Vlandar stayed close to the door as Malowan healed the giants’ bleeding cuts. Lhors watched, fascinated as the three went blank-eyed. Their eyes closed, and they fell back on the bed. “They will waken normally, and they will remember nothing.”
“Take the matron’s blade,” Vlandar said, “so none of them are blamed when the creature’s body is found.”
Vlandar put Lhors in front of him as he and Khlened got the door open. He led the way north, stopping just short of the partly open door. They waited while Nemis and Malowan consulted.
The paladin shook his head and beckoned for them to move away from the opening. “There are servants and a guard with wolves out in that hallway. If the feast is ending, we could wait here, but if there are bedchambers down here for any of the feasters…”
“Yes,” Vlandar said. “The other way might work better.”
“The passage between kitchens and banquet hall will be even busier once the masters have left the table and the servants are sent to clear,” Maera said.
Vlandar held up a hand. “Nemis, get back to that door and—never mind,” he added as the paladin tensed and gestured urgently toward the opening, then exerted his strength to pull the heavy slab quietly closed.
“There are at least twenty giants coming this way,” he murmured. “I suggest we go back that way. Now.”
They moved quickly back around the turn, but Vlandar stopped there and sent the rangers a few paces back to keep guard while Nemis cast another of the reveal spells he had memorized for the night. “I would like to take that map, especially if it shows where future raids may happen. I would also like to get down those stairs since it should lead to a treasury. Not necessarily gold and jewels,” he added as Khlened grinned, “but other documents like the one Mal found.”
“Why would the trove be below?” Lhors wanted to know.
“Underground for more safety,” Vlandar replied.
Maera gestured urgently the way they’d just come. “There’s a giant just opened the door up yonder, and he’s got wolves with him. Whatever’s in the chamber down here that snored isn’t snoring anymore.”
Vlandar nodded sharply and gestured with his head back toward the entry. Nemis took up rear guard as the company walked quickly the other way. Khlened and Lhors got the door open once Malowan tested to be certain no one was waiting in the entry.
They eased through the door into a poorly lit hallway. There was a door directly ahead, snoring from the left wall, and dead silence on the right. When they reached a left turn in the hall, they could just make out a short passage that ended in another door. Nemis tested this, then swung it aside to reveal yet another hallway with doors on both sides. Maera ran light-footed along this and came back to inform them that there seemed to be a barracks or other sleeping chamber to the south and two long, narrow rooms to the north that were divided by a hall that ended in another door. “I could already hear the clatter of crockery and a giantess screeching for someone to hurry up and finish cutting tubers for the broth or go into the broth himself.”
“Wonderful,” Khlened grumbled. “Stopped no matter which way we go.”
“Maybe not,” Maera hissed back. “From what I heard, it sounds as if they’re piling things up and getting ready to bank the fire and go to bed. Isn’t there a change of guard due?”
Malowan answered, “If these things are constant from day to day, then yes. But in that case, the guard will be another green youth who will likely assume the one he replaces has left early for reasons of his own. It isn’t likely he’ll put out an alarm or search the entry.”
“You reassure me,” Maera replied sarcastically and went back up to keep an eye on the passage that led to the kitchens.
Vlandar looked at Malowan. “What do you think? Do we wait here and try the other hall again shortly, or do we wait for the servants to leave the kitchen and go back through the feast hall? You have walked here before, whereas I have only looked at the map.”
“I am of your mind,” Malowan said. “We want that map, and we must search for other scrolls. Judging from Nemis’ translation of the first scrolls, I would assume that there are other sets of orders somewhere. Other scrolls could give us locations of the Steading’s allies—other giants perhaps or enclaves of dark elves.”
Nemis shuddered. “Pray there are no drow here. We are too few to resist them.” He turned aside to look north, and his lips moved. “It is a little quieter up there, I think. The ranger may be right. The cooks have set their stews to simmer and are leaving the dirty crockery for the slaves to scour later.”
