Frostborn: The Gray Knight by Jonathan Moeller

Author:Jonathan Moeller [Moeller, Jonathan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Azure Flame Media, LLC
Published: 2013-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 14 - Fangs

Ridmark turned, the remaining smoke thinning.

“What are you doing?” said Caius.

Ridmark ignored him for the moment. There was a great deal of sand and dry silt on the floor of the cavern, no doubt left from the occasional flood of the stream.

That meant anyone passing through the cavern would leave footprints.

He paused at the base of the cliff and examined the marks upon the ground.

The answers came to him easily enough. Calliande had been standing there when the smoke bomb had gone off. The fumes had stunned her, and the kobolds had dragged her across the cavern as Ridmark and Kharlacht struggled against the remaining warriors.

Caius walked to his side, Kharlacht following. “What are you…”

“Quiet,” said Ridmark, holding out his staff to block their path. “And hold still. You’ll foul the trail.”

He worked his way across the cavern. There was less sand further away from the stream, but there were enough mushroom spores and silt upon the floor that he could follow the kobolds’ trail. If he read the signs right, he suspect they had carried away Calliande in a net.

The trail ended at a narrow cavern entrance, the tunnel beyond sloping upward.

Ridmark stopped, grimaced, and beckoned the others forward.

“What happened to Calliande?” said Caius. “The smoke bomb overpowered me, and when I awoke…”

“The kobolds took her,” said Ridmark, “this way. Clever of them. They distracted us, and then snatched her while we were fighting.”

“But why?” said Caius.

Kharlacht shrugged. “Perhaps the same reason Shadowbearer commanded Qazarl to slay her upon the altar.”

“You are going after her?” said Caius.

“I am,” said Ridmark. “And no lectures about how I wish to throw my life away, Brother Caius. I told Calliande I would help her.” He hesitated. “There is no need for you to accompany me. Follow the stream to the surface, and go warn Sir Joram of Qazarl’s attack.”

“By now Sir Joram likely knows more about Qazarl’s attack than we do,” said Caius. “I shall not abandon a comrade in arms and a woman in need.”

Ridmark nodded. “I would be glad of your aid.” He looked at Kharlacht. “You have no need to accompany us. Return to the surface and rejoin your kin.”

Kharlacht shook his head. “I will follow you.”

“Why?” said Ridmark. “You have no obligation to do so. Once you leave the Deeps, you are released of your oath to aid us.”

“I have no wish to see Calliande fall into the hands of the kobolds,” said Kharlacht.

“You would prefer to hand her over to Qazarl yourself?” said Ridmark.

He expected anger, but Kharlacht only shook his head. “I do not wish her ill. And I am bound by my word. I swore I would see you returned to the surface, that I would not harm Calliande…and if I let her remain in the hands of the kobolds, I would bring her harm.”

“That would be the kobolds’ doing, not yours,” said Ridmark.

“But the responsibility would be mine,” said Kharlacht. He looked at Caius. “As in the Dominus Christus’s parable of the traveler beset by brigands.

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