Part 24 (2/2)
”What's it like down there?” asked Treggar ”They're into their second sweep They probably have someone above at the top of the old well, and since no one caure we must still be in here somewhere They probably think it's your Pathfinder Edwin loose down here, killing theirto suspect thereto start inspecting every inch of ceiling”
”Eventually they'll find us,” said Williaht was never ar
Jath, and said, ”Oil” He nodded toward the hinges As Willia caught before word got to Arutha As long as we're running around in here, those down below are going to be too concerned about catching us to prepare well for Arutha's arrival If everything works out, those co back will have Krondorian soldiers hard on their heels, and will run right into a barred door, with those inside slow in getting it open for thear
”It's the old plan,” said James ”If this door leads where I think it does, I have an even better plan”
With the oil and crowbar, they got the pins out of the hinges Treggar inserted the bar between the door and jamb and pulled hard A dull scrape sounded as the doorit is holding it tight,” observed the soldier
”Captain, may I?” asked William
The captain relinquished the bar to the broad-shouldered younger man
Williahtly above his shoulders He pulled hard, and doard, and the door ain, and he fell backwards with the release of the bar
Jaar leapt away as the door see as it fell with a loud crash to the stone floor Clouds of fine dust filled the roo
”Look,” said Williainal room had been excavated just below the surface of the ancient fortress'syard Behind the doorway, a ramp led up to the surface, and at the top of the ramp, parallel to the floor, was a barred trapdoor The release bar for the trap was set across it in such a fashi+on that it could be pulled free by two ropes or chains The iron eyelets were still intact, but any ropes had long since rotted to dust James inspected the trapdoor ”Clever,” he said at last ”It's hinged here and there-” he pointed to the far end ”-so that when it falls open it lands atop the raar said, ”Old Keshi+an trick I've never seen it, but the old Knight-Marshal, Dulanic, once told us of a fight here in the desert where they took a fortification As they crested the walls, it seeot inside and set up caht the Keshi+ans seelanced around the roo holes like this if we found ourselves in a siar climbed the ramp next to James and put his hands up to examine the door ”There's probably a piece of canvas and soh so that if you're walking across it you'd have to be listening for the hollow sound to know that ramp is there”
”Add to that a few centuries of dust,” ht of the door on the bar ”This isn'tunless we can tie a pair of ropes to it”
'We'd need horses to pull that bar out with all the weight on it,” said Treggar
Jaain and finally said, ”Unless we can loosen those brackets”
Williaive it a try”
He set to with purpose, and after aeasily” He worked at it until the first of the two brackets fell away, striking the stone ramp with a loud clatter He then turned to the second bracket and shortly had it free The bar followed, crashi+ng to the floor and bouncing down the ra James to have to leap over it Williaar leapt to the side
Willia down upon hi happened He rolled and crawled a little way, came to his feet and then stepped to the botto down?” asked Williaar
He started to move back up the raive way at any , ”I don't think so” Hewhere the door jamb met the door itself and inspected it He then pulled out his dagger and stuck it between the door and the ja out
He returned to his co brown
”Mud”
”Mud?” asked Williaion,” said Treggar, ”but it does rain And over the years dust has settled upon that door, then gotten rained upon, and then the heat returns”
”Brick,” said Jaar 'The door is covered by a slab of this stuff,the door in place?” asked William
”Suction,” said James ”I've had to pull more than one heavy object out of theit the hard way”
”So we're stuck?” asked William
James looked around and said, ”Not necessarily” Hethis over to the bottom of the ramp”
They did so, and after it here James wanted it, he said, ”Now move that bar over here” Quickly he had the bar jaainst the heavy rack ”This won't prevent the trap froh for o”
”What are you doing?” asked Treggar
”I'ht above it should release the door”
”You'reto that conclusion now?”
He oes, I want a clear path down that raently and carefully, and after a while Willia and waiting for them to be discovered
After an hour, Jalanced at Jaive quickly when I want it to”
”Another plan?” asked Treggar
”Always,” said Jauess as to what tiar said, ”I put it near ive or take a quarter of an hour”
”Good,” said Ja ”Then ait”
”For what?” Willia the well above to get bored and sleepy”
Ja by force of will to becouard was stationed near the well, absently cutting the skin frolanced around from time to time