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.It was he who locked her in there, and this is the key.” He proffered the key from his pocket, but snatched it away when the lieutenant stretched out his hand as if to take it.The admiral scoffed.“And you believed him? A pirate?”“We had good reason to trust his sincerity,” Norris said dispassionately, hoping the admiral wouldn’t press for details.“Admiral, all you need do is allow us to search the dungeons of this keep.If I am wrong, and she is not there, feel free to have me arrested.I will not resist, and promise there will be no repercussions.But I swear by every God of Light that if you impede me here, my wrath will destroy you!”Admiral Joslan glared at him, and Norris could see the man struggling with his decision.In the end, he must have decided that either it was not such a great request, or that Norris was serious about his threat and capable of carrying it out, both of which were true.Norris had served the emperor for many long years, and his personal fortune was not inconsiderable; if he chose to destroy the admiral’s career, he could do so.“All right, we will check.Bring them,” Joslan ordered.“Uh, with or without the clapping in irons part, sir?” the lieutenant asked.A few poorly disguised coughs of laughter rose from the marine contingent.“Without, for now, Lieutenant, “Joslan said, turning to glare once more at the count.“But bring them along.We may need them.”Norris bowed curtly and followed the admiral to the keep.The trek seemed to take forever.He clenched his hands to keep them from shaking, but even so, when they reached the door to the dungeons, he fumbled the key so badly that he could not fit it into the lock.“Please, sir,” Huffington said, easing the key from his grasp, “let me.”“Thank you,” Norris said, backing away.The large padlock clicked open.Huffington threw the hasp and lifted the bar, but before he could pull the door open, Admiral Joslan stepped forward.“Hold there,” the admiral said, placing one hand on the door.“I mistrust this.We could be walking into a trap.We are exploring a dungeon at the behest of a pirate.Lieutenant, you will take the fore with the marines.”“Aye sir.” The lieutenant drew his cutlass and nodded to the marine corporal in charge of the contingent.“Right, then.Swords if you please, gentlemen.Ready?” The marines muttered in the affirmative, weapons bristling.The lieutenant tugged on the door.Nothing happened.He tugged again, harder, and when that yielded no better results, he sheathed his sword and applied both hands to the handle, pulling with all of his formidable strength.Still, nothing happened.“Stuck, sir.Or bolted from inside.”“The pirate captain said she bolted it,” Norris offered.“Break it down,” the admiral commanded.“Axes and sledges, Corporal, and a cold chisel for the hinges,” the lieutenant said.“And torches would be welcome, as well.Go!”“Aye, sir!” The marine turned to go, but Huffington interceded.“If I may, sir; a brace and bit, and some thin bar stock might make an easier job of it, and a lot less fuss.I may be able to trip the bar.”“As he said, corporal,” the lieutenant said with a nod, “but bring the rest, too, just in case.”The corporal dashed off, and in short order a team of sailors returned with an array of tools.Huffington drilled a hole near the latch, bent the bar stock in an arc that would fit through the hole, and, with some effort, levered the inside bar out of its cradle.“There you go, sirs,” he said, stepping back.“These things are usually simple, though there could have been another lock on the inside.”“Thank you, Mister Huffington.Lieutenant, the van is yours.” The admiral drew his own sword.“Aye, sir.” The lieutenant put his hand on the latch and nodded to the corporal.The marines formed up, and everyone else backed away.The door swung outward with a squeal of corroded hinges, but beyond loomed only the empty, dark stair leading down into the bowels of the mountain
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