“We’ll see about that,” Flent snorted, swinging loose his Sheven-Ingen axe. “Get going,” he snapped over his shoulder.
“No, Flent!” Ticastasy warned. “He killed Sturnin! No, we have to run!”
“Not very good at that,” the Drugaen said. He approached the Kiran Thall, the axe haft tight in his meaty fist. “Come on, you rook. You still owe me a dance after what you did in Sol.”
“Flent!” Ticastasy screamed.
Thealos felt his heart groan. Not the Drugaen too. Not them all.
–Son of Quicksilver–
The whisper of the magic came from the ground, swelling around him like mist. He opened his eyes, feeling the magic’s need grow inside him. It was there. Behind an Otsquare. He jerked straight, remembering again what Jaerod had said. Where no human could follow.
“Come on,” Thealos said, grabbing her by the arm. “Come on. Before he gets us all! Allavin, do you know the way out of here? I have no weapons, I can’t protect us.”
Allavin nodded, his face twisting with anguish. He watched the Drugaen face off with Secrist.
“Come on, you bloody rake!” Flent roared, bringing the axe up with both hands. He swung wide at Secrist, but the Kiran Thall ducked the blow and stabbed up at his ribs. Ticastasy shrieked and nearly tore away from Thealos, but he yanked her back. Flent dodged the blow and punched the man full in the face. The axe whirled around, up and over, slicing straight down Secrist’s front. The gash dropped the Kiran Thall to the ground. But the magic of the Everoot revived him and he came right back up.
“Ban it! Let’s go, lass,” Allavin said, taking her other arm. “He’s made his choice. Best to honor him for it. We’re not far from the end of the crossroads,” he told Thealos.
Thealos nodded and hurried down the length of the tunnel. He could feel the magic beckoning him. He didn’t know how far they had gone, but the Silvan magic whispers grew louder.
–I will protect you–
A half-dozen torches appeared in the corridor ahead, carried by Bandit soldiers.
Allavin called out in warning, bringing up his bow. The arrows loped from it swiftly, dropping two before they even knew who was there. Thealos heard ‘Stasy sobbing with grief, and he felt tears swim in his eyes. Not Flent. Please, Keasorn, don’t let him die!
The Bandits attacked, bringing out their swords as they rushed the hall. Allavin had just enough time to toss Thealos his own sword before the soldiers were there. Allavin swung his yew bow around, stabbing the tip into a soldier’s throat. Thealos unsheathed the Silvan-made blade and crossed swords with the next man. The blades rattled, but Thealos slipped around the man, kicking his boot up from under him. Thealos finished him with a stab before the next man was there in his place. Thealos felt his arms go numb with the shock of trading blows. He ducked, feeling his opponent’s blade whip past his ear and crash into the wall next to him. He drove his blade into the soldier’s gut and shoved him back.
Allavin had a knife in his left hand and finished slitting the throat of the last man. Thealos looked at him and nodded, wiping the sweat from his eyes.
Ticastasy had a knife in her hand now and stared back down the hallway. “Flent,” she mumbled. “No!”
Thealos spun around and saw Secrist. As soon as the Kiran Thall set eyes on Thealos, he let out a hiss and started running at them.
“Run!” Thealos shouted. The Kiran Thall was close enough that they could hear his ragged breathing. “Keasorn help us. Run!”
They bolted, abandoning the dead Bandit soldiers.
“Shenalle protect us from the Firekin,” Thealos prayed, scrambling down the corridor. “Shenalle protect us and keep us. Shenalle bring peace to the troubled. Keasorn guide my sword. Keasorn give me courage to strike my enemy…” Poor Flent!
“He hasn’t caught us yet!” Allavin Devers snarled in anger, grabbing Thealos’ arm and pulled him towards the crossroads ahead.
–Son of Quicksilver, I have waited for you–
At the end of the tunnel was a junction leading two ways. They stopped, gasping for breath. One path led down to the foot of the hill beneath Landmoor. It opened up to the moors and the streams and darkness where it was still night beyond. The darkness would aid an escape.
The other path led to the Otsquare and the Silverkin Crystal.
Thealos looked back and watched Secrist appear out of the gloom, not thirty paces away. The Silvan magic of the Crystal was so strong that he felt it tremble beneath the stones. He looked down the corridor towards it, seeing blue light shining from a distant set of pillars. The Otsquare. He licked his lips, nearly able to taste the magic.
“Take her to Castun,” Thealos whispered, squeezing Allavin’s shoulder and giving his sword back to him. “I’ll join you there.”
“Where are you…?” Allavin demanded as Thealos pushed Ticastasy into his arms. She turned around, her face stricken.
“I’ll join you there!” he promised.