“I guess we’re ready?” I asked, looking around.
Ray nodded. “Open the book that’s on the table.” He was holding the vials of holy water. Rather than just having a lid, they were made like perfume atomizers, with a sprayer on top of the bottle. That seemed so much more efficient than trying to splash them on something.
Holding my dagger ready, I reached out and took hold of the ancient looking grimoire. I slowly grasped the cover and opened it, and it fell to a point midway through the book. As the pages opened, there was a rustle—almost a gasp—as two large shadows rose from the book, spreading into the room above us.
“Holy crap,” I said, staring at the massive shadows. These weren’t shades of mere mortals. No, they reminded me of gargoyle silhouettes. They loomed over us, menacing and dark, as though ready to divebomb us. I didn’t know what was holding them back at first. Then, I looked down at the book and there was a bright red rune on the page. It glimmered, waiting. I knew, without a doubt, that I had to place my finger on it.
“Did you have to touch a rune inside the book?” I asked.
Geoff’s voice sounded strained. “Yes, we did. That’s the only way to start the action. And we have to kill them—destroy them—to get the drop to open the sarcophagus. I don’t know what happens after that.”
I reached down and put my forefinger on the page. There was a soft sigh as the two shadows turned toward me. I raised my dagger, and then—all hell broke loose.
CHAPTER 15: A MAJOR MISTAKE
The shades swoopeddown on us. I held up my dagger, hoping the silver would help protect me. We still had Reggie’s protection spell, which gave us a plus on rolling against magical attacks.
Ray tossed Geoff one of the holy water bottles, and they both began spraying the water as the shades suddenly froze. The moment droplets hit one of the shades, they backed off with a shriek. I had a sudden idea.
“Toss me one of those bottles,” I said.
Geoff handed me his. I sprayed one of my arrows heavily with the holy water, then fit it into my bow and shot toward one of the shades that was hanging out in the corner over the sarcophagus. The shade shrieked again and partially faded. The other one sped toward Brynn and Thornhold. Ray dashed over with his holy symbol as Brynn’s sword passed through the shade, barely affecting it. He thrust the symbol out and the shade backed away.
Meanwhile, Geoff had grabbed another arrow from my quiver and sprayed it for me.
“Another,” I said, taking it and fitting it to my bow. I aimed carefully and shot at the shade I’d hit first. It gave out a loudcry and vanished. Two more arrows, on the shade trying to maneuver around Ray’s holy symbol, and it vanished.
“That wasn’t too bad,” I said.
“Spraying those arrows was genius,” Geoff said.
“It just made sense. Okay, they’re gone. You said your party never made it beyond this point?” I asked.
Geoff shook his head. “I don’t know if the necromancer is in the sarcophagus, or if he’s even in the dungeon. Hell, he could very well be a member of the undead and be wrapped up like a mummy.”
“Ray, be ready with the holy water.” I joined Thornhold and Brynn at the ornate coffin. “Boy, I bet this thing cost a pretty penny.” I stood, poised with my dagger. “When you open the lid, I’ll stab—act first, ask questions later.”
Brynn and Thornhold manned the top and bottom, taking hold of the lid and heaving it off. It clattered loudly on the floor. But before I could swing my dagger, I noticed that the sarcophagus was empty.
“What? Is he invisible?” I poked the tip of my dagger around the interior, but there was nothing to stop it. The sarcophaguswasempty. Except…near the center, I spotted something gleaming out of the pale satin padding. I gingerly poked at it with the blade and the clink of metal on metal reassured me that, whatever it was, it wasn’t alive.
“Where is he?” Brynn asked, looking around the room. “I don’t see him anywhere.”
“I don’t either,” Thornhold said, backing away to stare at the sarcophagus. It was on a pedestal, but when he tapped his axe against it, it sounded dense—with no hollow areas. “There’s nothing underneath the coffin except stone. I’d almost guarantee it.”
“What happened, then?” I asked.
“I’ll bet you he heard us tramping around upstairs and fled,” Reggie said. “We made plenty of noise.”
“Maybe.” I paused, reaching out to pick up the key. It was heavy, a dark greenish-black metal with scrollwork on it. It was warm in my hands, and hanging on a chain. There was something about it—something that made me unable to look away.
“What is this?” I asked.
“Hand it to me,” Reggie said, a strange note in his voice.
I stared at him, unwilling to give him the key. He wanted to take it, I could see it in his face. He was going to take it from me. He reached out, a dark, eager look glimmering in his eyes and I jumped away.
“It’s mine!”
