Dhampir

Leesil examined a clearly visible hatch door in the center of the floor.

"What are you waiting for?" Magiere asked.

"This one is different," he said almost to himself. "Whoever put this place together never expected anyone to find that outside entrance, and probably never, used it, so there wasn't a real need for active safeguards." His head rose until his gaze settled upon Magiere. "We have to go down. I don't know any more about this kind of hunting than you, but I'm sure they'll be sleeping somewhere underground."

"What do you mean you don't know?" Brenden asked. He looked at Magiere. "Wasn't this how you earned a living before Miiska?"

The half-elf gri

Brenden stepped back and then did so again, until his back was nearly against the wall. Leesil slowly walked around the hatch door as if memorizing every part of it. The blacksmith experienced a wave of discomfort after quite a bit of precious time passed and Leesil still continued his study.

"We need to hurry," Brenden said. "The sun will be down soon."

"Daylight won't help us if we're dead," came Leesil's answer.

A small hole had been cut in one edge of the door to form a simple handle. All one need do was slip his fingers through and lift. Leesil crouched down to dig in his bag, but rather than his box of strange tools, he pulled out a stake.

"Both of you get down behind one of the couches. And hold Chap tight," he said. "I'm going to use a stake to open this slightly. When I do, a poisoned needle is going to jab the point. After that, I'll try to lift the door, but there may be further surprises." He paused. "I once saw a general rig poison gas to a door like this. If I yell, get into the shaft, no matter what."

Brenden looked back and forth between his two companions, who were now staring at each other. It was obvious that Leesil was displaying skills and knowledge previously unknown to Magiere. Her expression was more than a little troubled, but she moved back and hid behind a richly upholstered couch. Brenden did the same, peering around one side to watch.

"Be careful," Magiere called.

"No, really?" Leesil said and gently pushed the stake's point through the opening. A loud click followed.

"Got the needle," he said, and then he flattened himself low to the floor, one leg folded underneath, presumably so he could dive aside if need be. "Keep your heads down."

He levered the stake to lift the door's edge, then gave a quick, sharp thrust and pulled back as the hatch flipped open.

A crack sounded out twice from the opening. Well shielded behind the couch, both Brenden and Magiere still ducked quickly in reflex as two crossbow quarrels shot out. The first passed over Leesil, aimed where a person would lean down to pull the door open. The other now protruded from the front of the couch behind which Brenden and Magiere hid. Brenden peered at it over the top of the couch.

"Wait," Leesil said, holding one hand up. "I'm not sure that's everything." He disappeared down the hole.

Magiere didn't do as he bid, but rather crawled around the couch and over to the opening, carefully peeking over the edge. "What are you doing?"

"Just making sure." Leesil's voice was mute and dull coming from somewhere below. "I think you can come down now."

Brenden joined Magiere, contemplating how to lower Chap, but the dog solved his problem by jumping through and landing next to Leesil. Magiere followed, and the blacksmith went last.

He found himself standing in a narrow tu

"It's a simple trick really," Leesil said. "You just mount them solidly, load them up, and then run a wire or string from the door to the firing mechanisms."

"If you two have finished admiring these would-be murder weapons," Magiere interjected in a low, irritated voice, "we need to move on. Light a torch."

Edwan arrived back at the tu

What if this stranger was somehow guiding the hunter's movements? She seemed so proud, yet she sought his guidance.

Edwan knew he must tell Teesha. She would understand what all the words meant-at least the words he could remember. She would know what to do.

He pla

Some time ago, Edwan had begged Teesha to move her coffin away from Rashed's, so that he might have a brief span of privacy with her as she retired or when she arose. And she had agreed. Now, he hurried to her. With a bright flash, he appeared visibly in the center of her private underground chamber, frustrated that he lacked the ability to open the lid of her coffin.

"My dear," he said aloud. "You must wake up."

Edwan tried to push his consciousness back to when he'd been alive and could have at least tried to protect her. What would he have done? His thoughts had so long been trapped between the mortal and spirit world, he found it difficult to focus on anything more than the specific details of the moment at hand, let alone a time long gone.

"Teesha." He attempted using his thoughts this time, allowing his noncorporeal form to pass through the smooth lid of her coffin so that he could see her sleeping face. "Wake up."

Her eyes remained closed like a sweet child lost in sleep. Dusk was just begi

Edwan drew back out of the chamber into the stone and packed-earth tu

Rapid movement being one of the few gifts left to him, he concentrated upon his presence and vanished.

Leesil kept his equipment bag slung over one shoulder. He held a short torch out in front of him, but wanted his other hand completely free. Chap walked directly behind him, then Magiere, and Brenden brought up the rear, carrying the other torch. He warned both of them not to touch anything, even the walls, unless he told them it was safe.

It had been a long time since he had a reason to locate a sleeping target, and usually the job called for climbing up, not down. Keeping his attention on the task at hand, he moved slowly, examining the floor, walls, and ceiling carefully before stepping forward. He ignored Brenden's continued comments about the need for haste.