Against the Giants (35 page)

Vlandar, who had Mal’s feet, leaned away from the man and met
Bleryn’s eyes. “We can’t hold him long! One of you, get it done and that’s an
order!”

Bleryn nodded and turned away, shielding his blade before
beckoning Jebis over. “I was prisoner in the Steading’s smithy, and I owe
giants, but no one offered t’ make me into food. So you’ve a right, too.”

Jebis declined, but one of the hunters came to his side with
a dagger clenched in his hand.

“We owe ’em,” the man said. He glanced at his dazed companion. “Poor Gorbis
there, he may never be the same. Kill one, dwarf. I’ll see to the other.”

“Good,” the dwarf replied. “Y’know how to give a stag a
clean, quick death. Do as much here.”

Nemis came over to stand next to Lhors.

“Stay there, lad,” he said. “Close your eyes if you choose,
but help me keep Mal from seeing anything.”

He hadn’t meant to watch, but Lhors found himself unable to
look away. The dwarf’s eyes were locked on the hunter’s. “We’ll kill the wolves
first.”

The hunter nodded. “Make it as bloodless as you can. Feller’d
freeze around here in blood-soaked clothes.”

The two dispatched the wolves by bringing a heavy blade down
across the neck of each, severing the spine. The hunter then picked up a short
spear leaning against the table, brought it over his head in a two-handed grip,
and plunged it down through the giantess’ eye. She jerked once, then the breath
went out of her in a faint sigh. Bleryn gave the Jarl the same, looked down at
him for a long moment, and then backed away, taking the hunter with him.

Lhors swallowed and turned away. So easy to kill… He was
suddenly sick of death, the threat of death, and all the horrid forms death
could take.

Behind him, Vlandar had let Malowan up and seemed to be
trying to say something to the paladin. Malowan ignored him and brushed past
Lhors to gaze down at the dead giants and their pets, then bowed his head in
prayer. Tears etched paths down the man’s face, and he looked sickened.

How can he be so… so… ? Lhors couldn’t think of a word
to describe a man who could forgive even giants. Lhors could not have done the
deed himself, and he wasn’t sure he entirely agreed with Vlandar’s order, but he
certainly felt no remorse for the two giants. He backed away and went over to
join Vlandar, who looked very unhappy indeed as he gazed after Malowan. As the
youth came up to him, Vlandar shook himself and turned to get his people
working.

Nemis was checking the contents of the cavern for traps,
using a charm of some sort. As he finished each pile or chest, he nodded, and
Vlandar put one of them to work, searching.

Khlened found gems in one box and set them aside so he could
finish searching to the bottom. Agya brought out two bags of coin and set them
with Khlened’s jewels. Vlandar scooped them up and shoved them to the bottom of
his pack, then went to work on another coffer.

“That one’s safe,” Nemis said, pointing to a round-topped
chest, “but leave the other. It’s a trap and deadly at that.” He got to his feet
and went around the curtain where Rowan and Maera had taken Florimund.

The mage was back at once. “Bedchamber there. There’s a spell
buried in a trunk in there.”

“I’ll come,” Vlandar said. “Send Rowan back for Mal, will
you?”

“I’m here,” the paladin said as he came over to help out.

Lhors wondered what he would say to Nemis, but the man simply
passed the mage, a worried Agya on his heels.

“Khlened,” Vlandar said as he watched the paladin worriedly,
“you, Bleryn, and Gerikh stay here to finish up. If you don’t recall if Nemis
said a thing was safe, leave it. Jebis, you and your companions come with us.”

Lhors followed on Vlandar’s heels.

Nemis was already kneeling before a massive trunk, his hands
on the lock. With a faint puff of bluish smoke, the lock snapped, and he forced
the lid back.

Lhors peered over the mage’s shoulder, but he could see only
furs and other clothing. Nemis didn’t seem interested in the contents. The mage
fiddled with the lid and suddenly a piece of wood slid aside, revealing a hidden
cache. The mage chuckled softly and drew out several scroll cases. He shoved two
of them back inside at once, then ran his charm over the others. “Check that
one, Vlandar. These are spell scrolls.”

