“Are you sure that none of these girls can be saved?” the woman asks, stepping into view.
Sari softly clears her throat before answering. “It would be a waste of time. They’ve all been dra-”
The gypsy stops talking when the woman’s hand surrounds itself in a claw of fire and points directly at her. She puts her hands in the air slowly, backing into the corner of her cell. Sari can clearly see the violet eyes and pointed ears of the adventurer who can’t be more than two or three years older than her. For a brief second, Sari thinks that she sees the silhouette of a slender, male warrior before it is swallowed up by the darkness of the dungeon.
“Sorry about that. I’m a little on edge,” the half-elf apologizes. She closes her hand and the fire disappears.
“No harm done. So, can you get me out of here?” Sari asks hopefully.
“Straight to the point, aren’t you?” the half-elf replies.
“Well, I’ve been in here for a little over a week, which feels like an eternity. I’d have been killed if it wasn’t for the kindness of one of my captors,” Sari swears. She sticks her arms through the bars of her cell and smiles innocently at the half-elf. “Still, I would much rather leave this place and go on my merry way. I promise to help you if you get me out of here. On my gypsy honor.”
“You’re a gyp . . . I don’t care if she’s cute. She could be a trap,” the woman snaps, suddenly looking to her left.
“I’m not a trap. I’m a prisoner like the other girls. They were brought to Kalam who was hungry and he drained all of them,” Sari says with a quiver in her lip. “Look, lady. If you swing that way, this cute gypsy will have a roll with you when we get out of here. I'll do anything to get me out of this rat-infested mold hole.”
The half-elf looks confused and flustered. “I’m not into girls.”
“Then, why did you say I was cute?”
“It wasn’t me.”
“But I heard you say it.”
“I said that I don’t care that you’re cute.”
“That’s pretty rude to say about someone you just met.”
“Don’t you agree with her!”
“Who are you yelling at?” Sari asks with the beginning of a curious grin on her face. She finds herself reconsidering her plan to abandon the entertaining caster.
“My friend is here, but you can’t see or hear him,” the woman answers with a wave of her hand.
“You still have an imaginary friend at your age? That’s just precious,” Sari teases her, failing to hide her giggling.
“And you called me rude? Look, gypsy. My friend’s spirit was knocked out of his body and we’re here to steal a spellbook, which holds the spell that will revive him. We have to move quickly or his body will be unable to accept his spirit . . .” the half-elf promptly explains. She stops and glares to her right as if someone interrupted her. “And we have to destroy some magical chair. I mean a magical throne. I have no idea why, but that’s what my friend says.”
“That was pretty forthcoming,” the gypsy mentions.
The half-elf grins evilly at the girl. “I can afford to be. That last wave of my hand put a forgetful mind spell on you. If you show any signs of betraying me then I will clear your mind of the last hour.”
“Wow. That’s cunning and devious,” Sari says in nervous admiration. “I think I might be safer in the dungeon than with you. My father always told me that casters outside of the clan couldn’t be fully trusted.”
“I’ve had a rough couple of months, so I can’t take any chances,” Nyx admits, flashing an apologetic smile. “Besides, I know better than to trust a gypsy who I just met.”
“My clan had a saying about rough times. The hardest times in your life will lead to . . .” begins Sari. She lets her voice trail off and blushes. “I never remember that last part. It’s always on the tip of my tongue too. It’ll come to me when I least expect it. This is embarrassing.”
“The greatest victories of your life?” the woman inquires, leaning close to the cell and curiously eyeing Sari.
The gypsy smiles appreciatively. “That’s it. Thanks a . . . uh, how do you know a saying that was used only within my clan?”
“There was a gypsy clan that lived in the woods outside of Gaia many years ago. I befriended one of the children and she taught me that saying. She managed to say the saying correctly only once. She forgot the second half every other time,” explains the half-elf with a big, friendly grin. “It looks like your luck has been pretty bad, Sari.”
“It would seem that my luck is improving. Does Lady Nyx of Rainbow Tower still have the cast first and talk later policy?” Sari teases, tears starting to form in her green eyes. She reaches out to give Nyx a hug, but only succeeds in accidentally knocking the half-elf’s head against the bars.
