“What is it?” Evin asked. “Did you find your father?”

“No, but I found Marten,” Jorick said. “He’s asking for you.”

Evin stiffened as memories of the night Hesiod burned down rushed over him—memories of watching his brother get hit over the head with an axe.

“Bet, can you—” Evin started.

She waved a hand. “Go to your brother.”

Evin looked back at Mary Wright. “You’ll be free soon,” he called.

The old woman smiled at him. “Thank you! So much!”

Bet’s magic light faded behind them and the boys quickly plunged into relative darkness, the moonlight so scant that it was hard to make out what was in front of them. Jorick led Evin past the second and third cages, all the way to the last cage on that side of the cavernous room. There, pressed against the bars, was Marten. The boy slouched forward, his eyes unfocused, his blond hair mussed and tangled. As Evin ran to him, Marten looked up and muttered, “Evin. You must … help …”

“Don’t worry,” Evin said. “We’re going to get you out of here.” He felt for the first lock in the shadows. Finding it, he pulled out his dagger and jabbed it into the keyhole. This time his hands did not shake.

Other captured villagers surged around Marten, watching Evin work, but Evin ignored them. Worrying about the whole of the village was too much. He had to focus on one task at a time. As he strained with the lock, he spoke to his brother, the words spilling forth from his mouth unbidden.

“I’m so sorry I left you behind,” he said. “But I was so scared. I—”

“It’s all right,” Marten wheezed. “Please, hurry.”

Evin swallowed, then nodded. His knuckles straining, he gave the dagger one last twist—and the lock popped open.

“You did it!” Jorick cried, then pulled at the cage door. Just as before, the door opened only a few inches before stopping with a clang—the top and bottom chains were still in place. “You have got to be joking.”

“It was the same at the first cage,” Evin said, already crouching down to work on the lower lock. “But we can—”

From the other side of the cage came the sound of the gnolls’ cackling howls.

Evin stiffened. One of Jorick’s hands grabbed his shoulder, and the other reached for the sword at his side. For a moment, all of the villagers in the cages fell silent.

The howls grew louder, joined now by the clacking din of claws walking over stone. Evin peered around the side of the cage and saw torchlight beyond the stony pillar. Deep within the craggy southern tunnel, gnoll shadows loomed, coming closer and closer.

“Help us!” a fat woman said as she clutched the door right in front of Evin.

Marten was shoved against the bars and the door clanged, straining against its chains.