Depths of Madness - Erik Scott De Bie [106]
Twilight's heart pounded in her throat. "Gargan!"
Tlork skidded to a halt, but the goliath was already gone, having faded into the shadows. Amazing, Twilight thought, the great camouflage his stony flesh gave him against the tunnel wall.
The fiend-stitched troll glared about the chamber, its mismatched eyes-one red, one violet-searching for the source of the sound. Then it snuffled, but that didn't seem to help. Finally, it rumbled on.
A sea of fiendish lizards poured out of bolt holes, cutting the three in two groups. The creatures had not seen them, but they made just as sure a barrier for their ignorance.
"What do we do?" Slip asked in a whisper.
Twilight wanted to conserve her power, but she had no choice. She wrapped Slip in an embrace and danced into the shadows.
They passed briefly through the dull, lifeless world of Shadow, where the fiendish lizards became blurs of inky blackness and their eyes became nightmare spots of blood. With a little gasp, the halfling stiffened in her arms, but Twilight cradled her closer. It wouldn't do to lose her companion in Shadow-after all, she needed Slip when they fought Gestal. And Twilight wouldn't deny having become fond of the halfling-though that was where it ended. No ties, no love.
She pushed thoughts of Liet aside.
Twilight and her terrified burden rematerialized next to Gargan, and one stony hand shot for her throat. The elf flinched and the goliath caught her shoulder instead. There was no malice in his movement. He merely guided them into hiding.
"What by the Lady's love life are you about, goliath?" she whispered.
The stony head shook. "I apologize," he said. "Instinct. Forgive."
Twilight pursed her lips. She did not disparage instinct-it had kept her alive over the decades whenever wits failed. Still…
"Forget it," she said. "But you move on my order, and mine alone."
The goliath nodded. "Yes, Foxdaughter,"he said. Twilight blinked. "Good," she managed. "One thing," Gargan said. "I kill troll." "Well then." Twilight turned to Slip, whose mind was far away. "We go."
They followed the troll up the tunnel, which opened into a wide chamber, roughly circular, where the stalagmites and other cover had been broken away, leaving only jagged stalactites like fangs. They kept to the shadows and watched.
If the fiendish lizards' warrens had stunk of death and decay, the stained hall absolutely reeked of corruption. Crude murals of human-shaped and snakelike figures engaging in acts of violence, cruelty, and depravity adorned the walls, painted in blood, excrement, and fouler substances. Gooseflesh rose all over Twilight at the mere sight.
"Let's go!" Slip said brightly. The shadowdancer and the goliath hissed. "What?"
Tlork paced about the chamber, hefting the huge warhammer in his bony hand. Perhaps he was guarding something, but Twilight could not see any other occupant or another door. The chamber was wide and open, and Twilight had spent her shadow-dance for the time being. There was no way around him.
"This could be a trap," Twilight said.
"You mean luring us into attacking the vulnerable troll?" Slip nodded. "Brilliant!"
Startled at the uncharacteristic sarcasm, Twilight looked but found only earnestness in her face.
"Right," she said. "If Gestal's not here, then he's likely trying to scry for us." She fingered her amulet. "We go quick and quiet, and put the troll down without alarm, to save the surprise. Gargan first, me second, Slip as reserve. Agreed?"
The others nodded silently.
"If this goes wrong and we face Gestal, get in close," Twilight said. "He'll be weak hand-to-hand, all his skill bound up in attacks from a distance."
Gargan furrowed his brow and Slip blinked. "You know this?" she asked.
Twilight's eyes narrowed. That damned warlock. She'd been a fool to trust him and it had cost her