Somewhere above, Kree screeched triumphantly.
Liefas heart leaped as he realised what had happened. Kree had opened the cage door. Kree had known that Flash, free at last, would have only one thing in mind: to reach Fury, wherever Fury might be.
Huge as he was, the giant spider seemed small compared to the grubs. But the grubs had no weapon except the yellow mist, which seemed to have no effect on Flash at all. And he had huge fangs, eight spiny legs, enormous strength and a fierce will to win.
Grubs fell writhing to the ground as Flash bit and tore at them, ripping between times at the clay over Furyas cage. Already a few bars of the cage had been exposed, and Fury herself, desperate for air, was throwing herself against them, inflaming Flash even more.
More grubs were streaming into Liefas view every moment. It looked as if the whole colony was rushing to defend the cone in which Barda was trapped. The coneas lower half was covered in a seething ma.s.s of bodies. Flash was wreathed in swirling yellow mist as the newcomers attacked her in the only way they knew.
It is fortunate that the mist is not rising, or Barda would be unconscious again in a moment, Lief thought. Then all Flashas work would be of no use.
But would it be of use in any case? The widening hole around Furyas cage would not help Barda break out of his prison. The hardened clay around the big manas arms and legs was untouched.
Then Lief felt something. The clay that cloaked his own left hand was being tapped strongly by something hard and sharp.
Lief guessed what it was, but did not let himself believe it until Kreeas beak broke through the clay and stabbed his wrist.
Never had Lief felt pain so joyously.
Another two taps and the clay covering his hand had cracked away completely. Violently Lief scrabbled at the edges of the hole, making it larger. Then, as Kree began work on his other hand, Lief felt even more vibrationsa"a scratching and sc.r.a.ping near his foot.
aLief!a With wild joy, Lief recognised the whispering voice. Jasmine was crouching by his right side. He could not see her, but he could feel her dagger chipping at the hard sh.e.l.l that imprisoned him.
Jasmine was alive! Kree must have rushed to free her as soon as the grubs left her to defend Bardaas cone.
aAs soon as you feel my dagger against your boot, begin to kick,a Jasmine whispered. aWe may not have much time.a Lief felt movement near his chin and, squinting downward, saw a small grey shape. His fur spiked with mud, Filli was nibbling and clawing furiously at the clay that swathed Liefas neck.
Lief felt the point of Jasmineas dagger against his foot and began kicking towards it, feeling clay crumbling away. He felt her start work on the other side. He felt clay crack from his right hand and wrist as Kreeas sharp beak broke through.
His left arm was already free to the elbow. He could bend it. And, thanks to Filli, he could move his head from side to side once more.
He struggled desperately, his eyes fixed on the squirming ma.s.s of grubs at the base of Bardaas cone. Absorbed by their struggle with Flash, the grubs still had not noticed what was happening behind their backs.
But at any moment, surely, one of them would turn and give the alarm. Then all would be lost.
Lief closed his eyes and took a deep breath, summoning up all his strength. He imagined the clay as an egg, enclosing him. Then, with every muscle in his body, he pushed outward, willing the sh.e.l.l to crack.
5 - Hopes and Fears.
There was a long moment of tension. Then, suddenly, the clay sh.e.l.l simply shattered, falling in great chunks to the ground.
The grubs at the base of Bardaas cone turned, huge blank eyes staring. They remained absolutely still for a single moment, then reared up, twisting and turning, heads bobbing. Some began scrambling rapidly towards Lief.
Lief staggered, off-balance. His left foot was still trapped. He kicked violently, fumbling for his sword.
aLief! Cover your face! They will try to spray you again!a he heard Jasmine shout.
Lief glanced around, sword in hand. Jasmine, her mouth and nose covered by a scarf, was scooping Filli from the rubble. Covered in clay dust, chattering frantically, Filli leaped to her shoulder and dived under her collar.
Then Jasmine was darting away without a backward glance, lunging towards Barda. Three grubs reared up, blocking her path. She dodged aside, covering her m.u.f.fled face. The grubs sprayed yellow mist after her, but did not attempt to give chase.
The grubs approaching Lief had also stopped. It seemed to have been decided between them that all their energies should be devoted to protecting Barda, their remaining, and finest, prize.
With his free hand, Lief s.n.a.t.c.hed at the hem of his cloak and dragged it up, winding the cloth around his face so that its dusty folds covered his nose. He kicked away the last of the clay and staggered forward.
