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Fingers wrapping around my lock-picking charm, I rested a hand on the cold wet door and willed it to open. A thunk emanated from within the metal. The door rumbled open too slowly for mytastes.
A faint scratch came from the outer door. I sensed the dark elf on the other side. I hoped he or she couldn’t sense me through my charm. If the dragon couldn’t, an elf shouldn’t be able to… Ihoped.
As soon as the inner door was open wide enough, I stepped inside, Fezzik out now and leading the way. I tugged my goggles down to my throat. The long tunnel that stretched before me, reminding me of some railroad passage through a mountain, wasempty.
Good, but what about the dark elf that had to be on the way in right behind me? I shoved the door behind meshut.
Seconds later, water surged into the airlock chamber, the sound penetrating the door. Should I run and hope to disappear into the complex? Or try to capture the dark elf and ask for directions to thealchemist?
If this person was the alchemist’s assistant or even the alchemist herself… it would be foolish not to interrogate her. Maybe she even had a fresh vial of kraken blood, and I could get it, and a sample of her blood, without going into the complex atall.
Water drained out of the chamber. The dark elf would come out soon. My heart filled with anticipation at the thought that my mission might be so close to beingover.
But where could I hide for an ambush? The tunnel was stark without alcoves or sidepassages.
Athump-scrapecame from the other side of the door. I only hadseconds.
There was a tiny ledge, maybe three inches wide, formed by the top of the door frame. The ceiling was several feet abovethat.
“It’ll have to do,” Imuttered.
As much through desperation as athletic ability, I gripped the narrow ledge and pulled myself up while walking my feet up the wall of the tunnel. Half leaning against the wall and half balancing on the tiny perch, I stood above the door. Water dripped from my clothes, and I groaned. My cloaking charm wouldn’t matter. The dark elf wouldn’t missthat.
Before I could change my mind and jump down, the door rumbledopen.
