Stardeep_ The Dungeons - Bruce R. Cordell [58]
The Knights didn't recognize her, didn't believe her, or didn't care. Kiril dodged left, just avoiding the barb-tipped lance of a scowling Knight.
She scrambled to avoid falling backwatd into the Mere, spewing obscenity. "Pox-faced rats on a bender! What the Hells ate you doing? Look at me! I'm a Keeper, gods roast your blood-flecked souls!"
Five elves on horseback charged off the end of the narrow causeway, wrenching their mounts around in a tight arc to face her. The two in the lead, who'd nearly skewered her, dropped their lances as they wheeled their mounts. Kiril's back was to the dark, wintry Mere.
"Where's Commander Brathtar? By your rutting gods, bring me the Commander, he'll know who-"
One of the Knights raised his long sword and spoke. "The Commander is indisposed-we take our orders from the Keeper of the Outer Bastion, who commands that impos-ters and liars be slain." The man spurred his mount, which reared, its steel-shod hooves flashing. Kiril ducked beneath the hooves. The man's sword flashed down and she dropped flat into the frozen mud.
Stamping hooves and sword tips harried her into the water's cold gtasp. The near-freezing chill shocked her as she dipped into the Chabala, but even half-submetged, she heard the sudden high-pitched scream of a horse and the clatter of metal on metal. It sounded like a mounted Knight being brought low-had Gage revealed himself?
Kiril didn't know to what depths the Mere plunged, nor did she wish to personally plumb it. She got her feet beneath her and stood up off the soft bottom. The water reached only to her waist, but the slope dropped steeply away. Water streamed from her hair and face. The cold shock of the biting liquid sought to freeze her muscles, reminding her of a creature she'd once fought whose breath was winter itself.
Blinking water from her eyes, Kiril saw that a Knight was down and still, a dagger butt protruding from his neck, his horse rearing. Five Knights wheeled away from her, bringing their weapons to bear on the threat materializing on their flank. Gage. The crazy thief stood just within the soft cover offered by a copse of trees tufting a small rise, his hand with the disturbing gauntlet raised high. The gauntlet's demon mouth screamed forth a terrible, mind-punishing keening. The Knights advanced, bringing their barbed lances low, deadly tips toward the thief.
One Knight remained intent on Kiril. His horse stood at the water's edge as he regarded her, denying her access to dry land.
The Knight's attack made no sense! She tried diplomacy as her aggressor stood silently. "You've made a terrible mistake! I was once a Keeper here-I'm no threat! If you force me to draw my weapon, your life will end here, in the sun! You'll never see Sildeyuir's stars again!"
The Knight hesitated, looking back to his brethren who now occluded her view of Gage, then back to her. She saw by the insignia on his shoulder the Knight was a captain.
The captain explained. "Telarian foresaw you to say exactly that. He said if you give up your sword without a fight here and now, you'll be allowed to enter Stardeep, where we can discern friend from foe, imposter from the genuine. Hand it across to me." He extended one palm, open and waiting.
Kiril sought to gather her wits to understand the captain's request, but the hellish screaming of the thief's demonic gauntlet rattled her. Despite wondering if she would regret it, she replied, "I give up my sword to no one!"
The Knight looked surprised. He said, "Are you sure?
Keeper Telarian was certain you'd give up the blade to gain entry. He sees all futures…"
Over the yowl of his hellmouth, Gage called, "Kiril! They want the sword, that's all! They want Angul-this is a trap!"
"What?"
A gap in the crowding Knights btiefly revealed the thief. He extended his gauntleted hand higher above his head, and the hellmouth's scteam redoubled in volume, a soul-grating shriek promising insanity.
Stardeep's defenders, closer than she to the hellish sound, shuddered and cringed, their eyes suddenly wild