Vlandar nodded. “Nemis, if you have a spell to use on the east passage, use it. If it’s clear, we go that way into the council chamber. Otherwise, we wait here.” He glanced at Lhors then and laid a hand on the youths arm. “You’ve done well, so far,” he murmured as the mage moved off. “You haven’t given in to fear any more than you’ve ignored danger. I knew I was right to bring you.”
Lhors nodded in thanks, then quietly asked, “The kitchens. We go that way.”
“We may, yes,” Vlandar replied. “You heard what Maera and Nemis said about the kitchens. Remember that the servants and slaves are busy making certain their masters have food when they waken. They won’t be looking around.”
The rangers came back. “No sound from the entry except someone tromping up into that tower,” Maera said quietly. “Whatever it was—likely another young giant—it went to its place and stayed there.”
“The passage between kitchen and feast hall is still busy,” Rowan added, “but not as busy as it was. Mostly I saw hairy ogres and brutish orcs shambling back and forth and carrying piles of filthy dishes into the kitchen. Whoever was bellowing orders in the kitchen no longer is.” She eyed Vlandar steadily. “She may still be there, of course,” the ranger added. “I saw at least two armed guards moving along the north passage beyond the kitchens.”
“Were there any wolves?” Lhors asked.
“No,” Rowan replied. “Why do you ask?”
“Well, Malowan said that he’d sensed wolves somewhere in the Steading. If they actually patrol with the creatures, they’re sure to scent the blood from the giants we’ve slain.”
“Good man,” Vlandar said, nodding approvingly. “All right, people, we’ll test both ways. I still prefer to go straight into the council room and down through there, but we do what we must. Stay alert. We’ll move out as soon as we dare.”
Shortly after, Nemis indicated the north way was mostly clear, but three handlers and at least a dozen dire wolves now occupied the east hallway. Fortunately, they hadn’t gone into the entry.
“A wolf’s keen nose would immediately find that guard’s body,” Nemis said. “They seem more interested in the wrestlers, however—the handlers do, at least.”
Vlandar merely nodded and moved out ahead, gesturing for his company to stay close and alert. He stopped halfway up the west wall of the hall near its end. It was fairly dark here, though light from the kitchens flooded the opposite wall. Two creatures scurried past, unaware of the company lurking in the lower hall. They were half Lhors’ height and looked more like dogs or lizards than people. Empty platters dangled from the creatures’ hands, and they seemed utterly cowed.
“Kobolds,” Rowan breathed against his ear. “Cowardly, unless they can attack in great numbers. We are safe from them.”
Lhors gave her a brief, abashed smile of thanks. He jumped as someone in the kitchen screeched. He couldn’t understand the words, but the hate and fury behind them was all too evident.
Lhors started as someone brushed his arm. Malowan wrapped an arm around the youth’s shoulders. “Be easy,” he said quietly. “Vlandar would never put you into battle unprepared. Remember the bargain you and he made. You serve as eyes to guard our backs, and in return, we protect you.” He gripped the boy’s shoulder and moved past him, Agya right on his heels. She glanced at Lhors, fighting knives clutched in both hands and her face expressionless. She didn’t look afraid.<
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Remember what she is, Lhors told himself. She stole and fought simply to stay alive. She knows how to be brave. Your father taught you to hunt animals, not kill men or monsters. He remembered how Rowan had guarded in that other hall and turned sideways to set his back against the wall so that he could keep up with the others while keeping an eye on the way they’d come.
Vlandar’s hand shot up in warning as he and Rowan backed away from the opening. Lhors could suddenly hear drunken laughter ahead and to his right, as if a door had opened. A weeping young giantess ran past, scrubbing bits of meat and steaming juices from her face.
I thought the giants were done feasting, Lhors thought. The door banged closed, and the sound lessened. Malowan looked at Vlandar, who shrugged and led them back the other way.
“This won’t do, Vlandar,” the paladin whispered, once Nemis had muttered a spell he claimed would build a wall of silence around them. “There are still giants in the feast hall, and the kitchen is full of all kinds of creatures. The longer we wait here…” He paused significantly.
