Crypt of the shadowking - Mark Anthony [108]
"Twice now you have done me a great favor, Morhion Gen'dahar," Ravendas crooned. The mage did not meet her gaze. He stared blankly forward, his attitude unfathomable. 'This time you have outdone yourself. I had not expected you to bring me the troublesome Harper as well."
Ravendas approached Mari. "Who will lead your little rebellion now, Harper?" Mari stiffened, yet remained silent So Morhion had betrayed them, informing Ravendas of the plan to free the prisoners.
"What are you going to do with us?" Caledan demanded hotly.
"Kill you, of course," Ravendas said flatly. "But I wish you to live long enough to see me wield the power of the Night-stone. It will make your failure all the more bitter." She turned to one of the Zhentarim warriors. "Bind them."
Caledan, Mari, Estah, and Ferret were each bound tightly. Suddenly Caledan noticed that the young thief, Talim, was not among them. He must have slipped away in the darkness. The four were dragged out of the passageway, and for a brief moment Caledan found himself next to Morhion.
"If ever it is in my power," he whispered harshly, "I will kill you for this treachery, mage."
"I know," was all Morhion said.
Twenty
"Where are they?" Tyveris muttered repeatedly. He paced the small stone antechamber. Kyana watched him, her arms folded across her doeskin jerkin. A score of prisoners huddled in the cold, dank chamber behind her. Their clothes were in rags, their faces dirty and haggard, many of them gaunt with hunger. However, they clutched makeshift weapons in their hands, along with several short swords and crossbows Tyveris and Kyana had brought with them.
"I know the Harper is your friend, monk," Kyana said, "but we can't afford to wait much longer. We've been lucky so far that we haven't run into any guards. But eventually our luck is going to run out. I'm afraid we have to assume that something has happened to the Harper and the others." "You can assume what you like," Tyveris growled. The prisoners watched him with worried eyes. "Where are they?" he muttered one more time.
Much as he hated to admit it, he knew Kyana was right.
It had been nearly an hour since he and the thief had freed a score of men and women in one of the dungeon blocks. It was only a matter of time until the escape was discovered, and then they would lose their only advantage-surprise. Cormik's agents were poised outside the tower, ready to send the signal to the bands of cityfolk waiting throughout the city that the prisoners had been safely freed. Then the rebellion would begin in earnest.
Tyveris could feel Kyana's eyes on him. She was pressing him to make a decision. Tyveris had hoped Mari and the others would catch up with him before it was necessary to make the final assault on the tower. I'm a priest now, not a warrior, Tyveris swore inwardly.
Suddenly Kyana stiffened. She lifted a hand to her lips for silence. Tyveris caught the faint sound of footpads echoing off cold stone. Someone was hurrying toward the antechamber. Kyana loosened her saber and moved to the door. Tyveris prepared himself to spring. A shadow moved outside the doorway.
"Wait, it's me-Talim!" a voice gasped just as Kyana raised her saber. Tyveris sighed in relief as the young, red-haired thief rushed into the room. His freckled face was pale, his gray eyes wide.
"What is it?" Kyana asked him, concerned.
"I have bad news," the young thief said, swallowing hard. He told his story: Mari, Caledan, and the others had been captured by Ravendas and taken to the crypt of the Shadow-king. "It was the mage who betrayed them," Talim said sadly. "But I was at the rear of the party, and I managed to melt into the shadows. They didn't notice me."
“You did well," Tyveris said somberly. His heart felt as cold as the surrounding walls. Almost instinctively he started for the door.
"Where do you think you're going?" Kyana demanded.
“To help my friends," he declared fiercely.
"And what do you propose