I hesitated as I looked at the bouncing balls. I’d never really considered the impact of failing before but now it felt like I’d been slapped over the face with my inadequacy. If I didn’t beat this stupid little minigame this time I’d have to somehow sneak out of this place, find a merchant who would sell me some more lockpicks, grab some with the money I did not have, and then make my way all the way back here. That sounded like a lot of things for what felt like a minor quest.
Well, given the presence of the cultists, maybe it wasn’t so minor after all.
I pulled my fingers into fists at my sides and focused on the balls, determined not to have to backtrack. When the final ball was flashing from one end of the line to the other I paused. It was so damn hard. Like that old arcade game, what was it called, stacker? I’m not sure, it's been a few years. I don’t think I ever won that one. Pac-Man was more my speed.
Oh, would you just grow a set already man? Stop being such a baby.
I sneered at the rudeness of my own inner monologue and focused on the ball. The ball stopped bouncing. I closed my eyes, waiting for the sound of shattering glass but it didn’t come, instead, there was a solid resounding click and I knew I hadn’t failed this time. One step down.
I moved to cross the passage into the cavern beyond and stopped on the precipice. There was something there in the darkness. Something made of sharp metal teeth. I snorted and moved more carefully. Once upon a time, a trap like that would have got me.
I kept Stella close to me as I moved further into the cavern, my eyes stuck on the ground as I navigated the field of traps. The room was only lit by a scattering of glow worms. Stella let out a quiet whine, refusing to move further into the room.
I frowned and eyed her, aside from the first day the crocs had arrived she hadn’t been scared of anything. I rose to my full height and swept my gaze over the room. There was nothing in here that I could see apart from an enormous bed. Seriously, who needed a bed that big? Was it bad that I wanted it?
I stepped over to one of the stalagmites and crouched behind it. It might be weird to be putting so much trust in a dog’s intuition but it felt like the best way to stay alive right now. I stayed quiet, just waiting for something to happen.
A loud snore sounded from the bed. I frowned and looked at the thing again, noticing the small lump in the middle of it for the first time. There was someone there, too shrouded in shadow for me to make out.
Stella let out a little growl. I placed my hand on her snout to keep her quiet but my senses were on edge now. She really didn’t like whoever that was. Which meant this naughty apprentice was a little more than he seemed to be.
I scanned the room for anything that glowed hoping it would lead me to goodies I was here to steal. No such luck.
The door behind me flew open. I clamped my teeth together and snatched Stella, slipping further around my stalagmite to keep hidden. Stella tried to break free but I held her tight, my hand clamped around her muzzle.
A man marched through the door. I heard the metallic click of one of the traps and then a resounding scream. The man on the bed shot up, standing naked and fuming as he faced the door, a collection of throwing knives decorating his fingers.
“Why the hell are you disturbing my sleep, Liam?” the man bellowed.
“Get it off me!” the man called Liam, screamed.
“Answer me, now!”
“Miranda had another vision. She said someone was coming for you, I had to warn you.”
The naked man swore and marched forward fiddling with the trap until it let Liam go. “What did she see?”
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
“There was a man and some sort of ferocious beast. They snuck in here and stole the key.”
The naked man clutched a small golden key dangling from a chain about his neck. “Bring her here. Now.”
“Yes, Lord. Right away.”
Liam scurried from the room as much as a limping man could and disappeared up the passage. The other man, the Lord apparently, turned and marched back toward his bed. He didn’t climb into the sheets, however. Instead, he grabbed one of the robes and pulled it over his head. His was different than all the others though, it was red with a black skull and dagger.
He pulled a small golden crown from somewhere and rested it atop his golden curls. I pressed a hand hard over my own mouth to hold back the laughter trying to escape. He looked like such a tool but I got the impression he was trying to look important.
“I don’t know why I bother listening to the little brat,” he muttered to himself. “She’s such a little a witch.”
He turned at the sound of many feet smacking against the stone floor. My legs cramped but I forced myself to stay still. If we were found out now, we would be in big trouble.
Finally, Liam hobbled into the cavern holding a heavy metal chain in his hands. He yanked at it and a young girl stumbled in after him. Fury washed through me as I looked at the little girl at the end of the chain. She was cuffed and her long blonde hair was horribly matted. Her puffy pink gown was covered in putrid-looking grime that also coated her hands and face. There was fear radiating from her wet eyes but also a lot of insolence as well. I instantly liked that about her.
My fingers reached up for the grip of my blade but I resisted yanking it free.
The Lord smiled wickedly as he approached the pair by the door. “Hello there Miranda, it had been a long time.”
Miranda stepped back as far as the chain would allow her to. “Liam told you what I saw. I have nothing else to tell you.”
“Oh, now we know that’s not true. You see more than you let on. Now tell me, who is trying to steal from me?”
“There was nothing. Just a big, balding man wearing leather with two swords and a scary-looking dog. That’s it.”
I itched with irritation at the description. Did she have to include the balding part? It seemed like an unnecessary feature to mention.
“When will they be here?”
“I don’t know. There was no clock in the vision.”
The Lord grabbed the chain and yanked the girl closer, glowering at her like she was a piece of gum stuck to the bottom of his shoe. “You’re lying.”
“I’m not,” Miranda cried.
I peeked around the edge of the stalagmite to see better what was going on. Miranda fought the Lord’s grip on her face. Her golden eyes fell on me. I stiffened, waiting for her to scream out and point. She didn’t do that though. I held a finger to my lips, preying she would heed my silent plea.
The girl frowned and looked away from me.
“Tell me what else you see,” the Lord hissed.
Tears rolled down Miranda’s cheek as she squeezed her eyes closed. “I don’t think it will happen any time soon. The vision was foggy. It looks clear if it will happen soon.”
The Lord held her roughly for a moment longer before pushing her away so forcefully that she tumbled to the ground. “See, was that so hard?” The Lord turned his sharp eyes on Liam. “If you had bothered to ask these questions yourself, you would not have needed to wake me from my sleep. I do not like to be disturbed."
"Of course, I am sorry my Lord. It will not happen again,” Liam said in a rush as he bowed in submission.
The Lord twirled his hand and slammed one of his daggers into the back of Liam’s neck. The man crumpled to the floor, a pool of blood forming around him. “No,” the Lord said. “It will not.”
He marched toward the opposite wall as Miranda cried behind him and yanked on a golden tasseled rope. A silent moment passed before the sound of pounding feet echoed in from the passage. Two men charged into the room nimbly avoiding the traps.
“You rang, my Lord,” one of them said.
“Take the witch back to her cage and clean up this mess.”
“Right away.”
Miranda screamed as she was dragged away. The other man shuffled around cleaning as the Lord marched across the room again and pressed a loose stone on the wall. A hidden door swung open and he marched inside. The door slammed shut behind him.
“Wow,” the lone cultist in the cavern muttered quietly. “He really is a monster.”
The man turned to leave, dragging the body of the murdered man with him right as a dagger came flying from nowhere and planted itself hilt deep in the man's skull.
“I do not allow insolence in my halls,” the Lord’s voice echoed all around.
I flinched and searched for him but couldn’t see him. How had he thrown a dagger through a wall? I had to be quiet. If he heard that quiet mutter, what else could he hear?