Part 18 (2/2)

”We have to jump,” he said softly, his hand still gripping the Valeman. ”Just lock your legs and pull in your arms. I'll be right behind you.”

Jair glanced down to where the Cillidellan s.h.i.+mmered. It was a long, long way. He looked back again at the Weapons Master.

”It's the only choice we have left.” The other's voice was calm and rea.s.suring. ”Hurry, now.”

The torches grew closer on the pathway behind them. Guttural voices called sharply to one another.

”Hurry, Jair.”

Jair took a deep breath, closed his eyes, opened them again and jumped.

So violent was the Gnome counterattack, as the six from Culhaven sought to break through the heights above Capaal, that the initial rush carried most of the attackers right past Foraker and Edain Elessedil. Thrown back against the cliff face as the a.s.sault swept on toward the others, Dwarf and Elven Prince scrambled upward into a stand of brush, a handful of Gnomes in desperate pursuit. They turned to fight at a small outcropping, the Elf swinging the st.u.r.dy ash bow, the Dwarf stabbing out with short sword and long knife. The Gnomes tumbled, howling with pain, and the pursuit fell back for an instant. The two companions peered down at the ledge and the steep slide below, swarming now with Gnome Hunters. There was no sign of the others.

”This way!” Elb Foraker called, pulling the Elven Prince after him.

They scrambled up the slope, scratching and clawing their way over the loose earth and rock. Cries of anger followed after, and suddenly arrows flew past them, a vicious hissing in their ears. Torches bobbed in the darkness, searching them out, but for the moment at least, they were beyond the light.

A roar sounded from somewhere below, and the pursued companions looked back apprehensively. The lights of the watchfires seemed to be spreading out across the cliff face, bits of fire darting about in the blackness. Hundreds more flickered into view on the dark line of the peaks south-torches from the army that lay camped along the banks of the Cillidellan. The whole of the mountainside now burned bright with flame.

”Elb, they're all around us!” the Elven Prince cried out, staggered by the number of theenemy.

”Keep climbing!” the other snapped.

Onward they went, fighting their way through the dark. Now a new cl.u.s.ter of torches appeared to their right, and shouts of discovery broke from the throats of the Gnomes who bore them. Spears and arrows whistled all about the two who climbed. Foraker scrambled away from them, eyes searching frantically across the dark cliff face.

”Elb!” Edain Elessedil screamed in pain and spun about, his shoulder pierced by a dart.

Instantly the Dwarf was at his side. ”Ahead-another dozen feet to that patch of scrub!

Hurry!”

Half carrying the injured Elven Prince, Foraker scrambled toward a broad thatch of brush that loomed suddenly out of the night. Torchlight flickered above them now as well, Gnome Hunters coming down from high off the slopes of the peak where the search lines cordoned off all escape. Edain Elessedil set his teeth against the pain in his shoulder and struggled forward with the Dwarf.

They tumbled into the brush, down into the concealing shadows to lie panting on the earth.

”They'll...find us here,” the Elven Prince gasped, forcing himself to his knees. Across his back, blood and sweat mingled and ran.

Foraker yanked him down again. ”Stay put!” Wheeling, he began groping his way through the brush until he found the slope against which it grew. ”Here! A tunnel door! Thought I'd remembered right, but...have to find the trip lock...”

While Edain Elessedil watched, he began o fumble frantically about the slope face, through crumbling rock and earth, pulling and clawing in silent desperation. The cries of their pursuers were drawing steadily closer. Through faint breaks in the brush appeared the flicker of torchlight, bobbing and weaving against the black.

”Elb, they're almost here!” Edain whispered hoa.r.s.ely. His hand reached down to his waist and drew forth the short sword belted there.

”Got it!” the Dwarf cried triumphantly.

A squarish chunk of rock and earth swung back, and an opening in the cliff face yawned before them. Frantically, they scrambled through into the darkness beyond, and Foraker pulled shut the rock behind them. It closed ponderously, sealing them away with a series of sharp clicks, the locks fastening in place.

They lay in the dark for long moments, listening to the faint sounds of the Gnomes without. Then the pursuit pa.s.sed on, and there was only silence. A moment later Foraker began groping about in the dark. Flint and stone struck a spark, and harsh yellow torchlight filled the void. They sat within a small cave from which a stone stairway ran downward into the mountain.

Foraker slid the torch into an iron bracket next to the sealed door and began working on the Elven Prince's injured shoulder. In a few minutes' time, he had the arm bound and wrapped in a makes.h.i.+ft sling.

”That should do for now,” he muttered. ”Can you walk?”

The Elf nodded. ”What about the door? Suppose the Gnomes find it?”

”Too bad for them if they do,” Foraker snorted. ”The locks should hold it; but if they don't, a break-in will trigger a collapse of the whole entrance. On your feet, now. We've got to go.”

”Where do the stairs lead?””Down. Into Capaal.” He shook his head. ”Have to hope the others will find some different way to get there.”

He helped Edain to his feet, pulling the Elf's good arm over his shoulder. Then he s.n.a.t.c.hed the torch from its rack.

”Hold tight, now.”

Slowly, they began their descent.

The Borderman Helt tumbled headlong down the steep slide, weapons flying from him as he fell, the maddened struggle on the cliff ledge left behind. Lights and sound whirled about him as he went, a jumble that spun and faded in his mind. Then came a jarring halt, and he found himself wedged within a ma.s.s of brush at the slide's bottom, sprawled in a tangle of arms and legs. He lay dazed for a minute, the breath knocked from his body. Gingerly he tried to extricate himself from the tangle. It was then that he realized that not all of the arms and legs were his own.

”Easy!” a voice hissed in his ear. ”Half broke me in two already!”

The Borderman started. ”Slanter?”

”Keep it down!” the other snapped. ”They're all around us!”

Helt lifted his head carefully and blinked his eyes against the dizziness. Torchlight flickered close by, and there were voices calling back and forth through the darkness. He realized suddenly that he lay on top of the little Gnome. With great care, he lifted himself clear of the other, coming unsteadily to his knees within the shadow of the brush.

”Took me right off the ledge with you!” Slanter muttered, disbelief and anger mingling in his voice. The gnarled body straightened, and he peered carefully about through the scrub; the distant firelight reflected in his eyes. ”Oh, shades!” he groaned.

Helt came to a low crouch, staring out into the dark. Behind them, the slide down which they had fallen loomed like a wall against the night. Before them, spread out for hundreds of yards in all directions in a ma.s.s of blazing yellow light, were the watchfires of the Gnome army that encircled the fortress of Capaal. Helt studied the fires wordlessly for a moment, then dropped back into the brush, Slanter beside him.

”We're right in the middle of the siege camp,” he said quietly.

Already there were torches lining the ledge from which they had fallen, far distant yet unmistakable in their purpose. The Gnomes on the ledge were coming down after them.

”We can't stay here.” Helt came to his feet once more, eyes peering out through the brush at the Gnome Hunters about them.

”Well, where do you suggest we go, Borderman?” Slanter snapped.

Helt shook his head slowly. ”Perhaps along the slide...”

”The slide? Perhaps we can fly while we're at it!” Slanter shook his head. The Gnome Hunters were calling down into the camp from the ledge. ”No way out of this one,” he muttered bitterly. He cast about futilely for a moment, then paused. ”Unless, of course, you happen to be a Gnome.”

His rough yellow face swung about to find Helt. The Borderman stared back at him wordlessly, waiting. ”Or perhaps one of the walkers,” he added.

Helt shook his head slowly. ”What are you talking about?”

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