Flash was taking no notice of the panic around her. She had completely uncovered Furyas cage now, and the two spiders were trying to fight through the bars. The cage was swinging violently, chipping away more clay every moment. Lief could clearly see Bardaas jacket, his belt bucklea"even the hilt of his sword.
The grubs had stopped trying to mend the gap. Now they were concentrating on Bardaas face, no doubt aware that the sooner he was dead, the sooner they would be left in peace.
Bardaas eyes were open. He was staring straight at Lief.
Lief knew what those eyes were saying.
Leave me. Take the boat and go. You cannot help me.
Lief shook his head violently. He took another step.
Too close. A grub reared up at him. He jumped away, pressing his cloak hard against his face to avoid the burst of spray that would make him a prisoner once more.
Dagger in hand, Jasmine was warily circling Bardaas cone, keeping a good distance from the thrashing grubs that guarded it. Lief ran to her side.
aKree and I cannot get near him, Lief,a Jasmine muttered. aThey spray as soon as we try. If only we had a tool with a very long handle. Then, perhaps, we could smash the clay from a distance. But we brought nothing like that with us, and the boatas paddles are far too short and frail to be of use.a Lief ran over the contents of the boat in his mind and reluctantly decided that Jasmine was right. There was nothing of use in the boat. Nothing but food, water, sleeping blankets, baling buckets, rope a Buckets! Rope! An idea struck him like a bolt of lightning.
aThere is another way to break the clay,a he said, gripping Jasmineas arm. aCome with me.a He told her his plan as they raced to the boat. They s.n.a.t.c.hed up a coil of rope, and the buckets used for baling. They filled the buckets with water, hurried back to the place where Barda stood, and dashed the water onto the base of the cone.
The grubs there reared and hissed, but did not retreat. Flash and Fury, their hard, spiny bodies wet and glistening, fought on as if nothing had happened. The water streamed off the hardened clay and sank quickly into the softer earth beneath.
aQuickly!a Lief gave Jasmine one end of the rope, keeping the other end in his own hand. They set off rapidly in opposite directions, their arms held high, circling the cone once, twice, like children playing a game. Loops of rope tightened around the cone, just above Furyas cage. Confused, the grubs hissed at the loops, and began running up and down, trying to cover them with clay.
Jasmine and Lief came together on the sh.o.r.e behind the cone.
aNow!a Lief breathed. And pulled his end of the rope with all his strength.
He heard Jasmine groaning with effort as she, too, heaved with all her might. He heard the blood pounding in his ears. He heard Kree screeching above his head.
And then, at last, he heard the sound he had been waiting fora"a sucking, squelching sound, as the soggy earth beneath the cone released its hold. Slowly, the cone began to tilt towards him.
He shouted in triumph, and heard Jasmineas voice joining his own as together they ploughed backwards, the lines of rope straining between the cone and their aching hands.
Then, quite suddenly, the cone was toppling. The grubs were scattering in confusion and panic. And Lief and Jasmine were staggering back, falling, sprawling, as the cone fell crashing to the ground.
Lief scrambled to his feet. Dust hung in a low cloud above the ruins of Bardaas prison and the bodies of crushed and dying grubs. Barda himself lay groaning amidst the rubble. Rearing and twisting frantically, the surviving grubs were coming out of hiding and hurrying towards him, yellow vapour already puffing from the tubes below their eyes.
Lief and Jasmine ran to Barda and dragged him to his feet. Dazed, confused, he stumbled between them towards the boat.
Lief saw, to his amazement, that Flash was still clinging to the cage attached to Bardaas belt. Covered in dust, almost as dazed as Barda himself, the spider had stopped fighting with Fury, and was hunched like a bundle of sticks against the cage bars.
aMake haste!a Jasmine urged, glancing behind her.
Lief looked over his shoulder in turn and saw that the grubs had disappeared from sight. But the area around the patch of rubble was pitted with holes. The beasts were tunnelling towards them.
The companions reached the boat and Lief and Jasmine hauled it down to the waterline. All around them the wet mud was beginning to bubble as grubs came to the surface.
aIn! In!a shrieked Jasmine, pushing at Barda feverishly. He tumbled into the boat and lay there mumbling and groaning as his companions splashed into the muddy water, hauling the boat behind them.
In seconds, pale heads began emerging from the sand. But Lief and Jasmine were already scrambling into their craft and taking up the paddles. They were paddling furiously away, into ever deeper water.
Only when they had crossed the band of bright seaweed that ringed the island did they look back. The sh.o.r.e they had left behind them was squirming with grubs and veiled in a thick yellow haze. And in the background were the shapes of the lumpy, twisted cones, pale against the dim sky.
