More time passed. No more people peered in at him, and fewer and fewer people passed along in the hallway.
After awhile he could tell the halls were empty, – which was scarier than when they had people in them. When would they becoming for him!
Then he heard a faint noise. A faraway sound was repeating itself, but it seemed to be coming closer.
Hamar went over to the lattice and peered as hard as he could to the right and left down the hallway. He couldn’t see around the door’s recess, and asked, “Adept?” but there was no answer, – maybe the man wasn’t supposed to talk to him, – or wasn’t there.
The sound was definitely coming from the left in the passage and was getting louder. Odd though, the whole place was deserted, nothing was moving in the corridor but the bobbing hall-torches.
The sound was familiar, the pounding of a very big drum like the one at Al Musar’s weddings and funerals. The cave’s other halls were tripling its echoes as it drew nearer, but there was yet another sound within it, a smaller rhythm like the one the king’s soldiers made when they marched on the high road.
He was sure of it now, – it was the sound of many sandals tramping in step to the drumbeat! And of chanting.
A wall of hooded men suddenly surged through the archway to his left! More and more came marching behind them until an army of pointed hoods filled the hall, – all advancing toward him!
Hamar ran around like a squirrel, knocking over the pile of cushions, skidding on the platter! He looked up to see the lattice opening and Adept looming large through it!
“Don’t be afraid,” Adept said soothingly, cornering his prey, “you will not be harmed.” Another adept moved along the walls to cut off escape.
As the men gripped his arms Hamar yelled and swore, kicking at them and fighting and twisting with all his might! Then one of the adepts slid his hand across Hamar’s face and Hamar went blind!
The men calmly walked him around things and out of the door.
For a moment the three of them stood there on the stoop. The drum and chanting cut short, leaving only the muffled sound of rustling robes, – and Hamar whimpers.
In the silence his two attendants walked him down the steps and turned him to the right.
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