Tower of the Moon

Chapter 12

    Just then the wizard materialized into view. “Well done, Cole,” he said, pleased. Cole made no reply to that. Brokk went over and retrieved Etsel’s satchel and rummaged through it, pulling out the metal box. “Ah, the Aghradene deck, it is here.”

    Etsel flashed Cole an angry glance. He sighed. He couldn’t blame her.

    It took Brokk a few minutes and he thumbed through the entire deck, counting its contents until he carefully replaced the cards into the metal box. “Good. It’s all here.”

    Wonderful. At least Cole could go home now.

    “Now, all I need is the password, Etsel of Corraven.” The wizard drew closer to her, pulling out his wand.

    “I don’t know it,” she said.

    The wizard stared at her. “I don’t believe you. How can I convince you of the sincerity of my request?” he said threateningly. Quickly, Cole thought back to the moment in the prison when Brokk and Annun were ready to cut off his hands. He felt a panic. Not Etsel. Brokk wouldn’t dare.

    “She doesn’t know,” said Cole. The wizard turned to look at him. “Don’t you think we tried that on the dark plane? We were desperate to get out of there. We tried it. It didn’t work. We just don’t know, okay?”

    Brokk studied them both a moment. “No matter,” he said. “I can pursue that issue later.” He continued perusing the contents of Etsel’s satchel. Soon, he pulled out the cloth parchment and unfolded it. Carefully, he studied it for a moment. “What is this?” he demanded.

    “I don’t know,” said Etsel, innocently. “I can’t read it.”

    The wizard stood and went over to Etsel. “It was in your bag. Where did you get this?”

    She stared at him without answering. Brook turned to Cole.

    “What is it,” he demanded.

    Cole stared at the wizard, tempted to lie. But Brokk had looked in his mind and how much he’d seen in there, Cole wasn’t sure. Did he not see the stone golem then? If not, he could easily get what he wanted and find it in Cole’s mind.

    “No, don’t tell him,” pled Etsel.

    With a sigh, Cole said, “It’s from the dark plane.”

    “How?” asked Brokk.   

    “We found an underground cavern and in there was this … stone golem. He gave it to us.”

    Etsel rolled her eyes, infuriated at Cole.

    “What is its purpose?”

    “I don’t know,” he said. “To find something.”

    Etsel’s glance pleaded with him not to say anymore. But if Cole didn’t comply, then Brokk would get the information eventually anyway.

    “To find the …” he tried to remember the golem’s word. “The Namriaan, or something like that.”

    “The Namriaan?” asked the wizard, his eyes lighting up. He knew what it was. “Indeed?” He studied the parchment for several minutes. “How does it work?”

    “We don’t know,” said Cole. “Honestly. I can’t even read your language. But it makes no sense to either of us.”

    The wizard looked unconvinced.

    With the parchment in hand, Brokk sat on a rock to study it. The shadowcats had allowed Etsel to stand, but they stood close to her, one on each side. Her stiletto had been confiscated. She looked tired.