Corpus Tamrielicum - The Imperial Library

[30.8] KING EDWARD VIII
"Here's the ropes," Beech said, feeling along the wall. There were three ropes. Edward, Beech
and Ssa'ass went up first; Aliera, Willow and Silk followed. Moraelyn and Mith were waiting
above. Two guards were snoring softly in a heap.
"How..." Edward began, and found his mother's hand clapped over his mouth. A guard from
another wall section called out and Edward's heart stopped beating. Mith called something
back to him and tramping footsteps moved away.
The Companions went silently down the stairs and slipped across the yard like shadows.
There was no guard on the door to the keep itself. Inside the passages were eerily quiet. They
stopped at an imposing door and flattened themselves against the wall beside it. They could
hear voices within. A thin chilling wail sounded and died away. Moraelyn whistled a snatch
of song into the silence that followed. The door swung open and they raced inside, falling on
the startled guards like furies.
Edward was last inside, Tooth in his hand; he stabbed the nearest guard in the side, and Beech
finished him with a blow to the head. Mats had been inside; it was he who had opened the
door. His axe clove the head of one guard, then swung against the inner door. Aliera and
Willow had barred the strong outer door. Moraelyn's opponent was a very young man. He'd
taken one look at the big dark elf, dropped his sword and fallen to his knees, praying for
mercy.
Moraelyn eyed him with disgust and said, "Greet Zenithar for me; tell him Moraelyn of
Ebonheart commends you to his mercy. I have none for such as you." He slashed the young
guard's throat. Blood sprayed over Moraelyn's leathers. His victim fell over, gurgling horribly.
A burning acid rose in Edward's throat; he swallowed hard and looked away.
The guards inside the anteroom had been dispatched, but outside the door shouts and footfalls
thundered and there was pounding on the door. Edward followed his mother into the inner
chamber, which was empty save for a naked girl tied spreadeagle on the enormous bed, her
eyes starting from her head.
The Companions cut her free while Aliera caught her shoulders. "Thy grandmother sent us,
child. Where's the baron?"
The girl pointed at a bookcase, then clung to Aliera. She was no bigger than Edward and
seemed not much older. Her breasts were just beginning. She was covered with welts and
blood and purple-yellow bruises. Aliera flung her own cloak over the girl. Beech picked her
up. Mith's fingers were feeling over the bookcase; there was a click and a section slid aside.
He went through cautiously. The others followed and the secret door closed after them.
"I think it's just a bolt hole," Mith said, "but there'll be traps, no doubt."
"Go warily, then, friend," Aliera said. "There's no hurry. I think the baron plans to show his
departing guests the door, as a good host should."
A narrow passage opened to the left. Mith sent a bolt of light down it. The floor was littered
with bones. Human bones. Small skulls stared eyelessly. "I'm going to enjoy killing him,"
Moraelyn said.
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