“Let’s get going then. I’m still not sensing anyone, but we don’t know how long we will have a clear exit—or if someone is waiting right outside the door.” She crept out the door, but Sath paused a moment before following her. The hallway was long, with only a few doors along its length. Gin could see four doors altogether that were all shut, plus the one she had just walked through. One of them had to lead to the outside—wherever that was.
Shut the door as you come out, Sath.
Why?
No sense in advertising what we are doing, right?
Sath pulled the door shut quietly behind him with a wry grin as the lock seemed to click into place when the door settled into the frame. From the outside, there was no evidence of the magical blast that had cleaned up the hinges, but there was no doorknob.
Which way at the end of the hallway?
Gin paused and again closed her eyes. She felt movement behind her as Sath closed the distance between them, ready to strike if they were ambushed. She opened her eyes and pointed to the right, then crept around the corner with Sath right behind her. There was an open doorway there, and it looked as though a staircase descended beyond.
I don’t sense anything on the staircase, but I can’t see anything past that.
You think maybe they left us here to mind the house?
No, I mean, I can’t see anything past the stairs. It’s like they go down to nothing. But I’m almost positive someone is coming from the other way, behind us. Something just doesn’t seem right about all of this, Sath. Did we take the wrong way? I’m just not sure. There are other doors, let’s try those first. I have a bad feeling about that staircase.
I know, but there’s only one way to find out, right?
Gin headed for the first door, a few paces down, and on the left-hand side of the hallway. As her hand grazed the wall, something about the feel triggered a memory of a castle near the seaside—Bellesea. But that was back home, and they were undoubtedly NOT home, right? She shook her head to clear it and then concentrated on that door.
Anybody home in there, Gin?
No. No living beings. Let’s have a look.
Her fingers were steady as she turned the doorknob—finding it unlocked was a welcome surprise. Gin pushed the door open as slowly and carefully as she could and stuck her head inside. Three dwarves sat around a table, steins in hands, playing cards askew and falling into their laps. She gaped at the scene—how did she not sense them?
Gin?
Sath, there are people in here. Dwarves. But they don’t seem to be moving.
Let me see.
Sath pushed the door open, and she stepped to the side as he entered the room. “Greetings!” His voice boomed, and Gin almost had to cover her ears because she also heard him—translated, of course—in the bond. She knew some of the dwarves' language because of traveling with Teeand, but not as much as Sath did. “Fellas? You’re right, Gin, they aren’t moving, but I don’t think they are dead.” He took a cautious step closer, one hand extended to tap the closest one on the back, and his hand disappeared into a ripple in the air. “Na’hina!” Sath exclaimed as he yanked his arm back.
“It’s another time trap, isn’t it?” Gin’s voice was more pinched and afraid sounding than she had intended, and Sath clearly responded as he moved in between her and the strange trio of frozen dwarves.
“If they are still alive in there, then yes.”
Gin looked around the room—there was a large knapsack near the door, and she moved closer to it. “Ugh, how did I miss that before?” The humming that she felt upon opening the door grew louder the closer she got to the bag. As slowly as she could, Gin reached for the strap on the bag and pulled it to her. It disintegrated as it grew closer, finally ending up a pile of brittle leather and dust.
“How did you miss what?” Sath was rubbing his hand over the top of his head in earnest now. “Gin, we need to get out of this room.”
“How did I miss the magic holding them in stasis—it has a very distinctive feel, Sath. I noticed it every time we entered Bellesea until Taanyth was dead.” She swallowed hard. “Have you noticed how much this place looks like Bellesea? Less ruined, of course, but still, don’t you think it is familiar?”
Sath nodded. “But Gin, you have to believe me, this is not what I meant when I said we were going to –“ Gin held up a hand to stop him from talking. “So, if that bag is any indication, we can’t remove them from that trap.”
“No.” Gin looked at them sadly. “At least they all look happy, and maybe inside there time is moving—however slowly—and they are enjoying themselves.”
“They are dwarves with steins; of course they are enjoying themselves.” Sath chuckled, but the mirth was not genuine. “Let’s leave them to it.” Gin nodded, and after saying a silent prayer to the All-Mother, she followed Sath out the door and pulled it shut.
“Next one?” Sath nodded and followed her to the next door. This one had a window in the top quarter of the door. Bars lined up across the opening, and Sath paused a moment as he looked at it. “I see what you mean about the similarity to Bellesea,” he whispered.
“Can you see what is in there? I don’t sense –“ Gin fell silent as her magic found one heartbeat in the room. Friend or
