Pool of Radiance_ Ruins of Myth Drannor - Carrie Bebris [65]
“Just give me a minute!” she snapped. Corran was probably right, but the undiscovered trap had bruised her pride.
“Suit yourself. We’re going on ahead.”
“You do that.” Arrogant, insufferable jerk… She heard him leave, heard the others following, all except Durwyn, whose presence she yet sensed, though some feet away. He waited quietly as she continued to examine the door.
Pa-pum. Pa-pum.
Less than a minute later, his voice broke the stillness. “Uh, Kestrel?” Durwyn spoke softly, probably afraid of irritating her further.
She tried to tamp down her annoyance and keep her tone even. “Yes, Durwyn?” From behind, she heard the warrior rattling around. He was closer than she’d thought. Good grief-was he deliberately scraping his armor across the stone floor? She tried to block out the noise and concentrate on her task, running her hand along the smooth iron door.
Pa-pum. Pa-pum.
“I’d turn around if I were you.”
A sense of dread shot through her. She spun on her heel to face him.
And found herself looking straight into the eyes of a dwarf.
The statue in the center of the courtyard had come to life. The bearded champion, armed with a two-handed axe, stood between her and Durwyn. The dwarf stared at her, his expression inscrutable. She stared back as her mind raced. Should she slowly circle toward Durwyn? Say something to the animated statue?
Pa-pum. Pa-pum.
The dwarf winked. Mischief somehow twinkled in his cold stone eyes. Kestrel released the breath she didn’t know she’d been holding and allowed the muscles in her shoulders to relax.
He leaped off the pedestal to attack.
The stone guardian swung his weapon in a wide arc meant to catch Kestrel in the midriff. Instinctively, she dropped to the floor and rolled to one side. The blade struck the door with a deafening clang! that left a dent in the iron.
She paled at the display of strength. A single blow from the dwarf could crush even Durwyn or cleave her in half. He came at her again, raising the axe high in the air this time.
She rolled once more, then jumped to her feet. The dwarf’s axe struck the floor, sending rock chips flying. The ring of steel on stone echoed off the walls.
Pa-pum, pa-pum. The mysterious thumping continued, but her own heart beat double time. She noted that the statue’s movements, though deliberate, were slow. Durwyn had moved forward to aid her, but she grabbed his arm instead. “Let’s find the others!” She tugged on his hand, urging the big man to abandon the fight. If the dwarf followed them, at least they could face him with help.
They darted through the archway-only to discover an even worse scene. Corran, Faeril, and the two sorcerers were locked in combat with three more animated statues, and other figures nearby seemed to be stirring to life. Kestrel’s gaze swept the fortress ward. At least two dozen dwarven sculptures were scattered about the grounds. They couldn’t possibly fight them all.
Pa-pum. Pa-pum.
Across the embankment, another iron door stood open. If they could reach it and close it behind them, they would be safe from the statues-though with that strange, perpetual thumping noise ringing off the walls, who knew what lay on the other side? Kestrel heard the first dwarf catching up to them, and a swing from one of the other statues had just narrowly missed Corran’s head. It was a chance they would have to take.
“There are too many statues!” she shouted, hoping the others would hear her over the sounds of combat. “We have to outrun them!” The sorcerers were launching their magical volleys from a distance. They should have no trouble dropping their attack to flee. Corran and Faeril, on the other hand, might require aid to disengage from combat.
“I’ve never retreated from a battle,” Corran declared, parrying another blow. Kestrel was surprised his warhammer hadn’t snapped under the force of the statue’s strike.
Anger welled within her. Would Corran rather die than listen to her? Durwyn nearly jerked her off her feet as an axe whistled past her ear-the first dwarf had caught up to