title: The Revenge of the Dwarves
author:  Markus Heitz 
description: Markus Heitz was born in 1971 in Germany. He studied history, German language and literature, and won the German Fantasy Award in 2003 for his debut novel <em>Shadows Over Ulldart</em>. His Dwarves series is a bestseller in Europe. Markus Heitz lives in Zweibrcken.
zlib_text: _**“Tie King up!” Nomscul commanded.**_
  
  Dozens of Aghar lifted Flint from the floor and stuffed him into a rickety
  chair made of beams. Eight dwarves sat on his thrashing form while Nomscul and
  a frawl the shaman called Fester ran circles around the chair with two lengths
  of thick rope.
  
  “Untie me this minute, you miserable dirt-eaters!” Flint flung himself from
  side to side, sending the chair pitching and making the gully dwarves who
  clung to him hoot with glee. But the chair did not break, the Aghar did not
  lose their grips, and Flint remained tied up.
  
  Arms behind his back, Nomscul leaned toward Flint and smiled right into the
  hill dwarfs scowling face. “ _Queen_ not running away,” he said. Perian stood
  at the far corner of the room, relatively ignored by the Aghar since she
  offered no resistance. Her arms were crossed and her hazel eyes regarded Flint
  expectantly, a small smile about her lips. “Promise to be king, and we cut you
  loose,” Nomscul offered affably in a singsong voice.