The Trappers, red from the inner glow, turned and started walking toward Laedron and his friends. I can’t fight them with a practice wand! He glanced at his boot, then reached for his spare. I have to try. If nothing else, I can at least say I tried!
Marac, his sword and shield in hand, ran up and stood on Laedron’s left. “We’ll fight them, Lae. Just like the others.”
My best friend, once so afraid in Azura, has resolved himself to stand at my side.
Brice joined Laedron on his right. “We’re with you. Until the end.” And Brice. Standing with me despite his terror. Even if we don’t survive, I am proud of my companions.
When Valyrie came alongside him, Laedron stared at her bow and the arrow she had notched. The amulet. If we remove it from play, will it disrupt the Trappers? Anything’s worth a shot. “Can you hit that amulet from here?”
With a confused expression, she replied, “I can attempt it.”
“Not try. Shoot it!”
The Trappers reached the throne. The faint red glow grew to a bright scarlet, the same color Laedron had seen in the creature that had killed the wolf. After what seemed like an eternity, Valyrie released the bowstring. The arrow landed in Kareth’s neck.
The force enchantment rended Kareth’s flesh away. Laedron searched for the amulet, but he couldn’t see it amidst the protruding bones, the blood, and the bits of skin. Kareth was doubled over, wailing from the blow, and Laedron heard what sounded like glass hitting the ground.
Did she? There-she got it! Laedron couldn’t help but grin. He wanted to turn and kiss her, for the amulet that had hung from Kareth’s neck was gone, but he knew that they weren’t finished. The Trappers advanced, so Laedron flicked his wand and recited his teleportation spell. Before one of the Trappers could land a blow, Laedron and his friends had teleported to stand behind the throne. Laedron quickly cast an invisibility spell on his party.
The Trappers swatted the air, as if searching the place where they had been standing. They turned toward their master.
“Don’t worry about me, fools. Get them. Find them,” Kareth said, forcing the words through his damaged throat.
Laedron watched the Trappers return to either side of the throne, as if confused about what they should do. It’s working. I think it is, anyway.
“Get them.” Kareth pointed at where Laedron and his friends had been standing. “Go. Find them. What are you-”
In unison, the Trappers extended their crystalline arms. The glow inside their bodies grew so bright that Laedron couldn’t look directly at it.
Kareth cried, “No! No! No! N-”
When the light faded, Laedron peered at the throne. Kareth’s lifeless body slumped between his former protectors. A rainbow of colors danced inside the Trappers’ crystal frames. They stood motionless, as if absorbing Kareth’s essence had paralyzed or killed them.
Laedron released the invisibility spell, then whispered, “Have you seen the scepter? Spread out, help me find it.”
After searching through broken rock, shards of crystal, and dust, Laedron had reached his wits’ end. I have to find it. We’ll stand no chance here without something to balance the scales. He picked up Tavin’s wand, but it was snapped in the middle. I’ll take this to Harridan. Perhaps that cold man will appreciate Tavin’s sacrifice, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he doesn’t. He turned when he heard the shuffling of feet.
“Found it,” Brice said, handing over the rod.
“Let’s get out of here, Lae,” Marac whispered, sheathing his sword. “We’ve done what we came here to do. Kareth’s dead.”
“Not everything.”
“What else is there, Lae?”
“The Bloodmyr Tome. We must find it.”
“Let the Uxidin worry with it. We’ve done more than enough for them.”
“We’ve come too far to leave without it. It must be around here somewhere.”
“Dammit, Lae. Give up on that silly thing, would you? Our lives are more important than-”
“Who are you?” a monotone voice asked from the throne.
“Has the man returned? As a ghost, no less?” Brice, his hand quivering, pointed his blade in every direction. “What’s next, Syril himself?”
Marac grabbed Brice’s hand and struggled with Brice for control. “Put that down before you hurt someone, Thimble.”
“Who are you?” the voice asked again.
“Who are you?” Brice asked.
The Trappers turned toward them. “Myrdwyer.”
“Those things are speaking, Lae? Tavin said they couldn’t.” Marac reached for his sword.
Laedron stayed his hand. “If they wish to speak, then let them. We needn’t start anything unnecessarily.”
“Who are you?” one of the Trappers asked again.
“Laedron Telpist.”
“Why you here?”
Almost childlike, but it seems to understand. Fascinating. “We’ve come for The Bloodmyr Tome.”
“What is the Bloodmyr Tome?”
“This is nonsense.” Marac threw his hands in the air. “They only mean to delay us. Or trick us.”
“I don’t think so; they don’t need to trick us. If they wanted us dead, they would attack.” Laedron crept a few steps closer to the Trappers. “Perhaps they’ve never seen the tome before.”
Brice pointed at the crystal beings. “Seen it? The thing doesn’t have eyes, Lae. Of course, it’s never seen it; it hasn’t seen anything.”
“It must have a way of feeling out the world. If they can’t see-”
“We see fine.”
“Well, there you have it.” Laedron raised his voice to address the Trappers. “What we seek is a book, something that your master would have guarded closely. A book of spells and history.”
“No books.”
Brice smirked. “Well, there you have it.”
“It’s got to be down here somewhere. He wouldn’t have left it far from his reach.” Laedron scratched his chin. “A scroll?”
“No scrolls.”
“What if it’s something else entirely?” Valyrie asked, stepping between Laedron and Marac. “And what if we posed the wrong question?”
“It’s been described as a book or a tome whenever anyone’s referred to it. What question do you think we should be asking?”
He watched her eyes slowly shift toward the constructs. “Did your master have any places that you were not allowed to go? Any place that you might be punished if you entered?”
The Trappers, though they lacked eyes, seemed to stare at each other as if deep in thought, then one raised its crystal appendage to point at a tunnel Laedron hadn’t noticed. “Master’s lodgings.”
“Good work, Val.” Laedron, his friends following close behind, walked across the cave to the tunnel the Trapper had indicated, then proceeded through it into the chamber beyond.
16
Laedron opened a heavy wooden door. The room beyond seemed like a small house with an open floor plan, for no walls existed between the nooks obviously meant for different purposes. Bookshelves, a huge dining table, a few chairs, and a bed were placed haphazardly. Entering, Laedron first noticed a rack of weapons containing a mighty axe and a hammer, then the many tapestries hanging upon the rocky walls, as if Kareth had tried to feel normal by arranging them around his personal quarters. But how did he get them? If he crafted them, the man clearly had plenty of time to himself, Laedron thought, taking the end of a nearby tapestry and feeling it between his fingertips. But what material is this? It feels like wool, but we’ve seen no sheep in this forest. Then again, we’ve encountered few animals at all. Then, he recalled the story Tavin had told him about the Trappers killing off the animal life, and he moved on to the next curiosity, the fire pit in a room without windows or a chimney.