by T Nisbet
Chp. 37
Guldan showed us to our rooms. I looked around in amazement at the incredible wealth contained in the manse as we made our way through it. My room was opulent in the extreme sense of the word. Every piece of furniture in the room was gilded in gold. The paintings on the walls were rich, with colors so deep I could hardly believe they were made with paint. They were exquisite.
I walked over to a doorway and found a very modern bathroom complete with a toilet and a glass enclosed shower much like I would have found at home. There was a real mirror above the bathroom counter as well. I walked in and undressed.
The shower felt amazing. I stood beneath the hot water and emptied my mind as I washed my body with real soap and cleaned my hair with actual shampoo. I didn’t want to get out of the shower it felt so wonderful. But I did, eventually, and gathering my clothes and sword belt, returned to the bedroom. I lay down on top of the comfortable bed for a moment naked, remembering my own bedroom at home. It seemed like years since I’d slept in my own bed. As I lay there I pictured my room and all my familiar things: the posters, my fish tank.
It was all I could do not to scream when Grishna woke me up, the bug-eyed Imp’s nose inches away from my own. One of his flaming hands sat on my upper chest, painfully hot.
“Master says wake the slaves, so I wakes them. I really wants to burn them,” Grishna said. His breath smelled like burnt hair and rot.
I sat up so I could breath and pushed his three-fingered hand off my chest.
“I don’t think Master will be pleased if I burn, but if I burned I couldn’t be punished for turning you into a little girl with pigtails.”
Grishna’s bug eyes got even larger and he stepped back looking at me with fear. I took advantage of his fear and got off the bed gathering my clothing and weapons. He skipped back towards the door.
“You is blue. Blue mage not give me a pig’s tail, Grishna likes his own tail. I not burn Master’s slave. I has mission for Master, then I is free. You not be free for long time, Grishna thinks,” the burning imp laughed and left.
I looked down at my watch in reflex. It hadn’t worked for over a week and still read 4:30. I thought about taking it off, but decided against it as I put on the cold leather pants. I was going to look down at it someday and find it telling the correct time more than just twice a day.
I was finished dressing and adjusting Gwensorloth’s scabbard when Guldan walked in followed by Toby who was moving much better.
“I don’t agree,” Toby said, his voice showing the anger he obviously was feeling. “I can help!”
“Perhaps, Giant, but I need someone here to make sure our escape route isn’t compromised,” Guldan said.
“That’s bullshit,” Toby swore, folding his arms over his broad chest.
“How colorful of you,” Guldan said, rolling his eyes. “If the manse is attacked, fall back to the tunnel. Take Bronn’s hammer and seal the entrance. A couple of taps on the walls should do it. Just don’t bury yourself.”
“Don’t kill my friends,” Toby said in a tone that suggested violence.
The handsome elf looked at the ceiling, in consternation.
“I won’t Guardian,” Guldan said.
I finished adjusting my belt and followed them out of my room and down the hallway in time to see Grisna run out of Ivy’s room holding his long nose in pain. Ivy appeared right behind him wagging her finger at him.
“Hands off!” she shouted at the imp, who ran screaming down the hallway.
It was comical and made me smile until I saw a smoldering three-fingered hand print on the bottom of her leather pants. Ivy brushed at the smoking pants then turned and saw us staring at her.
“It’s not funny!” she said, but a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.
“My apologies mage,” Guldan said chuckling.
Ivy shook out her wavy hair and then pulled it back into a tight ponytail.
“If you’re all ready then, let’s make our way down to the tunnel and get started,” Guldan said, heading down the stairs.
The basement was filled with expensive looking junk and was nearly impossible to walk through. Guldan moved aside a crate exposing a ladder going down into the darkness. The pale elf waved his hand in a circle and made a fist, then slowly released it. Cradled in his palm was a shimmering ball of red flame. He blew on the flame and the fiery ball lifted out of his hand and moved over his head, hanging there motionlessly. Nodding with satisfaction, Guldan climbed down the ladder. The ball of flame followed him down the ladder lighting the darkness below.
Ivy followed him down the ladder. Toby clapped me on the back.
“Take care, bud. I won’t be there to watch your back,” he said grimacing.
“You are watching it, Tob,” I said with a wink. “If we’re not back in four hours, get the hell out of here. Go back to Carla and get out of this world.”
“Sorry, bud,” Toby said, shaking his head. “No can do. If you’re not back in four hours or less, I’m coming in after you. Now hurry up, you’re wasting time!”
At that moment, I knew something for sure that I’d known all along. Toby was my guardian. He would do exactly as he said, regardless of the outcome, regardless of the fact it could cost him his life.
I felt a surge of emotion and nodded offering him my hand. He took it in his overly large mitt, and we shook hands. It was a promise to see each other again. I did my best to give him a reassuring smile and then climbed down the wooden ladder into the red-lit passage.
