“My companions and I would like to know about Carimus. We’re going to set him free.”
“Stop Volsur and free Carimus?” Navarro slapped his leg and laughed loudly. Some of the other men in the room joined in. “There were over two thousand men in Lord Tanaro’s army in the mountain. Now there are less than a hundred living like rats in these caves. We can’t get near the main castle anymore. Yet, you four are not only going to stop Volsur, but you’re going to free Carimus from a thousand Krulgs.” Laughter echoed off the walls.
“We’re going to try,” Dean replied coldly.
Navarro glared at Dean, and the laughter chilled into an uneasy silence.
“Well, you’d better hurry.” A man stepped from the wall where he was leaning. “Some Krulgs we caught this morning said they’re taking Carimus to Volsur’s tomorrow. Something wicked is in the works.”
The man’s appearance was cleaner than the others. He was thin with a sullen expression, dark eyes, and hair falling about his shoulders onto his armor.
“How did you talk to the Krulgs? I thought they only knew how to speak Krulg?” Han asked.
“Some of us here have been around the foul creatures so long that we know some words. You wouldn’t want to talk to them, though—horrible conversationalists.” The man winked at Han.
“Stay out of this, Dalvin,” Navarro growled at the man. “I’m in charge now.”
“No one made you king. Besides, Kala will make it back.”
Navarro shook his head and spat on the ground. “I told Kala that raid was foolishness. Look what it got him. Look what it got us. Twenty more men lost, and I’m sure that Kala was captured. He was brought to Naviak.”
“That’s not confirmed.”
“Neither is his being alive. I think he’s dead.”
“Until there’s confirmation Kala’s dead, we leave decisions to a vote. That’s what was agreed. Let’s hear the boy out.” Dalvin kept his steady gaze on Dean. “If you do have some plan to attack the castle, now would be the time. Reinforcements arrive tomorrow from Naviak, but they sent half their numbers to the front.”
“That still leaves five platoons. Five hundred Krulgs.”
“Where did the others go?” Oieda stepped forward.
Dalvin’s eyes locked on hers. “Kilacouqua.”
Oieda squared her shoulders and nodded.
“Do you have a plan to attack the castle? Even with half their numbers, we could not risk a full assault,” Dalvin said.
“Nor will we risk any mission. I’m not going to be part of an attack whose only result would be to stir the Krulgs into sweeping the mountain looking for us,” Navarro shrieked. “They’ll come with five hundred more tomorrow. It will be us who are the refugees next.” The veins in his neck thrust out as he turned to Dalvin.
“Then we’ll do it on our own.” Dean’s voice was calm as he leveled his stare on the seething man.
“And get me killed? I don’t think so.” Navarro drew his sword.
In a split second, Oieda’s spear tip was pressed against Navarro’s throat, and Bravic’s axe was in his hands as he stood back to back with Oieda. Han’s bow was taut. Men rushed over to the group and drew their weapons as they came. Some stood behind Navarro but most moved behind Dalvin.
“Let’s everyone dial it back,” Dean said.
Navarro’s eyes swept over the group, recognizing he was outnumbered. He glared at a few of the men who stood against him, but his eyes burned with hate when they fell on Dalvin.
“It’s your death,” Navarro spat as he sheathed his sword. He sneered first at Dean and then at Dalvin. He turned and pushed his way to the opening of the cave. A small group of men followed him out.
“Forgive him.” Dalvin shook his head. “He wasn’t always like this.”
Han lowered his bow. “Was he just a jerk before and now he’s a complete and total—?” Bravic hit him in the shoulder.
“Navarro’s a good man. Living like this can break anyone.” Dalvin sheathed his sword.
“Was a good man,” Han mumbled.
Dean held up his hand and glared at Han. “You don’t know what he’s been through, Han. Anyone can break.”
“I’ll try to help in whatever way I can.” Dalvin reached out and shook Dean’s hand. “What is your plan?”
Dean looked at Oieda. “Before we go over that, did anyone send word to the Kilacouquen?”
