"I need to get into the dungeon."
"What for?"
"Sober."
He nodded. "Wait."
Before she could answer, he disappeared into the kitchen. He reappeared in a few moments, handed Repentance a jug of mountain magic, and disappeared a second time. He returned with a tray of food. "Come on. We can pretend we're taking food to the dungeon master."
"I can't walk down that hallway. Look at all those slaves."
"Slaves don't look ever look at overlords they don't know," Tigen said. "They'll look down at the floor when you walk by."
She bent and kissed his cheek. He was so smart and so good.
He grabbed a short paddle from the tool bucket in the washroom and tucked it under his arm. "We need something to knock the door handle off with."
She was skeptical. "That's how you got the door open when you rescued me?'
He nodded. "You hit the door handles dead center, and they pop right through the door into the cell." He stepped into the hall. She followed, ignoring the slaves they passed and being ignored in turn. Into the great room they went and across it to the stairway, which led down into the cold dungeon.
"When we get down halfway, let me go ahead to make sure the corridor is clear." Tigen said.
They headed down the stairs, Repentance's throat constricting as the air grew colder and the memory of empty hours in her cold, dark cell flooded her mind. They got to the landing where the stairs switched back, and Tigen stopped. He handed Repentance the stir paddle, took the jug of Mountain Magic, and motioned for her to stay put while he descended alone.
"What's this, then?" a man's deep voice floated up the stairs.
Tigen gave a little squeal. "You surprised me," he said. "Why are you sitting in the cold hallway?"
The deep voice answered. "The last dungeon master never sat in the hallway, did he? He was always in his quarters, wasn't he? That's why his quarters are my quarters now."
"I didn't know. Well, I brought you a trickle of food and drink for you to celebrate the feast."
"Food and drink, you say?"
"Come, open your door and I'll put it in your quarters," Tigen said. "You don't want to eat it out here in the cold."
"And why are you suddenly so concerned about what I eat and where?
"Cook said it wouldn't do to forget anyone on Feast night."
"Cook sends little boys to do her bidding these days, eh? Where's the slave girl what usually brings my food? I'm supposing you are up to some mischief of the kind what will end with my body swinging at the end of a rope."
Blood pounded in Repentance's ears.
"If you aren't hungry now I'll leave it in your quarters," Tigen said. "You can eat it later."
Repentance crouched on the step before the landing and craned her neck, peering around the corner of the stairs. She could see Tigen's back as he stood before a desk. As soon as he got the man into his quarters, she could shoot down the stairs and past him.
"That makes a likely compromise," the dungeon master said. "I'll take you into my quarters and you can leave the food for later."
Repentance moved her paddle to her left hand, grasped the railing with her right, and prepared to launch herself down the stairs.
But Tigen never moved away down the hall. Instead a big man burst into view, pushing Tigen aside, and charging up the stairs.
He was on her before she could even turn around, let alone try to run away. "Got you!"
She yelped in pain as he twisted one arm up behind her back.
There comes to every man a moment when the choices set before him are intolerable. To choose one course will tear the heart out six ways and to choose the other will tear it out seven. A man in this circumstance needs no lecture. He needs pity and prayer.
~Meticulous Mudslide, An Old Man Remembers
Chapter 37
Holding her arm twisted up behind her back, the dungeon master shoved Repentance ahead of him as he descended the stairs. "Two demons playing tricks on the dungeon master!" he yelled. His breath came hot against Repentance's cheek. He smelled as if he'd already had a trickle of Mountain Magic. "I know all about the deeds and doings of mischievous little boys. I'm having none of your nonsense, thanks all the same."
With her free arm, Repentance tried to stick her paddle in between the man's feet to trip him.
The dungeon master saw and gave an extra jerk, pulling her arm farther up behind her.
She cried out.
Tigen, an indignant look on his face, threw his platter and his jug at the man. With a wild scream, he scrabbled up the man's back and pummeled him with his small fists.
The dungeon master shoved Repentance away. She slammed into the wall beside the desk, the ice burning her cheek on contact. She spun off the wall and turned in time to see the man reach one beefy hand over his shoulder, pull Tigen off his back, and toss him down as easily as a man in the swamp would peel off a leech and shake it back into the water.
Tigen's head hit the corner of the desk with a sickening, hollow-sounding clunk. He landed on the floor, a puddle of scarlet blood spreading out from his head.
"You've killed him!" Repentance screamed. Ice crystals immediately formed at the edges of the puddle. "He's freezing to the floor!"
The dungeon master grabbed Tigen from the floor, strands of frozen hair breaking in the process, and laid the limp little body on the desk. He leaned over the boy. "Still breathing," he said.
Tigen's head flopped to the side.
The
