Part 22 (1/2)
With bitter humor, the Pathfinder said, ”I'll be here, squire” Ja one wall until he calooers at the sound ofon and off for a ti noise startled them
”Easy,” came James's soft voice in the darkness A moment later, he lit one of his tapers and said, ”We have a proble one The last of our Pathfinders is going to be sacrificed at et hiet hi to be easy We have no food, water, or horses, and it'll be at least two days before Arutha gets here-if he even knohere to find us I' up here, but I'd hazard a guess of at least three hundred, maybe more” James handed the taper to Williaer in the dust on the floor ”This is where we are,” he said, ”and directly to the east of us is the hthawks, or whoever they really are To the north are soearound in the sewer-”
Treggar said, ”You don't smell like it”
James shook his head ”That part of the sewer hasn't been used for centuries” He drew a rough rectangle around the areas he had outlined ”We're in the southwestern corner of the old dungeon We saw the ar as a temple The barracks seem to have becoround kitchens are there To the north are some empty rooms To the east is their stable and there's an old sally-port there they use as their main access”
”What about the e caain on ger I suspect it was originally installed that way to keep less faithfulunexpectedly The triggering mechanism is located behind a false rock at the last intersection you co the door It's a tricky one; if you open it fro a trap”
”What kind?” asked Treggar
”I don't know, and I wasn't willing to experis and wires connected to the pivots It's even rigged to go off if you push the door in the wrong fashi+on You push on the bottoht the way you opened it looked pretty aard,” Willian The least comfortable way is the correct way”
”How did you know?” asked Willia stupid S thieves listen to theing traps I was not a stupid young thief I listened” He chuckled ”The door has pivots on both sides, instead of hinges, so it wasn't designed to be opened like a normal door After that, I assumed the way you would et you killed”
”What about the original western entrance?” asked Treggar
James said, ”I couldn't find a direct route But I think I found a way up” He pointed to the rubble clogging the western wall of the storage room
”That's the way up?” asked William
”Maybe,” answered Ja yard and bailey around a keep, I'ht above us There would have been a couple of quick routes from the armory back there-” he pointed down the corridor ”-to the yard above us”
Treggar stood and inspected the fall Most of the rocks werethe bottom of the room He picked one and tried to ot it to ht of that The ti co to a room even more filled with even more rocks to the north of here So, unless there's another way up, father east, the only way out is through the e caate”
”Which?”
James said, ”The e came in is easiest, but as soon as they see Edwin the Pathfinder gone, they'll comb the hills around here If we take horses froht be able to steal a march on theed
”Have you even seen the stable?” asked Treggar ”Do we kno to open the gate? Is it a windlass and ropes? Is there a portcullis? Counterweights? Is it a drop-bridge over a moat or just flat rock on the other side of the doors?”
”Your point is taken, captain,” said James
”Besides,” said William ”If we escape and carry word to the Prince, will they still be here when the army arrives? Wouldn't it be easier for them to scatter and just set up somewhere else?”
James looked at William and then said, ”Yes, probably” He sat back ”I need to think”
He extinguished the light and Williaar could hear him settle down, his back to the wall For over an hour the three of them sat in silence
Then James's voice cut the darkness ”I have an idea!”
Ja
When he was sure there was no uardroolanced up and said, ”Now?”
”Now,” said Ja the lock It was a simple mechanism, very old, and he could have opened it while blindfolded He reached into his belt-pouch, pulled out a long metal probe and inserted it into the lock A”click” and turned the probe The lock opened
The Pathfinder cah the door immediately and followed Jah the darkness, Edwin said, ”They'll start searching when they find ”
Ja on it”
They reached the end of the pipe and Ja the lip of the pipe with both hands and landed easily on the floor below ”I' from the pipe and drop It's only three feet”
The Pathfinder dropped silently to the stones James put his hand on his shoulder and whispered, ”From here, silence Keep your hand on my shoulder, for we move in darkness”
James was relieved to discover Edas calm and surefooted in this aard situation He neither hesitated nor hurried but followed at even pace, so James was slowed only a little
Several ti nearby He was pleased that not once did Edwin ask why
When they reached Treggar and William, Edwin finally spoke
”Thank you, Jaot four s, so we have to ar said, ”How did they catch you?”
Edwin shrugged ”They know the land better than we I took precautions, but there are large areas out there where anyfor it Arawan and Benito and I were all caught within a day of one another”
Treggar said, ”I thought the Prince sent four of you south”