Lannach stepped back and considered. Both Danny and Jerry had their arms
raised and away from their bodies. June had both her fists jammed in her
mouth. Wiz’s arms were out, slightly away from his body. Clearly it would
be easier to reach his ring.
But even with his hands down, Wiz’s ring was still easily at three times
Lannach’s height. The brownie looked around frantically, but there was
nothing he could use as a ladder anywhere in the room.
Lannach reached above Wiz’s boot and touched his leg. The fabric of his
pants moved easily under his tiny hand. Not ideal, but it would have to
do. Carefully he stretched up and grabbed Wiz’s pant leg, pulling himself
up to stand on the top of Wiz’s boot.
He had just reached belt level when a shadow in the hall told him someone
was coming. It was too far to jump to the floor and there was no obvious
place to hide. But Wiz’s jerkin was the kind that laced all the way down
the front. Quickly he wiggled his way beneath the jerkin, clinging to the
shirt for dear life.
The guard’s little red eyes shifted back and forth as it scanned the room.
Lannach pressed himself close and dared not to breathe. He knew he must
make an unsightly bump on Wiz’s stomach. He just hoped the guard didn’t
notice it.
Finally the creature gave a piglike grunt and shambled out the door,
trailing his halberd behind him. Lannach closed his eyes and sighed in
relief. He lost his grip and squeaked in terror as he almost slipped out
of the jerkin. Then he resumed his ascent of Mt. Wiz.
A quick reach and grab gave Lannach a double handful of Wiz’s shirt
sleeve. Resolutely ignoring the drop below, the brownie swung his body out
until he could wrap his legs around Wiz’s forearm. Then he shinnied down
the arm feet-first, locked his legs around Wiz’s wrist and reached out
with both hands for the ring.
It was an awkward position and the stone was stiff. It took all of
Lannach’s strength to turn it.
Suddenly Wiz relaxed and dropped his arms, nearly dashing Lannach to the
floor.
Wiz shook his head, felt the weight on his right arm and looked down to
see Lannach clinging to his shirt sleeve for dear life. He put his left
hand out to support the brownie’s feet.
“Thanks, Lannach,” Wiz said.
“We pay our debts, Lord.”
Quickly he set the brownie down on the floor and moved to free his
companions.
“Where are we?” Wiz asked the brownie.
“In your enemies’ castle, Lord. They attacked the Mousehole, stole the
computer and then destroyed the place.”
“Damn!” Wiz breathed. “What about the rest of your people?”
“All here, Lord. Save only Breachean. We think he got away.”
“Thank God for that.”
“There is more, Lord,” Lannach squeaked. “The Council is preparing to
attack this place with everything they have.”
“They’ll be slaughtered!”
“Perhaps, but with you and the others dead, they saw it as their only
chance.”
“Can you get word to them that we’re still alive?”
“Alas, Lord, their magic blocks us here.”
“Damn!”
“Doesn’t make much difference,” Jerry said grimly. “If we don’t stop Mikey
and Craig right now we’re cooked anyway.”
“Damn!” Wiz said for the third time. He thought hard. “Okay, I guess our
best chance is to do all the damage we can in here. The first thing we’ve
got to do is take out that computer.”
“That will not be easy,” Lannach said dubiously. “It is heavily guarded.
Besides, your enemies get little enough use of their prize. When they
brought the computer they brought the gremlins with it. Now the whole
castle is infested.”
“The gremlins are here?”
“In greater numbers than ever, I fear.”
“Hey Lannach,” Danny said. “Do you think you could, like, stir those
gremlins up a little?”
The little man grinned. “You mean encourage them to cause trouble? Easily,
my Lord.”
“Then do it,” Wiz commanded. “Let’s turn this place into a gremlin
jamboree.”
“With pleasure. But what will you do?”
“We,” said Wiz, “are going to stage our own jamboree.”
With Wiz in the lead the group made its way down the hall. Lannach had