Page 9 (1/2)

So that hat they sought in this coo back in tiht have been willing to help others," Cade began, "but after seeing what Mariketa did to the Lykae, I bet the witchling will leave us here to rot"

"Is that true?" Rydstrom asked Mari

Possibly

"Of course it's not," Tera answered for her "Mariketa wouldn't leave us any more than ould desert her She's part fey Look at her ears The Hie be damned - somewhere in time, her ancestors are our ancestors"

"Oh, then by that reasoning, she won't leave me either," Cade said, sarcasm in his voice "She and I are both mercenaries There's a code there"

"It's incidental if I would leave anyone behind," Mari finally said "I don't know that I could lift it"

"What do youI can feel your power even now"

"I I blow things up," she admitted "And I mostly don't mean to Mostly"

Cade shook his head "The entire structure's resting on the portcullis If you explode that stone, the tomb would come down like a house of cards"

Rydstrom said, "Let's look at odds and make a rational decision - exactly how often do you accidentally blow things up?"

"The tiick to work?" she said "Ninety-nine out of a hundred"

As Tierney swore under his breath, Cade said, "So we look for another way out Did anyone find an exit in any of the cha to be any exits," Tera said, her attention riveted to a frieze above the portcullis Intricate anilyphics were carved into the stone

"Why do you say that?" Rydstro to solyphs "Because this is a jail"

"You've deciphered those marks?" Mari asked Tera

Tierney answered for her, "She knows all languages"

Tera translated for the six deainst the daughter of a powerful sorcerer"

"They probably all seduced her, then pops gets pissed," Tierney said "Locks them away here"

Tera nodded "The Mayans were custodians for them, of a sort Kept them locked up - and fed periodically"

"That explains the sacrificial headdresses," Cade said "Mayan females were offered up"

Tera continued, "They're cursed never to leave this place - short of death According to these calendrics, they have been here for eleven hundred and eleven years"

"Well, that can't be right," Mari said "No one's home - "