Dragons of Winter Noght by Weis, Margaret

“We could shout for help;” suggested Tika, trying to keep her voice steady.

“Add draconians to the list, then.” Raistlin snapped. “They’re the only creatures up there liable to hear you.”

Tika’s face flushed, and she brushed her hard quickly across her eyes. Caramon cast a reproachful glance as his brother, then put his arm around Tika and held her close. Raistlin gave them both a look of disgust.

“I haven’t heard a sound up there,” Tanis said, puzzled. “You’d think the dragons and the armies-” He stopped, his glance meeting Caramon’s, both soldiers nodding slowly in sudden grim understanding.

“What?” asked Goldmoon, looking at them.

“We’re behind enemy lines.” Caramon said. “The armies of draconians occupy the town. And probably the land for miles

and miles around. There’s no way out, and nowhere to go if there were a way out.”

As if to emphasize his words, the companions heard sounds above them. Guttural draconian voices that they had come to know all too well drifted down through to them.

“I toll you, this is a waste of time,” whined another voice, goblin by the sound, speaking in Common. “There’s no one alive in this mess”

“Tell that to the Dragon Highlord, you miserable dog-eaters,” snarled the draconian. “I’m sure his lordship’ll be interested in your opinion. Or rather, his dragon’ll be interested. You have your orders. Now dig, all of you.”

There were sounds of scraping, sounds of stones being dragged aside, Rivulets of dirt and dust started to sift down through the cracks. The big beam shivered slightly but held.

The companions stared at each other, almost holding their breaths, each remembering the strange draconians who had attacked the Inn. “Somebody’s after us.” Raistlin had said.

“What are we looking for in this rubble?” croaked a goblin in the goblin tongue. “Silver? Jewels?”

Tanis and Caramon, who spoke a little goblin, strained to hear.

“Naw” said the first goblin, who had grumbled about orders. “Spies or some such wanted personally by the Dragon Highlord for questioning.”

“In haze?` the goblin asked in amazement.

“That’s what I said” snarled his companion. “You saw how far it got. The lizardmen say they had them trapped in the Inn when the dragon hit it. Said none of them escaped, and so the Highlord figures they must still be here. If you ask me-the dracos screwed. up and now we’ve got to pay for their mistakes.”

The sounds of digging and of rock moving grew louder, as did the sound of goblin voices, occasionally punctuated by a sharp order in the guttural voice of the draconians. There must be fifty of them -ate the! Tanis thought, stunned.

Riverwind quietly lifted his sword out of the water and began wiping it dry. Caramon, his usually cheerful face somber, released Tika and found his sword. Tanis didn’t have a sword, Riverwind tossed him his dagger. Tika started to draw her sword, but Tanis shook his head. They would be fighting in close quarters, and Tika needed lots of room. The half-elf looked questioningly at Raistlin.

The mage shook his head. “I will try, Tanis,” he whispered. “But I am very tired. Very tired. And I can’t think, I can’t concentrate.” He bowed his head, shivering violently in his wet robes. He was exerting all his effort not to cough and give them away, muffling his choking in his sleeve.

One spell will finish him, if he gets that off, Tanis realized. Still, he maybe luckier than the rest of us. At least he won’t be taken alive.

The sounds above them grew louder and louder. Goblins are strong, tireless workers. They wanted to finish this job quickly, then get back to looting Tarsis. The companions waited in grim silence below. An almost steady stream of dirt and crushed rock dropped down upon them, along with fresh rainwater. They gripped their weapons. It was only a matter of minutes, maybe, before they were discovered.

Then, suddenly; there were new sounds. They heard the goblins yell in fear, the draconians shout to them, ordering them back to work. But they could hear the sounds of shovels and picks being dropped down onto the rocks above them, then the cursing of the draconians as they tried to stop what was apparently a full-scale goblin revolt.