Kathir's Redemption (Book 6) (33 page)

“
Everything went all right?
”
Tallin asked.
“
We ran into a bit of trouble with a few greenskins.
”

“
Everything went fine,
”
Komu replied, a satisfied smile on his face.

Bolrakei looked frantic. Her face was tear-stained, and her hair was a mess.
“
Are you sure we need to do this?
”
she cried, wringing her hands.
“
We should wait
…
talk it over first.
”

“
We
’
ve waited long enough,
”
said Tallin.

They all stared thoughtfully at each other and nodded. Bolrakei started to cry.

“
Then there
’
s just one more thing to do,
”
said Sela.
“
We
’
ll give you all some time to get clear of the mountain, but we can
’
t wait long. Follow Bolrakei outside; let her guide you to safety. Mugla and Skemtun will stay with us, since they are the most familiar with the interior caverns. As soon as you are outside the mountain, send us a telepathic message. You must hurry
—
everyone except the dragon riders needs to get outside to safety.
”

“
Don
’
t worry about us,
”
Councilor Delthen said.
“
We
’
ll be safe.
”

Bolrakei was strangely silent throughout the conversation, and she did not object when they started to leave the spellcasters
’
chambers.

“
I
’
m surprised that Bolrakei is going along with this,
”
Skemtun said once she was out of earshot.

“
Me too,
”
Skemtun said.
“
Maybe
’
s she
’
s just accepted it
—
like I have. I
’
ll go speak with her.
”

Skemtun headed over to Bolrakei, and just as he approached, he saw her take something from inside the gaudy expanses of her dress. Skemtun knew what it was at as soon as he saw it. A section of rock, etched with power, burning red with a web of magical runes.

“
You stole one of the runestones?
”
Skemtun whispered with shock.

Bolrakei gasped and spun around.
“
I don
’
t know what you
’
re talking about!
”
She jerked back and hid the stone behind her back.

Tallin heard the exchange and ran up to Bolrakei; he grabbed her by the arm and wrenched it from her hands.
“
What have you done?! The spell won
’
t work unless all the runestones are set! You
’
re trying to sabotage us!
”

Bolrakei stumbled backward and fell to a sitting position on the ground. She was crying.
“
It
’
s an evil thing! You
’
re going to destroy our home. If Mount Velik is destroyed, we
’
ll be forced to live in Highport!
”

“
Better alive in Highport than dead in Mount Velik,
”
said Skemtun. He grabbed Bolrakei and lifted her up despite her protests. Sela and the others came forward and surrounded her.

“
She
’
s stolen this,
”
Tallin said, holding up the stone.
“
She wants to sabotage the spell.
”

“
Which location did you take the stone from?
”
said Sela with so much anger in her voice that Bolrakei couldn
’
t stop herself from cringing.

“
A spot near the main hall,
”
Bolrakei said meekly.
“
Right near the doors.
”

“
The stone must be replaced
—
and quickly,
”
said Sela.

Skemtun stared at Kathir.
“
I know where it is. Kathir and I will go back and replace it. The dragon riders can prepare themselves and get ready for our signal.
”

“
You
’
ll both be killed,
”
said Tallin.

“
We
’
ll both be fine
”
said Skemtun firmly.
“
I know the main caverns like the back of my hand. There
’
s lots of spots to hide along the way. We can make it.
”

Kathir didn
’
t hesitate.
“
We need a concealment spell. The best you can manage.
”

“
It won
’
t last,
”
Tallin said.
“
Not without the caster present. You need a mageborn to go with you, and we can
’
t spare any of the spellcasters to help you.
”

Mugla stepped forward.
“
My concealment skills aren
’
t great, but I
’
ll volunteer to go. I
’
ll be able to give them some cover if an emergency arises.
”

“
No,
”
Tallin blurted out.
“
That
’
s out of the question. You can
’
t move fast enough. Plus, you
’
re the last living dwarf spellcaster! We can
’
t risk losing you.
”

Mugla paused as she let out a heavy sigh.
“
Yer not thinking with your head, my dear, yer thinking with your heart. I
’
m an old woman, and if something happens to me... well, it
’
s better than it happenin
’
to one of you.
”

Tallin winced but did not reply.

