Part 23 (2/2)

Now, that was unreasonable, trying to shoot a bird out of pique. Karl shrugged. On the other hand, the thief wasn't very accurate with a crossbow. The night they had killed Ohlmin and the others, it had been Walter's ability to move silently and almost invisibly in the dark that had served them well, not his indifferent aim.

On the other handa”h.e.l.l, I've run out of hands. ”Just leave it alonea””

Twing!

The bolt went low and wide, vanis.h.i.+ng in the ivy. With a twitter and a flutter, the bird flew away.

Karl forced himself not to smile. ”Well, now we can have a whole side of... mountain for supper. You like yours medium rare, ora”hey! What are you doing?”

The thief let his bow drop to the ground and walked toward the rockface.

”Give me a hand up,” Walter said, his eyes on the spot where the arrow had disappeared. ”It should have bounced off, or stuck itself in, or something.”

Karl went over and knelt on one knee, cupping his hands, then straightening and lifting as Walter settled a sandaled foot into his grip. The thief caught a handhold somewhere above and scrabbled up the ivy.

Karl looked up. Walter was gone, ”Wherea””

The thief's smiling face poked through the green curtain. ”I believe that this is what we call gin.” His unseen hands clapped. ”I don't have a light, but this thing looks as if it goes down and in for about a million miles. You want to go back for the others, or do I?”

”Dealer's choice,” Karl said calmly, his heart beating a rapid tattoo. We're going home. Where it's safe, comfortable.

I'm going home.

Thank G.o.d.

With everyone gathered just inside the entrance, Ahira took a few minutes to check each pack, working easily in the speckled light coming through the ivy. It would have been possible to make the others check their own gear, but that would mean waiting until their eyes adjusted to the dimness. Better to get going as soon as possible.

He considered the five waterskins. Enough for four days, maybe five, if they went on a strict water ration. It would be nice to have more, but they had lost most of the waterbags to Ohlmin's group, and carrying a barrel through the tunnels would be awkward, at best.

Ahira cinched Hakim's pack a bit tighter. ”No need to have things fall out,” he said.

Hakim smiled. ”Whatever you say, fearless leader. I've got a suggestion, though.”

”Yes?”

”Ari and Doria have their Glow spellsa”why not save on the lantern's oil, and use one now?”

Ahira thought it over for a moment. Not necessarily a bad idea, although the wizard's spell would be good only temporarily; the light would dim, and go out. But Doria's Glow spell was more powerful; it would keep whatever it was put on s.h.i.+ning forever. ”Karl, your sword, please.”

Karl lumbered over, ducking his head under a rocky overhang. ”Don't you trust me with an edged weapon?”

Ahira smiled as he hefted the blade. A decent saber, actually, but not quite the luxury-cla.s.s blade that Karl's broken sword had been. ”No, I'm afraid that you'll slice your foot off. Seriously, I'm going to have Doria , . ,” He jerked his chin at the cleric, who was sitting slumped next to her pack. ”I'm going to try to have her Glow it for you.” Leaving Doria alone hadn't improved anything. Perhaps succeeding at something would be good for her.

”The point?” Karl's forehead furrowed. ”Not to be critical, but you're not putting me in the lead, are you? Spelunking isn't exactly my specialty.”

Dammit, Karl, give me a minute to finish. It'd be nice not to be interrupted. It'd be a change, anyway. ”You get the spot just behind me. I won't need much light. Darksight, remember?” If the tunnels were as old as Oreen and that dragon Karl had talked to had claimed, it probably wouldn't be necessary for Ahira to go first; any sections of the ceiling that were shaky at all would have already fallen.

But no sense in taking chances. Besides, this was going to be easy for Ahira. A dwarf was built for easing through tunnels. Without adequate light, these humans would probably trip over their own feet.

The sword clutched in his hand, Ahira walked over to Doria and squatted in front of her. ”Doria?”

She just sat there, her robes gathered loosely around her, eyes staring blindly through him.

”Doria, I need your help.”

No response.

”Please?”

Nothing.

He reached out a hand and laid it gently on her shoulder. ”Doria?”

Her face came alive, creasing into a wide-eyed rictus of terror. She inhaled violently.

And screamed.

And kept screaming, until Ahira's ears rang, and Doria lay curled on the floor of the tunnel, whimpering as she gasped for breath.

Ahira looked behind him, Aristobulus, Hakim, Andrea, and Karl stood shoulder to shoulder, glowering in unison, I had to try. We may need her later. Noa”make that: ”I have to try,” he said to Doria, pretending to ignore the way four pairs of eyes were trying to bore holes into his back. ”And so do you.” I've got to do something, I have to do something. ”Doria, I'm sorry I toucha””

”Leave me alone.” Her voice was low, just one step above a whisper.

”No.” He said that as firmly as he could. Maybe if he acted as though she were all right, she might be. If I close my eyes, does the world go away? ”I need you to Glow this sword. Make it give off light.” As if of its own volition, his hand moved toward her; he jerked it back. ”You're part of this group; you're one of us. And we need your help.”

”Ahira.” Karl's hand grasped his shoulder, urging him away. ”Not now. Well use the lanterns for a while. Maybe she'll be up to it later.”

”No!” He shrugged the hand off. You can't help a, a cripple by ignoring the disability. That just makes things worse. You compensate for it. but you don't ignore it.

He shook his head to clear it. But isn't that what I was trying to do. just a few moments ago? Maybe it isn't easy to deaf with someone else's handicap, either. ”Doria, I'm not going to stop bothering you until you do it.” Careful not to touch her, he grasped the sword by the blade and slid the hilt between her hands. ”Take it. Make it glow.”

Her lips moved fractionally, without sound.

”Do it.”

At first, her voice was a whisper, a quiet, distant rustle of breath. Then the sound grew louder, nearer, stronger, a rush of airy syllables that vanished as they touched his ears.

And the sword began to glow. Faintly; the dim blue of the sky before dawn.

Then brighter; the color of a robin's egg.

And brighter, until it fell from Doria's fingers, glowing like the flame of a bunsen burner, bathing her face in blue light.

Ahira reached out a hand, halting his fingers an inch from the blade. No heat, although it shone with a blue-hot fury. No heat at alla”he extended a quivering finger and touched his finger to the metal.

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