A very different sky, sunny, and blue as forget-me-nots, was visible through the window of the palace bed chamber where Jinks the acrobat lay.
But Jinks was not interested in the view. He was interested only in the delicious broth being fed to him by Sharn, and in telling the story of his heroic but vain efforts to save Lief from death.
aOf course I would never have left him, had I not seen him die. I would willingly have laid down my own life for my king!a he wailed, rolling his eyes. aAnd for his friend, poor brave Barda, too, though Barda was often thoughtlessly cruel to me, rest his soul.a His freshly-bathed hands clutched the sheet of the soft bed to which he had been carried. His eyelids fluttered as he opened his mouth to receive the spoonful of broth that Sharn was holding out to him. He swallowed, sighed and opened his mouth again.
Sharn forced back the tears that were burning behind her eyes. She tried to concentrate on Doomas last words to her, before he set off for the Os-Mine Hills with the giant woman Lindal of Broome.
aI know Jinks of old, Sharn,a Doom had said, pressing her hand. aHe will say and do anything that serves his purpose. Parts of his story are true, no doubt, but not all. Lief may be in danger, but he still lives, I am certain of it. We will find him, never fear.a Sharn gave Jinks the last spoonful of broth, and shook her head slightly. She wished she could share Doomas certainty.
No doubt Doom believes Lief is alive because the Shadow Lord has not invaded Deltora, Sharn thought. But even the Shadow Lord is not all-knowing. His spies have told him that Lief and the Belt are safe in Tora, and he believes it. His attention is not focused on us. For now. But that could change at any time. Any time a She put aside the empty bowl. When she turned back to the bed, she saw that her patientas eyes were closed, and that he was breathing slowly and evenly. Jinks had fallen asleep, it seemed.
Sharn shut her own eyes. Her head was throbbing.
She knew she should get up and go downstairs. There was so much to do. There were still crowds of people in the entrance hall. And by now Marilen would be waiting in her room for her midday meal. Her tray would have to be fetched from the kitchen. Then the poor girl would have to be told, as gently as possible, of the news Jinks had brought. Sharn dreaded the very thought of that.
I will stay here and rest, just for a little while, she said to herself.
Jinks opened his eyes a crack. He peered out from under his eyelashes and saw Sharn still sitting quietly beside him, her head bowed. He almost cursed aloud in annoyance.
What was the woman doing, just sitting there? Did she have no work to do? He had expected her to creep out of the room as soon as she thought he was asleep. Not go to sleep herself!
He considered groaning to disturb her, then decided it would be unwise to do this immediately. After all, he had just pretended to fall peacefully asleep.
Be patient, Jinks, my boy, he told himself. You do not want to make her suspicious, do you? Wake her later if you need to, but for now keep your eyes shut and your mouth closed. And while you are doing that, you can use that mighty brain of yours to make your plan perfect.
6 - Dread.
Every nerve in Liefas body was telling him that all was not well in Del. Paddling in the dimming light, with Jasmine beside him, the spiders mercifully sleeping in their cages at the bottom of the boat, and Barda resting in the stern, he had tried to relax. But the feeling of dread had been growing for the past hour. It was impossible to ignore.
He had tried telling himself that it was caused by the gloom through which the little boat was moving. Where once there had been shimmering rainbows, now there was only sullen dullness.
But he knew that this was not the whole answer. The words aDangera and aDela kept stealing into his mind hand in hand, tormenting him.
aI do not like this,a muttered Barda, breaking the long silence. aI fear the Aurons have sensed us, and have dimmed the light so as to be able to take us unawares.a Lief made no reply.
Jasmine turned to look at him. aYou are plainly not with us, Lief,a she said coldly. aCould you not speak of what is on your mind, for once?a Lief sighed. aI keep feeling there is trouble in Del,a he said, giving in to the temptation to voice his thoughts. aI would give much to be able to tell Mother and Doom anda"and others in the palace who may be worryinga"where we are.a aIt is a little late to think of that,a snapped Jasmine. She knew only too well who Lief meant by aothersa. He meant the girl he was to marry. The girl he had chosen from aone of the best Toran familiesa, as Jinks had put it, to be his queen.
How can he think I do not know of her? she thought resentfully. Everyone is gossiping of the marriage plans, according to Jinks.
Then she realised, with a start, that Lief had said aothers in the palacea. So his bride-to-be was already in Del! Lief had brought her with him when he returned from Tora.
