Free City of Gold by Daniel Blackaby Page B

Gub. From there you will be turned over to Captain Eagleton and escorted back to your cell.”
    Randilin shrugged indifferently. “Anything beats playing a blasted servant.”
    Chazic stood, having finished healing Tryin’s wounds. “Randilin’s fate is not our chief concern,” he announced. “We’re lucky to be alive.”
    Dace nodded, pacing back and forth. “We’ve been betrayed. That’s the only explanation. That was no small force. They knew our route and were ready. Somebody’s leaked our plans.”
    “Randilin!” Xerx accused.
    The dwarf huffed with disgust. “You better watch your filthy mouth, you lousy…”
    “Enough! Randilin is the obvious choice,” Dace cut in, “but he was in his cell during the council. An ambush of this scale demands time and planning. I fear Atlantis has been infiltrated by a mole.”
    Tat came galloping into their midst. “We must make haste. The enemy closes in from beyond the next dune. Two more Dark-Wielders are with them.”
    “If our plans have indeed been compromised then we must take an alternative route,” Dace concluded.
    Before he could stop himself, Cody spouted, “We should head north to the caves.” Dace and Tat became serious. “How do you know of the Caves of Revelation?”
    Cody took a step back. “I…uh…probably just…well…” he stammered.
    He was shoved aside by Randilin. “The boy’s suggestion is folly! I wouldn’t step within a thirty-mile radius of that accursed place!”
    “Unfortunately, for you,” Dace responded, “a prisoner has no voice in the matter. Tat?”
    The scout adjusted his pointed hat. “The route to the Caves will bring us perilously close to the Garga Territory.”
    “Garga?” Cody interrupted.
    “Pagans,” Dace offered as explanation. “Defectors of Atlantis many, many years ago. They are no friends to any who worship the Orb. They are strictly territorial, but they will attack if they feel threatened. And, they are ruthless demons in combat.”
    “In other words, their cult is not a beehive we can afford to disturb,” Randilin groused. “We should take another bloody route.”
    Dace glanced to Tat. The guide nodded. “A man can only cross one bridge at a time. Our more pressing concern is the platoon of golems and Wielders behind us. Our small band would have the decided advantage of speed through the cavernous terrain.”
    Dace agreed. “Mount up. We head north to the caves.”
    Randilin’s beady eyes narrowed. “So be it.”

21
    Starting Fires
    “LET ME OUT!” the female’s voice was coarse and her words muffled by a coughing fury. Her knuckles were white as she yanked on the solid steel bars of her encasement. “How long are you going to keep me here?!” Her pleas received no reply. She slumped back in exhaustion.
    Across the room a tall man reclined in a padded chair filing his nails. He held out his manicured hand to inspect his work, completely unaffected by the prisoner’s desperate shouting.
    The woman took a deep breath as she prepared for another tirade. Her plans were foiled when three hooded figures silently appeared. Their sudden presence had no effect on the lounging man.
    The tallest of the three was hidden except for his exposed, thistly beard. The body shape of his associate established her as an exceedingly thin female with red hair flowing from her hood to her chest.
    The third figure stepped forward. “Lord Dunstan,” he began, addressing the man. “The boy’s path is set. He will reach the caverns by nightfall.”
    Dunstan smiled. “Glorious news, Agent Two. The master will be most pleased.”
    The red-haired woman shook her scoped rifle toward the tiny jail across the room. “How long are we going to keep the hostage?” she questioned in an edgy voice.
    Dunstan chuckled. “Patience, Agent Six. There will be plenty of time for killing later. As for now, our prisoner is leverage. Until the moment that our contact requests this package to be delivered, our prisoner will