Lady of Poison_ The Priests - Bruce R. Cordell [96]
Victoricus led them past several chambers, all open to the hallway. A faded chanting spilled from these openings. Marrec couldn't understand the words. He didn't try. By the timbre of the sound, it was obvious the voices were not made by any creature with which he was familiar.
It wasn't too far after the chanting that the ice demon stiffened, looked around, and pointed into a small alcove. The illumination burning on Justlance's tip revealed a narrow flight of stairs, fleeing upwards.
Victoricus whispered, "This way."
Gunggari walked to the alcove, bent to one knee, and examined the floor, the edges of the alcove, and the first few steps beyond. He grunted, nodding, and said, "Someone has recently ascended. More than one person."
Marrec smiled. "Good. I can't wait to see the expression on Fallon's face when we finally catch him."
Gunggari added, "Actually, more than two have gone up these stairs-at least three. One set of prints must be Ash's, they're so small. The others are adults."
"How many?" queried Marrec, worried.
"It's hard to say. Could be as many as four more people, though some of the prints fade in and out. It is strange."
"Let's hurry, then," Marrec decided.
They filed into the alcove; it was too narrow to go except one at a time, then on up the stairs, moving with alacrity. Victoricus, not so proficient on the stairs, fell behind.
5›he caught them just as they left the grasp of Under-Tharos. Some stars were visible through the overhanging branches of the Rawlinswood, but their light was not sufficient to illuminate Damanda and her cohorts as they fell upon Fallon and the child.
The elf hunter struggled in Bonehammer's grip, before subsiding when Damanda caught his eye. "Easy, Fallon. You're among friends, now." She couldn't help but smile when she spoke. Friendship was something Damanda knew of only as an intellectual concept.
Slender Absalme caught the child by the hair and made to lift her free of the earth. The girl called Ash reached up and touched Absalme's wrist. A burst of sun-bight light exploded from where finger touched arm.
Damanda screamed, throwing a hand over her face. The light burned her, drove like hammered nails into her eyes, but an instant later, the terrible radiance winked out.
When she could see again, blinking away the great purple blotch, she saw that both Bonehammer and Lex lay moaning and steaming, just as her own exposed flesh still smoked.
There was no sign at all of Absalme.
It was clearer to Damanda, then, why the girl was also called the Child of Light. Damn the Rotting Man for failing to mention that particular detail. She snarled to her two remaining lieutenants "Get up, you sluggards."
Luckily, Ash didn't press her advantage. She had merely reacted to a touch she didn't like and now stood quietly.
Meanwhile, Fallon also still stood, blinking, though of course his flesh hadn't reacted quite so explosively to the light thrown off by the child. Damanda sighed. Fallon would retain his use, after all, she realized. She glided up to the elf, her eyes and skin already healing over.
"What were you trying to accomplish, ascending to the surface, elf?"
Fallon took a breath, then said, "I thought I could get to the center of Dun Tharos quicker, here on the surface, where my wood lore would be useful."
Damanda shook her head and said, "You were instructed by the Talontyr to lure your pursuers through the dangers of Under-Tharos."
"I was also entrusted to bring the Child of Light to him at the center. If I had fallen prey to some wandering demon below, I couldn't very well do that, could I?"
Damanda's eyes narrowed. Fallon was too impertinent for an underling. Time to end his independence here and now. She caught his eye, trying to snare him with her will. She was shocked