Delver Magic: Book 05 - Chain of Bargains (32 page)

For the delver, his vivid memory
of Dunop would always be synonymous with the return of magic—a realization that
his life, as well as the entire land, had changed forever—but walking into the
expanse that allowed a full view of Sterling
was like entering a fantasy. While Dunop radiated power, Sterling
conveyed beauty that seemed to echo the dreams of artists. If Dunop was the
carved testament to a closed fist, Sterling
was the open hand of glory.

Beams of light streamed down from
unseen shafts far overhead and sparkled from every rooftop. Each road leading
off into the distance and each vista through rows of intricately designed
structures offered a dazzling view of picturesque splendor. Every pole and
every post rose up in harmony. The streets before them flowed away in subtle
curves so it appeared as if no path ever ended. It seemed as if the city
offered continuous possibilities and infinite hope.

In Dunop, wood was used for fuel
and furnishing, not to be wasted on elaborate exterior designs. Sterling
took the opposite approach. Timber was used generously throughout the underground
city. It formed lines and borders across half-timbered buildings with side and
front gables. It gloriously trimmed every corner and edge with delicately
carved moldings. It was used to mark shops and taverns, and for enhanced doors
that appeared suited for the most distinguished entrances.

Just as with Dunop, Sterling's
palace served as the central focal point, but it did not stand as a monument of
might. The dwarves designed Sterling's
palace as if inspired by an angels' chorus and directed by the words of a poet.
It did not tower over the city like some angry guardian ready to smite any
invader. Instead, it rose up through the cavern like clouds woven into stone
and wood, placed lovingly at the city's heart for all to enjoy.

Ryson could not imagine a more
peaceful setting. Only his memory of the foul goblin stench convinced him he
remained in Uton as opposed to stepping into the mystic beauty of an afterlife.

Holli was almost equally overcome,
but as she looked upward, she saw only rock, a barrier to the open skies.
Despite Sterling's beauty, the
enclosed nature of the cavern made her think of a prison. It seemed a great
shame to bury such a marvel deep below the surface.

As they began their journey
through the city streets toward Sterling
Palace, she reminded herself of her
duty. She understood she was deep underground, and it made her reconsider the
mines under Huntston. She brushed aside the striking splendor surrounding her
and focused on the full scope of her mission. She thought of the valleys and
all of the mysteries she encountered. In that one moment, she looked beyond the
buildings of Sterling and saw the
dwarf city as part of the problem as opposed to a possible solution.

She began to realize that the
puzzle was not coming together as she had hoped. With each step, she ticked
through a different question in her mind. The confusing aspects could not be
connected, not in the way she initially imagined. She was forcing the pieces
together, and her efforts had led her to new suspicions. As she placed goblins,
dwarves, magic, and mines together, she saw where she was. She was entombed
underground, and that would not bring her to an answer. Halfway to the palace,
she decided she needed to free herself.

At that same moment, Ryson
believed he saw a flash of green light. It existed for only the briefest of
instants. It was more like a stray thought than any true observation, but it
grabbed his attention nonetheless. He looked to the elf and noticed a hazel
gleam in Holli's eyes.

She placed a firm hand on his
shoulder, and before he could question her, she made one quick proclamation.

"Do not worry about me. I
will meet you outside."

Abruptly she turned to Ulet.

"I am sorry, but this is too
much for me." Her voice quivered and her eyes lost any sparkle. Her
expression revealed palpable distress. "I have to get outside. This is too
much for any elf. I cannot even wait for an escort."

Without another word, she turned
and raced back the way they had came. Even as Ulet called for her to stop,
Holli ignored all those she left behind. She stopped, but she did not look
back. She appeared completely panicked and dashed down a cobblestone street
which was not part of their previous path.

Ryson could not understand Holli's
frantic outburst. When the elf ran out of sight, he believed she had already
become confused and would be lost in the dwarf city.

