by Jo Fontana
“Reyden!” complained Omaric.
"Sure, punish the rest of us!" Deverick added as he ran to the window and opened it, sticking his head out.
"I was hoping he’d forgotten how much he likes to torture us with his stinky feet," Emory gagged.
Glynn nodded his head as he choked out, "Disgusting! So this is what you guys meant.”
Reyden cackled with glee at Glynn’s expression.
Morgan covered his face. "I’m going to make an antidote for those."
"That is a mighty stench you have there, Reyden," Yoshi called from the hallway.
Gil simply walked over to the window, pushed Deverick out of the way, and stuck his own head out. Reyden laughed at his friends while he put his boots back on.
"Hey, when did he leave the room?" demanded Omaric as he pointed at Yoshi.
"The moment I got a whiff of his feet!” Yoshi replied merrily.
"Now that you ladies are all done complaining, let’s get my egg!” Reyden heckled Glynn as he pushed the still gagging man out into the hallway.
Glynn stopped Reyden right outside the room. “Wait. We need to go in disguise. The others should probably disguise themselves too.”
“Lead the way,” Reyden said as he dragged Omaric behind him to Glynn’s room.
Illithor stopped Reyden before he entered and shooed the others into the room before speaking.
“While retrieving your egg, please try to remember to look for my map as well.”
“What’s so important about that map that you don’t want the others to remember why you’re still here?”
“It wouldn’t do to have Rafe realize it’s the only one of its kind.”
Reyden raised an eyebrow. “Interesting.”
Illithor frowned before pushing Reyden into the room.
Glynn began rummaging through Gil’s things, and removed several bottles of hair dye. Reyden watched as Glynn selected a bottle and applied it to his own hair. Glynn then turned to his own sack and pulled out a case. Reyden could see all sorts of items one could use for disguise.
“What’s this?” he asked Glynn while examining an odd pliable substance he rolled between his fingers.
“I don’t know what it’s called, but my friend Ralid discovered it by accident. Not knowing the specifics, I can tell you that it’s a mix of boiled sap from a gum tree and animal bone powder. You can mold and paint it. I’ve turned a few humans into elves just by using this stuff to make a point on their ears.” Glynn flashed a grin at Reyden and said, “And that’s what I’m going to do to you.”
“This I have to see,” Gil said with interest.
“Actually Gil, I was hoping you would be able to do a little shopping. We need attire that would be suitable for court.”
Reyden nodded with approval. “I see where you’re going with this,” He made eye contact with Gil and ordered, “Be discreet.”
“How else would I be?” Gil asked sardonically and exited the room.
“Please hurry.” Glynn called after him.
While Gil was making his purchases, Glynn got to work turning Reyden, Morgan, Deverick, and Yoshi into elves. They decided that Emory would stay behind at the inn. His size made him too conspicuous no matter what disguise he had. Emory protested at first, but eventually common sense won out.
“Are you positive these will stay on?” Reyden asked touching an ear.
“Yes, actually a special solution is needed in order to remove them once we’re done,” he held up a bottle and gave it a shake. “Luckily I made a new batch recently.”
By the time, Glynn was finished, Gil had returned with the clothing. Once they changed, the result was a roomful of nondescript elves who looked like courtiers. Reyden would never admit it aloud, but he liked the trim on the set of clothes Gil had handed him. It resembled a starry night sky.
“I think the guild is located near the docks. If Reyden and I are not back at the restaurant by the time dessert arrives, then look for us there first.”
Reyden took out an egg and casted. “Okay kid, this is so you can find us if we take too long returning because Glynn got us in trouble.”
Omaric grinned.
Illithor suggested the rest of the group get as close to the inner city as possible.
“There must be a bar close by, where we can wait and see if we hear anything untoward.”
“I know of a place that will get us close. I can go as myself and it wouldn’t be suspicious. It helps that you all now look the part. Glynn knows where it is,” Gil explained.
“Yes and we can let the room air out while we’re gone,” Deverick added with a smirk.
