Keep on the Borderlands

She sighed faintly. “Part of me would rather not. Most of methinks it’s foolish and dangerous both, and we still don’t even know how much ofwhat we’ve heard is based on fact. Last night, before I fell asleep, I thoughtI’d find another client, and we’d head back to the realm. But the past days were… some of it was scary, but mostly there wasn’t time for fear. And thebandit camp…” She tugged at her plait. “Planning that, having the plan comeout just like we’d hoped… that was exciting. Fighting all those men onrocky, uneven terrain and in the gloom, discovering that I could not only defend myself but really fight. Gods, I sound like Jerdren,” she mumbled.

“No. Like a swordswoman who understands the need to fight,does what she must, and does it well.”

“Maybe.” She shook her head. “But… Blot. Flerys, I mean.If we hadn’t raided that camp, if we hadn’t found her-”

“We did. So there is no use to think on it.”

“No. But I realized just now, when we were talking to thosedwarves, there could be prisoners held in the caves. For ransom or-”

“Or by those who like to hurt others. Or for a beasts’banquet,” her lieutenant finished grimly as she hesitated. “I remind you of thisbecause that is something you must think about Eddis. Can you face such creatures?”

“I… don’t know, but nobody deserves to die like that.I’m afraid right now, but that’s because I don’t know what we’re going to faceout there. I’m just not afraid to go looking for it.”

“Hey, that’s great!” Jerdren had come across the room fromthe direction of the taverner’s counter, a full mug balanced in his hands.

Eddis sighed. Woman, you have got to keep your eyes and ears open, she told herself. This time it was only Jers coming up on your blind side.

“You’re up for it, then?” he asked as he settled across thetable from her.

Eddis shrugged. “So far,” she said cautiously. “Keeping inmind what I said last night, about proof of some kind. We need to talk, though.”

“Knew that.” Jerdren took a pull at his ale and smiled. “WhyI’m here right now. Same rules as last time, right? You and me giving orders, menot pulling any fast ones on you?”

“Something like that.” She told him about the dwarves. “Weneed to start writing things down.” She glanced at her lieutenant. M’Baddah hadpulled out a flattened tube of paper, a quill missing most of its feather, and a box of dry ink powder. He mixed a little of this with tea from his cup, began stirring it with the quill. “Maps,” she said once the man was ready, “if thereare any.”

“There aren’t,” Jerdren said. “I asked everywhere. Best wecan do is the one we already have, I guess. I can’t even get a good fix on wherethe caves are, except somewhere east and near the road. Let’s forget that forthe minute, because while we’ve got this corner to ourselves, we need to get itstraight about that thief, Kadymus.”

Eddis drew a deep breath, let it out slowly, and brought up a smile. “Fine. We’ll do that. Then we need to talk about the child.”

Jerdren didn’t like it and said as much at some length. “Youcan’t take some grubby, howling brat into-”

“She howled when we first found her,” Eddis broke in flatly.“Since then, I wager you haven’t heard a sound out of her. She cleans up, sameas anyone. We can’t leave her here, though.”

“She will not remain here without us,” M’Baddah said “Shewill find a way to follow us, if we do leave her.”

“She’s a child!” Jerdren protested. “Children don’t rememberthings. Leave her here, some nice family, she won’t recall who we are by thetime we return. Won’t care, anyway.”

“That’s not so,” Eddis said. “Weren’t you ever a child? Don’tanswer that,” she added. “Just… you want this Kadymus? Fine, I’ll agree solong as the girl comes, too.”

“If she insists,” Jerdren said flatly.

“She will, Jers. And if they keep her from following us, shemight just throw herself off the walls.”

Jerdren gave her a dubious look, but he finally shrugged and took another drink.

“Maybe Kadymus can teach her things. She might even beuseful.”

“Don’t even think about it, Jerdren,” Eddis growled.“That’s another thing. The girl will be our responsibility. That light-fingeredcreature is all yours.”

Blorys showed up moments later, visibly excited as he strode across the room, which was slowly beginning to fill for midday meal. Blor dropped onto the stool next to his brother, waved away the potboy, and planted his elbows on the table. “There’s a man staying in the chapel, did you know?”

“I heard there was a madman being kept somewhere in there,”Jerdren replied.

“He’s not mad, though you might think so, the way he talks.He’s a mercenary from the east. Speaks Common but not well. If I understandright, he was guiding a company here, and most of ’em were taken from aroundtheir campfire late one night. He remembers what sound to me like orcs and gnolls-like spotted dogs but man’s height, two-legged like men, and armed. Thecurate thought him mad on that count alone. Guess he’s never heard of gnolls.”

“Not supposed to be any this far south,” Jerdren replied.

“I asked the curate if we could send Mead in to try hisspells on the fellow and got permission. The elves are there now. With luck, we may get more information out of him, and the curate said he’d find us apriest, if we decide to go.”

“There’s that other priest,” Jerdren said. He wiped foam fromhis lip. “You know, the one at the inn? Has a couple novices, both under somevow of silence, I guess. But the priest himself-he’s a cheerful sort. Comes hereat times to talk with folks, drink and all. I hear he’s been talking latelyabout going out to smite the wicked, or some such thing.”

Blorys glanced at him. “I don’t think we’d want him with us.”

“Why, Brother? Supposed to be a powerful priest. Seems wemight need one of those.”

“I agree we might, but I got the feeling the curate doesn’ttrust the man. He’s master of the local house, so I say we’d be wise to listento him.”

Jerdren considered this. “Maybe. This madman maybe could drawus a map?”

“He has one,” Blorys said. “He wouldn’t let me have it, butmaybe Mead can persuade him. From what I saw, it’s much better than what we havenow.”

A short while later, Eddis and M’Baddah left to check on thegirl and take her food and drink. She still wore M’Whan’s old jerkin, but hernew things were spread out across the bed. She had readily opened the door when M’Baddah asked her, but she wouldn’t move beyond the entry.

When Eddis broached the subject of leaving the Keep, Blot-nowFlerys-nodded vigorously.

“Good. I go, too-with you.” Her eyes were anxious.

Eddis nodded in turn. “You go with us,” she agreed. The childsettled cross-legged on the floor, sniffed cautiously at her bread and cheese, and bit into it, sighed contentedly as she chewed.

A few minutes later, the two fighters walked back to the tavern. “Gods, M’Baddah. If I get her killed…”

“She is safer with us than where she was,” M’Baddah said,“and she is not as helpless as you fear, my Eddis.”

Most of the company, including the elves, now occupied the far corner. Blorys smiled as Eddis got settled.

“The child is doing well?” he asked. She nodded. “Bad news isthe madman won’t come here-won’t set foot outside the chapel,” Blorys said. “But… well, Mead can tell you.”

“He is not mad, but he has reason for his fears,” the elfsaid. “After he was made prisoner, he and the others were moved from one cavernto another. It was always dark, there was always the smell of old death, and each time they were fewer until he was alone. Often he was tortured, but he does not know why, since they asked him no questions. One day, he found himself chained to a wall, and there were two other prisoners. Their guards were hobgoblins. He gave himself up for dead then, but all at once he heard the sound of battle, and men charged into the chamber, led by a huge fellow in black furs and bright armor. The hobgoblins died or fled, the men released the prisoners and started for the outside world. Just as they could see light in the distance, they were attacked. The man was knocked unconscious and woke in a silent, dark corner. He made his way to the road. After many days of