XXVI
"Evacuate, then prepare to drain the mine." The foreman barked, "Get to the upper levels. You, get the prisoners."
Illasera listened as the 'rivvil' threw his considerable weight around. As much as she didn't care to admit it, for once she was in agreement with the Drow – the one that wasn't her sister. He was a brute, and she was drenched, not from the lake but from the rain. The latest downpour was to their advantage as long as they were outside, but not down here. With the two wyverns rounded up, now the guards were tending to the next problem. It would be deemed as suspicious by anyone with half a wit.
So far, they had avoided detection. This felt far too much like thieving, but Sendai wanted the place intact. She had forbidden Xan from planting command words – they could hold the surface buildings ransom… She met Kivan's eye; the Nightraven returned it. She was fast growing tired of this masquerade.
—
The katana's pommel slammed into the guard's temple. The human's eyes rolled up in his head and then he crumpled. Without pause or thought, Valaris reversed the katana and halted on Sendai's raised palm. No sign of feeling passed his features; he simply left the guard where it was. Shaking his head, Coran pulled the man out of sight. Sendai walked on.
—
Aerie swallowed; she expected things to be bad, but not like this… the slave sleeping pit brought back memories. She bit her lip, pretending not to notice. Xan laid his hand on her shoulder; she smiled weakly at him, then kept going. She had a job to do.