“I’ve mellowed,” Nyx answers, rubbing at growing sore spot on her forehead. “I never expected to see you again. I’d ask how you’ve been, but the answer is rather obvious. Stand back a few feet while I bust you out of there.”
Sari obediently steps away from the bars before she remembers who she is dealing with. Nyx glares at the gypsy who scrambles to the corner of the cell and curls up into as tight a ball as she can. Sari takes a peek through her fingers to watch a thin blade of fire rise out of Nyx’s rigid hand. With a quick flick of the half-elf’s wrist, the blade cuts through the rusty lock. The door begins to open and scrape against the floor before an unseen force stops it from opening any further. Sari is on her feet and rushing to Nyx who quickly has the fire blade sink back into her hand.
“Thank you so much,” the gypsy happily squeals, wrapping her arms around Nyx’s neck and kissing her repeatedly on the cheeks.
“You mind telling me how you ended up here and why you aren’t drained like the other girls?” Nyx asks while she pries Sari off of her.
Sari takes a deep, exaggerated breath. Her body shudders briefly before she begins talking at a rapid pace. “My clan was wiped out by these strangers. They had two axe dragons and an army of zombies with them. I was the only one who escaped, so they sent a woman after me. She eventually caught me. Apparently, these people included me in some deal with Kalam to get his help. I’ve been acting as a maid and serving girl since I arrived. Thankfully, the woman who captured me remained in the lair and she’s been looking out for me. She showed me around the lair when Kalam was gone and she has been sneaking me food, so I didn’t starve. I’m hungry now since I haven’t seen her in a day. She came down to get the girls because Kalam was badly injured in some battle. He needed as much blood as he could get, which was supposed to include mine. I was lucky that the woman convinced him that I was too sick to be of use and should be saved until I was healthy again. That’s my story. It must be fate that we met each other again.”
“I’m sorry about your clan,” Nyx says, her voice choking up.
“I don’t want to think about it until I get out of here. Crying won’t help me escape,” Sari admits with a weak smile.
Nyx puts a tender hand on Sari’s shoulder. “Can you lead us to the book and the throne?”
“Is your friend cute? I heard you call him Luke,” Sari mentions, her voice filled with child-like curiosity. She slowly circles around the area next to Nyx and squints in a feeble attempt to see him.
“He’s okay . . . Stop walking in circles, Sari. He isn’t even standing there. He’s looking for the door out of here,” Nyx says. She gently puts her hands on Sari’s shoulders, hoping to stop the gypsy. Instead, the gypsy begins circling her and reaches out to gently touch Nyx’s hair and feet.
“You’ve gotten very pretty, Nyx, but I can see that you don’t take very good care of your hair and skin. I have some herbal recipes that can make your skin smooth and your hair shiny,” Sari offers, letting her hands wander over her old friend. “Wow. Your boobs are not that big. At least compared to mine, but even so they’re kind of on the small side. It must be the fault of your elven blood. Though from the look of you, I think you hav
e much better legs than I do. Given how awkward looking you were when we were kids, you grew up rather nice.”
“Stop touching me, Sari. Besides, my bo . . . my chest is none of your concern. They look fine if I wear a corset, but I need to breathe while casting in battle,” Nyx argues, swatting at Sari’s prying hands. “Don’t say a damn thing, Luke Callindor, or I will make you wish you were never born.”
“He’s a Callindor? You’ve shacked up with a Callindor?” Sari excitedly asks.
“He is my adventuring companion. For the love of Zaria, we don’t have time for this,” the half-elf groans. She grabs Sari’s face between her hands and stares into her eyes. “Focus for me, Sari, and you can examine my body all you want when we get back to Haven . . . I can’t believe I said that.”
“We can take a bath together like we did when we were kids,” Sari blurts out with a happy smile.
“Focus!” Nyx impatiently shouts.
“Sorry. All my other friends are dead. You’re all I have left, Nyx,” Sari whimpers. She gives Nyx another hug and sniffles into the caster’s shoulder.
“I thought you said no crying,” the caster points out.