“No. We couldn’t spare the men.”
“It is not necessary.” Oieda stepped forward. “Our scouts will see them. The Kilacouqua will be ready.” She stared stoically around the room. “Let us plan for Carimus.” She nodded at Dean to continue.
“Can you show us the layout of the castle?” Dean asked.
Dalvin walked to the back of the cave. On the rear wall, someone had engraved a top-down view of the castle. “Our caves are here, outside the main mountain. The castle is in the mountain itself,” Dalvin said.
“Inside the mountain?” Han’s voice rose. “Like inside-inside?”
“It was the winter home of the king, right?” Dean asked.
Dalvin nodded his head. “Most of the men here are from the king’s guard. When Aeriot fell, the king set out for here. Kala, the captain of the King’s guard, led the decoy convoy. Hestian, the commander of the army, led the convoy with the king.”
“What happened to them?” Han asked.
Dalvin’s throat tightened. “Volsur didn’t fall for the deception. He attacked the real convoy with his entire army. They killed everyone. The king, his family, soldiers—even children.”
“Yet you and your men still fight on,” Oieda said. “That is honorable.”
“Kala and the other convoy made it here. Kala had been leading us, but he was captured during a raid. I hope for his safety. Other than the king, I have not known a nobler man. The guards who were left hid in these mountains, but our numbers keep dwindling. Soon there will be none left.” Dalvin’s back stiffened. “There’s one main gate on both the north and south sides,” he explained. “The south gate is the least guarded. A wide road leads up to the main castle.”
“How many are on the road?” Dean asked.
“Only a few. Krulgs don’t patrol. They’re undisciplined. Most stay at the castle. But that’s where you’re heading. The other piece of good news is they’ll probably be drunk. They have some kind of down day when they rotate out. That would be tonight.”
“Why would half leave before the reinforcements come?” Bravic asked.
“They’re undisciplined. From what we gathered there was a power struggle and one side lost. They left early. It’s happened before. We tried to take the castle back then.”
“What happened?” Han asked.
Dalvin looked around the room and frowned. “They aren’t the brightest monsters, but they know how to fight. They still outnumbered us three to one. We failed.”
“Do you know where they are keeping Carimus?”
“In the main tower.”
Dean exhaled and studied the map.
Dalvin leaned against the wall. “If you could find a way through the main gate and stick to the side streets, you might make it to the castle. But how do you plan on getting by the main gate?”
Dean turned and looked helplessly at the others as he searched his mind for some scrap of an idea. “We’re going to sneak in,” Dean began. “The way we’re going to do it is . . .” He peered around and as his eyes fell on the dried skins on the wall, his stomach turned. “The skins! We’re going to hide in the skins.”
“Ewww. What?” Han made a face.
“We’ll sew them on. You could tell up close we were not Krulgs, but if we keep a good distance I bet they’d think we were Krulgs,” Dean explained.
“Is there any other way in?” Bravic rolled his eyes.
“The mountain fortress was made by your people, Dwarf. The only way in is through the main gate now. We had to collapse the secret passageways as we fled from the attack.”
&nb
sp; “It couldn’t hurt to try this idea.” Han shrugged.
“Couldn’t hurt? I could get us all killed,” Dean grumbled.
Han’s hands went up. “Do you want me to go along with it or not?”
“Yeah. I think it could work. We just have to get through the first gate.”
“Dean, you’re the biggest, so you should get in one first. We’ll probably have to add some padding to you to fill it out, but Bravic won’t need any because—” Han stopped speaking as Bravic leaned closer to him and raised a bushy Dwarf eyebrow.
Oieda lifted a large skin from the wall and held up the green hide. “It is well dried. Good, it still smells like Krulg.” With that announcement, they wrinkled their noses as a wave of odor came from the hide. “That is good. Krulgs have a keen sense of smell. You will need some padding.”
“I’ll see what I can find. As you can see, our supplies don’t flow too freely.” Dalvin moved off to begin his search among the men. Within minutes, he came back accompanied by two men who had their arms full of dirty cloths. “This is all we could find, I’m afraid.” He laid down his bundle.
