Viperhand - Douglas Niles [102]
The map had been hastily drawn by the architect of Nexal, who had designed the palace of Naltecona. Hig prede- cessor, who had created the plans for Axalt's palace some sixty years earlier, no longer lived. Consequently, the architect had warned, the map became less accurate the closer they got to their goal. It didn't show every passage, and the man had told Poshtli that the scale was rough at best.
But it was all they had, and it was far better than nothing.
"I think we're starting to go up," Erix announced after long minutes of walking. The others paused and regarded the tunnel before and behind them, agreeing that she was right.
"The slaves who provide his food tell me that Naltecona is quartered in the old Revered Counselor's chambers. That should make our task a little easier. There's certain to be a secret passage leading there" Poshtli held his steel long-sword in one hand now as the climb in the tunnel became more noticeable. "We must be under the palace now."
Abruptly the tunnel met an intersection with another passage crossing at right angles. Poshtli stopped, confronted with three choices of direction.
"That way," said Erix decisively, pointing to the right.
The men looked at her, surprised by her vehemence. She pointed again, and they shrugged. With no more convincing alternative, the warrior led them to the right.
This tunnel proceeded for perhaps two hundred paces and then ended in a steep stone stairway.
"Up there," Erix whispered.
"How can you know where we're going?" asked Halloran, wanting to believe that they were on the right track.
"I don't know," she replied. "But I think we'll find Naltecona up ahead."
Carefully Poshtli led the way up the steep, spiraling steps. After one full circle, the stairway ended at a narrow platform. Before them, fully illuminated in the light of Hal-loran's spell, stood the outline of a narrow stone door.
"Kirishone" Hal whispered, dousing the light. He didn't want any telltale gleam through a crack to give them away to anyone on the other side.
"Let's have a look," Poshtli said, pushing against the portal. With a dull rasp of wooden pivots, the stone door slowly yielded to his pressure.
Soundlessly the warrior slipped through, quickly followed by Erix and Hal. They smelled moist foliage, and grass cushioned their footsteps. For a few moments, they blinked into what seemed like pitch darkness, but gradually their eyes adjusted to the gloom.
They had entered an enclosed garden, Hal saw, one that was open to the sky above. He guessed that they were in the right palace, but he could only hope that somehow they had emerged into the proper area of that palace.
"D'you hear somethin?" The guttural question, spoken from a few feet away, froze them in place. The language was that of the legionnaires.
"I dunno. Here, get a spark for the torch."
"Styberius" hissed Hal, quickly pulling a pinch of sand from his pouch. He had studied the sleep spell but never used it before.
"Hey…" The original voice grunted softly in surprise, but then the listeners were rewarded by three soft thuds as bodies fell to the ground.
Erix quickly knelt beside the forms of the slumbering guards. The overcast kept the night very dark, but enough light from the nearly full moon penetrated the clouds to reveal the garden in dim, shadowy detail.
"I thought you killed them," the woman whispered, "but they're only asleep."
"Guards-a good sign," Poshtli added. "It means they have something worth guarding here, and this looks like a royal garden. Naltecona might be in one of these sleeping chambers."
They advanced along a grassy path between ferns and blossoms. Several tall, graceful palms leaned over them, silhouetted against the sky.
"Wait!" Erix warned quietly, her voice taut with alarm.
"What is it?" Hal turned from side to side,