“You’re right. I’ll cry when we’re home,” the gypsy says, gently pushing herself away from Nyx. “The door was always in a different spot whenever they took me out of the dungeon.”
Nyx sighs and looks to the ceiling in frustration. “A moving, illusionary door. It doesn’t surprise me.”
“My mind is a little hazy from hunger, but I remember there being a sign. There was something that told you where the door was,” Sari whispers to herself.
A loud crash from the far side of the dungeon causes Sari and Nyx to leap into the open cell. Nyx is about to ask where the slender dagger in Sari’s hand had come from until she looks toward the source of the noise. She can see the translucent form of Luke standing over a pile of rubble. Sari slips by Nyx as Luke examines something on one of the larger bricks.
“Behind you,” the caster hisses, carefully following Sari.
“There’s nobody here and Kalam never scrys the dungeon,” Sari confidently whispers.
“I wasn’t talking to you,” Nyx says. She snaps her finger at Luke and waves him out of Sari’s path. “I’m warning Luke to stay out of your way. If you pass through him then your mind will get scrambled. You were heading right for him and his back was turned. Though, he says that he heard you coming.”
“This is strange,” the gypsy mentions, crouching next to the brick.
“Is that a large, red button?”
“It has a smiling vampire face on it. It’s kind of cute.”
“It would be adorable if it wasn’t in a murderous vampire’s lair,” Nyx wryly mutters. She swiftly stops Sari from touching the suspicious button. “Don’t touch it. Let’s go back to looking for the door.”
Sari is about to stand up when a quick movement to her right catches her attention. The gypsy is horrified by a large cockroach skittering out of the shadows at her. The insect is easily seven inches long including the waving antennae, which are leading it on a collision course with the scared gypsy. Without thinking, Sari grabs a large rock and attempts to slam it on top of the roach. The unlucky insect is on the suspicious button when Sari comes down at it with the rock. A blast of light temporarily blinds everyone in the dungeon and Sari gracefully tumbles away from the button. She blinks the dots out of her eyes to see the unharmed insect retreating into the nearest cell.
“My fault,” the gypsy sheepishly admits.
“Are you okay?” Nyx asks, rubbing her eyes.
Sari shakes the stars from her eyes. “I’m fine. Though, I don’t see a door.”
“Your hand is ooze!” Nyx screams once her eyes regain their focus and she looks down at Sari. She points at Sari’s left hand, which is dripping green goo onto the stone floor.
“No it isn’t. The rock turned into this green stuff, but my hand is fine,” Sari casually mentions. “It’s a little sticky. You know, this goop smells familiar.”
“You were nearly transformed by an obvious trap and you’re concerned about the smell of what used to be a rock?” the half-elf groans, massaging her aching temple.
Sari blushes and looks innocently at Nyx. “Well, I haven’t had much to eat lately. . . That’s what this smell is! It’s peppermint pudding!”
“Wait a second,” Nyx snaps, reaching for Sari.
She is too late to stop the famished gypsy from licking some of the green goop from her hand. An expression of both disgust and pleasure plasters itself across Sari’s dirty face. She timidly extends her tongue toward the sweet-smelling dessert, but stops when Nyx grabs a hold of her hair. Sari tries desperately to eat more of the peppermint pudding, but Nyx violently jerks her head away from her hand. Nyx quickly clamps her free hand over Sari’s mouth, but the gypsy begins licking and nibbling at her palm. The half-elf lets go of the gypsy’s hair and grabs a nearby bucket of water. She plunges Sari’s hand into the bucket and magically roils the water, washing all of the pudding off.
“I just wanted one more taste,” Sari whines.
“That stuff could have been poisonous or cursed,” Nyx says, letting go of Sari.
“Nobody makes a transformation trap that turns a living creature into cursed pudding. It doesn’t make any sense,” the gypsy argues. She licks her lips in case there is some remaining pudding, but she can only taste the salty sweat left by Nyx’s hand. “I would have felt dark energy from the pudding if it was evil. I’ve always been touch sensitive to such energies.”
Nyx rolls her eyes in exasperation. “Touch is the only way to activate a cursed item, so everybody can feel dark energy when they touch one.”