Emory picked up a book from the nightstand and said, “I will be reading by the open window.”
Once they left the inn, Reyden and Glynn broke off from the others and started walking through the alleyways while they headed south towards the docks.
CHAPTER TEN
As they walked deeper into the city, the alleyways became narrower. Reyden could hardly contain his annoyance when he noticed that Glynn had to slow down several times so that he could catch up. It seemed to Reyden that he began bumping into everything, which increased his paranoia tenfold. Feelings of claustrophobia were beginning to make him sweat, especially since Glynn had led them to several dead ends. Gone were the townhouses and shops of the middle class. The buildings were crammed on top of one another, ensuring very little privacy.
“Whoever designed this place ought to be executed,” Reyden growled after they reached another dead end.
Reyden noticed that even Glynn appeared frustrated.
“I’m beginning to regret not buying that map.”
Reyden could feel himself turning red and he clenched his hands. “And you didn’t?”
"I wasn’t entirely sure I could trust the source. It didn’t look like the old maps in the library,” Glynn whispered. “Gil told me that they built the city around the existing environment without changing the landscape. This is partly why it’s like a maze. The other reason is that the shanty town acts as a barrier before getting into the wealthiest part of the city.”
“Just like the rich to use the poor as a shield,” Reyden growled.
“The streets lead to nowhere; they’ve made it that way to confuse foreigners,” Glynn said with irritation before adding, “That’s actually quite intelligent.”
Reyden hushed him. The alley consisted of row houses and he just noticed a few faces peering at them from the windows. He kept speech to a minimum while they traveled through the alleys. When they reached the marketplace, Reyden stopped Glynn.
“So tell me why you wouldn’t let the Postulate come with us. I find it quite interesting that it’s only just you and me now.”
Glynn looked exasperated. “We were all in agreement. Did you have a way to make him look average-sized? Besides, you don’t really think he’d let you keep the egg if we found it, do you?”
“Maybe. I also didn’t plan to be isolated from the others. I expected that at least Illithor would join us. I just hope you’re not going to change your mind and use me to cancel your debts. Gil told me that Rafe was one of the ones who got you into trouble,” Reyden said, studying the elf closely.
Glynn appeared to be barely in control of his temper. “I told you before, don’t expect a double cross from me. Helping you will be some of the payback that Rafe so richly deserves. And as for the Postulate, he’ll be fine. I asked Ralid to keep an eye on him. If there’s a problem, he’ll handle it. Now let’s go get your egg.”
Glynn’s answer satisfied Reyden and he followed him into the fish market, which was located alongside the docks.
Reyden put a hand up to his nose because the stench was awful. “And you guys complain about my feet—they have nothing on the fish market!”
Glynn smirked and indicated they needed to travel further north towards long rows of buildings. It wasn’t long before he pointed to one in the distance.
“That’s where Ralid says we can find
the tunnels. There’s supposed to be a hidden vault somewhere there.”
“I hope there aren’t any alarms.”
“I hope there aren’t many traps.”
Reyden blanched at Glynn’s response. He steadied himself and thought better of continuing the conversation. His anxiety was increasing again and he tried to disguise that fact as Glynn led him in a roundabout way to the back of the warehouse so they could avoid the routine harbor patrols.
“It’s going to be dark in there, so hold onto me when we get inside. We can’t use a light until we’re in the tunnels. But stay here a minute, I’m going to see if the warehouse is guarded.”
“Why would it be guarded?”
“If Rafe is smuggling, there may be someone on the inside guarding the stash until it’s transferred to wherever it’s going.”
Reyden nodded and stood flush against the building as Glynn disappeared into the darkness. He was pleased when Glynn returned shortly.
“It’s empty. Let’s go.”
Reyden grabbed Glynn’s collar so tightly, that he almost choked him.
“You can loosen your grip a bit, I’m not going to run away,” Glynn said with a smile in his voice.
Reyden loosened his grip, but because he couldn’t see well, he bumped into Glynn when he stopped abruptly.
