He was a dead man. Or soon, he would be. Hilko knew in his soul that Jenrar would betray him. That’s why he stopped there. She would take this route to find Regaar. Hilko was trying to figure out if he could kill the woman. He pulled out his dagger and then slammed it back into the sheath. Disgusted at his weakness, he cussed at himself. He knew he could not kill her in cold blood.

“I could do it,” Thoma said next to him. Hilko jumped, nearly sliding down on his rear.

“You could do what?” The smuggler pulled himself up along the wall.

“Kill her. That’s what you’re thinking. I heard her force you to pay. She’s a bitch.”

There was venom in his tone.

“Well, I can’t do something like that. I’m not like Regaar and his thugs. I used to think I was better. Maybe I’m just a coward. Anyway, it won’t matter. Before too long, she’ll get to Regaar or one of his men, and then Silna and I will hang over the dock. He’ll want to keep those Faters happy.” 

Thoma sighed.

“Did she tell you where your friend is?” Hilko nodded. Thoma told him to stay in the shadows. The spirit left, and after a short while, Hilko heard a crashing rumble nearby. He stuck his head out to look down at the shaft, only to catch a wave of dust in his face. Coughing, he backed into the shadows again as a crowd quickly filled the tunnel. The smuggler forced his way through the dusty distraction, working his way to a nearby shaft.

After he took the turn, Hilko looked back around the corner and saw a luminous glow coming through the mass of people. Thoma caught up, and he was laughing.

“You didn’t kill your mom, did you?” Hilko’s eyes were wide, expecting the worst.

His expression made the spirit laugh harder. Finally, Thoma calmed down enough to speak just as another small crowd rushed along the other tunnel. “No, I’m not a thug either. But I bought you some time.”

“What do you mean?” The runner asked.

“Simple. I just dropped the entrance down. It caved in the front side.” The spirit smiled ghoulishly. “You should have seen her face when that wall collapsed. I remembered this weak spot above the door where my dad put up a piece of wood he found somewhere a long time ago, right before he died. Wood was all rotten now. Mom won’t be getting out of there for a while. It’ll take some digging.”

“Are you sure she’s alright?”

“You bet. Listen, do you think I want her following me around?” Thoma swooped away, then glanced back with a smile. “That’s the luck I’d have if I killed her. Now, let’s go get your friend.”

Hilko found Thoma waiting for him at the entrance into the wheelhouse. The men working for Regaar scattered oil lamps around the edge of the circular room and gave off a slight yellow glow. The runner looked around the area while remaining in the shadows with his hood up. Only a few people stayed near the open platform, and the thin man quickly noticed Regaar’s bodyguards standing at the entryway into the fat man’s lair.

“Now what? I’m not walking past them.” Hilko whispered.

Thoma gave him a ghastly grin.

“I have an idea. Just come running when you see it.” The ghost glided away before the smuggler could ask for more information. Before he reached the guards, Thoma disappeared.

The time stood still for Hilko as he held his breath when a ragged-looking couple left the platform and passed by his position. Then his eyes widened as he saw the guards at the entrance suddenly turn. They were looking back into the dark area behind them. One man ambled into the tunnel.

Suddenly, he heard a thudding noise, and he saw the second guard rush into the dark shaft. Deciding that was his queue, the smuggler glanced around before dashing to the entrance into Regaar’s quarters. He slowed before entering the dimly lit corridor. At the fork, he found Thoma hovering above the laid-out bodies of the guards. The ghost smiled at the surprised expression on Hilko’s face.

“Somebody dropped a rock on their heads. Good thing they had their helmets on. This one took a couple of heavy hits before he went out.” Thoma shot over close Hilko. “I’m getting pretty good at moving things now.”

Nodding, the runner turned toward the other tunnel.

“I wish you could have led them down the other tunnel. Now I have to drag them.”

“You complain a lot; you know that? Oh, get their weapons,” the spirit reminded him. “I can’t carry them.”

Hilko glared at him but went over to the unconscious men. After dragging the guards away, he took their rapiers. The thin-bladed sword was expensive and deadly if you knew how to use one. Only Regaar’s most trusted men carried them.

