Zosimus frowned. ‘But you’ve heard what happens to those who try to escape that way.’
‘Aye,’ Quadratus nodded over to the main shaft and the solitary figure of Sura, monitoring the baskets as usual. ‘And Sura reckons that they are more thorough than ever at it – they spear down through every basket, or so he has heard, and at the slightest abnormality they will stop the pulley and all the guards up there on the surface will cluster round it, eager to bloody their blades.’
Felix frowned. ‘Sura’s always been something of a demented bastard, but this caps it all. How does that constitute a plan?’
‘Ah, that’s where it gets interesting, sir. You see, perhaps the guards are a bit too keen to keep an eye on the pulley.’ Quadratus’ face split into a broad grin. The sight after so long in this place brought matching grins from Zosimus and Felix. ‘But before I tell you the details,’ he thrust out the water skin, ‘drink this.’
Khaled looked up through the main shaft, the tiny disc of daylight sparkling in his eyes. ‘Ahura Mazda wills that today will either be the finest of days, when I will be freed and reunited with my family . . . or the darkest hour, when Ahriman will cast my soul forever in the shade.’
Pavo looked up with him, then glanced down to see the endless train of salt-filled baskets emerging from the darkness, rising past him and on up to the world of the living. He saw one with three notches hacked into the edge – the signal from Sura. ‘It’s time,’ he said.
‘This will work, aye?’ Bashu hissed beside them. The man was nervous, his eyes darting. ‘I must have my freedom from this place.’
‘Relax,’ Khaled rested a hand on his shoulder. ‘We must be at ease or our ploy will never work.’
The three lifted empty baskets and turned from the main shaft. Nausea swam in Pavo’s gut; the consequences should they be caught did not bear thinking about. Then again, he mused, neither did the prospect of remaining down here forever. He steeled himself and looked up to the shadowy alcove halfway up the cavern wall. It was a few hours into Pavo’s shift and there, as always, Gorzam stood in the darkness, talking with another guard, supping at his drink. The pair were barely visible, and that was key.
Pavo, Khaled and Bashu walked past guard after guard, their eyes trained on the ground before them as if heading back to the entrance to the cramped tunnel. But, at the last, they turned away from this, instead stepping onto the rising rocky path that clung to the cavern-side and led up to the alcove. The path was littered with slaves working at the sheer crystal face. They edged up this narrow walkway, pretending to discuss where to work. All the time, Pavo fired stealthy glances around the cavern floor. Not one guard was looking this way. They edged closer to the alcove until they could hear Gorzam’s conversation and see his outline, back turned, draining his cup. The giant’s words sounded slurred, as did those of his comrade. Then Gorzam rubbed at his temples and slumped back against the alcove wall, sliding down to sit. They watched as the pair muttered, then became monosyllabic. Finally, they fell silent, heads lolling.
Pavo clenched a fist in victory. Thank you for the inspiration, Yabet, he thought, dryly.
He turned to the two with him. ‘You did it!’ he whispered to Bashu.
Bashu’s silver eyes glinted in the gloom. ‘Only just. They let down those water skins unattended for but moments. Then,’ he grinned, his handsome features creasing as he held up the empty poppy seed purse, ‘I saw to it that they’d have a healthier dose than usual.’
Khaled fought to contain a chuckle. ‘They will be sleeping this off for some time.’
‘But we must move swiftly,’ Pavo added.
He, Bashu and Khaled crawled into the alcove. They stripped Gorzam and the other guard of their baked leather helms, cuirasses, face-veils, spears and whips and dressed in the guard armour. Khaled took Gorzam’s things as they were a better fit for his broad shoulders while Pavo took the other guard’s armour. As the pair wrapped the veils across their faces, Pavo saw one thing remaining on Gorzam – the phalera. He knelt to snatch it away, feeling a pang of sadness as he did so. If they were to escape today then this suffocating hole in the ground was as close as he would come to Father’s memory – only nightmares and thoughts of what might have been would be his lot from now on.
‘Come on,’ Khaled shook his shoulder.
The pair turned to descend the rocky path onto the cavern floor. They marched Bashu at spearpoint, as if taking him to a new part of the mine. They went unchallenged for some time, but Pavo’s mouth dried and his gut churned, just like the pre-battle nerves. All that was visible was their eyes – but a man’s eyes could betray him even at the best of times. He resisted glancing at Khaled – any hint of nerves would be a dead giveaway. Then he noticed another pair of guards approaching. They appeared to be frowning, looking them over. Pavo tensed his grip on the spear and pretended to poke at Bashu’s back. They passed the two guards, then a jagged cry from the pair halted them.