Gwendolise tried looking through different sides of the pyramid, aiming all around the area and at the rock face, finally handing it back in disgust. "Mary's right, this is useless."

"No. There must be a way. William's right, Balfour wouldn't have designed something that took an army to achieve. We've got to think. Keep looking. Keep- whatever..."

It was Mary, idly picking at the moss-covered face of the boulder, who discovered the man made cut in the stone. When they finally thought about using the key, they found that it fit in the hole perfectly and once it was seated, the boulder shunted outward with a grinding crunch.

"I don't believe it." William crept inside and stopped, gaping at the pale blue glow that filled the cave. "I thought this was supposed to be a mine."

"It was a long time ago," Jep offered. "Maybe the landscape's changed, or maybe this was a mine back then. At any rate, what we are looking at is the treasure of Mount Drood."

"Now what?" Mary was moving her fingers over the warm stones, giggling as they dimmed and brightened.

"Now, we put all the other stones..."

"What's wrong?"

"Where are the other stones?" Jep gave Gwendolise a bleak look. "They were in the mule pack along with the key."

"You mean these?" They spun around from the entrance to the cave to see Hella holding out her arm and jiggling a small sack. "They were in the pack on the mule—the dead mule I might add, along with its owner."

"No!" Jep stepped forward and found himself surrounded by Gar, Rodney and the Count.

"Ah, but yes," Hella grinned. "He took an arrow in the back while trying to save his precious animal. But enough of old, dead friends, we would like to have the key if you please."

"How did you find us- this- the mine?"

"Not that difficult, tracking so many clumsy feet through this barren place." Gar shrugged.

Consiflore was edging toward the cave entrance, his appetite for riches and power overwhelming his senses. "By the gods! Look at this!"

His enthusiasm brought the others forward greedily, and they shoved their way into the cave's entrance. Hella gasped at the sight, and setting the bag of stones down, she exhaled grandly, her mind reeling with the possibilities. Gar just stood still, struck by the awesome beauty and magic of the stones. Rodney stepped back, taking Gwendolise by the arm and threatening her in exchange for the key.

"The key is there, in the stone." Jep shouted angrily, pointing to the boulder. "Take it and be damned forever, Dunbar."

"Tch, tch. Don't be such a sore loser, Pennistyle," Hella chided, backing out of the cave along with Gar. "People such as you don't know what to do with power like this. This is for someone with vision, with daring... someone like... me." She smiled and batted her eyes theatrically. "Get the key, Dunbar." With one hand gripping Gwendolise, Rodney moved to the stone and dug at the edge of the key trying for a grip. "Use two hands you idiot."

Scowling, he released Gwendolise and grabbed the key firmly, prying it loose from the stone. Immediately he screamed as the Key exploded in a flaming burst, taking all the fingers from his left hand. At the same moment, the stone slid back into the hill with a serious thunk, trapping Consiflore inside the cave.

"Hey!" He ran to the boulder, pounding on the solid surface. "Hey! What's going on? Open up!" Hearing his voice falling flat in the confines of the cave, Consiflore knew he was in some serious trouble. The light from the stones began to brighten, turning from the soothing, pale blue to a harsh, blinding white. His head began to feel funny and then ache.

His skin grew incredibly hot and his mouth opened in a silent scream as a thin curl of smoke drifted from his ears. Consiflore sagged to the floor watching his skin begin to melt from his bones and he attempted a final gurgling cry for help before sinking into a puddle of his own flesh.

Rodney was running around screaming and waving his stump of a hand, the pain etching and distorting his features. Hella stood gaping at the boulder sealing the cave entrance.

"What happened? What did he do? Where are the stones?"

Gwendolise, ducking from the explosion in Rodney's hand, scrambled over to Jep and the two of them took off into the woods with William, Mary and Mokum close behind.

"Stop them! I want my stones! STOP THEM!" Hella shoved the screaming Rodney aside and bolted after Jep and Gwendolise.

