Dragonsight by Paul Collins

in the morning,’ said Jelindel.
    ‘He’s probably already doublecrossed Rakeem,’ said Zimak around a mouthful of food. He was merely putting into words what everyone else thought.
    ‘That may help us,’ said Jelindel, ‘but our task is unchanged. We must find the dragonsight.’
    ‘Or die horribly,’ Zimak reminded them. Suddenly not hungry, he dropped the bone that he had been gnawing and looked around gloomily. ‘How come every time I get mixed up with you lot my life expectancy plummets?’
    ‘Maybe Fate thinks you should be brought to book for your many misdeeds,’ Daretor replied.
    ‘You should talk,’ Zimak said, sucking his greasy fingers.
    ‘I have scouted three routes out of the city, should we need them,’ said Daretor. ‘I have also arranged horses to be stabled nearby.’
    Jelindel nodded. She had her own escape route in mind, but followed the rule that the best kept secrets are those known only to one person.
    ‘I had less luck than you three,’ she said smoothly. ‘None of the gem and trinket merchants know of any bauble matching the description of the dragonsight. If Fa’red has it, then he has not revealed it to anybody here.’
    She cast her gaze about the tavern to make sure no one was near. Then she cleared a space in front of her and spread a parchment on the table, making quick deft sketches of the castle and its environs.
    ‘Tonight,’ she said, looking around for objections. She found none.

    Zimak and Osric knelt among mountain ferns four hundred yards from the castle walls, while Jelindel and Daretor slunk through the moonlit plaza till they reached the granite arch of the aqueduct. Keeping to the shadows, they scaled the brickwork of the arch, and lowered themselves over the aqueduct wall into the chill mountain water.
    ‘Ready?’ Jelindel asked. Her teeth were chattering. Daretor nodded, releasing his grip on the wall. Instantly, the current pulled them into the middle of the stream where the water was deepest. In a few moments they saw the castle battlements speeding towards them. The dark gap loomed in the wall where the aqueduct plunged through part of the castle before exiting again on the other side.
    Even in this light they could see that an iron portcullis had been lowered across the flow. ‘I hope you know what you’re doing,’ Daretor muttered through cold-clenched teeth.
    The aqueduct dipped and the water picked up speed, rushing towards the portcullis. Jelindel muttered a spell. Her teeth were chattering so much that it came out wrong, and nothing happened.
    ‘I’m too cold,’ Jelindel groaned. ‘Besides, magic is weakened over water.’
    Daretor held her tightly, sharing the heat of his body. She tried again and though blurry flickering light lit up her lips, nothing happened. The portcullis was growing larger; in moments they would be dashed against it with bone-breaking speed.
    ‘ Arnash ir aramay ,’ Jelindel enunciated slowly. Blue light formed at her lips and leapt across to the portcullis. With a muffled groan it slid up out of their path just as the current swept them into the dark mouth.
    As soon as they were inside, the grille dropped down again. They hurtled along in near darkness.
    ‘We’ll only have one chance,’ Daretor said. He pulled a metal hook from inside his tunic. It had a leather grip at one end. ‘Hang on tight. Whatever you do don’t let go.’
    Jelindel’s grip on his arms tightened. ‘There it is.’
    They saw light ahead, a rectangular shape set in the ceiling, a hatch cut into the floor of the castle’s kitchen so that supplies could be collected and let down. As they rushed towards the hatchway Daretor surged out of the water and whipped the hook in a great arc over his head. He grunted in satisfaction as it slid over the lip of the hatchway.
    ‘Quickly, scramble up!’ he urged. ‘I can’t hold this for long.’
    Jelindel climbed hand over hand up Daretor’s body, grabbed the hatchway, and hauled herself up so