Darkwalker on Moonshae - Douglas Niles [68]
All around, the scents and sounds of the Firbolgs assailed Kamerynn, driving him frantic with disgust and rage. In a frenzy of frustration, the unicorn kicked the door. As before, he bounced off. After pacing restlessly for a minute, he smashed the stubborn portal again. This time, his ivory horn sent splinters of wood flying, but did not weaken the door.
Again and again the mighty unicorn smashed shoulders, horn, and hooves into the wood. Finally the wooden barrier shuddered, bouncing slightly as strained timbers began to break.
Now Kamerynn turned and kicked the door with his powerful rear legs. It strained, and finally burst outward in a shower of splinters. Turning, the unicorn leaped through the opening.
Four Firbolgs, clubs upraised, stood waiting, glee in their bestial eyes. Kamerynn charged forward, bowling over two of the Firbolgs with his broad shoulders. The others leaped and grabbed, but could not stop him.
Kicking off the last grasping hands, Kamerynn galloped down a wide stone corridor, illuminated by flickering torches. Somewhere ahead, he knew, he would find the door.
IX
THE LEGACY OF CYMRYCH HUGH
THE COMPANIONS FROZE in the treasure room. The Firbolg grunted and stirred in his chair. Finally, he settled back to a deep pattern of snoring. The incident made them realize how precarious their position was, however, and they gathered by the door.
“Come on.” Robyn signaled to them. Holding her handmade cudgel ready for action, she led the party from the room.
Tristan strapped the silver sword to his belt while he waited for the others to leave the room. He noticed that Pawldo’s pockets and pouches bulged with treasure, yet somehow the halfling didn’t make any clinking noises as he moved. Daryth carried the scimitar. In addition, the prince saw that the Calishite had bedecked his fingers with an assortment of gem-encrusted rings. Robyn had taken only the torque – even in the dim light, Tristan could see that the silver band enhanced her beauty.
On impulse, the prince reached down and scooped up a handful of gold coins, realizing that he held in his hand more wealth than most humans ever came across in a lifetime. Carefully, he left the room and pushed the door shut. It latched with a barely audible click, but the sleeping Firbolg snorted in irritation and lurched in his chair. For a moment they feared that he would awaken, but he soon lapsed into deep slumber again.
They looked about, realizing that they could return from the direction they had come, or advance farther into the Firbolgs’ den. Torches flickered up the corridor, holding the promise of more – and probably dangerous – activity if they continued ahead. Still hoping to find Keren, they chose to continue on into the stone structure.
Behind them, the Firbolg snorted a few times and went on sleeping.
*****
Groth returned to a scene of mass confusion, rage, and panic. Giants ran to and fro, brandishing weapons and crying an alarm.
“Hold!” cried the Firbolg chief, in a voice that reached into the very depths of the earth. Instantly, his minions paused and turned to face him. None spoke.
“What is the meaning of this?” Groth demanded, fixing one Firbolg with a glaring eye.
“The unicorn, yer greatness – it seems to have, well, escaped!”
“Seems to have what?” asked the chief, very softly.
The Firbolg paled, for the chief spoke softly only when he was very angry indeed. “It seems to have escaped!” he finally blurted. “But it is still in the temple. We were just about to catch it when -”
“Fools! Blundering idiots! Can I not leave the temple unattended for a brief afternoon without you bringing disaster down upon our heads?” Groth’s voice now rattled the foundations of the temple with its strength.
The other Firbolgs met his outburst with silence. “Find the unicorn!” he bellowed finally, triggering