwarves, though? Leave ’em and th’ next giant as comes in…”

“Yes, they might think the dwarves helped kill these two. We
cannot leave them chained. Bleryn, tell me this. If we simply free them, what
will they do?”

“Run,” the dwarf replied simply. “We all know of the passage
beyond the rockfall, and there is also one with a way out through water. It’s
above the main prison where the ‘masters’ come down from the main level or send
servants with orders.”

Malowan eyed Vlandar then Nemis, who nodded. “The passage
just north of the prison cells ends in a well, as I told you. It is a way out,
if you fear water less than you fear this place. I say loose them. They can arm
themselves here and be no worse off than we.”

“If they alert guards—” Vlandar began.

Nemis shook his head. “They stand as good a chance as we. I
have read their hearts and doubt they would stand with us. They will be no worse
off if they go down fighting the giants or their guards than if they stayed
here.”

“They are not our responsibility,” Malowan said to Lhors’
surprise. “Let them go, and let us go. Khlened, if you vouch for Bleryn, that is
good enough for me, but your oaths bind him as well. He follows orders same as
everyone else.”

“Aye,” the barbarian said with a sudden grin. “And y’ve
tested ’im in yer own way, ’aven’t ye?”

“Pay no heed at yon Fist,” the dwarf said and held out both
hands to grasp Vlandar’s. “He told a little of what y’ plan to do here. Maybe I
can help some. Said y’ need a way from ’ere, and somethin’ ’bout treasure. Was a
chamber I could show you, if I can trace back th’ way from here. Small place,
wit’ ten giants guardin’ me and a pair of orcs. We was stuck buildin’ a pit that
guards the way between a door and a small room wit’ but an odd chest or so in
it. Odd, they’d guard us so well if there was nothing of value in there.”

“Odd,” Khlened replied, grinning fiercely.

“It’s a plan,” Vlandar said. “Let’s get going on it and get
out of here.” He eyed the still-chained dwarves. They looked back at him, mostly
expressionless. “Let us free these fellows and then be gone. We have business to
finish here.”

Vlandar led the way back toward the main east-west passage,
but as they neared it, Malowan drew him back.

“You were wounded back there.”

“And you healed that,” the warrior replied.

The paladin shook his head. “You and I both know you don’t
get over the shock of such a blow right away, even healed. Be a sensible leader
and delegate.”

Vlandar sighed faintly but nodded agreement.

“Nemis,” the paladin added, “if you have a spell of heavy
sleep that you can use from here, put it on those two.” He indicated the torture
chamber with a nod of his head.

“Get me to the end of this passage, and I can,” the mage
replied softly.

“Maera and I will look first,” Rowan said, “to be certain
nothing is waiting for us.”

Malowan laid a hand on her shoulder before she could leave.

“Nothing is,” he said. “I searched.”

Agya came up to join him, but he sent her back with Lhors and
Maera. When she was about to argue, a finger against his lips and a stern look
silenced her.

“You are not here as a fighter,” Malowan said, the words
barely reaching Lhors.

“And a good ward don’t argue with ’er protector,” Agya mumbled under her
breath. “Yessir.”

The girl turned away, her lips twisted in frustration.

Malowan gestured for Bleryn to join him—probably learning
where things were, Lhors thought. He couldn’t hear any of that, but the dwarf
seemed to be glancing at him—or maybe Agya or Rowan who were also close by—as he
talked. The youth leaned against the rough stone wall, then settled on his heels
to wait.

Vlandar came over to crouch next to Lhors. His hand was dark
with dried blood, but as he caught the younger man’s troubled look, he pulled a
cloth and his water bottle out and scrubbed the mess away.

“It wasn’t half as bad as it looked,” the warrior assured
him, “and it’s completely healed now. I’m fine.”

Yes, Lhors thought, this time. He had precious few people
left in the world whom he could call friends, and he didn’t want to lose any of
them.

“We’re just waiting for Nemis to deal with those giants you
saw sleeping earlier,” said Vlandar.

“But aren’t they already asleep?” Lhors asked.

“A sleep spell will keep them asleep until someone comes to
waken them. With no doors on that chamber they may not wake for hours. With a
little luck, we will be able to get to where Khlened’s friend the dwarf knows
the way into another passage.”

“You think we’ll find a way out from there?” Lhors asked. To
himself he said, maybe we will never find a way out. Maybe there is no way out
except back up through a hoard of giants and others who are waiting to kill us
all. Not a good thought, especially in this gloomy passage.

Vlandar shrugged and smiled. “Their chief must come down here
sometimes. He wouldn’t do that if he couldn’t get out, would he? Even hill
giants aren’t stupid enough to build only one way out of a place.”

Lhors looked up as Nemis came back to join them. The mage
closed his eyes briefly and made a pillow of his hands, his mouth sagging open,
pantomiming sleep. Vlandar got to his feet and held out a hand to help the youth
to his feet. Lhors felt a little less worried. They might not be strong as
giants or as big, but they had a company with experience and skills.