“Let me check around here. Stay by the wall here because there aren’t any alarms or traps you can trigger.”
“That’s comforting,” Reyden mumbled sarcastically.
Glynn came back some time later. “I’m having trouble finding the entrance to the tunnels.”
“Of course you are,” Reyden spat.
He stomped a foot in frustration and heard a strange hollow sound as his boot connected with the floor.
“I think you may have found something, Reyden!” Glynn declared as he pushed Reyden slightly away from where he was standing. “This is it!”
“Wonderful, now let’s go. I’ve had enough of skulking around in the dark,” Reyden said as he took out an egg and created a small light.
Glynn pushed down on the place where Reyden previously stood. A three-foot-by-three-foot square of flooring slowly rose up, revealing a tunnel beneath them. Reyden sent the light into the tunnel and estimated that it was a six-foot drop to the floor below.
“Let me check it out first. I don’t want us walking right into a trap the moment we get down there,” Glynn said as he examined the entrance to the tunnel.
“By all means.”
Glynn slid down to the tunnel floor. A few moments later he grunted, and then swore. That prompted Reyden to stick his head into the tunnel entrance.
“What is it?”
“I just bumped my head. It looks like we’ll have to crawl at least part of the way.”
Reyden frowned, and then slid down into the tunnel after Glynn. “Terrific.”
“It’s possible these tunnels are guarded and hopefully we won’t set off an alarm or trap. Be quiet and ready to douse the light at a moment’s notice.”
Reyden responded with a nod and did his best not to make any noises that would give them away. He was thankful for Glynn’s heritage this evening because even with the magical light, it was difficult to see much. They came to what appeared to be a dead end. Reyden saw Glynn feel his way along the sides of the tunnel until his hand caught on a protruding stone. He gently pushed on the stone, which sunk inward with a low grinding sound. The stones slowly moved apart and revealed a circular entrance to a slightly larger tunnel. Reyden knelt behind Glynn while holding his breath.
“It looks like we’ll be able to stand up in here.”
“Thank the fates!”
Glynn stopped Reyden from entering the larger tunnel. “Let me check it out first.”
Reyden sent the light to follow Glynn as he walked on ahead. Glynn stopped abruptly, the light stopped too for a moment, before settling on Glynn’s head.
“There’s something here. I may have to dismantle it.” Glynn dug in his pack then sighed. “I have nothing to cover the trap with.”
Reyden walked over to Glynn, grabbed his shoulder with one hand, and took out an egg with the other. He held it tightly and concentrated for a minute, then began to hover, dragging Glynn over the trap, whose feet just barely cleared it.
Once past the trap, they walked for a few minutes until the tunnel branched into two sections, one led upwards and the other continued on the same path.
Reyden sighed. "Did your pal happen to mention which one should we take?"
“Stay here a minute," Glynn told him as he walked towards the upper tunnel and walked out of sight. When Glynn returned a few minutes later, he headed down the lower tunnel for a bit.
"The tunnel on the right seems less traveled. I have a feeling the vault is down there. Follow me.”
The tunnel ceiling became taller as they traveled further and at the end of it was a large gilded door. Glynn gestured for Reyden to stand back while he attempted to gain entry to the vault. Glynn took out a straight piece of metal and inserted it into the lock. As he jiggled the tool around, the door screamed. Reyden and Glynn jumped back.
"I’ll have to use something other than finesse," Glynn growled as he took out a small vial and poured its contents onto the lock mechanism. The lock began to smoke and the screaming stopped.
"Keep an eye open, I won't be in there long," Glynn said as he pushed the door open.
Reyden walked to the entrance and stood sideways in the doorway so he could watch the tunnel and Glynn at the same time. Glynn took a deep breath, before beginning the search for the egg. He hurried over to a curio cabinet in the far corner of the room. Glynn tried to open the cabinet, but found it locked. He reached into his pouch and picked out a smaller metal tool than the one he used earlier. He inserted it into the curio, and paused a moment. When no sound of alarm rang, he jiggled the lock, and opened the curio door. He grabbed the egg and tossed it to Reyden who caught it.
