Charrar, I'm sorry, but I've no more healing potions. We'll have to carry both of you out of here.'
Charrar nodded, but then tearfully put her head down on Vharem's shoulder and sobbed. Vharem held her closer just enough to ease his short sword back into its scabbard.
'What are you doing?' Renaer snapped. 'You might need that!'
'And how are we going to fight if we're each carrying someone?' Vharem said. 'If we go back the way we came, we can at least block off some passages and hole up until we can all move better. We know what's back there already.'
'Yeah,' Renaer said, his eyes dropping, 'but it's the things we don't expect that kill us.'
'The alleged Blackstaff sealed the corridor with some spells or illusions,' Laraelra said. 'We'll have to go back the way we came.'
'What about Faxhal?' Vharem asked, his eyes pleading with Renaer.
'Later,' Renaer said, his face cold and impassive. 'We'll come back to bury him and mourn later. For now, let's move.'
'How do you know where we are, Elra?' Meloon's whisper echoed in the sewer pipes.
'Can't tell you guild secrets,' Laraelra replied, as she spotted the keystone in the archway over the intersection. This led into one of the secondary sewer lines beneath the city, and that rune told her they were heading north again. She was trying to get them back to the surface shaft at Heroes' Garden she and Meloon had used that morning. 'Hear those picks? That means there're cellarers at work.' She motioned for him to turn left, and they saw another light other than the lantern that she held.
Two figures looked up, startled, when the lantern's light came into their tunnel. Laraelra smiled as the familiar gruff voice of Harug called out, 'Who delves? Cry out or face blades!'
'Less noise, old daern,' Laraelra said. 'It's Elra and friends.'
When they, met up, she moved ahead of Meloon to clasp forearms with both dwarves, thankful to see more friendly faces. It was obvious to Laraelra the dwarves had spent the past day clearing the channel and reshoring the wall.
She looked closely at their work. 'Nice secret door you seem to be installing here, Harug.' When he scowled at that, she whispered, 'It'll be our secret, old daern. Father needs not know.'
Harug gripped her forearm and muttered to her in his native Dwarvish, 'Lass, be careful. Best not take this shaft up to the garden. There be folk waiting for ye up there. They don't talk like no Watch I ever seen. Fools forget voices carry down this way as well. Take the next one west up to Shank Alley. That'll leave them like ores waiting for a gopher that's left its hole.'
Laraelra nodded, then turned as Dorn clapped hands with Meloon. 'Dorn Strongcroft pays his debts with friendship!' He spit into his hand and held it out for Meloon to shake, which he did. The young dwarf's eyes widened as he saw the man's weapon. 'When that axe needs some work, you come see me cousin in Fields Ward. Ask for the Strongcroft smithy and mention my name. They'll steer ye arights.'
'Ow!' Charrar's voice echoed loudly in the subterranean tunnel. She continued her complaints as Vharem approached with her in his arms. 'Vharem, aren't we getting out of the sewers soon? I don't like it here!'
Laraelra wasn't sure Charrar could make more noise if she tried, and she watched the woman, wondering what didn't settle in her mind about her. She put her finger to her mouth and signaledfor silence. Then she motioned for them to follow, and they inched past Harug and Dorn.
Laraelra let Meloon lead and, as she half-expected, Charrar pointed at the access ladder leading up and yelled, 'Hey! There's a Laraelra clapped a hand over her mouth and glared. She whispered, 'Someone's lying in wait for us up there, so we're going this way. Now keep quiet.'
Charrar's eyes narrowed, and she slowly nodded.
When they did finally begin clambering up another surface shaft a while later, Laraelra went first and shoved the sewer shaft cover aside as quietly as she could. Next, Charrar clung to Vharem's neck as he climbed, whimpering as she bumped against each iron rung of the ladder. Meloon climbed up and lowered down a rope. Renaer, the last to leave the sewers, waited while the others reeled the unconscious Vajra up with a makeshift harness on the rope. Laraelra pretended to watch Vharem and Meloon stretching their arms and shoulders out, but she remained watchful of the sulking Charrar, who perched on some crates behind them.
Charrar shifted her position and shoved a barrel to make her perch wider. Two empty crates clattered down into the alley. She flinched away and bumped her left foot into another barrel. She let out a scream and clutched her leg, whimpering.
'Shut it, woman!' Vharem snapped. 'You'll draw every cut-purse and Watchman in earshot!'
Dawn was just breaking across the sky, and Laraela could see where she was. Between the smell of fish guts and one particularly gruesome demon's head painted on the back of the tallest building in the center of the alley, she figured out their location. 'We're in Shank Alley. That sign faces out on Morningstar Way for the Demondraught tavern.'
'If you say so,' Meloon said. He turned toward Renaer. 'Hey, you're probably tired, and I'm not. I'll carry Vajra for a while.' He had hauled her up by rope and held her in the crook of one arm as he coiled the rope up with his other hand. His axe lay on the cobbles beside them.
Renaer shook his head. 'No, but thanks. I'll carry her, in case we have to run. I can keep up with you even while carrying her. I'd rather you were ready for anyth-'
'Drop all weapons- and surrender!' The shout came from the alley's mouth to the west of them.
'Like that?' Laraelra asked.
CHAPTER 7
A man's home, like a man's wife, holds many secrets from those who don't respect her or know how to hold her in the proper regard.
10 Nightal, Year of the Ageless One (1479 DR)
Meloon, help me!' Renaer ran forward, and slammed his shoulder into the tall pile of crates near the alley entrance. Renaer and Meloon shoved the crates over just in time, seeing the surprised looks on the Watchmen's faces as the boxes of seaweed and shellfish toppled upon them.
'Surrender!' Charrar shouted. 'Renaer Neverember and company, you're in the custody of the Watch!'
Vharem whipped around, reaching for his short sword, only to find its point at his throat. Charrar stood, despite the apparent wounds on her feet, and she had stolen his weapon. 'Charrar, what-'
'Don't embarrass yourself further, Vharem. I'm neither your woman nor your grateful rescued victim. Seems a shame, though, what the Blackstaff 11 do to you-such a waste of a good body.' As Renaer and Meloon approached, she moved the sword point closer to Vharem's throat. Meloon groaned as he noted she stood on the head of his axe, pinning it to the ground. Charrar called to her compatriots, who struggled from beneath all the crates. 'Hurry! We need to get them off the streets!'
Two flashes of quicksilver slammed into Charrar's eyes and sword hand. She crumpled to the cobblestones.
Laraelra stood in the shadows, the same silver color fading from her eyes. 'I thought something wasn't right about her.'
'Run!' Renaer pointed up and to the right. 'Go north on Morningstar Way!' His hands, however, waved to the south. Renaer scooped up Vajra and Meloon picked up his axe, while Laraelra grabbed the stunned Vharem by the shirt and dragged him into motion. He stumbled forward, holding his throat, and finally snapped out of it and broke into a run with her. The four of them slipped around the northern side of the Demondraught and ran south along Morningstar Way.
Renaer stopped where Aureenar Street crossed Morningstar near the gray-stoned Stormstar Ride, and he
