D & D - Red Sands Read Free

olive grove."
    "Could you find this grove again? The exact spot?"
    "I am certain I could." The fellow sank back on his haunches. "Oh, this is idle talk! We are in the deepest prison in Omerabad. We shall die here!"
    She ignored his despairing remarks. "Do the Faziri know of Prince Lydon's seal?" she asked.
    "No. Only Sir Kannal knew, and he's dead."
    "Good. They must have another use for you. Nothing good, I am sure." Jadira looked around the cell. Apart from its sparse furnishings, it was identical to hers. "I think I know how we may get out of here," she said.
    Marix lifted his head. "How?"
    "To get this much food in, the guard must enter your cell, yes?"
    "He enters, once he sees I have retreated to the rear wall. You're not thinking of overcoming him, are you?"
    "Why not?"
    "He is uncommonly large, with some orcish blood, I think. He carries a cudgel of no mean weight," said Marix.
    "Great trees will fall to a small axe," Jadira said thoughtfully. "Especially if they don't see the axe coming." So saying, she slipped to the floor beside him and told him of her plan.
Keys and Cages
The Menagerie
The Word of Agma
Julli
SHAMMAT
Sacred Chimneys
Hard Duty

Keys and Cages
    Nungwun the guard halted at the cell door. He leaned his knotty club against the wall and shoved the wicket-gate back with one meaty hand. Bending down, he put an eye to the peephole and saw the pale foreigner by the far wall. Marix's hands were folded reverently and his eyes were closed.
    "I bring food," said Nungwun. Marix remained in his prayerful pose. "Y>u stay back or no eat," added the guard. Marix didn't move.
    "Hmph. Crazy outlander." Nungwun closed the trap and released the latch. The heavy door swung inward. The guard hefted his cudgel in his right hand while trying to balance a trencher of food in his left.
    "Is time to eat!" he bellowed. The fellow might have been a statue for all the response he gave.
    Nungwun had to stoop his heavy frame to pass through the door. He set the meal on the table and approached Marix cautiously. Poking him with the narrow end of his club, he asked, "You sick?"
    "Shh!" Marix hissed.
    "What you do?"
    "I'm praying."
    "Why you pray?"
    "I'm asking my patron deity for a favor."
    "Huh! What favor you ask?"
    "I'm begging Tuus, the sun god, to drop a large rock on your head," replied Marix.
    "My head!" growled Nungwun. He stepped back involuntarily and looked up.
    There was Jadira, feet and shoulders wedged between the ceiling corbels, her face contorted with effort. She clutched a tenth-talent block of limestone broken from the wall. When the guard raised his lumpy face, she released the missile. Nungwun toppled like a great tree.
    you see," said Jadira when she was on the floor again, "the gods do grant favors to mortals. Even when the mortal nearly spoils things by causing the target to step back."
    Jadira rifled Nungwun's pockets while Marix stood watch at the door. The bulky guard had little on him they could use. One silver coin (with toothmarks), the cudgel, and a small notched iron rod were all he carried.
    "Keep that," said Marix, indicating the rod.
    "What is it?" asked Jadira.
    "A key. The hall is empty. Let us be off!"
    Marix bolted the door after Jadira joined him in the corridor. He pointed left and said, "I was brought that way and passed a guardroom as I came."
    "So we'll go the other way," said Jadira, moving quickly to the right. They kept close to the wall. The massive blocks bulged outward from their centers like great stone pillows. A rime of soft gray mold filled every crack. Now and then a fat brown rat squealed softly and scurried away into a black hole in the floor.
    The corridor curved to the right. They passed several • ells, bolted and silent. The sickly smell of death was in i lie air. Without a word, Jadira reached back and took Marix's hand.
    A new dark corridor opened up on Jadira's right. 1 learing voices drift down the passage ahead of them she ,md Marix pressed themselves into the shadows.