“Well, Boss. This is it. Think we can crack it?”
I don’t think Guido really expected an answer. He was just talking to break the silence that had fallen over us as we stood looking at our target.
The Municipal Building was an imposing structure, with thick stone walls and a corner tower that stretched up almost out of sight into the darkness. It didn’t look like we could put a dent in it with a cannon . . . if we had a cannon, which we didn’t. I was used to the tents of the Bazaar or the rather ramshackle building style of Klah. While I had been gradually getting over being overawed by the construction prevalent here in Blut, this place intimidated me. I’d seen shakier looking mountains!
“Well, one thing’s for certain,” I began, almost under my breath.
“What’s that?”
“Staring at it isn’t going to make it any weaker.”
Neither of my assistants laughed at my joke, but then again, neither did I.
Shaking off a feeling of foreboding, I turned to my staff.
“All right, Guido. You stay down here and keep watch. Massha? Do you think that belt of yours can lift two? It’s time I went topside and took a good look at this impregnable cell.”
My apprentice licked her lips nervously and shrugged.
“I don’t know, Hot Stuff. I warned you that the controls on this thing don’t work right. It could lift us right into orbit for all I know.”
I patted her shoulder in what I hoped was a reassuring way.
“Well, give it a try and we’ll find out.”
She nodded, wrapped one arm around my chest, and used her other hand to play with the jewels on her belt buckle.