Chapter Ten

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Their room was on the third floor of the inn. Gibb inserted the key, and as the door swung open, Meyer heard a strange piercing sound that jarred his senses like nails scraping against porcelain. For a moment, he thought it might be the door hinges creaking, but the sound persisted as Sarn pushed him into the room, filling his ears from all directions and causing a painful ringing inside his head. He was about to ask about the noise, but then the door was shut and the sound was gone. He looked at Sarn and Gibb, but they showed no signs of having heard the unpleasant ringing. Meyer tapped his ears. Perhaps he had just imagined the sound. He looked up and glanced around the modestly sized room. It had three single beds dressed in white sheets folded over brown blankets, and the walls were bare besides two yellow curtains that framed the window.

"Well, might as well be a palace," said Gibb. He placed the room key down on the table beside him, and then kicked off his shoes, throwing his body onto the farthest bed from the door. "Goodnight!" said Halfling, curling up beneath the blankets.

Meyer walked over to the nearest bed and sat down, watching as Sarn pulled the curtains closed, and then sat down on the middle bed, unlacing his boots. He walked across the room, retrieving the small metal key from the table. After locking the door, he returned the key before turning to face Meyer.

"I'm going to shut the light," he said.

Meyer wasn't sure if it was a question or a statement. He nodded, but already Sarn had taken the glowstone which was illuminating the room and placed it in the small drawer beneath the table. Sarn pushed the drawer shut, and at once the room was black. Meyer lifted his legs onto his bed and pulled the covers around himself. For several minutes, he relaxed into the mattress, appreciating how nice the softness of a bed felt beneath him after two weeks of sleeping on the ground. A strong urge came upon him to close his eyes, but he rolled over and fought the desire. His chance of escape had arrived. All he had to do was wait until both Gibb and Sarn were asleep...just had to wait a little bit longer...

And then he was surrounded by bodies. He tried to look around, but the faces were hazy. All he saw were endless forms in dark colors―and weapons―the people around him were armed... Just as his vision began to come into focus, a terrible voice echoed through his being, his consciousness consumed by its power. Wise you have been to join my cause. A deafening roar pounded through his body. You who have been scattered and outcasted will find honor again. Shouts stormed together like thunder. Soon the land will tremble before our might. The cries were so loud―painful―his head was going to split. Meyer screamed, but there was no sound, and instead he was awake.

With a clunky abruptness, Meyer sat up. He wasn't supposed to have fallen asleep. For a moment he stared around the strange dark room, but then he remembered he was in the Morning Star Inn. This was supposed to be his chance for escape. He was lucky that a nightmare had woken him up. As quietly as he could, Meyer pushed the covers to the foot of his bed. He waited, listening for any signs that he might have disturbed Sarn or Gibb.

There was only silence.

He gently swung his legs over the side of the bed, and placed his feet on the ground. He stood slowly, staring at his captors. He had a strange feeling that Sarn's senses were never truly dormant. Still, neither of his captors moved, and as Meyer stood in the darkness, he realized he had no choice but to try his luck. With as much stealth as he could manage, he tiptoed towards the small table.

Suddenly his right foot collided with a hard cylinder. Meyer managed to stifle his cry of pain, but the sound of the table sliding back into the wall seemed loud enough to wake the dead. Meyer held his breath as Sarn stirred and rollover in his sleep. Gibb kept on snoring.

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