“You check ahead and make sure nobody else is waiting.” The smuggler whispered to his ghost. “I’ll tie them up.”

~~~

While trying to ignore her hunger and pain, Silna focused on the few fun and positive things in her past. She saw the image of her mother, then her brother, leaving tears to blur her vision. But the illustrations in her head were fleeting. Shivering, she curled up in a fetal position again while the thoughts of her eventual death. Torture and rapes awaited her before execution. After her betrayal, she could only hope for a quick death.

I’m just another one fated to die a terrible death!

“Silna?”

The woman jerked up from her slab, staring at the ghost standing outside her cell. At first, she couldn’t believe her eyes. Covered in the dirt with a ripped tunic, Hilko never looked so good. He had two baldric belts strapped over his shoulders. The woman remained paralyzed as he unlocked the door with a crude skeleton key he took from a nearby wall.

“Come on, we have to get out of here,” Hilko went inside the cell, then turned back to the tunnel.

“Look out for anyone coming!”

Silna suddenly hurried toward the entrance.

“Do you have help?”

She nearly fell in his arms when her legs gave out, and her size almost knocked Hilko off his feet. He ignored her question as he helped Silna to stand.

“That pufta did this to you!” His voice choked in anger and grief when his mind finally registered the full extent of her injuries.

She nodded.

“I’ll be alright; let’s just go.”

Silna’s arm tightened over his shoulder, and she limped forward, pulling him with her. Her adrenalin helped the woman move forward as Hilko heard her soft grunts pushing through the pain.

Their luck held, and the pair soon reached the unconscious guards near the wheelhouse entrance. One guard stirred, rolling over on his side while shaking his head. Hilko noticed Thoma crouch down to pick up a rock as he propped Silna against the tunnel wall. The runner pulled a rapier from his belt, using the blade to cut the leather cord that bound the prisoner’s wrists. He carefully rolled the big man over on his back with his foot and pointed the sword point at the man’s throat.

“Strip down, you pufta,” Hilko ordered softly. “If you try anything, I’ll stick you like a roasted pig.”

At first, the guard appeared unable to comprehend Hilko’s order. Then, Hilko pushed the sharp blade into the man’s throat with enough pressure to start a trickle of blood. The guard suddenly came to life as he clumsily removed his tunic and shirt while lying on the ground. He paused, but Silna stumbled over to kick him in the side.

“Get those pants off,” she growled. “If you don’t hurry, I’ll cut off that small penis of yours.”

While he hastily complied, and Silna put on his garments as fast as her sore body allowed. The clothes were too large for her. The woman ripped a piece of cloth from the long stockings she wore and stuffed it in the prisoner’s mouth before rolling him over on his belly.

After re-tying his wrists with the leather cord, she slammed the man’s head into the floor.

“I should gut you like a fish. Tell Regaar that I’ll kill him next time I see him.”

While Silna finished with the guard, Hilko looked out at the open chamber area ahead of them. The wheelhouse remained quiet. However, two men stood near the center pedestal. Fortunately, none of them knew Hilko. Hilko noticed Thoma nearby in the middle of the tunnel. The ghost was happily dancing his sailor jig while Regaar’s men smoked their pipes and talked.

“Get over here,” he whispered with a glare.

The ghost frowned but stopped his dance as he swept over to the living man.

“I need a diversion to get Silna and me out to the main tunnel. Can you handle it?” Hilko asked

Thoma smiled and floated off to the roof, hovering above the men.

Hilko suddenly realized Silna stood next to him. Her wide eyes told him she had overheard his conversation. He recognized she thought he was crazy.

“No time to explain,” he growled.

“Here, take this.”

The man hastily removed one of the baldric belts, giving her the leather strap and weapon.

“I can’t use one of these things,” she hesitated.

“Neither can I, but they are worth a lot, and I’m not going down without fighting. Now put it on.” He looked up, watching as Thoma worked on an area of different-colored rock in the ceiling.

“Once the rock comes down, just follow me and keep your head down. We’re heading home,” he explained as his confidence grew at the shards breaking away from Thoma’s efforts.

When she looked up to the area where Hilko stared, Silna noticed the larger pieces of sandstone breaking away and falling from the cavern ceiling.

“Curse Zaarin, it’s coming down!” One of the pipe smokers yelled as they immediately scattered.  

Hilko was already moving forward as Silna limped along to catch up. She glanced at the two men who slowed; their attention remained on the stone fragments still coming down. Neither of them noticed Hilko and Silna swiftly walking into the main tunnel. By the time Regaar’s men turned around to the sound of footsteps going away, she and Hilko were in the tunnel, heading to the surface.