The Fading Dream_ Thorn of Breland - Keith Baker [83]
She drew Steel back to her hand. He was silent.
“Don’t think at me that way,” she muttered. “We’re trying to stop the Mourning, aren’t we?”
I just hope you know what you’re doing.
“So do I,” she murmured. “So do I.” She tucked Steel into his sheath and gathered her thoughts. She’d woven a magical disguise before the cloak of invisibility had faded, and that was all that was keeping the trolls at bay. She’d seen a number of changelings at the court of the Daughters of Sora Kell in Droaam, and when the troll invoked the “vengeful daughters” the idea had come to her. She wore the face of a changeling, with pale skin and snow white hair. The triune symbol of the Daughters was traced over her breast in gray thread.
“Children of the Shadow!” she called to the trolls. The two that were free turned to look at her. “The glorious Daughters have heard your cries echoing across the land to the Great Crag itself, and they sent me to release you from this bondage. Transport awaits you beyond the walls of this place, and you will feast for a dozen days on your return!”
She knew nothing about troll customs, but she’d never heard a story that spoke of the great intelligence of a troll, and those four seemed to be no exception. They roared their approval, praising the Daughters of Sora Kell.
“Yet no gift comes without a price!” she roared. “Sora Maenya respects only strength. If you would prove yourselves worthy of her trust, you must show that strength still remains in your limbs!”
“Tell us, changer,” the first troll snarled. He held the body of the old halfling in his hand; the healer was missing an arm, and he would not be rising again. “What must we do?”
She glanced at the others. “You must make your way out yourselves. Earn your release with tooth and claw.” She drew them close with a gesture. “I have a mission of my own on behalf of Sora Katra, and I will need you to leave me be as I do what must be done. This is the face I will be wearing. Study it well.” She released the spell of disguise, restoring her natural appearance as if she were a changeling shifting faces.
The trolls grunted, sniffing at her. “We remember, changer.”
“You two. Release your brothers. Gather your strength. Once I leave this room, remain here for the time it takes to shatter every piece of furniture here, to break every bottle and chain. Then emerge and show your captors what fear truly is.”
The trolls roared their approval. Thorn felt another pang of guilt about unleashing the creatures against an unsuspecting populace. Then again, if they hadn’t dissected trolls in the first place, it wouldn’t be a problem.
She glanced around the room, searching until she found a man who was still alive. He was one of the soldiers, the guard she’d crippled with Steel. As she’d hoped, he’d dropped to the ground and was simply watching, remaining as still as possible. She knelt next to him.
“With one word, I can have you strapped to one of these tables with these beasts seeing if your guts grow back when they pull them out,” she murmured. “Do as I say and you might live through this. Do you understand?”
He nodded.
“How many more of you in this place?”
The man hesitated for a moment. Then one of the trolls bellowed in triumph as it was released from its bonds. Whatever courage the soldier had broke. “Eight more in my unit. About as many again in support and research.”
Prepared to handle a single troll, certainly. Against four at once, with some element of surprise … it should suffice. “What’s the quickest way out?”
“The teleportation