Paris chuckled as he watched Niles chip away at the mortar. “Just be glad that stonework is elvish, and not the work of Morlock’s spawn,” he whispered. “I doubt that Morlock knows of its existence. Or if he does, believes it safely sealed.”
Niles pulled the stone free and handed it to Paris. “Your turn,” he said.
After much time, the work became easier. A few feet inside the wall was another that sealed the inside of the doorway. Beyond that was the inside of the castle, they hoped.
They rested before beginning on the second wall. It would be night outside by now, and they were tired, and their arms ached from chipping away at the mortar.
After they were rested, they began on the inner wall, as carefully and quietly as possible. When the first stone came loose, they pried it outward, towards themselves, extinguishing the torches and listening. There was no sound. Niles relit his torch and ventured a look through the opening.
“I can see nothing,” he whispered. He passed the torch through the opening. After a moment, he handed the torch to one of his men and said, “Light the torches. There is naught but a narrow passageway.”