The Howling Delve - Jaleigh Johnson [87]
Dantane made a gesture that had Laerin clucking his tongue. "Get on with it," the wizatd snapped. Kali put his hand on the gem, leaving room for Dantane to do the same. "The rest of you, wait for a moment, then follow." He looked at each of them in turn, his gaze resting last and lingering on
Cesira. "Remember what I told you," he said, all trace of humor gone. "Please."
She nodded, not speaking.
The gem pulsed, veiling the tower in a ted haze. Cesira blinked, and Kali was gone.
A moment passed in silence. Laetin tossed a gold danter into the air. A circle of six tiny stars winked on its foreface as it fell. Morgan snatched it out of the air, juggling it with nimble fingers.
"Told you," he said smugly.
Laerin sighed. "No tearful parting, no farewell kiss," he said, putting his hand on the bloodstone. "Cesira, my love, I'm going to have a talk with both of you when we tetutn."
Cesira blew him a kiss as he and Motgan disappeared.
Garavin knelt next to the gem, gripping the mastiff by its thick collar.
Watch over him, Cesira said.
"Like as not, he'll be the one watching me, but I take yer meaning. Ye take yet own care, lass," Garavin said. "The last thing he wants is for ye to be hutt by his enemy's hand. He wouldn't recover from that blow."
Cesira shook her head. Balram is my enemy too. I don't know if killing him will resolve anything for Kail.
"But ye're willing to find out?"
Eager, said the druid.
CHAPTER 24
The Howling Delve 5 Marpenoth, the
Year of Lightning Storms (1374 DR)
Maybe you killed them all," said Talal
hopefully. Meisha stood in the center
of the cavern where they'd found
Braedrin's body. Her eyes were on the
ceiling. Her arms dangled loosely at
her sides.
Talal held her shirt and boots. She wore only her leather jerkin, bound tightly at the waist by her belt, and her breeches. Her lips curved as Talal fidgeted. "You're welcome to wait with the others," she offered.
"Cowards, all of'em," Talal said, pitching his voice to carry down the passage where Haroun and the others stood ready.
"One step at a time," Meisha said, closing her eyes. "They're taking their fates in hand. They're already terrified to be defying the Shadow Thieves."
"Terror?" Talal sniffed. "Terror will be when my clothes fall apart or get burned up standing too close to fire-crazed sorcerers. I'll be tromping around here naked before I beg that bastard Balram for more clothes."
"Gods forbid," came Haroun's voice from the passage. "Just you keep that in mind while you're clinging to the walls out there!" Talal bellowed.
"Settle down," said Meisha. "I can hear them. Get ready."
"Nets up," Talal called down the tunnel. "Even if you do get them to fly down the right hole," he said, "how do we know they won't just chew through the topes and get loose, maybe in the warrens?"
"I treated the ropes with poison," said Meisha. "It isn't lethal-not even painful-but it'll taste awful to the bats. Besides, we only need to funnel them to the cavetn off the portal room. As long as that net holds, we'll be fine. Get down!" she shouted as black shapes began to pour from the hole near the ceiling.
Talal hit the ground as deep bats filled the chamber. He watched Meisha step back, cross her arms over her chest, and burst into a pillar of flame.
Kali passed through the portal and started to fall. He reached out blindly, his hands sliding down rocks, but thete were no handholds. He fell into empty space.
Abruptly, his back and buttocks hit something solid. He flung his aims behind to catch himself, but they kept going, flailing in midair until something else caught his atmpits and held him securely.
Panting, Kail looked around. Dull green glows revealed an expanse of hemp net stretched taut across a circular chasm. His legs and arms dangled through gaps in the net. All was quiet but for the swaying and creaking noises made by his weight against the rope. Beyond the chasm lay a large expanse of cavern, with tunnels adjoining either end. The tunnel in front of him was clear, but an identical, crudely fashioned net draped the one