Soon Dean stood with his arms out as Oieda finished with the last stitches around his waist. He moved and stretched and the skin flexed with him. “This looks way better than I thought. It’s moves with me.”
“It stretches.” Han pulled on it. “If it wasn’t for the stink, I would say it’s amazing.”
Dean still felt uncomfortable with the smelly skin all around his body. It even covered his face, which was now smeared with black soot to cover any exposed areas.
Dalvin came over with a cup and spread a greasy substance on the skins. Dean gagged at the odor but Oieda nodded approvingly.
“Whatever that grease is,” she said, “it gives life to the skin.”
“Yeah,” Han agreed. “He really looks like a slimy Krulg. What is that stuff?”
“Rat fat.” Dalvin wrinkled his nose.
“How do I look?” Dean pondered and turned around.
“If these Krulgs are as blind as they are stupid and drunk, we may have a chance.” Bravic’s lips curled.
“If we keep to the shadows and back streets it should get us close. We just need to free Carimus. Once he’s free, then he’ll help us. Now you three have to get in one.” Dean gave a low growl and tried his best to sound like a Krulg.
“Maybe you shouldn’t speak.” Han took the smallest hide from the wall.
Soon Bravic and Han were sewn into the hides. Han made all sorts of ghoulish noises once he was in the skin. He would have run all around if Dean had not forced him to stand still.
Oieda laughed as she looked at Han.
“Is he too small?” Dean asked. “Do they have super short Krulgs?”
“They do, but he’d be the shortest I’ve seen. The boots help. Try to stand up taller.”
Han continued to plod around, and Dean shook his head. “This is not my finest hour.”
“I will sew you in, Oieda.” Dalvin took the heavy needle and coarse thread from the Elf’s hands.
“I am not getting in one.” Oieda stepped back as the color drained from her face.
“You have to, Oieda. It’s the only way we can get in,” Dean said. “You’ll be okay.”
“I cannot . . .” Oieda stammered as she backed up. “I don’t like closed spaces . . .” Then she turned and bolted toward the door.
Han grabbed her legs, and they both landed in a heap.
“Oieda, you have to,” Han begged. “There’s nothing to be afraid of.”
“I am not afraid.” Oieda stiffened.
“Then you’ll get in the skin?” Han prodded.
“No.” She got up.
Dean stormed over, took her by the arm, and walked a few feet away. “Listen, this plan is crazy and has about zero chance of working. I don’t want you to go.”
“Then why do you push me?” She glared at the wall and crossed her arms.
“Because I know you. If you don’t go, you’ll never forgive yourself.”
“I just . . . if we were going straight at an army of Tarlugs, I would have no fear. But this . . .” Her neck muscles flared. “Trapped inside skin. I do not know how to defeat this fear.”
“I do.”
“How?”
“Suck it up, buttercup.” Dean smirked.
She slowly turned her head to look at him. There was murder in her green eyes. “I open my feelings to you, and you taunt me?”
Dean’s eyebrows rounded. “I’m serious. You have to dig down deep, and suck it up. The situation blows, but what choice do you have? Sometimes you just have to take the crap. Look, part of me doesn’t want you to go. I want you safe. But I know you. If Bravic, Han, and I go in there and you don’t, no matter what happens, you’ll beat yourself up over it.”
Her eyelids slammed shut. Her nostrils flared as she breathed deeply. “I will . . . suck it up,” she replied grimly. She looked pale but her jaw was set as she stomped over to the hide. As they sewed Oieda in the skin she remained motionless and stared straight ahead. Sweat ran down her face.
“My men will take you close to the entrance. I wish I could go with you, but there’s no time to catch another Krulg to skin. The entrance to the mountain is not heavily guarded. The Krulgs are now careless with their watches, as boredom has worn on them. I’ve gone over the layout with Bravic again, and the Dwarf has mastered the way.” Dalvin gave a broad grin and Bravic nodded. “Whatever other help I can be to you, I don’t know. Our supplies are limited, and Navarro will be against any other type of aid.”
