Chapter 18
Enganar watched as they came back from their short conference. He wasn't really surprised when they told him that they intended to keep him within their camp until their friend had been rescued. He could tell they didn't trust him–which was why he had a proposition to make.
"Let me help you." He asked.
The request was met with a stunned silence. Now that he could clearly see their features, the three men, the lady, and the Fox all stared at him.
"I've grown tired of being forced to do something I hate," he stated. "Let me help you."
Once again they drew aside and began conversing in hushed tones. Enganar stood there while they talked. Finally, they turned toward him.
"Do you have a plan?" they asked.
Enganar nodded. "I do," he said.
~o~o~
Ayron slowly opened his eyes as the cell door creaked open. Rikkle shifted in the other cell and peered through the bars as someone entered. Moonlight shone through the barred window and spread a pale light on the floor. The figure–Enganar–bent over Ayron and whispered in his ear. "Let me help you up. Your friends are waiting."
"You're tryin' to…I won't talk," he slurred.
Enganar shook his head. "No, I'm not." Then he started pulling Ayron up onto his feet.
Feeling too weak to fight back he let himself be hauled upright, only to be laid against the wall. He heard footsteps going to the adjacent cell, the scrape of metal on metal, and footsteps.
Then two figures, one shorter than the other, were bending over him and pulling him onto his feet. Swiftly walking down the passageways they came to the courtyard.
"Wait here," Enganar whispered before gliding through the shadows to the far side of the walls.
~o~o~
Moonbeam watched as the figure sidled up to her. Unable to move her head, or do anything, she looked on in surprise as he began cutting the halter off her head. Once freed she whispered, "why are you doing this?"
The man shrugged. "I can try to explain later. Right now, I need you to do something for me."
~o~o~
Rikkle glanced over at the slumped figure with some concern. He hadn't moved since the dwarf had laid him down by the wall. And now the other man came up leading a mud-smeared Moonbeam over to them.
"Come on," he whispered. "Help me get him up."
Moonbeam stood stock-still as they slowly settled Ayron onto her back. With the mud smeared on her white coat she now looked like an ordinary horse–which was what Enganar had intended.
"We need to go quickly," he whispered. "There's no telling if we might be spotted, but if we are…"
The dwarf nodded, then he followed as Enganar led him and Moonbeam toward a side entrance in the wall.