The Riftwar Legacy: The Complete 4-Book Collection. Raymond E. Feist

it’s true, so I have no doubt you heard little good of us from the eledhel. The glamredhel are the mad ones, those without purpose and without magic. They lived by their wits and held strong in the Edder Woods in the Northlands until they were hunted down and destroyed.’

      James shook his head. ‘Destroyed? They’ve gone to Elvandar and now reside there.’

      Gorath reined in his horse. ‘Delekhan!’

      ‘What?’ asked James, turning to look at the dark elf.

      ‘He let it be known that he had destroyed Earnon and his tribe in the Edder.’

      ‘Well, Old King Redtree is alive and well, living up in Elvandar. Last I heard they were involved in some sort of discussion as to who was in charge.’

      Gorath tilted his head, as if listening to something. ‘In charge? I do not understand.’

      ‘I don’t pretend I do, either,’ said James as they followed another bend in the road, and began approaching the waterfall. ‘Duke Martin is a regular visitor to Elvandar and sends reports to Krondor. As I understand it, Redtree and his people are trying to decide if they’re going to be part of Aglaranna’s people, or separate, but living among them. Something like that.’

      ‘It’s passing strange,’ said Gorath. ‘I would assume Aglaranna would enslave them had they come begging for refuge.’

      James laughed.

      ‘You find that funny?’

      ‘I’ve met old Redtree and he doesn’t exactly strike me as the type to beg or to accept slavery without killing a couple of hundred people first.’

      Gorath nodded. ‘He is a warrior of great skill and power.’

      They could again feel the spray off the waterfall and James asked, ‘Owyn, where is the entrance?’

      Owyn said, ‘We’ll have to tie the horses and walk from here.’

      They did so, and as they reached a place beside the waterfall, where the spray was heavy enough to soak them in minutes, James said, ‘How many people knew of this entrance?’

      ‘A few, in my family, and among the staff. Ugyne and I, along with Neville, used to play there. We got beaten when we were caught, and I don’t think the Baron ever found out that we knew the entire route from the keep to the bolt-hole.’ He pointed to a rock a few feet above his head. ‘This is why no one in the village ever found their way into the keep. I need a leg up.’

      James made a cup with his hand and gave Owyn a boost, and the young magician pulled himself to the ledge. He said, ‘Hand me my staff.’ They did, and he said, ‘Now, stand back.’

      They stood away, and Owyn used his staff to move a rock. A rumbling caused James to move even farther back. A large rock face moved aside. Owyn jumped down with an ‘oof’ and stood up. ‘Getting out’s easy. There’s a lever just inside. Getting in is impossible if you don’t know the trick.’

      James moved just inside the entrance and said, ‘Someone found the trick. Look.’

      Dust had coated the entire length of the tunnel, but the middle of the tunnel showed clearly that many feet had trodden the floor recently. Gorath said, ‘As we move along this tunnel, we will soon lose the masking noise of the waterfall. Tread softly.’

      James said, ‘We need a torch.’

      Owyn said, ‘No, we don’t. I’ll make us some light.’

      Owyn closed his eyes, then held out his hand. A sphere of soft light surrounded him, less than would have come from a torch, but enough for them to see by. ‘That’s handy,’ said James.

      Owyn shrugged. ‘Until recently I didn’t know if I’d ever use it for anything more significant than finding my way to the jakes in the middle of the night.’

      James grinned. ‘Let’s go.’

      He pulled out his sword as did Gorath, and without a word they set off down the tunnel.

      

      A soft tread of boot leather on stone was all Gorath needed to warn them. He held up his hand and listened, his more than-human hearing announcing the approach of someone. He turned and held up two fingers.

      James nodded and motioned for Owyn to move back down the tunnel, taking his faint light with him, while he and Gorath waited in the gloom for whoever came toward them. A moment later a light could be seen down the hall, approaching rapidly. Voices echoed off the rock.

      ‘I don’t like it,’ said one.

      ‘You don’t have to like it. You only have to follow orders.’

      ‘There used to be a lot more of us, if you remember.’

      ‘I remember, but the fewer of us, the more gold –’

      The two men turned the corner and Gorath and James leaped upon them. Catching them unexpectedly, James and Gorath had them down before they knew they were under attack.

      But surprise didn’t mean surrender, and the two assassins fought like cornered animals, forcing Owyn to run forward with his staff and lay one low with a crushing blow to the head.

      The other died upon his own knife, as James fell heavily atop the man.

      James slowly rose, saying ‘Damn. I wanted a prisoner.’

      Gorath said, ‘We are in their nest. It would be wise for us to leave now that we know where they are and return with soldiers.’

      ‘Wise, perhaps, but my experience with these birds is they will have flown by the time we return. They are never abundant in number, and quite a few have died recently. I doubt there are more than a half-dozen left between here and the Teeth of the World.’ James pointed a finger down the hall from where the two had come. ‘But if we identify or trap their leader, we may finally be done with this bunch.

      ‘I thought them dead and buried ten years ago, but obviously I was wrong. At the least one or two of them fled to start this murderous brotherhood again. Only fanatics kill themselves like that. I must find out if these are but hired blades working for whoever pays the most, or if they are willing allies of your Delekhan.’

      ‘What difference does it make when it’s Kingdom throats being cut?’ asked Gorath.

      ‘Men who work for gold are one thing. Men pledged to dark causes are another. If these are men working for gold, we can deal with them at leisure, for they will know little beyond where to pick up their gold and whom to kill. But if they are involved in these dark plots, perhaps we will learn something –’ he pointed down the hall ‘– down there.’

      Gorath and Owyn exchanged glances, and Owyn said, ‘Well, I’d get bored out there waiting for you to come back.’ He held up his glowing ring. ‘Besides, I have the light.’

      Gorath gave a grunt that might have passed for a chuckle.

      For nearly half an hour they walked through a long tunnel, then Owyn said, ‘There’s a storage room ahead, if I remember.’

      They found a large wooden door, still intact and well oiled, behind which was a barracks. A score of beds were lined up, ten against each wall, and racks of weapons occupied the far end of the room. Most of the beds hadn’t been slept in, but four showed recent occupation. Owyn pointed and whispered, ‘Those two we killed may have friends close by.’

      ‘Or they could already have left,’ said James.

      They moved to the racks and saw that the weapons were polished and ready. A variety of lethal-looking blades were stored in orderly fashion, as well as daggers, throwing knives, darts and strangling cords. A shelf full of jars was attached to the wall above the rack. ‘Poisons, I’m willing to bet,’ said James. He looked at Owyn. ‘How much further do these tunnels go?’

      ‘Miles, if you mean all the levels. This is the lowest gallery, and there are three between