“It’s lucky we got this, because I’m all out of eggs!”
Reyden noticed Glynn grabbed a few interesting looking items along with some gems as he walked back towards the tunnel.
“Was there anything else interesting in there like books or maps?” Reyden asked as Glynn walked towards the door.
Glynn shook his head. “No, just the egg.”
“Let’s go.”
Glynn walked in front of Reyden to lead them back through the tunnel. As they traveled the upper-level tunnel, Reyden noticed a breeze. He sensed danger and Glynn stopped.
“I think we should go back the way we came because we already know what’s there. Ralid said he thought this might lead to a guild outpost but that could be a guess and I don’t want to run into anyone,” Glynn said.
“Fine, then let’s go back that way.”
They easily maneuvered past the traps and when they got to the last one, Glynn put a piece of wood over it that he had appropriated from the vault. Reyden was relieved that they were almost out of the tunnels. His relief turned to dismay when he noticed someone standing a few feet in front of them blocking the way out.
"I knew it was too easy," Glynn muttered.
An amused voice shattered the darkness. "I was right about you. You are getting better. Did you really think that I wouldn’t recognize you?"
"It was worth trying. I'd love to stick around and chat, but our friends are waiting, so we’ll just get going," Glynn replied with bravado.
“You know I can’t let you leave with that egg, Reyden.”
“Watch me,” Reyden said.
Rafe pointed to Reyden. "Hand over the egg or I’ll have to take it from you. Trust me, you won’t like it if I do.”
Reyden held the egg in his hand and began to cast. His heart dropped when he realized that this egg did not connect him to the magic.
"What’s the matter?” Rafe taunted.
“It’s a decoy!” Reyden cried.
Glynn stopped for a moment then stared at Reyden in disbelief. Rafe began to laug
h. Reyden started for Rafe, but Glynn was faster and lunged towards him. Lightning quick, Rafe withdrew a dagger from out of nowhere and threw it at Glynn. The dagger plunged into Glynn and he fell backwards.
"I’m disappointed that I had to kill you," Rafe sighed as he pulled the dagger out of Glynn’s prone body.
Thinking quickly, Reyden tossed the useless egg at Rafe’s head. The rock hit Rafe's skull with a sickening thud. A moment later, Rafe was on the ground, unconscious. Reyden ran over to Glynn, picked him up, and slung him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.
Reyden dragged himself and Glynn out of the tunnel with inexplicable ease. He reached the door out of the warehouse and ran outside, not caring if he ran into the night patrol or Rafe’s reinforcements. Reyden heard several sets of footsteps running towards him and thought Rafe had caught up with them until Gil’s voice rang out. “Are you two alright?”
"No. Glynn’s badly hurt. Morgan! Get over here," Reyden barked as he laid Glynn on the ground.
Morgan hurried over. "What is it?"
Morgan repositioned Glynn and a large amount of blood began to seep out of Glynn. He took out bandages and quickly stemmed the blood flow.
"We need to get out of here so I can tend to him properly," Morgan said anxiously.
Deverick came over and picked Glynn up gingerly. “I’d tell you that you should have been more prepared, but I think you may have already learned your lesson. I just hope it’s not at Glynn’s expense.”
“It was Glynn’s idea. I told him we should have brought along an extra person,” Reyden snarled at him.
“Enough, let’s get him to a temple,” Morgan said.
"Did you find the egg?” Omaric asked as they hurried through the fish market.
“It was a decoy!”
“I’m not surprised!” Gil declared with disgust.
They decided that Omaric and Gil would go back to the boarding house to get Emory, settle the accounts, and retrieve anything left behind by the others. Everyone else followed Reyden to the temple since Glynn appeared to be stable enough to make it there.
Once there, the healers led Deverick into a private back room. Reyden and Morgan followed closely behind. The healers shooed Deverick out. However, Reyden and Morgan refused to be ushered out of the room.