“
I wish there was another way, but there isn
’
t,
”
she finished.
“
My mind is a bit foggy, and Skemtun knows the caverns better than anyone, so he will be our guide. Kathir will protect us with his sword, and I
’
ll be there to make sure that the runestone is replaced and enchanted properly.
”

“
How will you know when it
’
s time to strike?
”
asked Druknor.

“
I
’
ll send Tallin a message when the runestone has been replaced,
”
said Mugla.
“
You must all be ready.
”

“
But how will you escape? The fire will devour you,
”
said Tallin.

“
Don
’
t worry about that. We
’
ll manage,
”
Mugla said absently.

Everyone grew silent. They all realized that Mugla, Skemtun, and Kathir would almost certainly die. But they also knew that there was nothing any of them could do to stop them.
             

“
Wish us luck,
”
Skemtun said finally. He smiled and waved his hand, but there was a darkness in his eyes. 

“
I wish that luck would help,
”
Tallin said quietly.
“
Hud-leyna. Now go!
”

The concealment spell washed over them, and Kathir, Mugla, and Skemtun jogged for the chamber exit. They went as fast as they could, and Mugla did all she could to keep up the other two. At one point, Kathir picked her up and carried her; he jogged down the corridor with Mugla flung over one shoulder like a sack of potatoes and with his sword ready in his other hand.

The enchanted stone glowed eerily in the dark, and its light grew stronger as the minutes ticked by.

“
You don
’
t have to be here for this,
”
Kathir told Skemtun.
“
You probably could have stayed behind.
”

“
You think I
’
d let you do this alone?
”
Skemtun replied. And then, more jokingly,
“
You can
’
t send a human to do a dwarf
’
s job, mate.
”

“
Very funny,
”
Kathir said with a wry smile. Then he froze.

Up ahead, an orc popped out from behind the wall. It spun at the sound of their voices. Kathir sprang into action immediately; he put Mugla down and dispatched the creature almost simultaneously. They kept running.

“
It
’
s best if we all keep quiet at this point,
”
Mugla whispered.
“
My concealment spell isn
’
t strong enough to mask your voices.
”

Skemtun and Kathir both nodded. Skemtun turned to Kathir and whispered quietly,
“
I
’
m proud to have you as a friend, Kathir.
”

“
I feel the same,
”
said Kathir softly.

Skemtun smiled.
“
Now, less talking, more running.
”

They sprinted through the tunnels, toward the main hall. They hid in alcoves whenever they saw orcs nearby. Their progress slowed as they got closer to the center of the city.

Skemtun began to hear sounds coming from the great hall.
“
We
’
re very close,
”
he whispered.

He could hear the fall of the hammers and the roaring of the forges. The open doors lay ahead, and they were once again guarded by a pair of orcs.

The guards sniffed the air curiously, and a shocked look on their faces revealed that they knew there were intruders nearby. As one reached for the warhorn to raise the alarm, Kathir stepped out and sent his dagger into the creature
’
s fleshy green neck.

Skemtun and Mugla cut down the other with a fire bolt and a quick strike of an axe.

“
I can
’
t believe we made it,
”
said Kathir.

Mugla placed the runestone into a niche near the doors carefully.

“
We did it,
”
said Skemtun.
“
It
’
s done.
”

“
But it
’
s not over,
”
Kathir said, pointing to the doors, which were swinging open ominously.

A sea of shocked orc faces lay beyond
—
and all of their eyes were staring at them.   For a moment, nobody moved. At the back of the hall, King Nar stood, huge and imposing in his black armor. Nar stared at them over the crowd for a moment, and then he laughed. The sounds was deep and booming, and it rolled through the room like thunder.

“
Who are these little mice inside our new home?
”
King Nar said. He gestured to the orcs around him.
“
Kill them all! I will wear their bones.
”

“
Run!
”
screamed Mugla, as hundreds of green faces turned toward them. Kathir grabbed her and threw her over his shoulder, and he and Skemtun sprinted down the passage as fast as their legs would take them.

“
Turn here!
”
huffed Skemtun as he turned a corner,
“
There
’
s a storage alcove nearby. We can hide in there.
”
Kathir darted after him.