That was enough. He slipped back to the trap door, eased onto the ladder, and dropped into the small chamber below.
“They’re coming.”
Cedric straightened from Toby’s side, jaw set. “I feared it.”
Harry stepped away from the ladder, scanning faces, checking reactions. “All of you’ll stay down here. If they don’t find us, they may turn around and go back.”
Jo moved to the ladder and looked up. “What are you going to do?”
“I’ll stay up and keep an eye on them.” Harry pulled in a slow breath and tried to keep his tone steady. “If I see any chances, I’ll cause some trouble.”
Cedric grasped the hilt of his sword. “I should stay up with you.”
“I’m sorry but no,” Harry said. He kept his voice gentle. “I’ll have an easier time staying hidden in the caverns alone.”
Cedric’s shoulders dipped, tension loosening just a fraction. He gave a short nod, eyes tight but accepting.
“Could you and Jo get Toby on the bed? He’ll be comfortable enough there.”
He turned to Nick. “You saw the trance I put Toby in before the surgery?”
Nick nodded. “Aye. It seemed to help ’im.”
“I’d like to do the same thing to you. Just for a few minutes.”
Nick’s eyes went wide. “You’re gonna cut me open?”
“What? No.” Harry blinked at him. “Just the trance. I want to put you under the trance.”
Nick shifted his weight, uneasy. “You won’t bite me or any such?”
“I swear to you I won’t. So long as you’re with us, you won’t be harmed.”
Nick let out a tense breath. “Alright then. I been wondering since I saw it.”
“Alright, good. Just close your eyes and relax. Take a deep breath.”
Nick obeyed, shoulders loosening as his eyes shut. Harry reached for the solid thread his blood-sense showed coming out of him and used Mesmerize.
:: Skill [Mesmerize]: Successful (Active, cost: 1 vitae)
V: 108 | TM: 2%
Oh that’s right. Just one vitae if I’m higher level than him.
:: System: Affirmative.
“Alright Nick, you feel comfortable. Relaxed. You’re safe with us, alright?”
Nick opened his eyes and nodded, “Aye. Things will be alright.”
Harry moved to the ladder and gestured to Stan. “You and Nick come up for a minute.”
He climbed back up and moved to the cavern entrance, keeping to the shadowed side of the passage. Footsteps thumped on the rungs behind him as Nick climbed up, Stan close after.
When they joined him, Harry pointed toward the slope outside where the soldiers continued advancing on the road, sunlight flashing off armor and tack. “Nick, is there anything you can tell me about what’s coming?”
Nick scratched at his jaw, eyes narrowing as he studied the group. After a moment he gave a slow shrug. “That’s near everyone that’s left. On the horses that’ll be Captain Walls and Sergeant Jeffrey. Korven’s not with ’em.”
“He’s not in the wagon?” Harry asked.
“Naw,” Nick shook his head. “That’s the tents and such. Korven has a big fancy carriage.”
Harry nodded toward the two lumbering shapes moving with the soldiers. “Those two abominations are Dead Warders, right?”
Nick’s face went a shade paler. He swallowed and nodded. “They are.”
“If Korven isn’t with them, who’s controlling them?”
“Has to be Captain Walls,” Nick said. “Maybe Jeffrey too. But I can’t reckon how.”
“Anything else? What will they do?”
“They’ll set up camp just down the slope.” Nick pointed toward a flat patch of ground about a hundred yards off. “Look sharp and you can see our fire pits.”
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“No walls? No ditches or ramparts?”
Nick shook his head again. “Naw. Korven says waste o’ time.”
“Why so far away?”
“Korven wants ‘is tent on even ground.”
Harry shifted his weight, watching the soldiers continue down the road. “How thoroughly will they search?”
“They’ll search the crypts up to the purple portal and every side room,” Nick said. “The cavern I don’t know. No one likes goin’ in them passages without backin’.”
“Do they know about the secret passage?”
Nick shook his head. “I didn’t, but Captain Walls may.”
Stan shifted his weight. “Beggin’ your pardon, boss.” He waited until Harry gave a slight nod. “Now Nick, you said they’d go up to that purple portal, yeah?”
Harry’s eyes widened.
Nick rubbed the back of his neck. “I never seen it, but Korven and Captain Walls are always sayin’ how the purple portal provides fresh meat.”
“Hmmm… maybe they mean when they’re waiting for new victims.” Harry nodded absently. “But it’s something we can check later. Good catch, Stan.”
Stan waved back into the empty cavern. “Yur gonna stay up here, yeah?”
“That’s right.”
“Darkness don’t slow you none? Ya can see alright?”
“Yes?”
Stan scratched his jaw. “If’n I were you, I’d take down all them torches.”
