woman. Her face was barely visible from the lamp burning below. Her mouth was still moving, but no sound was coming out. The ranger tried his own voice, but discovered he was also forced into silence by the spell.
The well bottomed out at nearly forty feet, opening into a final, wide chamber. Baylee stopped ten feet above the rough stone floor and peered around. He had left the bow above, feeling little room would exist to use the weapon. Instead, he was not able to see the sides of the chamber below.
Jaeleen impatiently kicked him in the head.
Baylee reached up and swatted her foot away. Grabbing the string attached to the lamp, he moved it around in a slowly widening circle. The lamplight burned evenly, trapped inside the glass walls.
The dark stone floor seemed to absorb the light except for tiny patches that appeared luminescent. Baylee recognized the green glowing patches as lichens. Presence of the lichens confirmed the occasional presence of water in the well.
The lamp swung nearly fifteen feet across in an elliptical arc. Broken bones and smashed skulls showed yellowed white in the lamplight. Estimating from the number of skulls he was able to see, Baylee knew dozens of people had been thrown into the well over the years. Jaeleen kicked him in the head again.
Wishing he had a third hand so he could strike back, Baylee continued swinging the lamp.
She’s worried that you might break her trinket, Xuxa said inside his mind.
Baylee grimaced ruefully, remembering that the azmyth bat’s powers provided her a means of communication, even inside the spell of silence.
She won’t kick again, Xuxa promised. I told her that you would smash the lamp if she didn’t mind her manners.
Thank you. I see nothing moving in here. Can you sense anything?
Nothing living. But that doesn’t mean there are no traps.
I know.
The ranger climbed further down the rope, taking up the slack in the string that held the lamp. Nothing appeared to be moving in the chamber. He put his feet on solid rock, then let go the rope.
Jaeleen dropped beside him and reached out to snatch the lamp from Baylee’s hand. She turned away from him, casting the light before her and scattering dancing shadows that twisted over the rough surface of the chamber.
The chamber was at least ten feet tall, Baylee decided, and easily three times that in diameter. He took a small torch from his belt pouch and lit it with the flint and steel he had. The sparks ignited the torch and he breathed on it to encourage the flame. The thin, gray smoke curled up toward the open well above.
Holding his torch aloft and spotting the haphazard mound of bones and rotting clothing against the east wall, Baylee thought his companion might be right. Water could have carried the remains against the wall. Jaeleen’s lamplight also set fire to the smooth, warm texture of gold within the tangle of ivory limbs.
She reached out and seized a skeletal arm. A worked gold bracelet with inlaid gemstones circled the wrist, loose now that the flesh had been stripped away.
Curious indentations in the bone as Jaeleen moved the limb attracted Baylee’s attention. He moved closer, using his own torch. Upon closer inspection, he realized the indentations were teeth marks.
Trollkin are known for their appetites, Xuxa put in. Human flesh is thought of as a delicacy by some.
Baylee knew that was true. He drew back as Jaeleen slipped her captured prize free and dropped it into the pouch at her side. She quickly started shifting the bones, searching for more.
She is a grave-robber, not an explorer, Xuxa sneered.
Baylee moved around the chamber, exploring the perimeters. His breathing was easier as he grew accustomed to the hint of foul stench that clung to the well. Jewelry is often taken, he defended. An historian can tell much about the craft of metalsmithing from the way the piece is crafted. And the inscriptions
Faugh! The things that woman gathers will see only the inside of a
The well bottomed out at nearly forty feet, opening into a final, wide chamber. Baylee stopped ten feet above the rough stone floor and peered around. He had left the bow above, feeling little room would exist to use the weapon. Instead, he was not able to see the sides of the chamber below.
Jaeleen impatiently kicked him in the head.
Baylee reached up and swatted her foot away. Grabbing the string attached to the lamp, he moved it around in a slowly widening circle. The lamplight burned evenly, trapped inside the glass walls.
The dark stone floor seemed to absorb the light except for tiny patches that appeared luminescent. Baylee recognized the green glowing patches as lichens. Presence of the lichens confirmed the occasional presence of water in the well.
The lamp swung nearly fifteen feet across in an elliptical arc. Broken bones and smashed skulls showed yellowed white in the lamplight. Estimating from the number of skulls he was able to see, Baylee knew dozens of people had been thrown into the well over the years. Jaeleen kicked him in the head again.
Wishing he had a third hand so he could strike back, Baylee continued swinging the lamp.
She’s worried that you might break her trinket, Xuxa said inside his mind.
Baylee grimaced ruefully, remembering that the azmyth bat’s powers provided her a means of communication, even inside the spell of silence.
She won’t kick again, Xuxa promised. I told her that you would smash the lamp if she didn’t mind her manners.
Thank you. I see nothing moving in here. Can you sense anything?
Nothing living. But that doesn’t mean there are no traps.
I know.
The ranger climbed further down the rope, taking up the slack in the string that held the lamp. Nothing appeared to be moving in the chamber. He put his feet on solid rock, then let go the rope.
Jaeleen dropped beside him and reached out to snatch the lamp from Baylee’s hand. She turned away from him, casting the light before her and scattering dancing shadows that twisted over the rough surface of the chamber.
The chamber was at least ten feet tall, Baylee decided, and easily three times that in diameter. He took a small torch from his belt pouch and lit it with the flint and steel he had. The sparks ignited the torch and he breathed on it to encourage the flame. The thin, gray smoke curled up toward the open well above.
Holding his torch aloft and spotting the haphazard mound of bones and rotting clothing against the east wall, Baylee thought his companion might be right. Water could have carried the remains against the wall. Jaeleen’s lamplight also set fire to the smooth, warm texture of gold within the tangle of ivory limbs.
She reached out and seized a skeletal arm. A worked gold bracelet with inlaid gemstones circled the wrist, loose now that the flesh had been stripped away.
Curious indentations in the bone as Jaeleen moved the limb attracted Baylee’s attention. He moved closer, using his own torch. Upon closer inspection, he realized the indentations were teeth marks.
Trollkin are known for their appetites, Xuxa put in. Human flesh is thought of as a delicacy by some.
Baylee knew that was true. He drew back as Jaeleen slipped her captured prize free and dropped it into the pouch at her side. She quickly started shifting the bones, searching for more.
She is a grave-robber, not an explorer, Xuxa sneered.
Baylee moved around the chamber, exploring the perimeters. His breathing was easier as he grew accustomed to the hint of foul stench that clung to the well. Jewelry is often taken, he defended. An historian can tell much about the craft of metalsmithing from the way the piece is crafted. And the inscriptions
Faugh! The things that woman gathers will see only the inside of a
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