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KURDA AND I retreated slowly and joined Gavner in the s for a while Finally Gavner spoke in a dull, distracted tone "I counted thirty-four of them"

"There were thirty-five e looked," Kurda said

"There are two adjoining caves of siht behere?" I asked in a whisper

The vahts on me

"Why do you think they’re here?" Gavner asked

I licked ot it," Gavner said griht have come to discuss a treaty"

"You think so?" Gavner sneered

"No," Kurda sighed "Not really"

"We have to warn the vampires," I said

Kurda nodded "But what about your escape? One of us can lead you to -"

"Forget it," I interrupted "I’ like this"

"Co for the tunnel under the stream "The quicker we tell the others, the quicker we can return and -" He was bending down to enter the tunnel, but stopped suddenly and spun to the side Signaling us to stay where ere, he peered cautiously into the tunnel, then raced back "So!" he hissed

"Vampires or vampaneze?" Gavner asked

"Too dark to tell Think we can afford to wait and find out?"

"No," Gavner said "We’ve got to get out of here" He studied the three exit tunnels "We can get back to the Halls by the middle tunnel, but it’ll take a lot of time If they spot Darren’s trail of blood and come after us"

"We’ll take the left tunnel," Kurda said

"That doesn’t lead up" Gavner frowned

"According to my maps, it does," Kurda contradicted hi tunnel, easy to miss I only found it by chance"

"You’re sure?" Gavner asked

"Maps don’t lie," Kurda said

"Then let’s go," Gavner decided, and off we dashed

I forgot about h the tunnels There was no time to worry about myself The entire vaetting back to the Hall of Princes and tipping the tunnel, we discovered a cave-in We stared at the pile of rocks, dise

"I’hed

"It’s not your fault," Gavner told hio now?" I asked

"Back through the cave?" Gavner suggested

Kurda shook his head "If we’ve been discovered, they’ll come after us that way There’s another tunnel we can use It’ll take us back in the sa to the Halls"

"Let’s go then," Gavner barked, and we followed after Kurda as he led the way through the dark

We spoke as little as possible, pausing occasionally to listen for sounds of pursuit There weren’t any, but that didn’thunted - vampaneze can move as silently as vampires when they wish

After a while, Kurda came to a stop and pressed his head close to ours "We’re right behind the cave where the vampaneze are," he whispered "Move slowly and carefully If they spot us, fight for your lives - then run like hell!"

"Wait," I said "I don’t have a weapon I’ll need one if we’re attacked"

"I only have one knife," Kurda said "Gavner?"

"I have two, but I’ll need both of theht with?" I hissed "Bad breath?"