Vlandar sighed and nodded. “I know. I had hoped to get in, grab that map, and get out unnoticed, but if it isn’t possible…”
“I’m ready for a fight,” Khlened said, “and I’ve battled dire wolves before. They’re not immortal.”
“If your concern is for Lhors and Agya—” the paladin began.
“No,” Vlandar cut him off. “I would not have brought them if they were a hindrance, Mal. But we know these giants take orders from elsewhere. You and I assumed that before we got here. If we attack and are all killed, we’ve accomplished nothing.” Vlandar was still for a moment, his gaze distant. “All right. We’ll take the other passage, kill whatever gets in our way, get into that room, and get the map. Then we leave as quickly as we can.”
Nemis dissolved the spell as Vlandar got to his feet and waved Lhors to join him. Maera was already listening by the door. As Vlandar caught up to her, she indicated the chamber beyond with her eyes and shook her head. Lhors hoped she meant that no one was in there.
It was still quiet in the entry, though they could hear someone bellowing beyond the double doors. As Malowan and Khlened hauled the west door closed behind them, the east one opened. Three whining wolves on chains lunged into the chamber, half-dragging a gray-haired giant clad only in filthy breeches and boots. He hauled the beasts back on their haunches and snarled, “Gezhk!”
But the wolves had seen them, and now the giant did too. He hefted a spiked club. His mouth twisted into an evil grin, and he let go the chains.
Vlandar thrust Lhors behind him. “Guard Nemis while he spells for us!” He and Malowan set themselves shoulder to shoulder, swords raised.
Stepping to the side, Rowan shot three arrows into the lead wolf. The creature snarled in pain and fury but stopped its advance to nip at the arrows biting into its side.
Maera took down the second with a spear through the throat. The third, its fur hackled, ran around Vlandar and the paladin and leaped straight for Lhors. The youth went to one knee and gripped his spear with two hands, thrusting sharply up and out as the brute slammed into him. The spearpoint plunged deep, but the sheer force of the impact ripped the shaft from the youth’s hands. The wounded creature’s massive paws pinned his shoulders as Lhors fought to get his arms across his throat. The beast lunged, jaws wide, but in that instant Rowan knocked the wolf off him, and Maera jammed a spear into its eye. Lhors rolled away as the wolf scratched and beat the floor in its death throes.
Khlened and Vlandar were fighting the wolves’ keeper, who was already bleeding from a deep gash above his left knee. The giant brought his club around in a blur toward the barbarian, but Khlened ducked, the spikes missing his scalp by a space no larger than his knuckle. Before the giant could swing it the other way, Khlened darted forward and slammed his sword into the giant’s belly, angling up for the heart. The blade was ripped from his hands as the giant dropped his own weapon, fell to his knees, and gripped the blade in a futile attempt to limp away. Vlandar hauled Khlened back.
In the instant that the two humans were out of the way, Malowan threw a long dagger. The blade buried itself to the hilt in the giant’s throat. The guard fell, still alive but unable to cry out and too wounded to fight. He beat the floor with his fists, desperately fighting for air. Lhors winced at the sound of bones shattering. After a few seconds, the giant stopped.
“Fast and quiet—how I like ’em,” Khlened said. His face was smeared with blood, but he was grinning.
“Not quiet enough, I’m afraid,” Nemis said. “We should leave here immediately.”
Rowan handed Lhors his spear that she had retrieved from the wolf’s corpse. “Bravely done,” she told him quietly.
“I didn’t kill it,” he said. He clutched the spear and hoped she couldn’t see how his hands trembled.
“You distracted it. That was just as valuable. It gave me a clean shot.” She patted his arm and went to help her sister.
Malowan looked at the mess and shook his head. “There’s too much blood here. Anyone who comes in here will know there’s been a fight, even if we hide them.”
“Leave them,” Vlandar panted. “There’s no time. Someone was sure to have heard the fight. Nemis, search for others nearby. Rowan, you and Maera make sure we left nothing—not even a broken arrow. Khlened, stay close to those main doors in case someone comes from outside.”