“It’s a map,” Vlandar said as he unfurled the scroll. Lhors
helped him hold it open. “But not much use unless we travel overland to the
place. And it may have no bearing on our journey. Nemis, you read Giantish. Tell
me what it says here.”

Nemis gazed at the map for some moments, then licked his
lips. “This,” he said, “is Muspelheim, home to the fire giants. You are right.
It would be a dreadful journey on foot.”

“Yes,” Vlandar said, “but is it our goal? Can you tell that?”

“There is nothing here to tell me that,” the mage said
tersely, “and if I were you, Vlandar, I would pray to my gods that it isn’t.
This is no place for us.”

“How’d y’know that?” Agya asked.

The mage eyed her gravely as he rerolled the map and shoved
it into its tube. “Because I have been there.”

Agya’s eyes narrowed. Maybe she suspected the mage would lead
them into a trap.

Vlandar nodded and took the map. “Then if it
is
our
way, you can guide us.” He turned. “Mal, is there anything else useful here?”

The paladin shook his head, still refusing to speak.

“A moment, Vlandar,” the mage broke in. “I thought our goal
was to be gone from here and report back to your king. Seeking out this dread
place would only take us farther from that.”

“Our goal,” the warrior reminded him, “is to find proof of
what is going on with the giants and Keoland. We have connected the Steading to
the Jarl and dispatched with him, but there is obviously someone yet higher up
the chain. I cannot return to my king with mere speculation.”

“You’ll send us all to our deaths.”

“We’ve done well so far, better than any of us could have
expected on the outset. Either the gods are smiling upon us or we did well in
hitting the giants quickly and quietly. I care not which, but I will
not
give up now.”

“So be it,” the mage said in resignation. “I do not agree,
but I swore to follow you, and I am not one for forsaking comrades in their hour
of need.”

“Good,” said Vlandar, “then let’s be about it. Lhors, go
fetch everyone from the other room.”

By the time the youth was back with Khlened, Bleryn, and
Gerikh, Vlandar was talking to Jebis and the hunters. “I am glad we found you.
If you’re certain you can find your way to your own lands once you’re outside…?”

Jebis nodded firmly. “Their village is a matter of a few days
east of here, in the Yeomanry. I’ll go with ’em.”

“We haven’t much to spare,” Vlandar said apologetically, “but
here is a map. Our rangers say there’s a passage beyond this chamber that leads
down and outside. Once you’re out, you’ll want a place to rest up before you go
on.” He squatted down, Jebis with him, and the two went over the map, which
Vlandar handed over. “The cave is too small for giants to use, and we left dry
wood behind.” He held out a cloth bag. “There’s enough stuff here to make a hot
soup for the four of you.”

“Giants took nothing from us but our weapons,” Jebis replied.
“I still have my pot and the makings for a couple days’ worth of stew. I guess
the giants figured they’d rather we eat our food than theirs. If you’ve any
messages to pass on… ?”

“No,” Vlandar said at once. “If you’re caught again…”

“We understand,” the older hunter said quickly.

Vlandar led the way past the leather drape. Lhors found
himself in a small bulge of a cave with chill air flowing over him from a narrow
passage to the east.

“That’s our way, then?” the Jebis asked. When Vlandar nodded, he led his
fellow hunters out of sight. Jebis hesitated, then held out a hand, which
Vlandar clasped.

“I wish you good luck in your quest, Captain,” he said, “and
I hope to hear the end of this story one day.”

“I hope to be able to tell it,” Vlandar said with a faint
smile.

With that, Jebis and his hunters left and were soon out of
sight.

Nemis came from a small area up by the passage. “Nothing
there but a box that smells of trouble to me. Except for an iron bar protruding
from the wall, I cannot reach it. There is power on it, though.”

“Make light for me,” Malowan said. “I need to see the thing
and touch it myself.”

Nemis eyed the paladin sidelong, expecting the man to still
be angry with him, Lhors assumed. But Malowan seemed to have dealt with the
deaths back there—or at least put his anger and distress aside to do the job at
hand.