“Exactly. I felt nothing evil from the pudding. Now, I’m going to get another rock and have some more,” Sari happily announces. Nyx gives the gypsy a friendly smack to the back of the head before grabbing her by the arm and dragging her away from the button of peppermint pudding.
“Stop giving in to your urges. You can have pudding and other sweets when we get back to Haven,” Nyx growls in frustration. “I forgot how irritating your impulsiveness can be.”
“Well, I forgot how much of a mule you could be. It was always a challenge for me to get you to have fun,” Sari childishly retorts.
Nyx laughs gently and releases Sari’s arm. “It’s like we never got separated.”
“I used to tell stories about our adventures whenever my clan had bonfires,” Sari says with a wicked smile. “I’ll have to embarrass you with them later. Luke should be interested to hear what I have to say.”
Nyx is about to say something when the sound of stone grinding against stone catches her attention. Both women look at Sari’s cell where the back wall is slowly falling in upon itself. The caster watches Luke straining to push the fake section of wall out of the way. An acrid breeze flows from the gaping hole and Nyx can see the distant glow of flickering torchlight.
“He’s pretty handy for a dead guy,” Sari mentions, speaking with a hint of doubt in her voice.
“I wish he was this useful when he was alive,” Nyx quips, leading the way out of the dungeon.
13
“Are you sure you know where you’re going?” Nyx whispers, cautiously following Sari. The gypsy is only three feet ahead of the half-elf, but she is only partially visible. The hallway they are in is a long path of darkness with an inviting torch found every fifteen feet.
“This should lead us into the banquet room,” Sari replies while nervously twirling a dagger in each hand.
Nyx watches her carefully, a small frown on her face. “You don’t sound confident.”
Sari puts a hand to Nyx’s mouth and stands still as a slow form crosses the hallway ahead of them. The zombie sniffs the air before taking a step toward them. Sari raises her arm, carefully aiming a dagger at the monster’s forehead. She drops her arm when the zombie’s eyes pop out of its head and it collapses to the ground.
“I don’t know how you
’re doing that, but would you stop killing the guards,” Sari urgently hisses. “That is the fourth one you’ve killed. Eventually, Kalam is going to notice that he’s missing several of his minions.”
Nyx innocently holds out her hands. “It’s not me. Luke keeps running ahead to take them out.”
“Your mystery friend is going to get us caught . . . or worse,” the gypsy argues, continuing down the hallway.
“I agree. Watch our backs instead of our fronts, Luke,” Nyx orders the invisible warrior.
Sari rolls her eyes and sighs in frustration. She gets close to Nyx to speak in a whisper. “I was going along with this dead ally thing before, but I’m starting to think that you’re insane.”
“Why would you say that?” the half-elf asks, obviously insulted.
“You keep talking to this invisible ally who doesn’t seem to be listening to you. I’m starting to think that he’s nothing more than an excuse for you to cast spells and avoid blame,” Sari explains, her mouth almost touching Nyx’s ear. “The only thing preventing me from truly believing that scenario is that you have yet to make any casting motions. As good as you are, Nyx, you still need to make a slight movement to direct your magic.” Sari pauses and looks around the empty hallway. “Then there is the biggest problem I see with your story. Even if this ally does exist, I don’t see why you would risk facing Kalam alone to save him. Do you think you will help him by getting yourself killed in a place where nobody can retrieve your body? It will be worse if Kalam decides to turn you into an undead that can still use her magic. You’re dangerous as a mortal, so an undead version would be a nightmare.”
“I won’t die here," Nyx bluntly swears.
Without warning, Sari presses Nyx against the wall and watches another zombie disappear into a distant doorway. “I just don’t see how any sane person can risk everything for someone that they consider nothing more than an ally.”
“He’s not just my ally,” Nyx whispers, keeping her eyes on Luke, who is wandering the shadows. “Luke is my friend and I know he would do the same for me. It wouldn’t be right for me to keep myself safe instead of risking my life to bring him back. It is the least I can do for him.”
Legends of Windemere: 03 - Allure of the Gypsies Page 29
