Assassin's Rise by CJ Whrite Page B

up, but no guards came sweeping down the tunnel.
    “Looks like they either
don’t care or haven’t noticed,” said Jeklor finally.
    “Let’s hope it’s the
latter,” said Roland and stepped back, running his fingers along
the board supporting the roof, a deep frown on his face. “Could we
–” He looked up and down the tunnel, his eyes narrowed in
concentration.
    “Jeklor, help me,” he
said.
    They dashed down the
tunnel toward another wooden board propped against the side, two
poles lying on top of it. They rolled the poles off the board and
carried the board back toward the empty cart.
    “Like this,” Roland
said and held the board over the cart opening. The board was twice
the width of the cart, but the same length – maybe a little
shorter, thought Roland as he measured with his eyes.
    “I have an idea,” he
said and grinned.
    *
    The gong sounded three
times and prisoners throughout the mine lifted their heads at the
glorious sound of the dull chimes; they had survived another
day.
    Roland could hear tools
being dropped and chains rattling as the prisoners made their way
toward the cavern. The thunderclap of a whip-crack echoed toward
him, accompanied by yelps and pleading – somewhere a pair of
prisoners were moving too slow. At least Andros and Dragon were
safe, Roland thought. They were already in the cavern and needed
not navigate the tunnels.
    As they usually did,
Jeklor started down the tunnel, but Roland held him back. “Let’s
take our time today. I want to make sure of something.”
    Jeklor did not like the
idea too much; he was already envisioning a whip biting into his
back. “You saw the wounds on Andros and friend,” he said carefully.
“The weaker we get the less chance we have to escape.”
    He was right, of
course, but even so, Roland felt that being late on purpose was
crucial to his plan. “I need to know if the guards will notice us
coming in late,” said Roland, his face set.
    Jeklor was still not
satisfied. If the guards did notice them taking their time, not
only would they be punished, security would also tighten – but he
held his tongue. He knew Roland well enough by now to see that
there was no point in asking more questions. At times, he felt that
Roland could see things that he could not, and he had no choice but
to put his trust into the sometimes fiercely resolute-, sometimes
fiercely grim man.
    “Let’s go,” said Roland
as the noise of rattling chains quieted down. They hurried down the
tunnel; the chain between their legs pulled up and held in hand,
muffling the worst of the sound.
    As they reached the
cavern, the guards threw bags of food to the prisoners, and Roland
and Jeklor increased their speed to reach the food.
    No one paid them any
notice.
    *
    Roland and Jeklor had
retreated from the fighting prisoners, breaking a loaf between
them. They had only managed to grab two loaves, and they were
saving the other loaf for Andros and Dragon.
    “It’s not enough”,
complained Jeklor as he swallowed his pitiful share.
    “It’s enough,” said
Roland, pocketing the remaining loaf under his grimy shirt.
    “We’re not exactly at
the peak of our health, old horse, in case you haven’t noticed,”
said Jeklor, pointing to the large knot he had tied in the front of
his trousers to keep them from falling down.
    Andros caught Roland’s
eye and he and Dragon started shuffling over. Roland shook his head
slowly, his dark eyes warning them. They saw his expression and sat
back down, Dragon’s smile faltering.
    “You’re not very good
at making friends, are you?” sniffed Jeklor who had watched the
exchange.
    “It’s for their own
safety, and for ours.”
    “So what have you
learned so far?” asked Jeklor, avoiding looking at Dragon’s pitiful
face. “Which tunnel leads outside?’
    “I don’t care about
that anymore,” said Roland to Jeklor’s great surprise. “How can I
put this ... We will be escorted outside instead ...”
    Jeklor snorted and