Nemis came over from the east door. “The wrestlers are still at it, but there’s no one in that corridor.”
“Good,” Vlandar said. “Let’s go.”
They could clearly hear drunken laughter beyond the north door, but there was less of it. Lhors thought the voices were more slurred—as if the revelers were half asleep or passed out. If anyone in there had heard the fight, there was no indication of it.
Nemis eased into the open, then nodded and moved aside so the rangers could move across the corridor. Maera went on into near darkness while Rowan turned and beckoned. Lhors looked to his left. The passage was very dark—barely enough light for them to see. That might be good, he decided. Giants would have trouble seeing them.
* * *
Moving as quickly and quietly as they could, the party managed to make their way to the giants’ council chamber. Luckily, no one was in the room. There was no fire in the hearth, only two torches burning steadily near the head of a long table.
Nemis crossed to the map, ran his hands over it as if he was checking for spells, then yanked it from the wall, rolled it tightly, and stuffed it into his pack. Malowan was back at the woodpile beyond the leather curtain while the rest of the party waited just outside.
Nemis approached them and shook his head. He drew aside the curtain and whispered, “Nothing there. I can tell. Below, however—” He gripped the paladins arm and dragged him back into the council room. “Someone is down there—at least ten—and they are coming this way.” His lips moved silently and his eyes glazed over as he worked some spell. After a moment, he continued, “Seven giants—I think a cloud giant or something else truly huge, and there are hobgoblin guards.”
“This is no fight for us, then,” Vlandar said. “We have the map. Let’s go back the way we came. Quickly and quietly!”
He sent the rangers out first, put Lhors ahead of him, and set Khlened and the paladin to bring up the rear. Their luck was not holding well. Even Lhors could see into the south corridor from the end of this one. The wrestlers had moved out into the hallway and were battering each other before a crowd of other young giants. They might be drunk, the youth thought, but they seemed alert for all that.
“No good,” Vlandar said. “There are too many of them, and all that noise may rouse others. Nemis, we’ll have to go through the feasting hall and out the main doors. Can you put a sleep spell on anyone still in there?”
The mage eyed the distant drinkers and shook his head. “Not from here. Get me closer to the entrance, and I can.”
Lhors held his breath as he f
ollowed the mage, Vlandar right on his heels. Rowan had gone ahead, arrow ready to fire, while Maera brought up the rear so she could keep an eye on their backs.
Once they reached the entry, Vlandar drew Lhors with him against the wall where it was fairly dark, but Nemis went on. There were three giants awake that they could see, two waiting while the third shook a keg, threw it aside with an oath, and caught up another. The mage’s sleep spell caught him just then, and he slumped to the floor. The empty keg rolled away from him, and the other two giants fell across the table an instant later.
Nemis stood very still for a long moment, then beckoned urgently as he strode across the vast chamber toward another broad corridor that went south. Near the entrance, he froze, then slowly backed away.
“What?” Vlandar demanded as he came up.
“I just used a reveal spell. There are guards on the other side of those doors, giants and more hobgoblins—or worse, norkers.”
“Norkers,” Vlandar muttered. “Hobgoblins are dangerous enough fighters, but norkers are vicious—worse than a pack of dire wolves.” An echoing yell brought him around, and Rowan came running.
“Let’s get out of here. Those young ones are coming this way!”
“Too late,” Maera said as she hefted a spear. Someone was bellowing back the way they’d come. “They’ve seen us!”
“West door!” Vlandar ordered, “There’s another way out up there.”
Maera and her sister ran for the doors, then took up positions next to them. Khlened was right on their heels. He dragged at the door and nearly fell when it opened more easily than he’d expected. Vlandar sent Malowan in first. Agya as usual stuck close to him, and Khlened followed. There was kitchen noise, but not as much, Lhors thought. He went next, followed by Nemis, who was already working some kind of spell. Vlandar and the rangers joined them, and the warrior dragged the door shut as the rest of them moved up the hall far enough that they wouldn’t be immediately seen by anyone in the kitchen.
Against the Giants Page 11
