Dragonspell - Donita K. Paul [67]
Dar’s torrent of words had finally awakened Kale from her befuddled state. “What?” She sat up straighter.
“The kimens arrived about an hour ago. They sneaked in past the bisonbeck guards, which was risky but easier than a normal invasion would have been.”
“Invasion?”
“Pay attention, Kale.” Dar situated himself in a cross-legged position and leaned forward. “The kimens came into the inner circle without arousing the outer guard. They then went through the castle and incapacitated the servants.”
“Incapacitated?”
“They stunned them.”
“How can tiny kimens overpower servants?”
“They stun them,” Dar repeated. “It’s absolutely fascinating. I guess the kimen race didn’t like being defenseless. They’ve come a long way since the days Pretender tried to subjugate them and the urohms came to the rescue.”
“Dar!” Kale rose to her feet and glared at the doneel. “Explain what is happening without all this chitterchatter.”
Dar frowned up at her, but his enthusiasm soon erased the glower. “A kimen springs out at a servant, leaping in front of his face. Then the kimen produces an explosion of light right in the servant’s eyes. I watched them do it dozens of times. The servant drops to the floor like he’s been clobbered on the noggin.”
“So all the servants were captured while I was asleep?”
“Yes, and then I tied them up, bound them hand and foot. They won’t interfere with our escape.” Dar looked at Leetu’s unmoving form. Gymn still sprawled across her cheek. “You weren’t exactly asleep, Kale. You were busy, too.”
Kale gazed at the emerlindian. Leetu’s complexion still looked pasty. Her breathing came in a long, shallow rhythm. She made no movements other than the rise and fall of her chest, indicating she lived.
Kale fought despair. “I can’t see that I did any good.”
“We’ll take her to Wizard Fenworth,” said Dar, rising to his feet. “She needs the healing power of someone skilled against the evil of Risto. Leetu won’t die now, Kale. You and Gymn have given her enough strength and us enough time to get her to Fenworth.”
Kale didn’t bother to say they had already failed at finding the bog wizard. She picked up the blanket to fold as she watched the still form of her friend.
How are we going to carry you? Will the journey make you worse? Dar says you will not die, but I’m afraid.
A flickering ball of light came rapidly down a tunnel and burst into the room.
“Dar, Kale, we must flee.” Seezle stopped. Her toes barely touched the rock floor. She seemed poised to run. With a glance over her shoulder, she leapt across the room to their sides. “Risto has returned. He appeared at the gateway of the fortress, cursing his guards, raging with words of destruction. Shimeran has gone to get Celisse and will meet us at the waterfall.”
Kale dropped the blanket and moved quickly to Leetu.
“Wrap the cape around her,” ordered Dar.
He grabbed the emerlindian’s legs. Seezle stood ready to bear Leetu’s weight in the middle. Kale hesitated.
“What’s wrong?” asked Dar.
“Where is Gymn?”
They all looked around.
“There!” Dar nodded toward a pale green lump on the floor.
Kale stooped to pick the dragon up.
“What happened?” asked Seezle as the o’rant girl slid Gymn into a pocket of the cape and then refolded the material over Leetu’s chest.
“Nothing,” said Dar. “Hurry, Kale.”
“Nothing?” quizzed Seezle.
“The dragon faints,” answered Dar, “when something frightens him.”
Kale lifted Leetu by the shoulders. Seezle slipped under her waist and supported her there.
“Where are we going?” asked Kale.
Seezle’s tiny hands appeared at Leetu’s waist. “Beneath the dungeons to the underground river and then to the falls.”
A picture sprang to Kale’s mind—her first sight of the fortress from across the valley. Midway up the sheer cliff below the black and gray castle walls, water shot out of the rocks and plummeted hundreds of feet to be hidden by a mist at the base.
“Can’t we go out of the fortress