"I should go after her. I can
catch her. I may be the only one who can."

"No, you stay with us. You're
not going anywhere." Ulet commanded in an angry tone. She then caught
herself and rephrased her decision. "I don't need two of you lost in the
city."

"Trust me, I won't get lost.
I can use the palace as a landmark."

Ulet cursed under her breath,
looked about in dismay as if Holli's panic had spread. The dwarf, however,
quickly contained her exasperation and issued immediate orders to the dwarves
around her.

"Go to the sentries' barracks
and put them all on alert looking for a runaway elf. Place guards at each exit.
She is not to be harmed, but she must not be allowed to leave. Capture her and
bring her to me at the palace."

Ulet then turned back to the
delver who was impatiently waiting for an answer.

"I cannot let you go
unescorted through the streets."

"I can catch her before your
guards even get to a barracks," Ryson explained.

"And if the elf has already
made three more turns down roads you have never traveled, will it be so easy to
find her? How long will I have to wait here wondering if you found her or if
you're still chasing a delusional elf?"

"I don't think she's
delusional."

"She's obviously lost her
mind. She said it herself. The cavern was too much for any elf."

"But that doesn't make sense.
I think there might be something else wrong."

Ulet's eyes narrowed on the
delver.

"Is there something you're
not telling me? What would be wrong?"

"I don't know, but she's an
elf guard. She just wouldn't lose her senses like that, and certainly not
because she's in an enclosed space. She even..."

"Of course she would,"
Ulet interrupted in a growing display of impatience. "She's an elf. Elf
guard or not, she broke... like all elves would break. It is well known that
elves do not do well in enclosed places."

"You won't let me go after
her?"

Ulet offered several reasons for
resisting the offer.

"There's an elf running
through the streets of Sterling.
Now you want to follow her. Do you have any idea of the panic that would cause?
And what of the king and queen? How long do I have to keep them waiting before
I explain this disaster? You have brought a goblin to the entrance of our city
and now this. They will want answers. Perhaps you would be willing to take all
responsibility for any damage caused by this... this... what shall I call it? A
misunderstanding?"

"If something goes wrong,
I'll take responsibility," Ryson assured the dwarf.

"Something has already gone
wrong!" Ulet stated with finality. "You are a guest here. It is not
yours to decide. You will accompany me to the palace and explain everything
that has happened."

Ulet ended the argument as she
turned away from the delver and marched toward the palace. She didn't even look
back. She expected Ryson to follow her.

Not wishing to simply leave Holli
behind, Ryson almost allowed the dwarf to walk away completely. Unfortunately,
his options offered two very divergent paths. He could follow the dwarf or he
could race after the elf.

If he ignored Ulet, he would
incite conflict with every other dwarf in Sterling.
He believed he could find Holli, but then what? He heard Ulet's orders. Guards
were being stationed at the exits. The conflict would grow. He couldn't walk
that path.

Holli's bizarre behavior made the
choice even more difficult. It was her idea to come to Sterling.
She wished to warn the dwarves about the goblins in the mines under Huntston
and to obtain their assistance in tracking the stolen treasure. He wasn't sure
exactly how that would help, but that was her plan. They had already warned
Ulet of the goblins, but the news seemed inconsequential to the dwarf
commander. The only thing left to do was to accompany Ulet and explain the
situation as he saw it. He could only hope the dwarves might shed some light on
everything that was happening.

As he started to walk after Ulet,
he remembered Holli's last words to him.

Do not worry about me.

He couldn't meet the request completely.
He would worry whether she wanted him to or not, but he would hold to the
confidence he had in the elf guard. Holli could take care of herself.

Ulet guided Ryson through the
streets of Sterling and to the
grand palace at the city center. She did not, however, lead him through the
front gates and into the main hall. Instead, she brought him to a side
entrance, down a long hallway, and to a large door in the rear wing of the
palace.

