one moment, then his knees gave way and he fell to the floor. He skin was red and already beginning to blister in several places.
Landing upon Polk’s backpack, Escalla dug out the lasthealing potion and raced it over to her friend.
“This is the last one! Do you have a healing spell?”
“I’m out!” Jus hissed, the pain of the burns making himsqueeze shut his eyes. “Give me the potion!”
She fed it to him herself, then stripped away his trousers to inspect the damage. The backs of his legs were blistered and red. Wincing, Escalla poured cool water from a canteen across the burns. The potion slowly eased the damage, making it fade before the faerie’s eyes.
With all damage gone, the girl heaved out a long-held sigh, then patted the man upon one hairy thigh.
“Well,
“Well, at least you got a bath.”
Escalla looked down, discovered she was naked, and retrieved her clothes from a silent Polk. She picked up her new magic wand, read the runes along its side, and looked up in hostility as the paladin came near.
Sir Olthwaite cleared his throat. “Do you know how to workthe wand?”
Escalla turned away, holding her new treasure against her chest. The wand was covered with ice runes. “I might.”
A thunderous boom echoed from the boiling lake beyond as the last of the air-filled chamber collapsed under the water. “What the hell wereyou doing while Jus was fighting the crab?”
“I fought the crab!” The armored man drew himself proudlyerect. “I have already told you, the wights have diminished my fighting powers!”
“Really?”
The paladin gave a distasteful sniff.
“I hardly think this is the place for a mere faerie tocomment upon the fighting prowess of a knight of the realm.”
For once, Escalla did not deign to answer. Instead, she looked down the barrel of her wand, patted it twice, and then cradled it in her arms. Backing away in midair, she swirled over toward the gear left lying in the water on the floor.
“Well, here’s Wave. That’s two magic weapons down and one togo.” Escalla kicked at the trident with her booted foot. “Polk, you carry it.Use rags to protect your hands.” The girl lifted her chin. “Touching thesethings can cause you power burns, you know.”
Sir Olthwaite looked from the trident to the girl in puzzlement.
“Why did you take the trident? You could have had the gems!”
“Jus wants the trident.”
“But you didn’t get any treasure! You’re still poor!”
The faerie shrugged and smiled wickedly. “That too shallpass.” The girl rested a hand upon the Justicar’s shoulders. “Hey J-man, you allright?”
“I’m fine.” The man rose slowly, testing his legs for burns.Battered and wet with the hell hound pelt upon his head, he looked like a wolverine that had been brushed the wrong way. “Let’s go.”
They moved down the corridor, heading for the kelpie pool. Hanging back to walk at the Justicar’s side, Sir Olthwaite tapped thoughtfullyat his own chin.
“So you have the city’s two weapons? Will you be leavingnow?”
Jus kept his head down, thinking as he walked.
“No.”
“No?”
“Blackrazor.” The Justicar settled his grip upon his blacksword. “We’ll fetch it.”
Escalla looked back at her friend and gave an enigmatic smile. Sir Olthwaite drew in a proud breath and nodded.
“Yes. Why settle for two weapons? We shall overawe the baronby retrieving all three.”
“I’m not working for the baron.” The Justicar breathed easieras the healing potion finished its work. “I like to make sure nothing ends up inthe wrong hands.”
“Wrong hands?”
“Ones I have judged and found
The paladin heard the words, frowned, and looked at the ranger.
“I regret that I have already used up my own healing giftupon my slain companions.” The man tugged at his chin. “You still seem injured.What is this spell you are reserving? Surely it cannot be more important than your health?”
“A silence spell.” The Justicar pushed his way into thekelpie’s room and watched the two weed-women dive away in fright. “And it
20
“Hey, Enid.”
“Oh, hello!” Enid the Sphinx sat primly upright in her placeat the dungeons main junction. “Still at it?”
“Still going.” Escalla gave a sigh. “Anyway, Enid, SirOlthwaite. Sir Olthwaite, Enid.”
Enid obviously remembered the paladin. She grumpily flexed her claws and said, “We’ve met. He guessed my riddle.”
“Ah, he’s a student of the classics. It happens-no pointgrumbling. We move on, we learn.” Escalla put a comradely arm about Enid’sshoulders then tapped Polk upon the skull. “Polk, oil flask! I’m going to go getmore slime!”
The Justicar raised one thoughtful eyebrow.
“Really?”
“Yeah, it’s great stuff!” The faerie whizzed down the easterncorridor. “Back in a flash. Meanwhile, did anyone bring lunch?”
“And I even brought you naphtha for afterward.” Jus removedthe hell hound skin and affectionately began to tidy its fur. “Here we go. Eathearty.”
Escalla returned to find her compatriots wrestling with strips of hardened jerky. Enid delicately nibbled on a piece of bread, showering crumbs across the watery floor. The faerie descended and gave a full slime-jug to Polk, who unhappily stored the thing away. Snatching Polk’s lunch while theman’s back was turned, Escalla settled upon Enid’s furry back.
“Lunch looks… challenging.”
Jus gnawed his jerky and shrugged. Sir Olthwaite distastefully put his food away. Having grown used to the ranger’s camp cooking,Escalla happily stuffed her face and enjoyed her meal, though it didn’t lastlong.
Sitting in the midst of a shower of crumbs, she announced, “So, we ready to go?”
“Yup.” Jus passed the faerie his canteen. “Let’s move.”
The group waded off down the western tunnel. Behind them, Enid waved a cheerful paw.
“Have a nice time!”
“You too!” Escalla flew backward to wave goodbye. “We’ll playriddles tonight, but no eating people anymore, all right?”
“I’m relatively over that little phase now!” Enid gave afinal wave. “See you!”
The western tunnel’s trap provided a few minute’s pause.Walking ahead of the Justicar, Sir Olthwaite halted