Then he left her almost at once, to pursue me, Jasmine thought. And he has not returned. How she must hate me for that. And Sharn and Doom must hate me, too, for delaying the marriage that was to give Deltora an heir, make it safe.
For the first time she faced the fact that her hasty rush to the Os-Mine Hills might have disastrous results for her country.
Because of me, Lief is in danger, she thought. And that means that Deltora is in terrible danger too. I have my reasons for trying to reach the Shadowlands. The best of reasons! A little sister I never knew I had. A sister who is depending on me to save her. But I did not intend others to suffer by my actions.
Guilt pierced her heart. And the guilt made her angry.
aI did not ask you and Barda to come rushing after me, Lief!a she said harshly. aIf you had not, I would be dead, certainly. But Deltora would have been safe. And your a your friends a would have had no need to fear.a Lief frowned. To him, Jasmineas anger seemed quite unreasonable. Why should she flare up like this, when all he had said was that he wished he could send a message home?
aSurely I have told you often enough, Jasmine, that, far from blaming you for anything, I am grateful to you!a he exclaimed. aIf we had not followed you we would never have found the Pirran Islands.a Receiving no reply, he grew even more irritated. aAs soon as you told me that the Shadowlands prisoners were in danger I agreed to move on at once, did I not? Without returning to Del to get help? What more could you ask of me?a Jasmine sniffed.
aWhen you two have finished sniping at one another,a growled Barda from the stern, ayou may care to look at what is ahead.a Liefas stomach tightened as he obeyed. A large, low, spreading shape was slowly becoming visible through the dimness. It was very close. They had come upon it all unknowing.
aLand!a he breathed.
aYes,a Barda muttered. aAnd this time it may well be Auron. In this gloom we might easily have rounded a cavern wall without seeing it. We had better be prepared.a At the same moment, in Del, Sharn was roused by the sound of Jinks moaning. She had no idea of how much time had pa.s.sed since she began to doze, but she knew very well that the moans were intended to attract her attention.
She looked down at Jinks.
aAre you in pain?a she enquired, a little impatiently. aPerhaps you need another dose of my herbal cure? I know the taste is not pleasant, buta"a aOh no, my lady!a Jinks cried hastily aThe pain has quite gone, thanks to you. But I am still as weak as a baby, and my memories torment me!a Sharn looked concerned. Jinks fluttered his eyelashes and sighed.
aPlease do not feel you have to stay with me,a he whispered pathetically. aI need only a good, long sleep. This evening I could perhaps force down a little ale, if you would bring it to me. A gla.s.s or two might settle my nerves.a aI will leave you then,a said Sharn, rising to her feet. aSleep well.a Sharn was no fool. She was certain that Jinks was pretending to be far more unwell than he was, so as to be a.s.sured of a soft bed, plentiful food and tender nursing. He had a few cuts and bruises, and his feet were blistered. That was all.
But it suited her that the acrobat should stay where he was for now. It was vital that the news he had brought to the palace did not spread and reach the Shadow Lordas ears.
The other people who had been in the kitchen when Jinks arrived would be no problem. Lindal was with Doom. Josef and Ranesh had been sworn to secrecy, then taken back to the library. They would not be permitted to venture downstairs again until Doomas return.
And Amarantz? Amarantz, completely deaf, had not heard a word Jinks had said.
I admit I am grateful for that, Sharn thought. Amarantz is a good cook and a willing worker as well as a good friend. I would be sorry to have to hide her away upstairs.
She put her hand to the k.n.o.b of the bed chamber door. But as she did so the k.n.o.b turned, the door opened, and Marilen hurried into the room.
aI heard your voice, Sharn,a Marilen began. aI have been looking for you everywhere! I musta"a aMarilena"why are you here?a cried Sharn, trying to shield the girl from the bed. aPlease, I beg you, go back to your room. I know you must be hungry, but I will bring your tray to you as soon as I am able.a Marilen stood her ground. aDoom brought me my meal before he left,a she said shortly. aI must speak with you, Sharn. It is very urgent. Ia"a She broke off as she caught sight of Jinks, who had struggled to a sitting position so as to see her more clearly. aDoom told me that a man called Jinks is claiming that Lief is dead,a she said abruptly. aIs this he? Is this Jinks?a aIndeed, my lady, to my great grief,a whimpered Jinks. With a tiny groan he fell back on his pillows, his hand to his brow. His eyes, alive with curiosity, gleamed as he watched Marilen between his fingers.