Gar watched Rodney for a moment then as the younger man danced closer, still shrieking and waving his arm, he ended his misery with a swift sweep of his sword, stepping back out of the way of the headless body flopping at his feet. A sad grimace was the last expression he saw as the head rolled across the ground and under a bush. Grunting his satisfaction, Gar turned and chased after the others.

Running as fast as they could through the tangle of atrophied roots and dried bushes, Jep was surprised when he broke out into the open next to a pile of rubble that was once part of the castle wall. "We were so close!" He panted, skidding to a halt and looking around at the others.

"Where to?" William shouted. "They're right behind us!"

"This way!" Jep dragged Gwendolise by the hand around the end of the crumbled wall. Too late, he discovered his error. They were on a narrow strip of ledge that ran across the face of the castle overlooking the sea. "Go back, go back!"

"We can't, they're right on top of us!" Mary cried out when she saw the ledge, clutching frantically at William and almost causing him to topple over. "William!"

Mokum made a sound to convey his contempt for their timidity and scurried past, negotiating the ledge with ease and disappearing around the end of the wall.

"That was rude." Gwendolise remarked. Holding Mary's hand, she shuffled her feet after Jep, keeping her back close to the rough stones. A loud clang made them all jump. Gar had swung his sword, missing William by inches and chipping great chunks out of the rock face.

"A little faster people." William pleaded.

As Jep neared the end, he turned and pulled his train of friends after him. Just as William reached the others, a large stone bounced near his feet, careening off into space and hurtling down toward the sea. They looked up and saw one of the two of Bully Bill's remaining gang members.

The man raised his hands over his head and balancing another large stone, prepared to hurl it at them. They crowded together, trying to get to the end of the wall when a shout of surprise stopped them and they watched the body of the man sail past, still holding the rock and looking very, very unhappy. Mokum hollered down for them to hurry and they realized that the little Huth had saved them once again.

Back inside the castle wall, they found themselves in the courtyard once again; only this time they were witness to the carnage that had taken place. Mokum was standing with his little head bent down, looking at the still forms of Dolly and Derrick. As the others approached, he hurriedly wiped away a large tear.

"Make haste!" He cried. "Here comes Gar!"

The men turned, herding the women behind them, and faced the ominous presence of Gar striding slowly toward them, the black hole that was his eye, stark against his pale face. He halted within about twenty feet of the group, catching his breath and growling. Behind him, at the far end of the square, Hella dragged herself through a gap in the broken wall and started quickly toward them.

"Wait for me!" She shouted to Gar. "Don't do anything until I get some answers!" Un-Queen-like, she stumbled over the stones, her royal gown torn and filthy about the hem and a patch of dried blood clinging to her swollen face. He turned and watched her approach with indifference.

Events had moved beyond levels of class, titles and sworn loyalties; he was now involved in his own game—with its own, anticipated outcome. Hella staggered to a stop next to him, huffing and tugging at her bodice, a smug sneer creeping into her look. "Have they said anything?" She asked the question without taking her eyes off them, missing the contemptuous stare Gar was delivering.

When she faced him, her heart seemed to skip. His good eye shone with a defiance that was almost evil, and Hella suddenly questioned her own safety in the situation.

"Why don't you just ask them, like you did back at the mine." His eye never left hers.

"That- that was... unfortunate. But they must know how to get inside again. Make them talk." She stepped away slightly, hoping to reinforce her supremacy.

"Why don't I make you talk, sweetheart?" The man stepped from behind Dolly's corpse, holding a drawn bow aimed generally at the group. "You seemed to have a lot to say back at the Den."

Mokum grunted and nudged William. "The last of that Bill's gang."

"The last you say, little man? Well now, that gives things a different shade, don't it." He rounded on the group, keeping the arrow aimed more toward Gar, who still held his sword and looked by far the most threatening. "How about you put that nasty piece of iron aside and we 'ave a chat?"