Unicorn Milk

Part the Tenth

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"We're trapped."

"You're trapped." Dilo said as he squirmed his way between the bars then dropped to the floor.

"That is an improvement, I suppose." Said Uros.

The rest of the party was waiting around a warm fire somewhere on the level above. When they had come to the empty stairwell, they had drawn lots to see who would be lucky enough to scout ahead. After the arguments, two clear cases of cheating and several not unsubstantial bribes where dealt with, Uros and Dilo found themselves at the bottom of the stairs facing a long, empty corridor with an open door at the other end.

It had taken them over an hour to clear the hallway, carefully checking every crack, seam and stone looking for traps, secret doors and monsters waiting in ambush, until at last they reached the far door. Another half hour was spent examining every inch of the door and the frame before either had even dared touch it. Then finally, a moment's inattention while crossing the threshold and the cage had instantly sprung up around them, sending Uros's bow clattering to the floor.

The elf was now crammed into a metal cage that dangled four feet from the floor from a thick chain that disappeared into long groove in the ceiling.

Dilo picked himself up and brushed himself off. "It was clearly a trap. You didn't see the trip wire?"

"Clearly not."

"Well, you're jammed up good now. There is no door on the cage to pick, that chain is too thick to cut and whatever it is hanging from is at least a level above."

"A precise summation of my predicament, thank you."

Dilo chose to ignore the sarcasm. "You're welcome." He clapped his hands together. "Well, not all bad news. Trap means that there is something to hide. Unsprung trap means that no one's found it."

The Nome looked around the room. It was one of the circular rooms they were used to finding now. This one had no other exits and there was a stone well in the middle of the room. The only thing out of the ordinary was the groove in the ceiling that ran from above the door to directly above the open well.

With flail in hand, the Nome approached the well. Sneaking up on the side of the well, he quickly jumped up to peer over the side.

"Oh, for the love of the Empress, stop jumping." Uros scoffed. "The well is empty, I can see that from up here."

Dilo shot him a look. "Says the rat in the cage. You think its coincidence that rut up there ends over here?" Taking off his pack, Dilo placed it on the ground. With a careful step, he climbed up and was able to look over the side of the well.

"The thought had crossed my mind, yes." said Uros.

With a loud grinding noise, the chain holding the chain began to inch forward down the track to the well.

"Quickly, take my bow and jam it into the track!" Uros shouted.

Dilo looked thoughtfully up at the swinging cage. "No. I don't think I will."

Uros thrashed at the bars of his cage, causing it to swing violently. All he succeeded in doing is twisting one arm badly up against one of the iron bars. "Traitorous imp!" he barked.

"Now that's not very nice, you barely know me. I'll have you know that I can be very loyal, when the money's right."

Uros squirmed in his cage but said nothing.

"Don't you even want to know why I am doing this?" The Nome asked.

"Not particularly."

"I work for Kleeve the Butcher. You know, the guy who lent Taisce the money for this expedition?"