The Howling Delve - Jaleigh Johnson [95]
Show them in when they arrive, she said. After that, you're dismissedfor the night and the day to follow. Tell the others.
"My lady?" was the man's timid, confused reply.
Lord Morel and I will not be in residence, Cesira said. Go quickly.
"Yes, my lady."
My lady, Cesira repeated to herself. Gods help her. She had to get out of Amn. The audience she was about to endure would be her last in this wtetched city, she vowed.
If she survived it.
The scteams of night hunters greeted Kail's eats as he waited outside Varan's chamber. "Hurry, Meisha," he said.
"We're coming." Meisha stepped out into the passage, guiding the old wizard by the arm. He stumbled on legs unused to walking, but Meisha steadied him, whispering to him constantly, coaxing, encouraging, as one might handle a child-or a wild beast.
"Unwelcome," Varan murmured as they walked. "Unwelcome, unwelcome you all are. You've never died before, none of you…" He snagged Kail's arm suddenly. "But you will," he hissed.
Gently, Meisha disengaged Varan's hand and wrapped it around her arm. "Be easy, Master. We will bring you more work, more magic."
"Broken," Varan muttered. He lowered his gaze to his feet as he shuffled forward. "I'll fix them all eventually."
The net was still draped over the end of the tunnel when Kali and Meisha arrived. Laerin and Morgan lay flat on their bellies before it, watching the battle in the portal chamber. Dantane and Garavin waited some distance behind.
"How many?" asked Kail when Morgan crawled back to them.
"Dozen and a half," said Morgan. He did not sound pleased. "They fight good."
Laerin was equally subdued. "Your friend is with them," he said. "The man from your party."
Kail nodded. He should have been prepared, but it still felt as if he'd been hit with a fist. For a moment, he found himself at a loss as to how to proceed.
"The whole room's like a bottle. Meisha and the wizard can fill the room with killing," suggested Motgan, "before we set a foot inside."
"But it gives the boy, Aazen, no time to explain himself," Garavin said.
"Some of us are more concerned with not getting murdered," said Dantane coldly "If we act now, I can fill the room with lightning before they slay all the bats. It will buy the refugees more time as well."
"They're bound to have magical protection," Laerin pointed out. "A wizard of their own, at least."
"Dantane will single him or her out," Kail decided. "But Garavin's right. I want to talk to Aazen." Dantane cursed, but Kail ignored him, addressing Meisha instead. "That's how it's going to happen. After I'm through, you're free to fill the room with fire, just leave Varan here. He'll be safe enough."
Meisha nodded. Kail watched her guide Varan to a protected nook down the tunnel while the others gathered at the tunnel mouth. The sounds of battle were fading.
Kail drew his sword and sliced away the net. A paii of men saw him coming through. They raised bows, but a voice barked out, "Hold!" before they could fire.
"My thanks for that," said Kali amiably as Aazen pulled his swotd free of a deep bat's body. He wiped the gore across the creature's furred chest. "For a moment I feared you'd come to kill me."
"We've come for the wizard," said Aazen. "Give him to us, and yout companions can leave unmolested."
"And the folk who've been plying your father's newest ttade for these last years? What will their fate be?" Kail asked.
"Does it matter?" Aazen countered. "My only interest now is Varan. Let him go, Kail. He is too far gone to care what company he keeps, so long as he is allowed to continue his wotk. He'll be safe with us."
"Too many people have enjoyed your father's version of 'safe' over the years, Aazen," said Kail. "Yourself included. We both know neither of us is getting out of here without fighting our way out. Your father sent you to kill me."
"Yes," said Aazen.
"He's done it before. But you couldn't betray me then, and I don't believe