Crypt of the Moaning Diamond (The Dungeons) by Rosemary Jones

Author:Rosemary Jones [Jones, Rosemary]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
ISBN: 9780786963843
Publisher: Wizards of the Coast Publishing
Published: 2012-08-28T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Once he was done with his book, Archlis neatly packed it away into a pouch dangling from his belt. Kid watched him from behind Ivy’s back.

“So he still has it.” Kid’s voice was soft, just loud enough for her to hear.

“What?”

“Toram’s book.”

“And who was Toram?”

“A bad man. An evil man.” Ivy had never heard Kid, whose own morality was rather questionable, state his disapproval so flatly. “But a learned one. He spent his life robbing the secrets of others.”

“So are there maps in that book?” The tunnels were twisting round and round. As good as Mumchance’s sense of direction was underground, Ivy would have loved to have a map that showed clearly where they were in Tsurlagol’s ruins and, more importantly, where they could get out of Tsurlagol’s ruins. “Could you steal it?’

Kid fingered the knives beneath his collar. “He has charms to protect him against theft,” he reluctantly whispered. “He would have to be distracted and even then … I am sorry, my dear, I do not know if I can do it.”

Ivy gave one of his horns a friendly pull. “Don’t worry. There’s bound to be some other way to get out of here. I have a plan or two in my back pocket.”

“For just such an emergency,” Kid said, looking more cheerful. “Well, I will watch and wait for my chance. For I do not like that man, my dear.” And he continued to watch the magelord’s back, fingering his knives in a thoughtful way.

Marching two by two through increasingly narrow tunnels, the group followed Archlis. The magelord strode in front, periodically lighting a finger the way another man would light a candle so he could better see some arcane symbol etched in the walls. He never hesitated, although they passed a myriad of tunnels branching away into the darkness. Of course, Archlis had come this way once before. Still Ivy had to admire a man who remembered directions after having dealt with and avoided some of the most devious traps of place.

One bugbear walked in front of them, and another walked behind them. So far there had been no opportunity for escape.

“We’ve turned east again,” Mumchance said with the certainty of an elderly dwarf far underground. Wiggles once again rode in his pocket, sleeping off her late lunch. Everyone had slipped her part of their bread because she had looked so sad and hungry. Now the dog was so full, she could barely waddle.

“Back toward the city? The city wall that we want?” Ivy asked.

“Closer than we were.” Mumchance fingered his fake eye. “We could still use our little treasure against them.”

“And kill whom? The one in front or the one in back?” hissed Ivy. “You can’t get them all.” She turned back to her wizard, the one that couldn’t light fires but could definitely feel water. “Where’s the river?”

“Still running strong behind us,” Gunderal whispered. “I can feel it flooding the tunnels.”

“There is something else too. Something old and magical behind us,” said Kid, one ear swiveling forward and one back.

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