Master of Chains - Jess Lebow [64]
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At the bottom of the ladders, Ryder and Nazeem crossed the courtyard. The only person still in camp was an injured and badly beaten prisoner who had been marched out of Duhlnarim in chains. The rest of them, having been criminals-or at the very least unwanted in Erlkazar-were more than happy to join the Broken Spear. They had marched out with the raiding party who had left earlier in the day.
The last man was curled up in a ball and appeared to be sleeping. He was likely in no shape to fight, but considering the circumstances, he didn't have much choice.
"Quickly," Ryder said, placing his finger to his lips.
"You must wake and defend…" As he rolled him over, Ryder recognized him as the skinny man who had been chained to Nazeem.
The man's eyes were open, and he stared up at Ryder with a look of utter terror. "Please. Don't hurt me."
Ryder took a step back, stunned. "I… I'm not going to hurt you."
"You're not?"
Ryder shook his head. "No." He grimaced. "But there are things outside this wall that will if you don't get up."
The skinny man nodded and scrambled to his feet. He was quick-quicker by far than Ryder had anticipated. And he was tall, almost two inches taller than Ryder. As skinny as he was, he looked like a cornstalk. Though his skin was pale and he was shaking, the rest of him looked to be in fine shape.
"Are you all right?" asked Ryder.
"No," replied the skinny man.
Ryder looked the man over once again. No blood, no bruises. He could see nothing to indicate that the man was in poor shape.
"What's wrong with you?"
"I don't want to be killed," replied the skinny man.
Ryder laughed. "Neither do I." He extended his hand. "My name's Ryder."
The skinny man shied away, startled by Ryder's gesture. After a moment, he tentatively reached out and shook his hand. "My name's Curtis."
Ryder smiled. "So, Curtis, I'm guessing you aren't the type who carries a sword."
Curtis wiped his forearm across his face. "No."
"Well," said Ryder, starting to get a little frustrated with the man's lack of explanation, "do you have any other skills that might be useful in a fight?"
"In a fight?" said Curtis, shifting his feet. "No." He shook his head, puckering his lips as if the mere thought of a fight put a bad taste in his mouth.
"Well, maybe it's best if you stay out of sight, then," said Ryder, ushering Curtis toward a pile of rubble in a shadowy corner of the courtyard.
Curtis nodded, again shying away from Ryder's hands, but moving where he was directed.
Then he stopped and lifted his hand, pointing his index finger in the air. "I know a little magic."
"Magic? I think that qualifies as useful." Ryder turned to gauge Nazeem's reaction.
The Chultan shook his head, looking skeptical.
"What sort of magic?" prodded Ryder.
"Illusions," said Curtis. "Illusions, mostly."
Ryder shrugged. He didn't know what good parlor tricks were going to be in a fight, but it certainly couldn't hurt to have a magic-user on their side. Better than having one cowering in the corner.
"Come on then," he said, shepherding Curtis toward the ladders. "You should be up above, where you can get a good view of everything unfolding."
Curtis nodded nervously. "Will I be safe up there?" Ryder tried to put a smile on his face. "As safe as anywhere."
* * * * *
With Curtis on the wall above and the Broken Spear in their places, Ryder and Nazeem headed out of the front gate, running through the shadows cast by the towering wall. Skirting around the first of the statues on the northern side of the pathway, the two men sneaked closer to the stairs.
Ryder pulled up about halfway between the gate and the first of the stairs behind a half-broken statue of a giant holding a tremendous spear. The entire upper body had been toppled, so the head and shoulders lay on the ground beside the plinth that supported the rest of the statue. The rubble provided a larger area to hide behind, and if the undead giants came to investigate, the two men could climb under the fallen statue's arm, further hiding themselves.
Ryder could hear the giants