“Sounds ideal.” Escalla gave a snort, then hitched up thebelt of her little black dress. “Jus, if you had a lending library for coneshells, where would it be?”
“Somewhere near where assassins are trained.” The Justicarloomed in the tunnel like a feral nightmare. “Look for a marine water pool. Allthe other water here is fresh.”
“Hoopy.” The faerie briskly clapped her hands and rose upinto the air. “Well, let’s just go into the shrine and act like we’re here asguests. No one has seemed interested in stopping us so far.”
Private Henry gave a nervous blink. “The fish seem to likeyou.”
“Just as long as that doesn’t involve feeding on myintestines, I’m happy.” Escalla led the way into the terrifying cavern. “Followme, people, and try to look like we see human sacrifices twice a day. Jus, no sword stuff until we get some evidence in my hot little hands.”
From a side passage, more kuo-toa appeared. The creatures approached the guards at the pyramid’s base, exchanged the strange salute,tossed money into a giant clam shell, then removed little tokens that were hung about their necks with string. One of the visitors moved to a second shell and seemed to pay far more money. The guards hooted in approval and hung the donor with a somewhat flashier token-a bright red crab claw. The visitors immediatelyproceeded to climb the pyramid to pay homage to the idol.
The guards looked over at Escalla, Jus, Polk, and Henry, fixing them with their huge, emotionless eyes. The fish men made no immediate move to sound an alarm. Girding her narrow waist and hoisting her rather understated bosom, Escalla steeled herself for the ordeal to come.
“Here goes.”
She flew over to the kuo-toa, opening her hand in the local salute. The kuo-toa responded, and one guard addressed her in a language made mostly up out of jaw clicks and gashing teeth. Escalla kept her smile and gave an easy wave of her hand.
“Sure!”
The kuo-toa spoke again, and Escalla fluttered over to the big clamshell basins.
“I totally agree! But it might rain on Moonday. Best cover uponce that bad weather sets in!” The girl waved a rather nervous, reluctant Polkforward. The teamster was looking up at a seven-foot tall kuo-toa that was eating wet chunks of a human liver. “Polk! Get your shanks over here and get thepurse open!”
“Portable hole.”
“Whatever! Just get us some cash!”
Escalla peered into the more expensive of the two offering basins, then stuck her head into the portable hole after Polk had partly unfolded it. She flew inside, entirely disappearing from the outside world as she entered a weird little space about ten feet square. Sure enough, rolling about in one corner of the hole there were a few small gems and baubles. Escalla grabbed a few of the less impressive items and popped back out into the light. She dropped a pair of little pearls into the basin, trying to indicate that she was paying for her entire group. The kuo-toa gave the same savage hoots of approval, then proceeded to hang stinking crab claws about the necks of everyone present. Escalla took one sniff of the partly mummified claw and a pained expression crept onto her face.
“Why,
The guards opened the way to the pyramid and idol. There seemed to be no way to avoid it. Mincing past a collection of human remains, Escalla slowly flew out over a moat filled with giant leeches that were kept at bay only by a narrow little wire mesh fence. Jus glanced at the leeches, dragged a protesting Polk into the water with him, and waded toward the pyramid with Private Henry splashing clumsily at his heels. Revolting leeches fully three feet long reared from the water outside the fence, their sucker mouths probing and puckering, sending Escalla whizzing high above Jus with her legs tucked up out of harm’s way. She flew backward, her eyes on the leeches, and so managed tobump her backside into something sticky, hot and wet.
She had reached the pyramid. Escalla stared rigidly ahead of herself, reaching behind her rear. Something wet, congealing and hot clung to her bottom-and a big, dripping, solid
“Jus, it’s a corpse, isn’t it?”
“Yes.” The sound of his voice revealed that his fury wasbarely in check.
“I think I just shoved my bum into its chest cavity.”
“Yup.” Jus climbed slowly and steadily up the pyramid. “Lookslike it.”
“I’m gonna puke!”
“Don’t.” His face savage and his black hell hound skinbristling, Jus clambered heavily up to join his friend. “Do nothing suspicious,not until it’s time to fight.”
The pyramid steps were awash with blood. A foul cascade had poured down from the base of the huge idol above, dripping over the steps and oozing slowly into the moat below.
At the upper platform of the pyramid, the lobster-headed idol loomed. Blood had been smeared over its claws and breasts, and a heart had been placed in each open claw. A clamshell at the monstrous image’s feet held votiveofferings. There were shells and basalt figurines, images carved from bone or chunks of brilliant coral. Hanging upside down on the edge of the platform was a sprawling corpse, a figure whose whole chest had been torn open to feed the monstrous goddess above.
The last group of kuo-toa pilgrims had already departed, heading down the far side of the pyramid. Jus swiftly knelt beside the corpse, wiped blood from its still-warm face, and stared at it in thought.
Escalla had painfully levered herself free, fighting an urge to scream.
“You, ah, you found… found something?”
“It’s one of the half-orcs from Sour Patch.” Jus turned thedead creature’s face. “Still bruised from where I hit him.”
“Oh.” Escalla had worries of her own but felt somehow vaguelyresponsible for Sour Patch. “Do you think the slaves all ended up here?”
“Doubtful. The drow are in charge of them.” Jus let thehalf-orc’s head slump back onto the cold stone steps. “They may have given someof the captives as a bribe to the kuo-toa.”
“So some might still be alive here?”
“Perhaps.” The Justicar could hardly hold out much hope.“Cinders?”
Standing to look out across the cavern below, Escalla watched the guards at the northwest tunnel exit. The girl turned, flicked her glance across the votive bowl before the idol, then reluctantly edged closer and peered inside.
Quick as a weasel, she darted her hand in and snatched a trinket from the edge of the seashell.
“Hey!” The girl held a treasure in her hands. “Look. Avotive!” The other adventurers surrounded her as she showed them her prize.“It’s hair,
The lock of hair shone like pale gold. The strands were long and fine, and tied about an elven finger bone. Escalla held the hair up against her own. They were almost a match, shade for shade. The girl’s humor left herface as she stared at the hair strands in thought.
“Now we’re getting warm.”
The Justicar squatted down beside Escalla, his hand resting on her back. Grave, intelligent eyes watched Escalla with her find. “Could youlink it to a specific person?”
“No.” The faerie carefully stored the evidence away. “Not ina court of law. Who’s to believe me when I say I found it down here? But it’sgiving me some crystal clear ideas.”
Polk and Henry were waiting. With a glance over her shoulder, Escalla leaned in to whisper in Jus’ ear. “Keep Cinders watching out for anysign of a faerie.” The girl flicked a glance at Henry. “And, ah, let’s keep ithappy. The kid’s been looking a little pale.”
Escalla seemed white as a ghost herself. Jus let her feel a warm squeeze of his hand. Cinders teeth gleamed in manic goodwill as the ranger rose. He turned to talk quietly with Private Henry. Escalla drew in a breath and turned around to survey the cave. She felt her antennae freeze.
Two titanic kuo-toan priests stood at the edge of the platform, staring wordlessly at the party through their huge fishy eyes. Sheathed in blood, the monsters stood in silence. Escalla waved to them, received no response,
