“What in the name of the Abyss was that?” Caramon exclaimed. “Those weren’t draconians, unless they’ve come up with a short, fat breed. And where’d they come from?”
“They came from the north end of the hall,” Tas said. “There’s a doorway there and one to the south. The weird screeching sounds come from the south, where those things were headed.”
“What’s east?” Tanis asked.
“Judging by the sound of falling water I could hear, about a thousand-foot drop,” the kender replied. “The floor’s caved in. I wouldn’t recommend walking over there.”
Flint sniffed. “I smell something . . . something familiar. I can’t place it.”
“I smell death,” Goldmoon said, shivering, holding her staff close.
“Naw, this is something worse,” Flint muttered. Then his eyes opened wide and his face grew red with rage and anger. “I’ve got it!” he roared. “Gully dwarf!” He unslung his axe. “That’s what those miserable little things were. Well, the won’t be gully dwarves for long. They’ll be stinking corpses!”
He dashed forward. Tanis, Sturm, and Caramon leaped after him just as he reached the end of the corridor and dragged him back.
“Keep quiet!” Tanis ordered the sputtering dwarf. “Now, how sure are you that they are gully dwarves?”
The dwarf angrily shook himself from Caramon’s grasp. “Sure!” he started to roar, then dropped it to a loud whisper. “Didn’t they hold me prisoner for three years?”
“Did they?” Tanis asked, startled.
“That’s why I never told you where I was these last five years,” the dwarf said, flushing with embarrassment. His face darkened. “But I swore I’d get revenge. I’ll kill every living gully dwarf I come across.”
“Wait a minute,” Sturm interrupted. “Gully dwarves aren’t evil-not like goblins at any rate. What could they be doing living here with draconians?”
“Slaves,” Raistlin answered coolly. “Undoubtedly the gully dwarves have lived here many years, probably ever since the city was abandoned. When the draconians were sent, perhaps, to guard the Disks, they found the gully dwarves and used them as slave labor.”
“They might be able to help us then,” Tanis murmured.
“Gully dwarves!” Flint exploded. “You’d trust those filthy little-”
“No,” Tanis said. “We cannot trust them, of course. But nearly every slave is willing to betray his master, and gully dwarves-like most dwarves-feel little loyalty to anyone except their own chieftains. As long as we don’t ask them to do anything that might endanger their own dirty skins, we might be able to buy their aid.”
“Well, i’ll be an ogre’s hind end!” Flint said in disgust. He hurled his axe to the ground, tore his pack off, and slumped down against the wall, arms folded. “Go on. Go ask your new friends to help you. I’ll not be with you! They’ll help you, all right. Help you right up the dragon’s snout!”
Tanis and Sturm exchanged concerned glances, remembering the boat incident. Flint could be incredibly stubborn, and Tanis thought it quite likely that this time the dwarf would prove immovable.
“I dunno.” Caramon sighed and shook his head. “It’s too bad the dwarf’s staying behind. If we do get the gully dwarves to help us, who’ll keep the scum in line?”
Amazed that Caramon could be so subtle, Tanis smiled and picked up on the warrior’s lead. “Sturm, I guess.”
“Sturm!” The dwarf bounded to his feet. “A knight who won’t stab an enemy in the back? You need someone who knows these foul creatures-”
“You’re right, Flint,” Tanis said gravely. “I guess you’ll have to come with us.”
“You bet,” Flint grumbled. He grabbed his things and stumped off down the corridor. He turned around. “You coming?”
Hiding their smiles, the companions followed the dwarf out into the Hall of the Ancestors. They kept close to the wall, avoiding the treacherous floor. They headed south, following the gully dwarves, and entered a dimly lit passage that ran south only a few hundred feet, then turned sharply east. Once again they heard the cracking noise. The metallic screeching had stopped. Suddenly, they heard behind them the sound of pounding feet.
“Gully dwarves!” growled Flint.
“Back!” Tanis ordered. “Be ready to jump them. We can’t let them raise an alarm!”