and his eyes were damp. 'We only got through guided by Gargan, and… and…' He trailed off.
So that's how it would be. Well, she could play this game. Twilight was adept at eliciting attention. 'A maze?' She scowled.
As though shaken, Liet looked at her. 'What's wrong?'
'Bad experiences,' she said, drawing his attention. 'What do you find in mazes?'
'Ah,' said Liet. 'Twists and turns? Lots of dead ends?'
Twilight shook her head.
'Treasure at the center?'
'Minotaurs. And depending on the local wildlife, often ravenous ones.'
'Oh. That.' Liet's eyes were far away. It hadn't worked. 'Just staying optimistic.'
Twilight growled. 'What?' she asked. 'Are you all so stunned that you can't even hide to stay alive? Come on!'
No effect.
As though he heard and understood, Gargan thrust the sword through his belt and stepped to her side. The weapon shimmered in the torchlight. A row of emeralds met carvings of wind and flame along the back of the blade. The golden hilt depicted a coiled serpentine creature-its profile resembled a black dragon. Too lovely for a grimlock anvil, Twilight thought distantly. It must have been stolen.
The goliath rummaged through his rucksack and pulled forth a skull with two broken horns.
'That's a good sign-I guess others must have gotten here first.' She ran her fingers across the skull. 'Unless, of course, minotaurs eat their mates after season.'
Liet gaped at her. 'Th-that was a jest, aye?' he asked, trembling.
Twilight grinned at him.
'Ah.' Liet's face scrunched. ' 'Tisn't a matter I'd thought of-ah-overmuch.'
Slip cast a final healing spell upon Taslin. The priestess coughed and awoke. Acid had eaten holes in her mail, ruined her boots, and burned red marks across her cheeks. The sizzling fluid had not ruined her fine features, but the scars remained apparent. Her sword had incurred the most damage-its blade broken and the crescent moon symbol pitted and scorched. Twilight hoped it was still usable.
'There, lass,' the halfling said to the moaning priestess. 'You're safe now.'
If any of us are safe, Twilight thought.
The priestess said nothing, but looked at Slip in confusion, anguish, and thanks. Then her eyes fell on the warlock, and her face turned to anger. Slowly, she climbed to her knees, then with the aid of the halfling, to her feet.
An awkward silence fell.
'Now then,' Davoren said to her, out of his dark hood. The wounds on his face had faded entirely, it seemed, his skin once again sallow and smooth. 'Feel free to thank me for saving your life. I might even look upon you with favor-assuming, of course, sufficient groveling transpires.'
Taslin's lips narrowed.
'Yes?' the warlock asked. 'Did you want to say something?' He did not give her a chance to speak. 'It was rather foolish of you to take such a risk. Your wounds were unnecessary and your weapon was destroyed. We could have easily escaped without either loss, and now we must waste healing. I hope your idiocy is a source of pride.'
Silence hung. Twilight almost drew her rapier and ran the warlock through. The only thing stopping her was doubt; she was fairly certain that they would need the warlock's magic to survive, let alone escape.
Taslin had no such considerations to stop her.
Ruined sword gripped in both hands, the priestess lunged at Davoren, angry tears streaking her cheeks. 'Monster!' she screamed. 'You will pay for what you've done!'
Twilight stepped between the cleric and the warlock, but it was Taslin she restrained, twisting an arm back and wrenching the blade free. Davoren assumed his wicked smile, but the intrusion of Gargan's massive form kept him from saying anything else. The goliath made no move, but his thick hand was not far from his sword hilt.
'Now is not the time,' Twilight hissed in Elvish.
'Away, child,' growled Taslin. Then, outside the tongue of the People, she rounded on the warlock. 'He murdered my Asson! He'll murder us all!'
'Perhaps I will, perhaps I won't,' Davoren sneered. 'Who's to stop me? You? Without your pet cripple?'
Twilight and Liet both blanched. Slip sobbed. Even Gargan scowled.
A hoarse, despairing cry came from Taslin's lips. 'I know it was you! I know it!' She squirmed. 'Let me go, Twilight-let me go!'
'We need him!' snapped Twilight. 'Control yourself!'
Taslin struggled for a few tense heartbeats, but finally relented. She relaxed against Twilight, shuddering, and stared daggers at Davoren.
'I've said it before,' said Twilight, 'but I'll repeat. If any of us plans to make it out of here alive, we need to work together.' Then she added, so only Taslin would hear and understand: 'We don't know if any of us helped or harmed Asson. Have your suspicions if you will, but don't let them jeopardize us all.'
'As you say,' Taslin said. She turned to Davoren. 'But as soon as we leave this place, human, I shall cut out your heart for this. Upon Corellon's bloody tears-'
'No!' Twilight hissed, trying to stop the cleric, but it was too late.
'-you will not see another sunrise,' Taslin finished. 'This I swear.'
Twilight fought to stop a scowl. A blood oath was never taken lightly by either party. She knew then that the two might work side by side, but their mutual hatred would leave a crack in the band. And their survival relied upon cooperation.
The warlock only smiled. In his eyes was a bitter promise-he would see Taslin dead, for no other reason than because he could.
Twilight knew what she had to do-weakened thought she might be.
She handed Taslin over to the goliath. 'Go,' she said slowly and levelly to the others. 'Follow Gargan. Skirt the labyrinth, find the sewers, set camp. Leave markings.' She turned back and looked upon the warlock, who smiled. 'Davoren and I shall join you presently.'
'But 'Light, ah-' Liet started.
'No argument,' she said. 'Davoren and I have some words to share. Lead them, Gargan.' She nodded to Liet without looking at him. 'We shall join you.'
Liet nodded slowly and began walking. Taslin kept her eyes on the warlock, but let Slip tug her along.
Gargan stared at Twilight hard, and she flicked a gaze to him. She was reminded once again of the keen intuition behind those emerald eyes. Without words, they conversed, and Gargan understood entirely what Twilight intended. He made her an offer, but she declined. She had to do this alone. He nodded and turned.
As the goliath joined the others, disappearing into the darkness, Twilight let a smile spread across her face. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Then she relaxed, and flashed Davoren a winsome look.
'Is anyone watching?' asked Davoren, flexing his fingers, around which little sparks danced.
'I think not,' replied Twilight, hand on her rapier hilt. The shadows came to her.
Davoren's lip curled. 'Good.'
Twilight's rapier scraped out of its scabbard and she lunged, just as the warlock threw ruby flames at her.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Twilight twisted in mid-dive and the blast scorched across her back. Only her ring's protective magic kept her skin intact. She landed lightly and kicked out. Davoren scowled and threw himself aside just in time to avoid the blow.
Feeling rather than seeing the miss, Twilight wasted no time reversing her momentum, spinning, and slamming an elbow into the warlock's chest. Davoren recoiled and fell back a step, but his eyes were already
