Page 80 of Lake of Sorrow

“And yet, you came here to fondle my waist first.”

“I couldn’t resist. I feared you would be here, drawn by the mystery of the plant and the curse. I came to warn you of the spies keeping an eye on the castle—and to chastise you for not prioritizing yourself.” His rueful expression suggested he knew he was being hypocritical; he wasn’t prioritizing himself either.

“To chastise me while waist fondling?”

“It’s a more appealing way to do it than with whips and harsh words.”

“I don’t disagree.”

A clank sounded, not from the direction of the root cellar or the castle above but from the tunnel that led into the catacombs.

Vlerion released Kaylina and drew his sword.

“Stay here.” He left her the lantern and advanced into the darkness.

“You might need help.” Kaylina bristled at the order, especially since she had her sling and could assist him, if only in a small way. She refrained from adding something tart, reminding herself that she would need to obey superior officers if she became a ranger, even a part-time ranger.

When Vlerion gave her a long look over his shoulder, she realized he’d given the order more because he didn’t want her to be in danger—something that would rouse strong emotions in him—than because he thought she couldn’t help.

She nodded back and stayed where she was, but she did set down the lantern and step away from it so she wouldn’t be an easy target if someone made it past him. She also drew her sling.

Vlerion padded into the chamber that held a hidden cubby that had been used by the Virts to stash weapons. The darkness swallowed him, so she didn’t know if he continued deeper into the catacombs or stepped to the side to wait for someone’s approach.

Less than a minute after she lost sight of him, the sounds of a scuffle floated back to her. It was close—in that chamber.

A roar echoed from the stone walls. A Kar’ruk roar.

Kaylina readied her sling, poised to run forward to help if Vlerion called out.

Something clattered as it landed on the stone floor at the edge of the lamplight, then skidded into the shadows of a wall. A gauntlet? She couldn’t tell, but it had almost startled her into slinging a round at it.

Thumps and grunts continued, then the sound of a blade clinking off stone. Or armor?

Kaylina couldn’t help but creep forward, leaving the lantern on the floor and following the wall. The next grunt belonged to Vlerion and carried a hint of pain.

She hurried to the chamber’s doorway but she couldn’t see the fight in the gloom. How had Vlerion and the Kar’ruk even found each other? And did Vlerion have more than one enemy? She couldn’t tell.

A moist thud sounded, and she paused. The sounds of the scuffle stopped.

Ahead, the shadows stirred, and Kaylina raised her weapon, not certain who had come out the victor.

“It’s me,” Vlerion said softly, walking into view with a fresh rip in his sleeve and parallel gouges in his leather armor. Claw marks? Fortunately for his ribs—and organs—they hadn’t pierced the armor fully.

“Was it a Kar’ruk? Or an animal?” Kaylina remembered her earlier thought. “Or a Kar’ruk with a trained animal?”

“Just the Kar’ruk, but…” Vlerion frowned at the gouges in his armor, then looked around the chamber.

Kaylina lowered her sling. “Why would a Kar’ruk be coming to Stillguard Castle?”

“Maybe he’s a mead enthusiast. Ah.” Vlerion pointed toward the shadows, the gauntlet on the floor. “He was fighting with that instead of an axe. I managed to knock it off his hand.”

Kaylina crouched to pick up the item that had clattered down and carried it closer to the lantern, almost dropping it when she saw it better. The word gauntlet might apply, but blades extended from above the knuckles, each several inches long. And sharp. Further, they were painted with that same blue concoction that marked the Kar’ruk axes. The blades didn’t glow, or she would have noticed them before, but she was glad she hadn’t touched one.

“Careful. Those are sharp.” Vlerion pointed, then waved to his armor.

“I see. Wet too.” With blood, Kaylina thought at first, but it was water.

“So was he. He might have fallen into that underground lake.”

---