“Is that wise?” Maera asked rather anxiously as the two moved
off. The ranger gripped a spear in one hand and seemed to be holding Florimund
to his feet by the other around his waist. The half-elf’s eyes were closed, and
his face was utterly bloodless. “My cousin says—”

“Later, please,” Vlandar said tersely. “We need to get free
of this place before someone finds the Jarl and his lady.”

Maera drew Florimund over to the wall, and Rowan slowly
followed. Vlandar and Lhors watched as Nemis made light. Malowan stretched up an
arm but apparently fell short also. Nemis then made a sling with his hands for
the paladin to step into. Mal was still for some moments, then he nodded and
jumped down, beckoning Vlandar over.

The warrior cleared his throat to get everyone’s attention
and led them across the little alcove. “What have you found?” he asked.

“A transport, much like the Steading chain,” Malowan said.
“With a specific goal. We pull down on the bar, and whoever is in this partly
enclosed area will go there—wherever ‘there’ is. We need something I can stand
on.”

Khlened and Bleryn ran back into the Jarl’s bedchamber, came
out with a sturdy-looking flat chest, and set it against the cavern wall.

“All right,” Vlandar said. “We’ll go half at a time. I want
Nemis, Rowan, Bleryn, Khlened, and Gerikh in the first party, weapons drawn. And
Nemis, be ready to bespell any guards. The rest of us will be right behind you.”

The mage nodded and climbed onto the trunk while Malowan drew
the rest of them back against the curtain into the bedchamber.

The mage reached up to the lever and pulled down smoothly.
Lhors blinked in surprise. The mage and the others simply vanished!

And then it was his turn.

Vlandar’s arm was reassuringly solid against his shoulder.
The youth gripped his spear.

“Deep breath, my young friend,” the warrior told him. “You’ve
done well so far.”

Once everyone was in place, the paladin drew down on the bar.
The chamber faded. Icy cold whirled away, and as the ground solidified under
their feet, a hellish blast of heat wrapped around them.

Lhors blinked furiously, but for a moment, he could see
nothing but blackness. Then, as his vision began to clear, he could make out a
steep, black wall blocking their view ahead. To their right and left was nothing
but smoke and distant fires.

Nemis was dragging off his cloak and hood as Vlandar came up.
“Fire giants,” the mage said unhappily. “I knew it would be fire giants.”

What they could see was dire.

The night sky was thick with clouds painted blood red by
fires and volcanic eruptions. Smoke was everywhere, and the addled-egg smell of
reeking steam issued from nearby vents. Thick, ashy clouds billowed from a
nearby volcano that shot flame and boulders high into the roiling sky. Not far
away, the unmistakable form of a great hall topped a mass of shining, solidified
lava, stone, and slag.

Where they stood was separated from the hall and the road
leading to it by a low rock wall—to keep anyone from walking over it when the
magic was being used, Lhors thought.

“Let us go,” the mage said. “There should be a guard here,
and there are guards just inside the palace.”

“Howd y’know that?” Khlened asked. He eyed the mage warily.

Vlandar held up a hand for silence. “Ask later. We need to
get out of sight now.”

Nemis nodded. “Unless the landscapes changed much in the past
years, I know of one such place.” He glanced around. “Watch where I step and
follow me closely. There are sinkholes and hot pools that will kill you in an
instant.”

Florimund gasped.

The mage gave Maera a chill look. “Keep him quiet, please.”

The ranger turned away from him to soothe the half-elf.

Nemis turned his back to the palace and walked rapidly,
angling away from the nearest volcano. The others followed, Malowan bringing up
the rear.

It took longer than Vlandar would have liked, but in the end
Nemis found his sanctuary: a black-walled, roughly circular tunnel, blocked at
the inner end. The chamber was long and possessed two sharp bends that would
keep in any light they made. It was surprisingly cool in here—compared to the
outside at least. The company hastily removed their winter garb once they were
well in, and Malowan made a light for them.