Read Online Castle Perilous by John Dechancie - Free Book Online

new.”
    Gene scratched his head and looked around. They had followed a spiral stairwell down to this, a spacious airy room with numerous window alcoves. An Oriental rug covered the flagstone at the far end of the room, and on it were positioned various pieces of furniture — a divan, a few straight-back chairs, two low tables. A sideboard set against the wall held several wrought-iron candelabras bearing the stubs of burned tapers. The alcoves were set at even intervals along the right wall; a single flush window was cut into the far wall, and to the left, an arched doorway led through to the descending spiral of another stairwell.
    Gene said, “Linda, do you remember Dalton saying to go right at that first landing? Or was it left?”
    Linda stepped past him, following Snowclaw toward the windows.
    â€œI’m sure he said right. And we went right. That’s all I’m sure of, though.”
    â€œDamn. Well, maybe we just keep following the stairs. But it seems to me we should have come to that grand ballroom by now.”
    Yawning, Gene walked to the far end of the room and flopped down on the divan. He yawned again and keeled over on his side.
    â€œTired,” he said quietly, closing his eyes.
    Snowclaw said, “Hey, Gene. Come look at this.”
    Gene’s eyes popped open. “What?” He cranked himself up and shuffled over to the alcove into which Snowclaw and Linda had squeezed themselves. They were leaning out of the narrow Gothic window and looking up, Linda bending and ducking her head under Snowclaw’s outstretched arm. Gene craned his neck, couldn’t see a thing, so he stepped back and went into the next alcove. He looked out.
    There was nothing above but clear sky. Hundreds of feet below, waves crashed onto black rocks at the foot of a shear cliff. There was nothing below the window. Gene gasped and put his arms out, bracing himself against the stone jambs. The window was suspended in air, floating a few feet above the edge of the cliff. The angle was disorienting; the window was canted vertiginously forward, unnaturally raising the horizon ahead. The whole world out there was cockeyed. Gene stepped back and turned around. The room was level, just as before. He looked out again, trying to adjust to the strange perspective. Nearby, other craggy promontories rose from the water like the heads of sea monsters. He bent and looked out. The dark band of a squall line edged the horizon. Between it and the rocks, about a mile out to sea, a long, high-masted ship tacked through choppy waters, its sails billowing, a voluminous spinnaker blooming off the prow.
    â€œHey, this is weird.”
    â€œYou said it,” Snowclaw agreed. “Look at that thing.”
    â€œWhat, the ship?”
    â€œI guess you could call it that.”
    â€œWhat would you call it?”
    â€œI dunno. A floating city.”
    â€œHuh?” Gene leaned out as far as he dared and glanced around. “Where?”
    â€œUp there. You mean you can’t see it?”
    Gene looked up. “What’re you guys talking about?”
    â€œGreat White Stuff! Gene, how could you miss it?”
    â€œWhere? I don’t see anything but that sailboat out there.”
    â€œSailboat. What sailboat out where?”
    â€œThat yacht, or whatever you call it. Out to sea.”
    After a pause that contained much bafflement, Snowclaw said, “What sea?”
    â€œWhat . . . ? Now, wait just a minute . . .” Gene left the window.
    â€œWhere in the world are you looking?” Linda asked as Gene came into the first alcove.
    â€œMove over, Snowclaw.”
    â€œSorry.” Snowclaw edged aside for him.
    The three of them looked out.
    This window opened onto a different world. A drop of only a few feet ended on the grassy slope of a high hill. Below was a valley through which a tree-lined stream meandered. The day was bright and sunny, a stiff breeze stirring the tall