Harry turned around to the cavern and slapped a hand to his face. “Stan… Jo is right. I love you too.”
Stan grinned and shrugged. “Jus’ common sense, ain’t it?”
“Alright, let’s get back down,” Harry said.
They hurried to the ladder and climbed down into the small chamber.
“Cedric, Jo, if you want to take a look, go ahead, but come back quick.”
Cedric and Jo exchanged a glance, then went up the ladder.
Harry turned to Nick. “Nick, I’m sorry, but we’re going to have to tie you again.”
Nick gave a resigned shrug. “I understand… Sir Harold, can I ask a boon?”
“You can always ask.”
Nick drew a breath. “I know it might come to fightin’ up there, but a lot of ’em are good lads… if you could spare ’em if you can…”
“I can’t promise anything,” Harry said. “But I’ll not hurt anyone if I can avoid it.”
Nick shook his head. “Now, that don’t apply to all of ‘em. If you run into Eller or Larson, don’t turn your back on ’em. Nor Marshall neither.”
“What about Walls and Jeffrey?”
Nick’s mouth pressed into a flat line. “Captain Walls is a right bastard. We all done things… bad things. Korven makes everyone dirty they hands.” He stopped and took a long breath. “But Cap’n Walls, he revels in it. Sick bastard. Jeffrey ain’t like ’im, but he’s bad. He just don’t care. Don’t enjoy it like Walls, but ain’t nothin’ he won’t do.”
“Which one is Walls?”
Nick scowled, “He’s the right fat one. A pig all the way through.”
Cedric and Jo came back down.
“They’ll be here soon,” Cedric said.
“Jo, will you empty out my backpack for me real quick?” Harry asked.
Jo nodded and dropped to a knee beside the bed, grabbing the pack and getting started.
Harry moved to Toby and checked the bandage. “How are you doing?”
Toby managed a weak smile. “I’m good, sir. I’m sorry to be such a burden.”
From the floor, Jo snapped her head up. “Toby Reed! You say something that stupid again, I’ll tell your Maw-maw you were making trouble for everyone.”
Toby’s eyes went wide for a heartbeat before he grinned. “I’m sorry, Jojo.”
She gave him a quick wink and kept working through the pack.
Harry checked Toby over again. Color looked steady, pulse and temperature good, breathing even. He nodded to himself and started unloading items from his inventory: the large pot, the small burner, the remaining medical supplies.
“It’s going to be dark down here,” Harry said. “I think there’s an oil lamp in one of the cupboards. Use this burner if you have to.” He grabbed a flask of alcohol and the last clean bandages from his kit and went back to Toby’s side.
“Toby, I want you to relax. This is going to sting a little, but only for a moment, and it’ll feel far away.”
Toby nodded. “Alright, Harry.”
“This is the last IV we have. I’m going to remove the tube.” Harry cleaned around the entry point, slid the tube out with careful pressure, and pressed a clean cloth over the spot. He waited a couple of minutes, checked for bleeding. Nothing. He laid a fresh bandage over it and wrapped it lightly.
He barely noticed the smell of fresh blood or the hungry beast stirring inside him.
Stan found the oil lamp and got it lit.
Jo handed Harry his empty backpack. “What are you going to do?”
“Maybe I have an idea… do kids here play red rover?”
Jo frowned. “I’ve never heard of it.”
“Well, I’m going to see if I can teach it to Korven’s men.”
Jo huffed out a breath. “Just stay safe. We need you.”
Harry smiled. “Thank you, Jojo.”
“Don’t get all mushy,” she said. “We can’t do our quest without you.”
Harry chuckled and moved to the ladder. “If I don’t come back, stay in here till the dungeon spits you out.”
Cedric lifted his chin. “That is not certain with this dungeon. Nothing about it is normal.”
“True,” Harry said. “But at least there’s a chance.”
Cedric nodded. “True enough.”
“Keep an eye on Toby, clean the wounds once a day at least,” Harry said. “I’ll be back when I can. Stan, I’m going to end the trance on Nick. Get him tied up and watch him, alright?”
“I got ’im,” Stan said. “Give ’em hell, boss.”
Harry checked himself over. Sword, dagger, and mace in place. Shield and spear in inventory. Satisfied, he climbed the ladder, pushed the stone slab back into place, and checked the latch until he felt it catch.
He moved to the cavern entrance and peeked out. The soldiers were just stopping, starting to fall out of formation.
Harry spun toward the nearest torch, sprinted to it, and jerked it from its bracket. It flicked out at once. He started to shove it into his backpack, stopped, slapped a hand to his face, then pushed it into his inventory instead with a soft, satisfying “ploop” and raced to the next one.
***
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