“Thank you for everything you’ve done already. It’s getting late; I think we better get going.” Dean tried to scratch his back beneath the skin.
As the four companions, led by five men and Dalvin, left the cave, they looked up at the sun as it weakly peeked out of the clouds. They crept in silence along the paths and were soon sweating profusely in the skins that closed about them. The walk would have been difficult unencumbered, but with the weight and clumsiness of the skins, they slipped and almost fell all along the way.
When they came to a small bluff, Dalvin stopped and pointed up the path. He clasped Dean’s hand, and then he and the men silently faded down the path into the shadows.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow
Dean turned to look at his friends and almost laughed at the sight of Bravic’s scowl and Han trying to look fierce. But the look of controlled panic in Oieda’s eyes made his laughter turn to worry. She looked as if she’d bolt any minute.
Dean gritted his teeth and walked around the corner of the path. The mouth of the mountain loomed above him. Sweat poured from their faces as they came closer to the opening.
They could see three Krulgs milling around the entrance. The Krulgs were talking low, obviously arguing about something. The companions walked forward with their faces cast downward. As they approached, the Krulgs kept talking, but their gruff voices rose even louder. Dean’s heart pounded in his ears so loudly he could not understand how the others didn’t hear it. They passed the three Krulgs and saw the entrance open before them into a wide cobbled road that stretched up into the mountain. At the end, they could see clusters of lights here and there, marking the outline of the castle far away.
“Gunak. Gunak,” a coarse voice behind them bellowed. One of the Krulgs pointed at them with his barbed spear.
Dean’s heart leapt into his throat. Bravic’s scowl turned into a snarl of hate. The Dwarf didn’t lash out. Instead, he turned and walked over toward the Krulg, still keeping his eyes downcast.
“Gunak. Tarlurgan unbuldik wunur,” the Krulg ordered as he motioned to a pile of sacks against the wall. The two others Krulgs moved beside the third.
Bravic walked over to the sacks and the others followed.
“Gunak,” Han said in a high-pitched growl as he passed the Krulg and Dean’s heart froze. “Guna—” Han’s words were cut off as Bravic slammed a large sack on the Elvana’
s shoulder. Han bent nearly double under the weight.
Dean and Oieda each picked up the remaining sacks. Bravic started back down the road, and they followed him in a straight line. The Krulgs cackled in glee as they walked away.
As they trudged up the road, a foul stench rose from the sacks. The odor of some kind of rotting meat drifted out of them.
“What’s in these things?” Han whispered with obvious distaste.
“Shut up or you’ll be,” Bravic snapped.
“But, I can hardly carry mine. You didn’t have to give me the heaviest one.” Han tried to shift the weight of the burdensome sack and nearly toppled over.
“If you say another word—” Bravic began.
“He’s right.” Dean slung the sack off his shoulder. “These things are too heavy and smelly to lug around.”
With a sigh, the rest lowered their sacks. Dean and Bravic hid them behind a column. Looking quickly around to make sure no one was near, they continued up the road. Bravic stayed on the far side, close to the wall, and tried to keep them out of the light cast by the infrequent torches. They walked by the small groups of Krulgs who occasionally moved down the road with their faces turned away.
Slowly, they came closer to the two massive gates of the walled keep. The gates had been smashed open and now lay broken on the ground. Whole sections of the wall were now rubble. Through the broken gaps, they could see burned and demolished buildings of a once beautiful city. Their eyes swept over the wall to one tower that stood in the middle of the underground city. Carimus must be in that tower, Dean thought as they passed under the shadows of the mangled gates. The city was in blackness except for a few torches mounted periodically or carried by the Krulgs who scurried about. In the middle of the castle, they could see faint lights illuminate windows. They made their way through these darkened streets, twisting and turning underneath the ghostly lights that stared at them from the castle. They all cast their eyes at the ground as a group of three Krulgs walked down the little side street they were on.
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