Chapter 32 Red Lodge #2
“I’m going to fall, Venrick,” Hardin said as he shimmied his way down. When he got close enough to him, Venrick helped support Hardin as he huffed and grunted through the descent onto the first story landing.
“That wasn’t so bad, was it? Only one more to go,” Venrick said.
“Aren’t we going to break in again, right here?” Hardin asked.
“What for? The wagon is right there. We need to get it and go find the mine shaft Lark and Ezra were trapped in. It was a through passage.”
“But the Hyalite, it has to be here, right?” Hardin said.
Venrick’s face slackened. If he found that Hyalite, this cursed amulet that threatened to end his life with any misspoken word, or the expected failure of this mission would end. He’d be free to be himself again.
“No. Lark is trapped in there. That magus said—”
“That wizard said he has the Hyalite. The one Lark needs back. We could get it here and bring it back to the mine shaft.”
“There are shadow terrors in the mine. Lark will need help,” Venrick argued.
“Lark already has help down there. Ezra is with her. He’s also a warlock, which is more than most dwarves can claim with their magical abilities.
He will be able to help. If we go in there, we’ll probably get lost and put ourselves in harm’s way.
Then nobody gets the Hyalite back for Lark,” Hardin said.
“But we don’t know if this is where it is.”
“Sasja brought it here. I know it. They don’t know we’re here yet. That’s not going to last forever, especially with Cheyanne…” Hardin’s face slackened.
“Especially with Cheyanne, what? Hardin, don’t make me dig it out of you,” Venrick threatened.
“Ash, I wasn’t going to say anything until we knew the Hyalite was here for sure,” he said, clutching the bricks of the stone wall they stood on.
The second story window opened above them, and they both went rigid. “Sasja,” the magus’ voice said. “Did you leave this window open?”
“No, you must’ve,” she replied.
There was a long silence before the man hummed to himself, then closed the window. Hardin looked up at the window with a slight smile on his lips. Venrick narrowed his eyes at him, and whisper-shouted, “Hardin, you want to go back so you can see Sasja!”
“What?” he said with a flush. “No. Why would you say that. She stole from us, twice.”
“Right. She isn’t on our side.”
“But don’t you think it’s odd that she hasn’t handed it over to any of the Northern Kings?” he said.
“Who do you think these people are working for? More than half the crime that goes on back in Lamar and Doran is funded by the Nordraven.”
“I’m not convinced that she’s all bad,” Hardin admitted. “Yes, I want to talk to her, but I know that will get us killed. So, I won’t. I know how important it is that we recover this magical object. I say we do it now.”
“If it’s here and if it were me that had the Hyalite, I’d be keeping it stored in that castle-like building over there,” Venrick said, pointing to the fortress that was now visible from their expanded view of the city.
“The magus said they have it. That must mean it’s here. Lark hid it in plain sight for the whole trip to get to Astral City. Maybe that’s what they’re doing.”
“Fine. If it gets you to stop talking me off this ledge, then I’ll help you. Any wards we come across though are your responsibility. I’m not having my hands severed by reaching out to touch something that’s magically guarded.”
“And if we do recover it for Lark, you’ll be in charge of the storage.”
“I’d need to get down to the wagon for that. The chest is in the wagon.”
“It’s not that far of a jump down to it,” Hardin suggested.
“How are you going to stand there and say that right after you just grunted your way off that ledge?” Venrick replied.
“You’re half elf. It’s easier for you.”
“Why do humans always say that? You know it’s because of that kind of thinking why I’m treated differently.”
“I didn’t mean it like that. I just meant that you’re better physically at this kind of thing than I am.”
“In this case, you’re right, I am. I can get down and back up, but you’ll need to leave the window open for me,” Venrick said.
“I’ll be in this room,” Hardin said.
Venrick wasn’t sure if his ability to channel would work with the uncut Yogo Sapphire he’d pocketed before fleeing the firestorm with Ingamar, but he had to try.
He reached for it, feeling the energy vibrating through the stone.
He cast the basic unlocking spell. The first story window clicked, then opened a crack.
“It worked,” he stammered.
Hardin pulled it wide open. “Ven, this one was open,” he said giving Venrick a thumbs up.
Venrick nearly rolled his eyes before leaping down and landing lightly on top of the wagon.
Thunder and Giant stirred as he walked across the roof and climbed down the side ladder.
Glancing around quickly, he slipped inside the safety of Tel’s weapons wagon.
Once inside, Venrick retrieved the enchanted chest, the one Lark was supposed to take into the cave with her.
He ran his fingers over the raised runes embossed onto the ironwood.
“Am I a fool to be listening to Hardin right now?” he asked himself. “Why would the Hyalite be here and not in the fortress?”
He pulled the red amulet out from under his armor.
The circular amulet, rimmed in gold, held the ruby red stone.
He saw unfamiliar runes etched into the sides.
The red light moved within, tracing tendrils of light that arched and fractured through the red stone.
It was eerily similar in looks to the Hyalite.
“Should I be going to find Lark now or risk this chance at finding the Hyalite?” Venrick asked himself. “I could go back up to the window, get Hardin, and we could be on our way in moments.”
He nodded to himself, making up his mind, and lowering the chest. The wagon rocked to the side, causing him to stumble. When he regained his balance, the wagon lurched into motion.
His heart sank into his stomach. Venrick rushed to the door and tried to open it. It wouldn’t budge. He was trapped inside, being taken to an unknown location in an unfamiliar place across enemy lines.