"The king and queen do not
take visitors in the throne room," she explained. "They haven't done
so for some time. They were both struck by an illness several seasons ago, and
their health remains a concern. They will not make public appearances until
they are deemed ready to do so. For now, accept that an audience before them is
very rare and you should not be surprised by our protective behavior around
them."

"If that's the case, maybe I
shouldn't..."

Ryson was not allowed to finish.
The door was opened and he was quickly ushered inside a large room filled with
roughly a dozen heavily armed dwarves. He looked about quickly and realized
there were no windows and just the one door. It was closed immediately after he
entered and bolted shut. Two dwarves moved to block the exit as he was led
further into the room. They were very careful about who could enter... and who
could leave.

He examined the dwarves in the
room, hoping to find a sign of royalty, but he found nothing that would
indicate he was in the presence of either the king or the queen. Each dwarf
appeared healthy and there was no temporary throne at the center of the room.

"Who should I address?"
Ryson whispered to Ulet, but she never got the chance to answer.

"Where is the elf?" a
stout and powerful dwarf bellowed as he stepped up to Ulet and Ryson.

Ryson stared in disbelief at the
face he recognized. He had met the dwarf before... in front of the castle
of Dunop. It was the War Com, Strog
Grandhammer, the dwarf separatist who helped remove Jon Folarok from power and
assisted Queen Yave in attacking the algors. Grandhammer was the face of the
dwarf rebellion that nearly brought down the monarchy. He was also responsible
for bringing death and destruction across the western lands of Uton.

The War Com had planned successful
attacks against the elves in Dark Spruce and nearly destroyed Connel. He almost
destroyed Burbon as well, but he had disappeared after Ryson had surrendered
himself to Yave. Strog's arrest had been ordered after Yave was defeated and
those loyal to the Folarok name regained power, but he was never found.

Ulet ignored the delver's obvious
surprise and quickly answered the War Com's question.

"The elf took off in a fit of
fear after entering the city. She appeared overwhelmed by being enclosed
underground."

"You let her escape?!"

Ulet appeared stunned by the
charge and explained that nothing of the sort had occurred.

"No, I have ordered sentries
to guard the exits and to patrol the city until they find her. She was
completely bewildered in the streets. She couldn't even follow the same path
back to the hillside tunnel. She will not get away."

The War Com fumed, but then turned
to the delver. He sneered a half smile as he saw the recognition in Ryson's
eyes.

"So you remember me. Good. Do
you have any idea what's going on here?"

Ryson just shook his head.

Grandhammer had no intention of
explaining. He had questions of his own.

"Why did you return with a
goblin?"

Ryson said nothing. He was no
longer sure of what to say or do, but he knew he didn't wish to assist the War
Com separatist in any fashion.

Strog never took his eyes off the
delver, but issued an order to those dwarves around him.

"Take hold of him."

They did so before Ryson could
escape, though escape was never a possibility. The room had but one exit, which
was bolted and guarded. He could try to outmaneuver them for a while, but he
would never get out.

"Chain him so he cannot
move," Strog demanded. "I want him completely bound."

The dwarves pulled the war blades
from Ryson's hips and then wrapped heavy chains around his arms and legs. They
locked them tight about his body. When finished, they pushed him to the ground.

"Just so there is no
confusion, I want you to understand something," Strog growled as he looked
down upon the delver. He put his boot on Ryson's shoulder and pressed down to
accentuate his point. "I have already killed the queen and I have placed
the king in captivity where no one will ever find him. I will eventually kill
him as well, but only when the time is right. I'm telling you this so you
understand that I would not hesitate for one moment in killing you. Whether or
not you survive the next few moments will all depend on how you answer me. I
will ask you again, why did you return with the goblin?"

Ryson didn't believe for one
moment that an honest answer, or an answer of any kind, would change his fate,
so he said nothing.

Ulet, however, decided to fill the
silence. She wanted to let Strog know that she had already obtained that
information. She spoke in an almost boastful tone.